You can get to the city from Novorossiysk; regular buses, minibuses and taxis run from the station. Travel time is less than three hours. The peculiarity of this route is that the route passes through unusual picturesque places characteristic of these places. From the window you can admire dolmens, stone structures that are thousands of years old. In addition, at the station you can use the services of taxi drivers, but the prices are quite high, so vacationers mostly prefer buses.
The resort town of Arkhipo-Osipovka has excellent, well-kept beaches and good infrastructure. There is a lot of entertainment, restaurants, cafes and shops. The main local attraction is the local beaches. The largest and most popular among the local population and tourists are three beaches: Central, across the Valun River and Teshebs.
The photo shows the central beach of Arkhipo-Osipovka
The largest beach in the city, a combined pebble-sand beach, is clean and meets all standards and requirements. The beach is well equipped, you can rent an umbrella and a sunbed, and there are toilets and showers on site. In addition, there are storage lockers on the beach for the convenience of vacationers. There is a lot of entertainment for adults and children, and there is a rental of tourist equipment.
The approach to the water is convenient, made of wooden flooring. The sea on the beach is not deep, so couples with children enjoy relaxing here.
Several cafes serving refreshing drinks and local treats are open for tourists. Children and their parents enjoy riding catamarans, banana boats, and jet skis. Vacationers are also offered unforgettable boat trips or speedboats, where they can admire the beauty of the local nature.
Central Beach
In the village of Arkhipo Osipovka, the Central Beach is located along Primorsky Boulevard between such rivers as Vulan and Teshebs that flow into the sea.
Thus, it occupies almost the entire coastline of the wonderful village. It consists of pebbles and sand, which allows each vacationer to choose exactly the material that he likes best.
The central beach is equipped with everything necessary for a comfortable and safe time. This applies primarily to canopies that create shade, umbrellas, various sun loungers, toilets and showers.
Here you can also find several outlets that sell a variety of recreational accessories, as well as a variety of food and drinks. You can leave your personal belongings in the equipped storage room.
Arkhipo Osipovka sandy beach in the central area has special wooden decking that allows vacationers to go down to the water without problems and with all amenities. The seabed itself is not steep, which makes it safe to spend time here.
Beach behind the Wulan River
The second major beach of the resort town, which is very popular among vacationers. There are always a lot of people here, life is in full swing. The beach is pebble and sand, the sea is shallow and therefore always warm. This is a favorite place for tourists with children and young people. The road to the beach passes through a picturesque alley, where photography enthusiasts will find many wonderful views for photos as a souvenir of their summer vacation.
There are several mini-hotels near the beach that offer inexpensive and comfortable accommodation. On the beach there is a lot of entertainment for adults and children, bananas, catamarans, boat trips. For extreme sports enthusiasts, there is the opportunity to skydive and ride a scooter. There is a car park next to the beach for tourists who prefer to travel by car.
The beach is equipped with sun loungers, umbrellas, toilets, showers and drinking water fountains. There are several small cafes nearby where you can have a tasty snack.
Arkhipo-Osipovka
Video: Arkhipo-Osipovka
History of Arkhipo-Osipovka
The Circassians have long lived on the territory of modern Arkhipo-Osipovka. As a result of the complex annexation of the Caucasus to the Russian Empire, the indigenous inhabitants left here, and the Russian military settled in the Mikhailovsky fortification. When the conflict was resolved, the village of Vulanskaya was built on the empty site in 1864, named after the nearest river. Soon the expanded village became a village, and in 1889 it received the status of a village and was renamed Arkhipo-Osipovka in memory of the feat of the Russian soldier. In 1840, during the Circassian attack on the Mikhailovskoye fortification, he blew up a powder magazine and died along with the attackers. Arkhip Osipov was forever included in the lists of the regiment; in our time, a 6-meter cross was erected in his memory, visible from different points of Arkhipo-Osipovka.
Fortress in Arkhipo-Osipovka
Memorial cross about the feat of Arkhip Osipov
Shortly before the revolution, the surrounding area of the village was considered as an inexpensive resort town, and they even managed to build a small sanatorium together, without a beach or park. After 1917 it was nationalized, and since then Arkhipo-Osipovka has become a popular holiday destination. Interest in it especially grew in the 70s, when sanatoriums and rest homes were modernized and new medical buildings were erected.
Arkhipo-Osipovka
Sights of Arkhipo-Osipovka
Interesting corners of the village and its environs for tourists are either of very ancient or very recent origin. Archaeological sites include numerous dolmens - burial structures made of massive stones. There are especially many of them near the village of Pshada - about 50. In the vicinity of Arkhipo-Osipovka, the ruins of a watchtower of the 1st century, left over from the Romans, have been preserved. A “house with deer” made of natural stone stands near the entrance to the village. The two-story building with 50 animal sculptures was erected about 60 years ago by a local enthusiast. The Church of St. Nicholas, elegant and bright, was built in our time.
Dolmen in the valley of the Pshada River
St. Nicholas Church
Roman tower ruins
Water parks and dolphinarium
The Arkhipo-Osipovka Dolphinarium, located next to the Central Beach, is open from the beginning of May to the end of September. The show “Theater of Sea Animals” with dolphins and fur seals has been welcoming guests since 2006. During the season, artists perform three performances daily, except Mondays. Ticket price is 700 rubles on benches, 800 rubles on chairs, children from 3 years old go for full price. A photo with a dolphin costs 500 rubles. The Malibu mini water park on the waterfront, open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., includes several simple slides and a pool for the little ones. The new, more spacious GoodZone water park, formerly called the “Emerald City,” is not yet so popular among visitors due to high ticket prices - from 1,000 rubles.
DolphinariumWaterpark "GoodZone"
Museums
The historical museum of the village of Arkhipo-Osipovka includes a reconstruction of the Mikhailovsky fortification. Its most visited part is the Bread and Wine Museum with an authentic 19th century hand mill and ancient Greek vessels. The facility is located near the old mill and the hotel of the same name. The price of a 150-ruble ticket includes a tasting of bread and several servings of wine. The exotic “House Upside Down” can be visited on the embankment for 250 rubles to admire the furniture screwed to the ceiling.
In Soviet times, the Cosmonaut Rehabilitation Center operated in Arkhipo-Osipovka and an alley planted with their hands was opened. In the summer of 2021, the Cosmonautics Museum opened in the village, on the embankment, which is easy to find by the large rocket in front of the entrance. One of its main exhibits is the door from Baikonur, on which the cosmonauts left their autographs before the flight, as well as spacesuits, simulators, books about space, models of space technology from rockets to stations. The Museum of Cosmonautics store sells space food in tubes. The complex is open from 10 to 23 hours, tickets cost 250-350 rubles.
Museum of the Mikhailovsky Fortification
Mill – Museum of Bread and Wine
At the Bread and Wine Museum
Bringing Down the House
Space Museum
Natural attractions
The main attraction in the vicinity of the village is the Tesheb waterfalls on the river of the same name, also called Gebius waterfalls. Paths and steep stairs lead to narrow streams falling from a great height; a fee is charged for passage: 150 rubles for children and 250 rubles for adults. In summer, it is best to go to the Arkhipo-Osipovka waterfalls in the evenings: during the day it is too stuffy in the forest. On the way you can visit a farm with camels and ostriches. The length of the route is 3 km.
The Sosnovaya Shchel tract is famous for its relict coniferous grove with Crimean pine and endemics. The botanical garden is replaced by the park of the Arkhipo-Osipovka sanatorium with 130 species of plants planted on 23 hectares. The local zoo is a crocodile farm opened in 2010. In addition to crocodiles, you can see turtles, giant lizards and snakes here. During the season, a crocodile show is shown near the embankment for 500 rubles; you can just look at the reptiles for 300 rubles from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. For the winter, the animals move to the northern part of Arkhipo-Osipovka, and tourists’ access to them is stopped.
Teshebskie waterfallsPark of the Arkhipo-Osipovka sanatorium
Crocodile farm
Sanatoriums and boarding houses of Arkhipo-Osipovka
The oldest sanatorium in the village, Arkhipo-Osipovka, accepts up to 350 guests, including children over 4 years old. The complex is famous for its park, beach and boat pier, seawater swimming pool and 4.5-kilometer trail. You can not only walk along the paths, but also ride rented bicycles and roller skates. A standard tour at the end of the velvet season costs from 3,000 rubles per day when staying in a double room.
Sanatorium "Vulan" specializes in cardiovascular diseases of adults and recovery from injuries of patients from 4 years old. Guests can enjoy rooms of varying comfort, a restaurant menu with dietary dishes and an additional buffet. The cost of accommodation and treatment in the off-season is about 2,000 rubles per day. The Teshebs boarding house consists of two five-story buildings for 500 people. Cozy rooms, designed for 2-3 guests, are equipped with refrigerators, some with TVs. Three times a day, guests receive meals on the Arkhipo-Osipovka embankment in the Albatross cafe. The boarding house is open from June to September.
Sanatorium "Arkhipo-Osipovka"Sanatorium "Arkhipo-Osipovka"
Beaches and promenade
All the entertainment of Arkhipo-Osipovka is concentrated on the Central Beach and the embankment - from the dolphinarium to the Ferris wheel, the Havana disco club and the Tornado night club. The shore is covered with large pebbles, all sunbeds are paid. The two beaches at the mouth of the rivers Vulan and Teshebs are also crowded. At the peak of the season, spontaneous beaches appear behind Camel, and nudists relax near Hedgehog. In the mountainous part of Arkhipo-Osipovka there are very large pebbles, there are no amenities, the main advantages of relaxing on the shore are the privacy and picturesqueness of the place. Divers prefer coastal waters from Central Beach to the village of Betta.
Coast of Arkhipo-Osipovka during the peak summer season
Central Beach
Village beach in September
Boat trips
Skydiving behind a boat
Cheesecake riding
Beaches near Mount Hedgehog
Sea in Arkhipo-Osipovka
Embankment in the evening
Where to stay
In addition to sanatoriums and boarding houses, in Arkhipo-Osipovka, often at a distance of 2-3 km from the sea, several guest houses with low prices and minimal service are open. At the end of the season, a week's stay in such rooms costs about 2,000 rubles per person. The advantages of such houses are access to a kitchen and the ability to live with small children and pets. Motorists are waiting at the Solnechny camping site, 2 km from the village center. You can stay in its spacious tents for 2,000 rubles a week.
Booking.com
Cafes and restaurants
Inexpensive canteens “Arkhipka” and “Obzhorka” near the embankment, as well as the “Best Chebureks” cafe with pastries and shawarma, are always popular among tourists. Guests will find quiet music and excellent cuisine in the Podvorye and the Wind Rose on Pogranichnaya Street, some distance from the sea. Many tourists who rent rooms in private hotels prefer to cook on their own, purchasing food at Magnit branches in the center of Arkhipo-Osipovka.
Fruits on the market
Guest house in Arkhipo-Osipovka
How to get there
Most tourists fly to Gelendzhik by plane. From the airport you need to take a bus to the suburban bus station, and then change to the route in the direction of Arkhipo-Osipovka, located about 60 km from the city. The fare is about 75 rubles, by taxi – at least 1,500 rubles. Travelers arriving by train transfer to buses in Krasnodar, located 120 km from the resort, at the Goryachiy Klyuch station, 70 km northeast of Arkhipo-Osipovka, or in Novorossiysk, 90 km northwest of the village. A taxi ride from the nearest railway stations will cost 2,000 rubles or more. Bus services run from many cities in Central Russia through Arkhipo-Osipovka.
Nornickel Beach
It is worth mentioning this local beach, which is located near the Wulan River. Many travelers come to this beach by car; for convenience, there is a special ramp to the beach. The territory has its own parking lot; vacationers are offered a lot of entertainment on the beach. In addition, there are equipment rentals for beach holidays. There are also several cafes and bars here. The beach is clean, well-groomed, the sea is warm, so it is always crowded. Mostly couples with children and many young people relax on the beach. The seashore is made of small pebbles, the entrance to the water is easy. There is a fee to enter the beach by car, but it is not expensive.
Read also: Beaches of Gelendzhik: urban and nudist
How to climb Mount Hedgehog
Finding the path on Mount Hedgehog is not difficult - along the Arkhipo-Osipovka embankment you need to go to the left if you are facing the sea. The path continues until the tourist sees the Teshebs River. You can cross it by crossing the bridge - it is located about 100 m to the left, or simply along the seashore. Sometimes in the summer the river dries out so much that you can immediately step over it. This is where the main path upward begins. Usually it takes no more than 1 hour.
Even children can cope with the climb to Mount Hedgehog. It is only important to choose the right shoes: you cannot even go out on this route in beach flip-flops and sandals. The ascent and descent are quite steep, your feet will slip, and you can get seriously injured. You need to wear light sneakers with non-slip soles.
The route to climb Mount Hedgehog in Arkhipo-Osipovka on foot on the map
You shouldn't leave the well-trodden road. This path goes along a rocky gutter. It is tested and safe. After a sharp climb, you can walk over the cliff along the beach and reach Cape Left.
The first observation deck is located at an altitude of 45 m. More beautiful views open from the second, which is 67 m high. It is more popular among tourists - the most beautiful photographs are taken here, and the coast and harbor are clearly visible. If you look in the other direction, you can see residential buildings and hotels, as well as other mountain peaks.
From the observation deck the road goes towards Dzhubga. From here you can see the endless sea, the water of which is azure blue.
It’s not difficult to climb to the highest point of the mountain at 245 m, but you won’t be able to see anything: dense forest and bushes grow around. You can come here just for yourself.
View from Mount Hedgehog to the bay and beach, © Albina R.
Beach behind the Teshebs River
The third most popular beach in the city is located in the most picturesque corner of the resort. The beach is pebbly and differs from the previous ones in the small number of vacationers. Despite this, there is a lot of entertainment for city guests, water riding, scuba diving, boat and catamaran trips, parachute jumping. On the beach there are several cafes and bars serving drinks and treats for tourists.
Guest houses
The guest house “Lastochka” is located closest to Mount Hedgehog on the street. Gogolya, 29a. It is located next to the Teshebs River. There is a barbecue and parking on site. Nearby there are shops, cafes and restaurants, as well as an amusement park.
Nearby on the street. Gogol 29 is another homestead “August”. The beach is only 100 m from here. The territory is equipped with a children's playground, gazebos and a terrace, and a barbecue.
On the street Gogol 1-B is the Teshebs boarding house. An outdoor fresh water swimming pool is available on its territory. The distance to the sea is 600 m. Not far from the embankment there is a mini-water park, cafes and bars, discos, and attractions.
Mountain Hedgehog at night, © Dmitry D.
Hotel "Mane" on the lane. Gogolya, 21 is also ready to receive guests. In the yard there is parking for guests' cars, a barbecue area and a children's playground. Meals a la carte or set menu to choose from.
On the lane Gogol 3 there is the Axis Hotel. From here the beach is only 212 m away. Pets are allowed in with agreement with the hotel administration. There is a gazebo and barbecue area on site. Nearby is the local zoo and the Historical and Ethnographic Museum.
Panorama of Mount Hedgehog on Google maps
Wild and nudist beaches
Those who love to touch nature will appreciate the local wild beaches. Despite the fact that there is no special entertainment here, they are very popular and have long been loved by connoisseurs of these places. Several wild beaches are hidden from prying eyes behind a mountain called Camel. You can get there by car (the landmark is the famous Nazarova Dacha campsite) or on foot along the coast.
The highlight of these beaches, which attracts tourists here so much, is the wonderful landscape that opens next to the beach. Holidays on such beaches are more suitable for brave Robinsons who are not afraid of the lack of civilized amenities. By the way, it is worth noting that there is a cafe on site where you can enjoy home-made food. The beach stands out among others for its pristine nature, beautiful views and healthy clean sea air.
There are stones and small pebbles on the shore; the entrance to the water is also on small stones. This is not a very suitable place for families with children; the beach is more suitable for those who want to retire and relax in the lap of nature.
Nudist beaches
There are places in Arkhipo-Osipovka where nudists can feel comfortable. Not far from the mountain called Hedgehog, a kilometer from the central beach there is a beach where nudists relax. The shore is pebbly, the sea bottom is rocky, with algae, so swimming here is not very convenient. However, lovers of pristine nature gather here. There is no entertainment here, but from the top of the mountain there are excellent views of the local landscapes.
Wild beaches
The clearest sea, view from the observation deck
Sunset from the observation deck
For those who want to be further from civilization and closer to nature, there is a direct road to the wild beaches of Arkhipo-Osipovka. They are located in the Mount Camel area. You can get here along the seashore, or by driving to the Nazarova Dacha camping site and the Breeze camping site. These beaches are rocky, sometimes pebble, the entrance to the sea is not the most comfortable, but picturesque panoramas and clear sea water compensate for this disadvantage. The main entertainment for tourists in these places is scuba diving.
How to get there
Mount Hedgehog adjoins Arkhipo-Osipovka on the eastern side. It is located on the Central Beach of the resort. You can get here by minibus No. 113, get off at the Mikhailovsky Lane stop. From here you need to go southeast along the street. Zarechnaya and st. Gogol, where hikes to the hills begin.
It takes about 25 minutes by car from Arkhipo-Osipovka to Mount Yozhik. On the street Lenin (M-4 highway) should move from the village towards Dzhubga. After passing the Teshebs River, turn right, then follow the main road without turning all the way to the mountain.
How to get to Mount Hedgehog: travel by car on the map
Video about Mount Hedgehog in Arkhipo-Osipovka
