The Caucasus Mountains begin in Novorossiysk; the city itself is located in a large bay. Large liners can enter it; Novorossiysk is one of the largest ports in Russia. The city is more industrial than resort, but this does not mean that you cannot have a good rest here.
There is a cement plant in Novorossiysk, which negatively affects the environment. The plant is modern, something is being done there to combat harmful emissions, but the surrounding areas are still covered with a layer of dust - roads, trees, houses, mountains. Moving into this area is a bad idea.
There are also very high mountains in Novorossiysk. Therefore, from autumn to spring Nord-Ost blows periodically. Wind speeds in winter can exceed 100 km per hour. It's hot in summer, and the sea in the bay warms up very quickly.
You need to choose a beach for relaxation just as carefully as you choose a place to live.
Beaches of Novorossiysk
Novorossiysk.
View of the city and the bay from the Seven Winds observation deck. Novorossiysk has many beaches. From the shore of any of them you can see the opposite side of the bay. There is no feeling of limitless space; you cannot see how ships go beyond the horizon. This makes you feel like you are not on the sea, but on a lake.
City Beach
Not the cleanest, but conveniently located, so there are always a lot of people there.
The shore is covered with medium-sized pebbles. The beach has paths to the water, and there are places for swimming for children and people with disabilities. Several breakwaters go into the water from the shore, you can dive from them - the depth allows.
The infrastructure is good. There are changing rooms, showers, toilets, lifeguards and a first-aid post.
You can hide from the heat under the awnings. There are rental points for sun loungers and umbrellas, water slides and other attractions. Outdoor sports equipment has been installed.
Aleksino Beach
The most well-groomed and comfortable beach in the city, and there are fewer people here than on the city beach.
Located in the cleanest southern part of the city. The shore is pebble, and in some places the stones are quite large, so it is better to come here in coral slippers or other comfortable shoes.
Despite the rocks, entry into the water is easy; a few meters from the shore the sandy bottom begins. It goes down sharply, this is a plus for those who want to dive, but a minus for those who are vacationing with small children. There is a children's area, but during the season there are a lot of people there.
Aleksino has everything the same as the city beach, including large canopies. There is only one cafe on the beach with high prices.
Neptune Beach
Located near the cinema of the same name.
Along this beach there is a landscaped promenade with bicycle rentals. This is a convenient area for cycling.
The shore is covered with fairly large pebbles. For a long vacation, it is better to rent a sun lounger. On the embankment there are cafes and shops, children's playgrounds, and shady squares.
The beach infrastructure is poorly developed; there are retail outlets, changing rooms, toilets, but no showers. The entrance to the water is very gentle. It is not very crowded here - this is the main advantage of the beach.
Sudzhuk Spit Beach
Lovers of warm water will like it.
The beach is located near Malaya Zemlya right on the spit. If you want to relax in a less crowded place, you can stay outside the official beach, where the wild beach begins.
The Sudzhuk Spit separates the sea from the estuary, the water exchange is very weak, but the water here is still clean. The temperature is always a couple of degrees higher than in the open sea.
Sudzhuk Spit is a great place to relax in September, when the sea begins to cool down. Even at the beginning of autumn there is no wind or strong waves here.
Beach on Malaya Zemlya
Formally, this is not a beach, but many resort guests do not mind combining a visit to the memorial with a beach holiday.
There is no infrastructure here, not even toilets. But this is a very beautiful place with clean water. It's calm here. In summer you can see people doing yoga on the beach here.
Dolphins often swim here - one at a time or in whole schools.
Where to drink coffee and eat
- Coffee shop Surf Coffee, Mira Avenue, 12. Delicious coffee and alternative, pleasant service and relaxing atmosphere. The best time to come here is after visiting the cruiser and before a 4-kilometer walk along the embankment.
- Bar Horse and Dolphin, Admiral Serebryakov embankment 39A. Great view and good service, not everyone likes the cuisine. Reviews about the place are contradictory.
- Restaurant Enik Benik, Admiral Serebryakov embankment 47A. Stylish interior, varied menu and delicious cuisine. Perhaps this is the most popular coastal establishment in Novorossiysk. During the season, it is better to book a table here in advance. An excellent option to end a walk along the embankment.
- Another coffee shop, Chernyakhovsokgo street, 6. A cozy coffee shop, which for some reason is not on Yandex.Maps. The coffee is good, but there is no alternative. Serf fans will certainly prefer it, and one of the spots of this network is located in the next house.
- Burger shop Fri da Burger, Admiral Serebryakov Embankment 53A. Ideal for burger fans. Juicy and inexpensive.
For fast food lovers: at the beginning of the embankment there is a KFC, and in the middle there is a McDonald's.
Sights of Novorossiysk
Since the city is not exactly a resort, there is not much entertainment here. But there is something to see, especially if you are interested in cultural and educational leisure. There are many memorable places here, each with its own history.
Monuments of Novorossiysk
Each of them is part of the city’s history.
Frontier of Defense
Immediately at the entrance to the city there is a memorial “Border of Defense”; arms with machine gun butts protrude from a huge wall.
It was on this line that during the Great Patriotic War the Soviet army defended the city. The scale of the monument is impressive; many people feel uneasy when they come close.
There is one unusual installation near the memorial. The frame of a shot carriage. It became a symbol of the city. This particular carriage was part of the barricade in 1942. Then German troops fired at all structures from the ground and air. There are more than 1,000 bullet holes in the car frame alone.
The barricade stood, our troops defended the city.
Cruiser "Mikhail Kutuzov"
The cruiser "Mikhail Kutuzov" on the Admiral Serebryakov embankment
is located on the Admiral Serebryakov embankment - the main one in the city. Now there is a museum inside the cruiser.
opening hours here.
Right next to the cruiser, on the edge of the embankment, there is a monument to a beautiful girl with a child in her arms. She looks into the sea and waves, the child stretches his hand towards the sea.
Giving water
Not all monuments in Novorossiysk are connected with the events of the war years.
“Giving water” is a girl who sits on her knees and stretches her hands forward, palms up. Water flows from her palms, and pigeons often sit on them.
This is a modern reconstruction of an old monument that has been corroded by rust. Both the old and new versions of the monument have the same meaning. They were created in honor of the water pipeline carried out from Kuban. This event occurred only in the 70s of the last century. Before this, fresh water was brought to Novorossiysk by tankers from Tuapse.
Monument to Geshe Kozodoev
The monument to the hero of the film “The Diamond Arm” was erected on the Sudzhuk Spit.
Gesha walks along the platform, in his hands he has a stick on which his underpants are developing. The monument is completely different from Andrei Mironov, who played this role, but it looks funny. It will be difficult to pass by and not take a photo.
If you are walking around Novorossiysk and see some kind of monument, take a couple of minutes of time and read information about it on the Internet. In this city there are memorial sites at every step. Even the most inconspicuous thing can have an interesting story and its own catchy meaning.
Malaya Zemlya
A very beautiful and memorable place. It’s nice to just walk here, admiring the views of the bay, sea, and mountains.
Novorossiysk is a hero city, and the personification of this is Malaya Zemlya.
During the Great Patriotic War, the defense of this small piece of land lasted 225 days . The memorial complex was formed around the bridgehead created in 1943.
The symbol of Malaya Zemlya is a memorial made in the shape of the bow of a ship.
The building looks unusual; there is a museum inside it. Once on Malaya Zemlya, regardless of the purpose of the visit, it is customary to stop and honor with a minute of silence the thousands of soldiers who died here but defended the city.
Tsemes Grove
Novorossiysk cannot be called an environmentally friendly city, but there are clean places here, almost untouched by civilization. For example, Tsemes Grove.
From the city center you can get to the grove by bus or minibus. The stop is called Tsemesskaya Grove.
Tsemes Grove is the “lungs” of the city. It stretches along the Tsemes River. Area - 150 hectares.
In addition to its ecological importance, the grove has another purpose - it is a windbreak.
Follow the dirt paths deeper into the park. There are dozens of plant species, colorful butterflies, large but harmless beetles, squirrels, and birds chirping everywhere. Some species of plants and insects of the Tsemes Grove are listed in the Red Book.
Observation deck "Seven Winds"
The most mysterious place in the city.
The observation deck is located high above the city. And “Seven Winds” is the name of the restaurant, of which at the moment only walls and a dilapidated roof remain.
There is a beautiful legend that the “Seven Winds” is home to the ghost of a girl who died here at her own wedding at the hands of the guy she rejected. The inconsolable groom committed suicide, and members of the bride's family began to die one by one. Those who have seen the ghost say that it appears in the form of a girl in a wedding dress.
Whether you believe in ghosts or not, there are several videos online that make you think.
But if mysticism doesn’t appeal to you, it’s still worth climbing the Seven Winds. Nowhere else will you have such a beautiful view of the city. From here the entire bay is at your fingertips.
Myskhako - beach near Zarechnaya Street
The place is not so popular among tourists. The beach is small, covered with medium-sized pebbles. You shouldn't rely on infrastructure; in the summer there is a café. you need to take everything with you. The sea is open, clean, there are rocks at the bottom. It is better to have special shoes.
Locals love the beach for its remoteness and silence. Drive along Novorossiyskaya Street, turn left behind the memorial complex and move along the street. Zarechnaya.
Neighborhoods of Novorossiysk
While vacationing in Novorossiysk, you can’t help but stop by Abrau-Dyurso, Kabardinka and Safari Park in Gelendzhik.
Abrau-Durso
Abrau-Durso is the birthplace of Russian champagne.
The Russian Wine House is located here. Champagne from Abrau-Durso is valued not only in Russia, but throughout the world.
I wrote more about Abrau-Durso here.
Pay attention not only to the Wine House, but also to the estuary, as well as to the beach. The beach in Abrau-Durso is better than any of the beaches in Novorossiysk. This is not a bay, but the open sea.
Wild beaches beyond Myskhako
The outskirts of the village are a paradise for hermits! The coastline without signs of civilization stretches for almost 3 km towards Shirokaya Balka. This area is covered with large stones, pebbles and overgrowth.
Feature - secluded places and the open sea have become ideal conditions for exciting diving. The water is clear, an excellent chance to admire the underwater inhabitants and catch huge crayfish. If you go to Bolshaya Balka, you will come across small coves, it is very beautiful there, there are practically no people there.
Where to stay in Novorossiysk
Novorossiysk is not the most popular resort town, so housing prices are much lower than in Gelendzhik or Anapa.
It is still better to book accommodation in advance, but the likelihood of cheap accommodation upon arrival is higher than in other cities on the coast. This is the dilemma.
Find out what part of the city the housing is located in. Not only the distance to the sea is important, but also the distance from the cement plant.
The entire eastern part of the city is covered with a layer of dust. This circumstance will spoil the rest, especially for allergy sufferers.
You can rent a double room in a small private hotel for a day for less than 1000 rubles . Here's an example: Room by the sea.
Despite the low cost, this hotel is located near the beach. There are many hotels of this type in Novorossiysk.
You can stay not in a guest house, but rent an apartment. A one-room comfortable apartment with the ability to accommodate up to four people will cost from 1800 rubles / day: Apartment in the center by the sea.
Similar proposals are common in Novorossiysk. Apartment owners often provide the same services as hotels. For example, airport transfer or bike rental.
You can rent an apartment with two bedrooms and all conditions in Novorossiysk for 5,000 rubles . For example, this loft.
Apartments of a similar level in other cities on the coast will cost at least one and a half times more.
You can search for accommodation options not only on Booking, but also on popular ad sites - Avito and Yula.
How to get to Novorossiysk
By plane
The nearest airports are Anapa and Gelendzhik.
You can get to Novorossiysk from these cities by regular bus for about 100 rubles. By taxi it will be much more expensive: when going to the order desk - at least 1500-2000 rubles. Private cab drivers at the airport will quote the cost twice as high.
Many guest houses provide airport transfers. This is a way to get to your destination comfortably and save money.
By train
There is a railway station in Novorossiysk, but there is no connection with Tuapse and Sochi. The peculiarities of the mountainous terrain do not allow for a continuous railway on the coast.
For example, in Gelendzhik there are no railway tracks at all.
By bus
You can get to Novorossiysk by bus from any city on the Black Sea coast, as well as from Krasnodar.
A bus is the most inexpensive and convenient way to get from Novorossiysk to Anapa, Gelendzhik or Abrau-Durso.
By sea
Novorossiysk is one of the few cities on the coast where there is a passenger seaport.
However, the flight to Sochi in 2021 was canceled due to unprofitability.
By ferry from Novorossiysk you can get to Crimea, Georgia and Turkey.
Dolphinariums and zoos of the city
Like any seaside city, Novorossiysk has its own dolphinarium. Its location is Sudzhuk Spit. There is a large free parking lot in the immediate vicinity of the dolphinarium. The seating for spectators is very conveniently located. The show program is shown 2 times a day.
The show features dolphins and fur seals. The performance lasts 60 minutes. Any filming is permitted. The cost of a ticket to a show with dolphins is 600 rubles. Children under 4 years old are admitted free of charge.
The Novorossiysk Zoo "Do-Do" has been welcoming guests since 2007. On the territory of the zoo there is a pond where representatives of the rarest species of waterfowl live. The territory of the natural stream is home to cranes, pelicans and storks.
The large building of the zoo houses enclosures in which exotic birds and animals live, including Australian marsupials. On the territory of the zoo, tourists will be able to see horses of various breeds, camels and ostriches. There is a children's playground in the park. For adults, the ticket price is 300 rubles. Children's tickets are cheaper.
Is it worth going to Novorossiysk
If you are looking for a holiday destination with lots of entertainment and active nightlife, then Novorossiysk is not the place for you. A holiday here is suitable for those who would like to combine the beach and cultural and educational events.
Holidays in Novorossiysk are not as expensive as in Gelendzhik, Lazarevskaya or Sochi. At the same time, the sea here is much cleaner than on most of the beaches of Gelendzhik. Thanks to its convenient location, you can travel from Novorossiysk to Kabardinka, Abrau-Durso or Gelendzhik.
