Sights and entertainment of Sukhum and what to see

Despite the enthusiastic descriptions of the sights of Sukhum on many sites on the Internet, in fact, objectively there are not very many interesting places and attractions. Attractions in the city itself can be counted literally on your fingers, unless, of course, you count every monument or sculpture among them. And there are no historical places here at all, except perhaps the ruins of the fortress, of which in fact nothing remains. Mandatory places to visit are the Botanical Garden, monkey nursery and the State Museum. And Sukhum is not only the political, but also the cultural capital of the country, and here you can visit one of the two theaters and even the Philharmonic.

All other interesting sights are outside the city. As in any resort city of the country, from here you can go on excursions to any point of Abkhazia. Most popular excursions: Lake Ritsa and national reserve, New Athos, Valley Of The Seven Lakes, Lake Mzy, Hot springs, Gupa falls, and many more. You can buy excursions everywhere from distributors on the streets or in a few travel agencies, or book online:

The following is a list of the most important sights of Sukhum, indicating the opening hours, costs and ways to get to them. About other sights of Abkhazia, which can be visited from Sukhum, read here.

Monkey nursery in Sukhum

The monkey nursery in Sukhum is one of the few places in the whole of Abkhazia where you can go with the whole family. Most tourists perceive it simply as a zoo, but in fact it is part of a Research Institute. During the war with Georgia, he suffered greatly, the number of animals was reduced to 27. Today, the Institute and nursery are being restored again, although it is still very far from normal.

In a relatively small area in cages there are 5-6 species of monkeys. All views are separated, cells are signed. And although it seems that there are quite a lot of cells and animals, in fact they just repeat themselves, and, by and large, the main part is only 3 species of monkeys. Animals can be fed (food is sold at the entrance, but you can bring your own fruits or vegetables, bread, seeds). Learn more about the monkey nursery here.

Botanical Garden in Sukhum

It is one of the oldest botanical gardens of the Caucasus, founded in 1838. This is generally a good place to walk in the shade of tropical trees and among exotic shrubs and flowers, but the price, in our opinion, is too high. There are dirt paths, several ponds with fish and turtles, benches for recreation. The variety of plant species is not very large, but perhaps the oldest tree can be singled out – Caucasian Linden more than 350 years old, as well as a bamboo grove. The park is not very big. Learn more about the Botanical Garden here.

Abkhazian State Museum

This is the only major State Museum in Abkhazia, and in fact the only one that can acquaint tourists with the history and life of Abkhazia as a whole. The exhibition and exhibits are clean, everything is neat and well maintained. Therefore, we recommend that you visit it if you are at least a little interested in the history and culture of the country.

The exposition of the museum is small, and even if you stop and study each exhibit in detail, a couple of hours will be enough. The first floor is occupied by a section on the history of the region since ancient times, it also tells about the natural resources of the country. The second floor is fully occupied by an exhibition about the Second World War, as well as the Abkhazian-Georgian Armed Conflict of 1992-1993. Learn more about the museum here.

Embankments of Mahajirs and Dioscuri

The embankment in Sukhum, in our opinion, is the best in all of Abkhazia. Unlike the "promoted" Gagra embankment on the Internet, which simply collapses before our eyes, here the embankment is clean, well-groomed, with entertainment, shops, fast food, selling excursions. Along it also stretches a good beach with amenities and entertainment.

Although it is conditionally divided into embankments of Makhajirs and Dioskurs, in fact it is one embankment with a length of almost three kilometers. There are also several attractions on it: the inscription Ye Sukhum, the ruins of the fortress, sculptures, a colonnade. Learn more about the Sukhum embankment and photos here.

Sukhum fortress Sukhum-Kale

Sukhumi fortress or Sukhum-Kale was built by the Turks in 1724, and for a long time the city's territory was only within its small territory. Unfortunately, almost nothing has survived from the fortress, and today it is a wasteland near the embankment, fenced and closed to the public. Perhaps in the future archaeological excavations and restoration will be carried out, but for now you can see only part of the fortress structure right on the embankment opposite the entrance (called "Fortress of Dioscuria"). But even these ruins are not properly protected, and are gradually destroyed by tourists and locals. Learn more about Sukhumi fortress here.

Fountain with Griffins

There are not many beautiful fountains in the city, but the most beautiful of them is definitely the fountain with Griffins, which is located near the drama theater. The composition includes 14 statues of mythical creatures with the body and head of a lion, eagle wings and claws. It is believed that they symbolize good and evil, heaven and Earth. The fountain appeared in the first half of the last century. It can not be said that this place is mandatory to visit, but if you walk along the embankment, be sure to look here.

Russian Drama Theatre

Russian Drama Theater named after F.Iskander is small. It plays plays in Russian, including children's performances. The level of the theater is not bad, there are often premieres. The theater building itself has no architectural or historical value.

Abkhazian State Theatre

Abkhazian State Theatre

Abkhazian State Theater named after S. Chanba is the main drama theater of the country. It plays plays in the Abkhazian language, and for Russian-speaking visitors headphones with simultaneous Russian translation are offered. The theater building is very beautiful, with a magnificent finish and its history.

Parliament building of Abkhazia

This is one of the iconic historical places of the city of modern times. The building was built in 1960 by Soviet builders for the Council of Ministers of the Republic, and then stood out from the rest of the buildings of the city. It stands out even now, since there are almost no multi-storey buildings in Sukhum. The parliament was badly damaged in 1993 during the war with Georgia, and has remained in the same condition to this day. Opposite it is the Square and the Freedom Park, which is also not in the best condition.

Besletsky bridge

The besletsky bridge or the bridge of Queen Tamar across the Besletka River was probably built in the 11th-12th centuries. It led to a mountainous region and was of great strategic importance. This is the only architectural monument of that time, preserved in Abkhazia.

Not far from the bridge on the road along the river is Besletskaya HPP, which is also worth a visit. It is not an officially open attraction, but at the entrance the guard lets tourists who wish to inspect it. There is also a picnic area near the bridge.

Bagrat's Castle

Bagrata castle or Akua castle was supposedly built in the 12th-13th centuries. Its purpose is to protect the approaches to the city from the south, as well as control the port at the mouth of the Basla River (Besletka).

Today, only the ruins of the walls and the underground passage leading to the stream remain from the castle, and there seems to be nothing to see, but from here there is a wonderful view of the Bay and the surrounding area. The walking route to the sights is also not bad and will definitely appeal to lovers of hiking walks.

Gorge or village Chernigovka

This is a natural attraction: a small beautiful gorge, along the bottom of which flows a mountain river. Along it there are paths, stairs, observation decks, gazebos, lighting, in general, everything that is necessary for an easy and safe walk and acquaintance with the beauty. Walking does not require good physical shape and any equipment, any tourist can master the route.

Also at the main entrance to the gorge is the famous apatskha (restaurant, cafe) Assir, where they cook shish kebab, local dishes, has its own wine cellar with homemade wine. A visit to the restaurant is an integral part of the tour, without which the visit is not so pleasant, although you can do without it. If you come here on your own (without a tour), you can first make an order in a restaurant, walk along the gorge, which will take 30-60 minutes, and return for lunch. Learn more about Chernigovka gorge here.