Sami to Kislovodsk - an independent trip. Why go and what to see?

Friends, good health to everyone!

Traveling in the era of the coronavirus threat to all humanity, you have to use the “vacuum cleaner method” to inspect everything possible along the way. After all, you never know whether you will be able to go somewhere again?

I dropped by Kislovodsk during the Istanbul-Sevastopol tour. The maneuver involved a transfer at Mineralnye Vody airport from the plane to the Tavrida .

Of course, on the Internet you will find 1001 reviews about Kislovodsk , the park and what to do here for 3, 5 and even 10 days. I'll just make a few bold strokes and sketch out a plan of the area.

This thought was prompted by a phrase from a fellow traveler: “You don’t know that Pyatigorsk or Kislovodsk will be first. I was here a year ago, I don’t remember.”

In general, so that they remember, know and don’t bat their eyes on the spot, but navigate like a conductor in their own compartment. Traveling to Kislovodsk on your own and all the issues related to it.

Go!

Why go here?

Kislovodsk is the main balneological resort of the Caucasian Mineral Waters . Here people drink water, breathe clean air and walk kilometers through the luxurious park.

In addition to Kislovodsk, there is the bustling city of Pyatigorsk, faded Mineralnye Vody and 2 quiet park-villages of Essentuki and Zheleznovodsk. But if you need “meat” and impressions, then you need to go to Kislovodsk. More about choosing the Minvod resort in this article.

Around the huge Kislovodsk Park you will find a myriad of health resorts and sanatoriums (more only in Sochi). You can rent a hotel or guest house and go for treatments at a sanatorium and drink Narzan mineral water .

Also here you will find a philharmonic society, several museums, the remains of a fortress, a couple of cathedrals and even a remodeled mosque. In general, you can spend several days actively and educationally.

Transport

Kislovodsk has a well-organized public transport network that allows you to quickly and comfortably get to any area of ​​the city and its surroundings.

City buses run on schedule through the main points of Kislovodsk: the Central Market and the railway station. The stops located near each large sanatorium are located close to each other. The traffic interval is 5-20 minutes. The fare is 18-20 RUB. Prices on the page are for May 2021.

Minibus taxis also run quite often, connecting remote areas of the city and adjacent villages. The fare is the same as on the bus - 18-20 RUB.

There are several taxi services and a large number of individual entrepreneurs operating in the city. Taxis transport passengers both around the city and in the suburbs. The cost of the trip is from 200 RUB.

Kislovodsk is connected with other cities of the Caucasian Mineralnye Vody by intercity buses departing from the local bus station.

Suburban electric trains connect the main cities of the region. Along the way, trains stop at internal stations, including in other cities of the Caucasian Mineral Waters group - Essentuki and Pyatigorsk. You can get to Zheleznovodsk from the Beshtau station. Train intervals range from 30 minutes to 1 hour.

How to get there?

An electric train runs from Mineralnye Vody to all stations and piers of the resort. Also, minibuses of the Gazelle brand and large buses from Stavropol and Rostov are rushing about.

We talk in detail about methods of dealing with distances between resorts in this article. Here I will just give a couple of tips.

Mineralnye Vody - Kislovodsk train runs approximately every 40 minutes , with stops in Pyatigorsk and Essentuki.

The train from MV goes to Kislovodsk for 1.5 hours, but there is an opportunity to ride the “ Swallow ”, which will take you there in just 50 minutes. True, she only walks 4 times a day.

A ticket for the MV train costs 184 rubles, and a ticket for the Lastochka train costs 194 rubles. They must be saved until the end of the trip. Not only do the controllers check, but also the exit to the terminal through the turnstiles using tickets.

And yes, in “ Swallow ” there are luxurious toilets in the 1st and 5th cars. In general, the Swallow reminded me of the Moscow Aeroexpress, only more spacious.

How to get to Kislovodsk

The fastest way to get to Kislovodsk is by air through the nearest Mineralnye Vody airport.
Then you will have to travel another 2-3 hours, first by minibus, and then by train or bus. The taxi ride will take just over an hour. Trains from Moscow and St. Petersburg arrive at the Kislovodsk railway station. Moreover, the price of a compartment ticket is comparable to a plane ticket. A trip by bus from Moscow to Kislovodsk will cost less. In a couple of days it is easy to get to the resort from the capital by private car. Read more about how to get to Kislovodsk here.

Search for cheap flights to Kislovodsk

How to navigate in Kislovodsk

My favorite topic is local reconnaissance.

So, the train arrives at the final station and the stream carries you out of the turnstiles. This is almost the center of the village, but not quite.

If you need to go to a certain sanatorium or hotel and have heavy bags with you, then take
a taxi right here.
The prices are divine. For 100-200 rubles you will be taken within the city. In addition to taxis, there are about a dozen minibuses . The route of movement can be tracked at the stop. The fare is 18 rubles.

If you are light, then turn right towards the chic Philharmonic named after. Safonova.

Once you cross the road through the underground passage, you will find yourself on a beautiful pedestrian street. Karl Marx. It will lead you to the Narzan Gallery building and Kurortny Boulevard.

Walk from the station 5 minutes.

That's it, you are in the very center of things. Behind the Narzan Gallery begins the endless Kislovodsk Park .

And at the end of Kurortny Boulevard is Oktyabrskaya Square. Here is the main post office, banks, and a shopping center. This is the business center of the city. That's basically it.

Here is a panorama in both directions from the street. Vokzalnaya, which runs perpendicular to Kurortny Boulevard and divides it into two:

KislovodskKislovodsk — Yandex.Maps

What to bring

Water is the basis of life. It was this priceless treasure that became the starting point in the history of Caucasian Mineral Waters in general and Kislovodsk in particular. So it’s logical that the main gift that you simply must bring from here is mineral water. True, when handing your loved ones a bottle of Narzan, do not forget to remind them that it should be taken in accordance with certain rules, and not just to quench their thirst. You can collect a small amount of water yourself at the Narzan Gallery in Kislovodsk or buy a bottle of water at one of the local stores.

An original gift from Kislovodsk - a drinking pot. This is a small mug with a spout for leisurely drinking mineral water. The spout prevents contact of rather aggressive water with your teeth. Each mug is originally decorated and painted by local artisans. The nursery is sold in all souvenir shops.

Kislovodsk is located in a mountainous area, so it is not surprising that warm sheepskin products are common here. First of all, these are vests and belts that prevent you from freezing under the deceptive bright sun.

Kislovodsk porcelain factory "Phoenix" produces unique handmade products. The sets are quite expensive, but a small mug or saucer can be purchased at a reasonable price.

Where to look for housing

If you didn’t come with a ticket to a sanatorium, then in Kislovodsk there are a dozen hotels and dozens of guest houses and private hotels.

In March, I rented a room for 1000 rubles in a guest house located in a building 1902 . Its advantages : 3.5m ceilings, thick walls, large area, windows and location. Cons : used furniture and spartan bath.

A little later they showed me other rooms, which were 300 rubles more expensive, but with better repairs and features.

Walking around the city, I noticed several wonderful hotels with good locations and stars on the fuselage. After checking in the hotel search engine, I found out that rooms start from 4,000 rubles. Everything else is somewhere in the middle.

To rent housing, choose the center of the village. This is not difficult to do, since the bulk is already located here. Where are the good areas to rent?

There are 3 of them:

1. The most expensive area along Kurortny Boulevard
2. Good place to rent near the Kislovodsk Fortress
3. Another landmark between the railway. station and Dzerzhinsky Avenue and Zhelyabova Street.

If you find a hotel here, everything will be within walking distance. But keep in mind that Kislovodsk is a hilly city and even in some places in the center you need to use stairs all the time.

Economy and industry

Most of the population works in the service sector. There are no large industrial enterprises or factories here, and the factories do not smoke. Kislovodsk is a resort area, so the local population is involved in sanatoriums, health resorts, hospitals, and also works in entertainment centers and parks, and in the retail trade sector.

The city has a bottling of mineral water, and there are several food enterprises that produce pasta, tomato paste, and mayonnaise.

On the territory of the city there is a well-known “fish farm” in the country, where trout is bred. Breeding individuals are supplied to the best restaurants in the largest cities of the country.

Part of the population is employed in a furniture factory and a porcelain factory. But still, a significant number of local residents serve Russians and foreigners who come on vacation.

A significant share of jobs is provided by entertainment complexes. Life in the resort town is in full swing day and night, so restaurants and entertainment venues are open around the clock.

Where to eat

I can offer 3 types of food:

1. canteens , they are cheap and most have a normal interior. The quality of the food varies, but for those who are not picky it will be fine. I advise you not to go to canteens in the evening. Little choice and washed out food.
2. Restaurants – there is a huge choice here. To begin with, I recommend the Veranda restaurant right on the resort boulevard. The prices are average, but the interior, the waiters, the cuisine are all top notch. Musicians play in the evening. Of course, there is a choice of Caucasian restaurants and kebab houses, but the reviews are different. Need to find.
3. Fast food - here you can eat on the go. There are various bakeries and pie shops with various national pastries. I recommend visiting the Kislovodsk fair not far from the fortress. Homemade baked goods, cheeses, honey, herbs, and pickles are sold here.

Given such a varied choice, I see no point in cooking myself in a rented apartment. Prices in stores are standard and you won’t experience big savings.

Maybe you can cook borscht in pans, but that’s not for everyone.

Cafes and restaurants in Kislovodsk

Kislovodsk, like any resort city, is rich in catering establishments. Given its location, Caucasian cuisine is most widely represented. There is a fairly large Armenian diaspora in Kislovodsk, so you can rest assured of the quality of the kebab offered in local cafes and restaurants. Such establishments with Caucasian cuisine as “Shashlyk Mashlyk”, “Barashka”, “Old Baku”, “Mimino”, “Grill-Bar LaVash” are considered popular among tourists and local residents.

Those who like lighter food can recommend quiet and cozy establishments, for example, Tea House or Provence. Here you can eat a vegetable salad or sit over a cup of coffee and cake.

There are also many small cafes and kiosks in the city offering shawarma, pizza and other street food. If you doubt the quality of such food, do not hesitate to ask the locals for advice. They know exactly where they offer delicious and inexpensive dishes.

What to do and what to see?

1. Walk through Kislovodsk Park
2. Drink Narzan mineral water
3. Visit local museums and cathedrals
4. Go to the Philharmonic
5. Go on excursions in the area

In addition, it is simply pleasant to walk around the city, in many places of which the pre-revolutionary appearance has been preserved.

And on Kurortny Boulevard, go to the Phoenix brand store , next to the Veranda restaurant. Kislovodsk also distinguished itself in the production of artistic porcelain!

While I was waiting for the train, I went into the exhibition hall in the building of station No. 1 near the underground passage. A small exhibition with models and historical data on the construction of the railway to Kislovodsk.

For free.

Rent a Car

Caucasian Mineral Waters is a very picturesque region. Many CMS cities are connected by rail and bus services. Still, for greater freedom of movement, a good solution would be to rent a car. With their help, you can go on a trip to Pyatigorsk, Zheleznovodsk, Essentuki, or even go to the Black Sea coast.

Car traffic in Kislovodsk can be described as typically southern. They drive here harshly, on the edge. The far right lane of the already not too wide streets is always occupied by parked cars. By the way, there are no serious problems with parking. Park as best you can - Kislovodsk residents will understand you, because finding a good place to park your car in a city that is not designed for so many cars is very difficult. Traffic jams occur from time to time, but for Muscovites they look more like small traffic jams.

The cost of renting an economy class car, for example, Hyundai Solaris, is 1900 RUB. Ford Focus will cost 2400 RUB per day. Renting a Toyota Camry costs RUB 4,000. Most rental companies require a deposit of RUB 25,000. There are no representative offices of international rental cars in Kislovodsk, but there are a sufficient number of local ones, the largest of which are: URENTCAR, AvtoDar, and Rental AUTO KMV.

Kislovodsk Park

This is an incredibly huge park with interesting natural and architectural elements, as well as its own cable car.

To walk around the entire park you will need a couple of days and good physical shape. All information is on the official website.

A serious climb begins from the 3rd part of the park, where the cable car . The price is only 200 rubles. for ascent or descent. The upper platform is at an altitude of 1167 m next to the Olympic complex .

The center of Kislovodsk is located at an altitude of 800 m above sea level.

The park is well-groomed with an incredible number of paths that are illuminated at night. Access to the park is 24 hours a day and is available in several locations.

I would divide the park into 3 parts:

1. The lower part is the most refined part without a significant increase in height. It goes from the Narzan Gallery to the Ladies' Caprice bridge along the Olkhovka River. This is the urban part of the park, where it is worth finding the Mirror Pond, the Flower Calendar and the Pushkin monument. Right at the entrance is a gorgeous Colonnade and an installation dedicated to Lermontov. Elevation gain 25m.
2. Middle - the park continues west and uphill and lasts to the lower cable car station, as well as the Valley of Roses . There are already winding paths here, as well as paved paths for electric vehicles. Be sure to find the Air Temple and the Cascade Staircase. Elevation gain 100m.
3. The upper part is the wilder part and is not for children. The best option is to go up by cable car and go down on your own. The paths are steep, and there are fewer and fewer people. There are several observation platforms overlooking Elbrus. Find one of them “ Red Sun ”, where there is another monument to Lermontov. Elevation gain 200-250m.

Kislovodsk is the resort capital of Russia

Current Kislovodsk Travel and tourism Articles 12/14/2020 KISLOVODSK – RESORT CAPITAL OF RUSSIA Published: On the Waters

City status: resort of federal significance

Resort park status: national

Awards: Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree.

National composition: Kislovodsk residents.

In the constellation of resort towns in the specially protected region of the CMS, Kislovodsk occupies the most honorable place. The city of the sun and Narzan, as it is also called, is unconditionally recognized as the main balneological and mountain climatic resort of the country. If anyone else considers Kislovodsk a resort province, which has not reached modern technologies in the field of sanatorium-resort and tourist services, then he is deeply mistaken and, apparently, lives with ideas about Kislovodsk in the 90s. years. However, it’s time to get out of the distant past and look at the famous resort beloved by the people with fresh eyes. All advanced methods and programs of health improvement, prevention, and rejuvenation have long been introduced in Kislovodsk.
The entertainment industry and infrastructure are not much different from world standards. The difficulties of the transition period that arose in connection with the collapse of the USSR and engulfed the country have been successfully OVERCOME!

This is evidenced, first of all, by the growth in tourist flows over the past five years.

The residents of Kislovodsk managed not only to preserve, but also to modernize the city’s sanatorium and resort complex, to put it on the market track of economic development, to supplement the balneological methods of treatment and prevention developed by many generations of doctors with the achievements of resort medicine of the 21st century, to update the treatment and diagnostic base with high-tech medical equipment and equipment, expand the medical profile of health resorts, increase the level of staff training, introduce time-appropriate forms of organizing leisure and active recreation, update and increase the number of rooms.

So Kislovodsk not only did not lag behind, but also became a leader in the Russian recreational services market.

Today in Kislovodsk there are 40 sanatoriums, 14 boarding houses, 83 hotels, 2 children's camps, 2 resort clinics, which is 1/3 of the total number of KMS health resorts.

The city's health resort complex is like a living organism that is constantly evolving. Just look at the list of health resorts in which various works have been carried out over the past five years alone.

"Electronics" (construction of a medical building, renovation of rooms and facade), "Uzbekistan" (opening of a SPA complex, renovation of rooms), "Tsentrosoyuz-Kislovodsk" (building 3 completed and put into operation), "Elbrus" (renewed rooms) , buildings belonging to architectural monuments have been restored), “Dimitrova” (the number of rooms is being updated), “Kirova” (the facade is being updated), “Moscow” (the territory of the sanatorium and the number of rooms are being reconstructed). In the process of reconstruction is the administrative and medical building of the Shalyapin health resort on the lane. Borodinsky, as well as the sanatorium “Red Stones” and named after Ordzhonikidze.

The city of the sun and Narzan offers its guests tour packages designed for different financial capabilities. Naturally, vouchers with accommodation in Standard rooms are cheaper than vouchers with accommodation in Luxury rooms and even more so in the Apartment category. However, with regard to methods of treatment, prevention, and active recreation, they are not much different. Nowhere in the world in any resort hotel will you be provided, for the same money as our economy class vouchers, with comprehensive diagnostics and treatment taking into account an individual approach, a set of basic wellness procedures, three meals a day, accommodation in decent conditions, as we have here Kislovodsk.

Health resorts of the Soviet period

In the city of the sun and Narzan, among the health resorts of the Soviet period, there are undisputed leaders who have stepped far forward in their development. In addition to the above, the flagships of the industry are rightfully such famous health resorts as the clinical sanatorium “Fortress” (a branch of RSC Energia PJSC), “Luch” (Federal State Budgetary Institution Center for Medical Rehabilitation of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation), “Krugozor” (one of the most comfortable and well-equipped health resorts of the KMV) and many others.

Each of the Kislovodsk health resorts of the Soviet period has its own glorious history, a reputation as an exemplary medical and health institution that gave health and vitality to many thousands of our citizens. Almost in each of them, the number of rooms is represented by rooms of different categories, for all tastes and financial capabilities, a powerful medical and diagnostic base with its own laboratories, a SPA center, a swimming pool with a hydromassage installation, a drinking room, a conference room, a multifunctional club, sports grounds, park area for walks, tour desk, beauty salon, store with a wide range of goods, parking, Internet connection. In general, everything you need for treatment, relaxation and comfortable living.

All types of medical activities and methods of healing are strictly licensed

In these, essentially, health palaces, priority is still given to all the best that was accumulated during the Soviet period. Traditions of hospitality, exemplary service, respect and attention to guests from the first to the last day of vacation, high responsibility of the staff for the reputation of their sanatorium.

All these health resorts are winners of numerous awards and certificates of honor. In this regard, they are an example for new sanatoriums and resort hotels. Each of them would be a credit to any resort on the planet.

In fact, this is an advanced, highly professional part of domestic healthcare.

But the health resort potential of the country's main year-round resort is far from exhausted.

Modern sanatoriums and resort SPA hotels

The construction of new sanatoriums and spa hotels continues. Over the past five years, new, future-oriented European-style health resorts have appeared on the city’s resort map. This is a five-story sanatorium "Arnika", built in 2021 in the center of the resort area, designed for 160 beds; “Belaya Dacha” with a capacity of 82 rooms, comfortably located in the former mansion of Count Sheremetyev “Bel Vue”, next to the famous Chaliapin’s dacha; this is a luxurious SPA hotel for 87 people “Main Narzan Baths” - in a palace-type building built in 1903 for the centenary of the city according to the design of the famous engineer and architect Andrei Klepinin.

Great expectations are associated with the Maerveda Spa Hotel under construction.

All these health resorts played an important role in the overall development of the city’s sanatorium and resort complex and created a favorable competitive environment, thanks to which the sanatorium institutions that were lagging behind in their development noticeably caught up.

The health resorts and hotels built over the past five years are distinguished by medium and small capacity, European service, a wide range of services, modern equipment and facilities. They do not have extensive park areas, like classic health resorts, which were built when finding a free plot of land for development was not a big problem, but this feature of the new health resorts is more than compensated by the proximity of their location to the resort park. Another important feature of modern health resorts is the convenient location of all services, rooms, medical and diagnostic facilities, and recreational areas in one building.

I would also like to note the very first highly rated health resorts built in the post-Soviet period. These are the Plaza SPA Hotel (an investment project of the world-famous Israeli operator of the Holiday Inn hotel chain), the Narzan Valley (a sanatorium of the Russian Railways-HEALTH chain), and Victoria - a modern sanatorium with advanced diagnostic and treatment facilities, European service, convenient for holding various conferences, meetings, business meetings, and receiving delegations.

Full information about each of these health resorts can be found on the Internet on their official websites.

In recent years, a whole constellation of resort hotels has appeared in Kislovodsk, which are not much different from their European “brothers”, except perhaps in architecture and Caucasian hospitality combined with world-class service. When you enter the city along Pobeda Avenue, a building of majestic architecture appears in the distance. This is one of the most fashionable hotel complexes in Kislovodsk - “Green Park”, designed for simultaneous accommodation of 150 guests in rooms of different categories overlooking the national park. The hotel has an advanced spa complex, swimming pools for children and adults, three saunas, a modern conference room, and a luxurious Meals & Hills restaurant, which is ideal for celebrating family celebrations, weddings, and corporate banquets.

Built in the shape of an ancient tower, the 90-bed Colosseum Hotel, which has a swimming pool, a fashionable restaurant, comfortable rooms, and a modern SPA center, harmoniously fits into and decorates the architectural appearance of Station Square.

Attracting attention with its friendly façade and unique architecture, located at the entrance to the national park, is the European-type hotel “Park Hotel”, on the basis of which a modern medical center has been opened. In March of this year, a new 48-bed resort hotel, Amira Park, hospitably opened its doors.

In the same row, the Palazzo, Symphony, and Panorama hotels occupy a worthy place.

The record holder for capacity was the 450-bed hotel, named after the upper base of the South Sports branch, on the territory on which it was built. The universal sports complex is located at an altitude of 1250 meters, from which it offers dizzying views of the city and majestic mountain landscapes, charging with optimism and creative energy.

There are many mini-hotels and guest houses in Kislovodsk - convenient, comfortable, homely.

Stellar renaissance

The starting point for the revival, the stellar renaissance of the city of the sun and Narzan, was the adoption in December 2015 by the Government of the Russian Federation of an order approving the List of measures for the comprehensive development of Kislovodsk until 2030. This document became the key to the work of the state mechanism to support the comprehensive development of infrastructure and improvement of the city. In the same month and year, by a unanimous decision of the Kislovodsk Duma, Alexander Kurbatov was elected head of the city, who had to solve the city problems that had accumulated over twenty years of protracted stagnation, and lead his team into the future of the city with the firm intention of fulfilling the task set by the president to transform Kislovodsk into a world resort meanings.

The responsibility for monitoring the implementation of the comprehensive development program and patronage of the city was assigned to the Speaker of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation, Valentina Matvienko. Thanks to her efforts, the city received targeted funds for the restoration of historical and architectural monuments and the improvement of urban areas. She achieved the assignment of “national” status to the Kislovodsk park and its transfer to the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, thanks to which, in the shortest possible time, the best man-made park in Europe, which was falling into disrepair, was noticeably transformed. Repair and restoration work was carried out on the drinking gallery and other historical and architectural attractions, health paths were put in order, rock falls on the picturesque Tourist Trail were eliminated, the site on the Red Sun was landscaped, 400 steps from the Ladies' Caprice bridge to the top of Sosnovaya Hill were restored, the famous "Valley of Roses"

Soon, a visitor center was opened in the building of the drinking gallery, where you can learn everything about the history of the park and the city. An important innovation was excursions from the Colonnade to the Valley of Roses on electric vehicles.

Regular working visits of Valentina Matvienko, combined with short-term vacations in the city of sun and Narzan, became an example for her colleagues and invaluable advertising for the city. What did her personal declaration of love cost the famous resort: “Love Kislovodsk the way I do, with all your heart, with all your soul.” The Club of Kislovodsk Lovers, created on her initiative, included many famous people in the country, including the Governor of Stavropol Vladimir Vladimirov, who promised her to pay special attention to Kislovodsk as a contribution.

Increasingly, famous people meet in the alleys of the resort park, on the streets and avenues of the city - movie stars, pop stars, representatives of big business, public and government figures. If at first some of them came as if for reconnaissance, now, having tasted and seen the unique charm of Kislovodsk, they regularly relax with friends and families, hold business meetings, go on short and long-distance excursions, and hikes.

What is there in Kislovodsk that is not or cannot be experienced in other resorts in the world? Of course, these are healing springs, a healing climate, crystal clear mountain air. This is the best man-made park in Europe, spread over an area of ​​more than a thousand hectares. With landscape and architectural attractions, picturesque alleys, healing paths, rich flora, tame squirrels, a Park where Pushkin, Lermontov, Yesenin, Mayakovsky, Chekhov and many, many other outstanding people of Russia visited. A park where walks in themselves are a healing factor.

Undoubtedly, this is the cultural life of the city, represented by the wide concert and competitive activities of the Philharmonic at the CMS with its ancient luxurious halls, including the organ, located in the building of the famous legendary Kursaal. These are centers of high spirituality - the Chaliapin and Yaroshenko museums, the Fortress Museum of History and Local Lore, and the Blagodat Theater Museum. Memorials of military glory with their sacred walls of memory and the Eternal Flame. This is also a good friend of all kids, their parents, grandparents, the Kislovodsk Circus, recently renovated and named after its first director Gennady Trakhtenberg. This is one of the best sports complexes in the world in the conditions of Srednegorye - a branch of Yug-Sport, where teams in many sports train.

It is also attractive that all the CMV resort towns are connected by rail and highway. From Kislovodsk, the southernmost resort city, to the northernmost Zheleznovodsk is only 43 kilometers, which allows you to visit all four resort cities of the KMS in one day - Kislovodsk, Essentuki, Zheleznovodsk, Pyatigorsk. See hundreds of man-made and natural attractions, visit such memorable places for Russia as the place of the duel and the museum of M. Yu. Lermontov and many, many others.

At the same time, dozens of excursion and tourist routes run from Kislovodsk throughout the North Caucasus - to the Elbrus region, Dombay, Arkhyz, Djily-su, Chegem waterfalls, etc.

Of course, what attracts and enchants in Kislovodsk is the sunny valley itself, in which the city is comfortably located between two fast, talkative rivers - Olkhovka and Berezovka. Born high in the mountains, they pass through the entire city under the spreading branches of tent willows growing along the city embankments and refresh the air with their coolness, making it easy to breathe even on the hottest day in Kislovodsk.

A phenomenon that is striking in its spectacle and beauty can be observed when approaching the city in winter: the mountain peaks are shrouded in fog, the sky hangs with lead clouds, tree branches and power lines are covered in frost, there are snowdrifts on the roadsides, and in the distance above Kislovodsk the sun is shining.

What else is so attractive about Kislovodsk?

Apparently, a special unique aura filled with love and gratitude to the city by many generations of our citizens who rested here, gained strength, and were treated.

For reference

In addition to the comprehensive program, which gave rise to positive changes, a new General Plan was developed and approved by the city Duma. To implement the goals and objectives of strategic planning, the administration of the resort city of Kislovodsk entered into an agreement with KB Strelka LLC to develop a spatial development strategy (master plan) for the resort city of Kislovodsk until 2030. This document will combine spatial and socio-economic components aimed at ensuring the use of the city’s unique natural and climatic resource in preserving the health of the nation and strengthening its competitive position in the global health tourism market. As part of the tourism strategy, the issue has been worked out and projects have been prepared to create new tourist cycling, walking, and electric routes.

Over the past five-year period, the bed capacity of the sanatorium-resort and tourism industry increased by 1,480 beds (from 13,826 sq.m. in 2015 to 15,306 sq.m. in 2021), as a result of which the city received an additional 2,740 jobs ( from 5813 rubles in 2015 to 8553 rubles in 2021). Every year, the occupancy of sanatorium-resort and tourist complexes increases on average by 8-10%.

Kislovodsk is a year-round resort where guests are welcome at any time of the year

Under the gentle, sun-loving sky of Kislovodsk - in the heavenly bushes and surroundings of the national park, in the resort area, on the mountain slopes and other corners of the city, palace-like buildings of classical sanatoriums are comfortably located, modern star hotels are carried upward. According to resort guests, Kislovodsk has undergone a fabulous transformation over the past five years. The unfinished buildings surrounded by fences disappeared. Fountains started working, new parks and boulevards appeared, facades and city infrastructure were updated. Kislovodsk is confidently participating in national programs, building social facilities - schools, kindergartens, sports complexes, reconstructing avenues, military memorials, a city hospital, and carrying out renovation work on the Old Lake. The museums “Chaliapin's Dacha” and “Fortress” have been renovated. In the fall of 2017, repair and restoration work of the open hall “Musical Shell” was completed. Projects for the construction of a bypass road to relieve congestion at the main entrance to the city, a puncture under the railway at 63 km, a cultural and educational cinema and concert complex "Russia", a sports and recreation complex "Arena Kislovodsk", as well as reconstruction of the road to the Upper base of the sports complex Yug- Sports, Komsomolsky Park in an updated format, Lenin Avenue.

If you look far ahead, imagine a map of the future of Kislovodsk, taking into account new lands with an area of ​​65 square meters recently annexed to the city district. km, then we will see on their territory dozens of new social facilities, recreational areas, excursion and tourist routes, highways, bicycle paths and much more.

In 2021, more than 380 thousand guests rested, improved their health, and went on tourist routes in Kislovodsk. If it were not for the forced downtime associated with the epidemiological threat, last year’s record would probably have been broken. Meanwhile, Kislovodsk quickly recovered from the pandemic and has already become a leader in resort fees, and therefore in resort attendance. As before, having opened its sunny embrace, Kislovodsk welcomes guests from all over the world, treats, heals, entertains, and reveals historical secrets.

Important work to popularize Kislovodsk, develop relations with world resort centers, sister cities, monitor recreational processes, organize events in the sanatorium-resort and tourism areas is carried out by the Department of Resort and Tourism of the administration of the resort city of Kislovodsk.

Currently, work is underway to include the resort city of Kislovodsk in the national project of the Federal Tourism Agency “Tourism and Hospitality Industry”, which will allow the implementation of new projects in the field of tourism. Since 2021, with the support of the department, holidays of German, Abaza, Karachay, Cossack, Armenian, Jewish, Azerbaijani, Ossetian cultures, beloved by residents and guests of the city, have been held jointly with national communities. Due to its growing popularity, the festival was included in the Calendar of Events of the Stavropol Territory.

It should also be noted that over the past five years Kislovodsk has become one of the centers in the country for holding various forums - festivals, competitions, congresses, conferences, fairs, etc. According to official data from the Russian housing booking service Tvil.ru, Kislovodsk is among the top 10 most popular cities in Russia for relaxation and celebrating the New Year holidays. Foreign delegations are increasingly visiting the city of the sun.

On New Year's holidays, in garlands of artistic light illumination, in the lights of the elegant facades of Kislovodsk health resorts, resort hotels, shops, restaurants, the city merges with the starry sky to the point of dizziness. In all corners, in squares, boulevards, and alleys of the park, guests are greeted by fabulous installations, turning the city into a winter fairy tale. Residents of Kislovodsk celebrate the New Year together with guests on the city square, in the place of which five years ago there was a gaping pit overgrown with weeds.

After the congratulations of the president and the head of the city, there is a traditional gala concert, clusters of fireworks, general rejoicing, dancing until the morning.

Where else if not in Kislovodsk

At the recently held press conference “Sankur against Covid” at the Victoria sanatorium, organized at the Izvestia site by the Russian Union of Tourism Industry, the National Resort Association and the Commission of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs for the Tourism Industry, the issue of the participation of the sanatorium-resort complex in health improvement was widely discussed citizens in the context of the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Also participating in the press conference via video link were the Honorary President of the Russian Union of Travel Industry, Head of the RSPP Commission on Tourism Industry Sergei Shpilko, President of the National Resort Association, Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Alexander Razumov, Minister of Resorts and Tourism of the Crimea Vadim Volchenko, Head of the resort city of Kislovodsk Alexander Kurbatov

“Rehabilitation programs,” noted Kurbatov, “have been developed in many sanatoriums in Kislovodsk. Our health resorts are ready to receive vacationers under programs for restoring the functions of the respiratory, cardiovascular systems, central nervous system, and stabilizing the emotional state of a patient who has suffered a coronavirus infection COVID-19. This issue is relevant, and it’s great that it is being addressed at high levels of federal government, industry leadership, and the business community.”

I just want to exclaim: “Where else can you get healthy, if not in Kislovodsk!”

So if anyone else considers Kislovodsk a resort province, then he is deeply mistaken and, apparently, lives with ideas about the city of the sun and Narzan of the 90s. years.

Today, world-famous companies are fighting for the right to build their resort hotels, medical centers, and trade and service enterprises in Kislovodsk.

And in general: Kislovodsk is a city that you can fall in love with at first sight – once and for all. If you don't believe me, come and see for yourself.

Vladimir Grigoryan

Healing springs

The bulk of mineral waters are located in the main Narzan gallery . There are a couple more in the city, but it’s better to ask locals and doctors about them. The gallery has a schedule of hours when it is open.

Inside there are several stands with taps, where you will find 3 types of Narzan : general, dolomite and sulfate. There are 2 variations: cold and warm.

It depends on what the doctor prescribes for you, but Narzan sulfate is the same one with the smell of rotten eggs. The rest are quite edible.

To drink water you need to buy a souvenir drinking bowl or a disposable glass for 3 rubles at the entrance counter. They also sell all 3 types of water on tap.

A bottle of 0.5 l costs 5 rubles, a bottle of 1 l costs 10 rubles.

Lakes and beaches of Kislovodsk

The nearest sea from Kislovodsk is 160 km.
But this does not mean that in the land city there are no places where you can soak up the soft sand by the water. Today in Kislovodsk beaches are open on two local lakes. One is located in the floodplain of the Alikonovka River, the other in the valley of the Podkumok River. Of course, these vacation spots bear little resemblance to those in Sochi or Crimea, but you can still sunbathe and swim well here. Therefore, the beaches of Kislovodsk are always crowded, since the mild southern climate of Kislovodsk contributes to such a pastime. There are recreation areas, boat stations, numerous cafes and fast food kiosks, and drinking water fountains. Equipment for climate therapy also works here.

Some Kislovodsk health resorts have their own beaches, for example, the sanatorium named after. Kirov. Here, relaxation on the warm sand is complemented by therapeutic procedures, clean pine air and healing Narzan water.

Museums and cathedrals

In the city I found 2 large and interesting churches: St. Nicholas next to the fortress and St. Panteleimon (“red”) in the center.

From museums in the city:

• Local history museum in the fortress
• Chaliapin Museum
• Museum-estate of the artist Yaroshenko
• Solzhenitsyn Memorial Room
• The Wax Museum

The main interest is in the first 2 museums and more about them.

The Solzhenitsyn Museum is located in just the 1st room and comes to life only with the stories of the guide. Alexander Isaevich was originally from Kislovodsk, and was baptized in the Church of St. Panteleimon.

Museum "Fortress"

Local history museum, located in the remains of a real fortress, which was erected here to protect the population from the highlanders.

In front of the museum there is a small park with military equipment. The entrance to the museum itself is through the gate and to the right.

To view 3 large halls and 2 passages with photographs and drawings:

• The 1st hall is the most interesting - the history of the city and the fortress, the emperor's decrees, antiques, outfits, entire installations and famous personalities
• The 2nd hall is dedicated to Soviet power and the Second World War
• 3rd hall nature of the region, quite mediocre.

If you miss this museum, I won't be mad at you. However, it is thanks to the 1st hall that I think it deserves attention.

Visit for 30-40 minutes. Ticket price 200/100 rub . There is an extra charge if you want a tour.

Chaliapin Museum

But if you miss this museum, then I have nothing more to talk to you about. A unique house, unique interiors, personal belongings of Chaliapin and rare photos.

It's like you're transported back to the beginning of the 20th century in a time machine. An exhibition of incredible power of presentation. Archival photos, posters, family photographs and stage roles.

Give half an hour for the visit and don’t regret it, but if you are interested in Chaliapin’s work , then good luck.

By the way, concerts dedicated to the genius are also held here. You will find information in the museum itself. Located 2 steps from the station.

Ticket price is 100 rubles , but be careful with the lunch break. From 13.30 to 14.00 the employees have lunch together (although it is written that lunch is from 13.00).

On your way out, admire the building itself and the monuments to Feodor Chaliapin and his cat in a small park.

Kosygin trail

A.N. Kosygin (1904-1980) was chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR. He loved to relax in Kislovodsk and his favorite pastime here was walking along the paths of the Resort Park, which are located far from popular routes.

The Kosygin trail passes through a gorge in which the walls of the mountain hang. The length of this trail is 2 km. In bad rainy weather, it is better to refrain from walking along this scenic trail.

The Kosygin trail begins here

You can get to the Kosygin trail by following path No. 3.

Address: Resort Park

Historical and Local Lore Museum "Fortress"

The fortress gate is a symbol of the city.

The fortress was built in 1807.

The museum was opened in 1965. More than 60 thousand exhibits are stored here, which can be seen by visiting the museum. Currently, only the gate, tower, and section of the fortress wall have been preserved.

Address: Kislovodsk, Mira Avenue, 11

St. Nicholas Cathedral

This is the main cathedral in the city. The cathedral was built in 1888, but was blown up in 1936 under Soviet rule. The new building was built in 2008.

Next to the cathedral there is the Cranes memorial and the Eternal Flame burns.

Address: Kislovodsk, Mira Ave., 19

Castle of deceit and love

This restaurant complex “Castle of Cunning and Love”, Hotel “Castle” and cafe “Saklya”, built in the form of a medieval castle with towers on the edge of a cliff, attracts many tourists. The castle is surrounded by mountains and rocks.

Address: pos. Alikonovka, st. Straight ,119

Ring Mountain

This is a natural monument five kilometers from the outskirts of the city. The mountain is located on the territory of the museum-reserve named after. Lermontov. This through hole in Mount Ring is described by Lermontov in the novel “A Hero of Our Time”. The mountain near the Bargustan ridge has been around for about 100 million years.

Address: Kislovodsk, pos. Peaceful

Honey Falls

About a hundred years ago, bees lived in the crevices near the waterfalls. Their honey flowed down the rocks and the water became sweet. The largest waterfall, Echki Bash, reaches 18 meters in height. The ethnographic museum “Karachay Compound” is located nearby.

Address: 17 km from Kislovodsk, village of Krasny Kurgan

Philharmonic named after Safronova

A very nice bonus for all vacationers at the resort. The idea of ​​​​creating a kursaal, which to this day adorns the resort, belonged to the outstanding musician Vasily Ilyich Safonov.

His youth passed here, and the director of the Moscow Conservatory decided to leave his contribution to the development of the culture of Kislovodsk.

You can visit the Philharmonic with a guided tour every Thursday at 15.00. Or buy a ticket to one of the performances on their website.

All music lovers should know that in neighboring Essentuki there is a Concert Hall named after. Chaliapin , where our stars come to perform with enviable regularity.