Soukhoumi - Wikivoyage, the free collaborative travel and tourism guide - Soukhoumi — Wikivoyage, le guide de voyage et de tourisme collaboratif gratuit

Sukhumi
Sukhumi seafront
Information
Country	Abkhazia
Area	27 km²
Population	64 441 hab. (2015)
Density	2 386,7 inhab./km²
Postal code	384900, 6600
Spindle	UTC 03:00 Moscow time
Location
43 ° 0 ′ 12 ″ N 41 ° 0 ′ 55 ″ E
Official site
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Sukhumi, Abkhaz: Аҟəа (Aqwa), Georgian: სოხუმი (Sokhumi), Russian: Сухуми (Sukhumi), is the capital ofAbkhazia.

Understand

the city was famous throughout the 20th century and throughout the former Soviet Union as a leading seaside resort with its subtropical climate, beaches, palm trees, botanical gardens and citrus groves. The whole overlooked by the alpine peaks of the mountains of the Greater Caucasus.

To go

If you are entering Abkhazia with a travel permit issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia, you will need to visit Sukhumi, as this is the place where you will need to exchange your permit for an appropriate visa. The AMF building is located at Lakoba Street, 21 on the second floor of the government building. They only let you in in pants, refrain from shorts.

By plane

On a boat

By train

The night train direct from Moscow has finally been reintroduced, there are departures at least twice a week with additional connections during holiday periods. The departure from Moscow is at the Paveletsky station in 17 h 20, arrive at 13 h 07 in Souhkoumi two days later. A local train also connects the Russian seaside resort of Sochi, the journey takes five hours, with prices starting at RUR 200. No train service with the rest of Georgia.

By bus and marchroutka

More or less regular services connect Sukhumi with the Russian border and several cities in Russia, especially in summer. If you are coming from or going to Georgia, you must take a marchroutkas from / to the city of Gali in southern Abkhazia, where other marchrutkas and taxis go to the Abkhaz military checkpoint at the Inguri bridge leading to Zugdidi, Georgia. Intercity buses and marchroutkas start from the square in front of the station and some of them in the central square (Rynok).

By car

Circulate

Almost everything can easily be done on foot, bookstores sell absolutely decent maps. Frequent marchrutkas and less frequent trolleybuses crisscross the streets. To get to the bus and railway station ("voksal") take any marchroutkas or trolleybus going to the central square and change.

To see

Although most of the city's main sights were destroyed by the war, Sukhumi's main attraction has remained intact: an almost tropical climate with beaches, mountains, lakes, palm trees and of course the warm welcome. locals, always mixed with a curiosity towards Westerners. Since 2008, when the Russian trade embargo was lifted, Russian tourists have returned to Abkhazia and once again during the summer invaded the seaside, the influx of new capital allowed the reconstruction of the main sites and progress, although slow, is visible everywhere.

• Walk  – The Sukhumi maritime promenade stretches for 4 long kilometers to the west of the government buildings. In summer, it is always full of life: locals as well as Russian tourists walk there, chat, eat ice cream, drink a beer and soak up the sun. Several restaurants are located there to the west of the Ritsa hotel, this is the area where swimming in the sea is allowed, and if you need accommodation, you will find many babushkas here sitting on plastic chairs. with displaying "komnata" (room). She will be happy to help you. (last update Feb. 2018)

• Botanical Garden (located three blocks north of the Ritsa Hotel) 140 rub (summer 2012). – This lovely park is incredibly popular with tourists who are keen to take photos with the oddly shaped trees. Be prepared for the queues at the entrance. (last update March 2018)

• Monkey park 140 rub (summer 2012). (last update March 2018)

• Old Soviet buildings and remnants of the war  – for those who like it, Sukhumi is a paradise. Of all the abandoned, destroyed and dilapidated buildings that you will find literally everywhere, the most famous is arguably the gigantic building of the former government of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia (second west corner of the botanical gardens), looted and burnt two decades. The railway station at the western end of the city is also worth a visit, the huge building seems to have enough space for all travelers to a metropolis like Moscow. Currently travelers use a much smaller reconstructed building to the west of the old one. (last update Feb. 2018)

Do

You can easily see the city in an afternoon, spend the rest of your time on the beach, or take day trips to northern Abkhazia. The region is relatively small and therefore Sukhumi can serve as a base for exploring all of the hinterland.

To learn

To work

To buy

Since the return of tourism to Sukhumi, it is not difficult to find local products that you can take home or give as a gift. Most souvenir shops are located by the sea and in the Botanical Gardens; their offer does not differ significantly from what you will find elsewhere on tourist sites in Abkhazia: Abkhazian flags, t-shirts, fridge magnets, photo albums, homemade, honey. Abkhaz liquors, vodka and chacha (a local alcohol) are also available everywhere and can make a good gift.

Eat

There are quite a few restaurants in Sukhumi serving mostly Russian or Caucasian style food. Many of them are on the coast near the Hotel Ritsa, they are designed for Russian tourists and if they are not up to local standards very cheap (a two course meal and wine can cost up to 15-20 € (~ 22.1 Fr. - course of 04/27/2021) (~ C $ 29.95 - class on 04/27/2021) (~ $ 24.15 - class on 04/27/2021) (~ 13,112.12 F CFA - price of 04/27/2021)), most of them are correct and reliable. Walk along the seaside and choose what you like the most and where you will find a free table, which can be difficult during the summer! New addresses are regularly opening all over the city, in particular around the botanical garden invaded by tourists.

• Cafe Lika Lakoba 57 (phone =) cheap. – If you want to taste very hearty local cuisine and away from the tourist crowds, this is the place to go. Aunt Lika cooks only two or three dishes a day, but all of them are culinary masterpieces. She enjoys showing off the hidden treasures of Caucasian cuisine to strangers in her fairly simple cafe. She is perhaps one of the best cooks in Abkhazia. You will never forget his Caucasian bortch and hartcho soup. Even the ketchup she gives you with your sausages for breakfast is homemade tomato jam, made with local plums and green spices. It closes when the last customer comes home. (last update March 2018)

• There is also a really authentic cafe in the street parallel to pr. Mira, next to a bookstore. Authentic coffee (Mokka type), ideal for breakfast.

• Bely Parus Naberezhnaya Machadzhinov 48 (phone =) Middle class. – A nice downtown garden restaurant, not very different from its neighbors, but serves good fish and meat dishes, decent service. (last update March 2018)

• The restaurant / bar on the quayside is the fanciest and even has sushi. It is also a good place for a drink. No menus in English.

Have a drink / Go out

Lots of places along the coast. Walk along the coast and take your pick. Seats on the dock are perfect for a cocktail.

Housing

Hotel

The major international hotel reservation sites do not have an offer on Sukhumi. Reservations are only possible if you contact the hotel directly. In summer, it may be essential as hotels may be full weeks in advance. Prices vary, a room in a nicely renovated central hotel can easily cost 100 € (~ 110.52 Fr. - price of 04/27/2021) (~ C $ 149.73 - price of 04/27/2021) (~ $ 120.73 - class on 04/27/2021) (~ 65,560.6 F CFA - price of 04/27/2021) (while you can get a bed in a no-frills homestay for no more than 4 € (~ 4.42 Fr. - price of 04/27/2021) (~ C $ 5.99 - class on 04/27/2021) (~ $ 4.83 - class on 04/27/2021) (~ 2,622.42 F CFA - price of 04/27/2021) per bed and per night).

• Beliy Parus Naberezhnaya Machadzhirov 48 (At the seaside),   7 (840) 229 4311, 7 (840) 229 4306, fax : 7 (840) 229-4311  100 € (~ 110.52 Fr. - price of 04/27/2021) (~ C $ 149.73 - price 04/27/2021) (~ $ 120.73 - class on 04/27/2021) (~ 65,560.6 F CFA - price of 04/27/2021)/ apartment (for 4). – A small beachfront apartment hotel opened in 2012. Cozy air-conditioned double rooms and family apartments. (last update Feb. 2018)

• Hotel Aytar (on the seafront near Sukhumi Dendropark) – Until mid-2009, the hotel was occupied as the base of the UN mission. The hotel grounds have more than 5 hectares of subtropical park with artificial lakes, which blend well into the landscape between alleys shaded by pine trees. It is cool even in the summer heat and has all the features necessary for a pleasant and restful stay. (last update Feb. 2018)

• Hotel Atrium Victoria (near the center of Sukhumi, at 100 m from the seaside) – Located near the main attractions and the best restaurants in town. The hotel is designed in an elegant and respectable style, its rooms and interior has great comfort and a cozy atmosphere. The fourth floor of the hotel is a large terrace which overlooks the sea and its surroundings. The comfortable patio is an oasis of relaxation and a place of contact for guests. (last update Feb. 2018)

• Hotel Inter-Soukhoumi (located in a resort area Sukhumi Park on the coast) – Ideally located in the residential area of ​​the city center, the hotel has a developed infrastructure and excellent rooms and apartments. (last update Feb. 2018)

• Pension Kyalasur (located in the resort town of Sukhumi (near the beaches of Sinop), next to the arboretum, on the shores of the Black Sea) – The hotel has its own park with tropical plants, pines and oleanders. The Kyalasur mountain stream flows nearby. from this begins the Great Wall of Abkhazia, the remains of which are still visible today. (last update Feb. 2018)

• Hotel Ritz (located on the central Sukhumi promenade, a few meters from the Black Sea) – The hotel is one of the most romantic and beautiful in Abkhazia. This luxury three-storey building is open all year round. Most of the rooms have a sea view. (last update Feb. 2018)

• Hotel Sinop  – The hotel is located on the territory of the former government residence in a unique arboretum, a stone's throw from the shores of the Black Sea. The very comfortable hotel offers high quality service. On each of its four floors, there are living rooms with sofas and a television. Comfortable rooms equipped with modern furnishings. The hotel bar serves meals. (last update Feb. 2018)

• Mini-hotel Sukhumi (located in the historic center on the promenade) – The place is immersed in palm trees and eucalyptus trees. The hotel is a modern 3 storey building which stands on the right bank of the river near the Basley Rouge Bridge. An open terrace offers a breathtaking view of the sea. Near the hotel there is the restaurant "Ertsahu" and the Botanical Garden is at 10 min walk. The hotel has a warm atmosphere and an original interior design. (last update Feb. 2018)

• Pension Eucalyptus Grove located in Kyndyg village 20 km of the city of Sukhumi – On the coast, in a relict grove of eucalyptus, you can also go there for its bar, its restaurant of local cuisine, its disco and its sports grounds. (last update Feb. 2018)

• Yasemin Hotel Lakoba Street (To 15 min walk from the central market and 300 meters from the beach and the promenade) – The hotel was built in 2004. It is conveniently located in the center of Sukhumi. (last update Feb. 2018)

Hospitality stays

Prices and quality vary, but in summer it is not always easy to find a decent host family in Sukhumi. Approach one of the old ladies who work as real estate agents behind their plastic tables at the promenade, about 500 m towards the west of the Hotel Ritsa, they will find you something. The longer your stay, the better your chances of finding a good deal. Finding accommodation for one night can be a nightmare. Expect to pay at least 700 RUR for a double room.

Communicate

Manage the day-to-day

Security

Around