What to see in Kislovodsk on your own: a complete guide to attractions with prices and a map

Kislovodsk National Park

The therapeutic Kislovodsk National Park is a large landscaped green area (965.8 hectares) adjacent to Kislovodsk's tourist district. It has health trails (terrenkurs), many man-made and natural attractions, including the resort's top spots – the cable car and the famous Valley of Roses. Also worth visiting here are the Mirror Pond, Tsar's Arbor, Mushroom Rocks, viewpoints, Maloye and Bolshoye Sedlo mountains, and the Grotto with a Face.

The park can be roughly divided into two parts: the developed part within the city for easy daily walks, and the natural part with health trails and natural attractions. No permits or fees are required to visit the park; you can just enter from any convenient spot via paths or trails. You can use signs for orientation, but some places can only be found with a navigator. More about Kislovodsk National Park and how to visit it.

Kurortny Pedestrian Boulevard

Kurortny Pedestrian Boulevard is the main walking area in Kislovodsk. The boulevard is 500 meters long. There are always many vacationers here, and something is always going on. Along the street, you'll find shops and boutiques, cafes and restaurants, tour sales, the most 'fashionable' treatment and cosmetic procedure facilities, and sanatoriums. There are also several interesting attractions, monuments, and entertainment: the Kolonnada, a wax museum, a children's amusement park, an exotic animal exhibition, a singing fountain, drinking galleries, a museum and visitor center of Kislovodsk National Park, bike and gyroscooter rentals. More about Kurortny Pedestrian Boulevard.

Kolonnada

The Kolonnada is one of the central tourist spots in Kislovodsk, a meeting place and the hallmark of the resort. The Kislovodsk Park and the pedestrian zone along Kurortny Boulevard start from here. Near the Kolonnada, you can buy tours and other tourist services, rent bikes and e-scooters, and find the final stop for electric cars heading to the Valley of Roses. More about the Kolonnada.

Alley on Lenina Avenue

The Alley on Lenina Avenue is a new pedestrian promenade in the historic part of Kislovodsk that's worth checking out for at least one evening, even if you're staying in another area. Here you'll find fountains with evening lights, quirky bronze sculptures (including the famous 'Pissing Dog'), and most importantly, the Rebrovsky street pump room where you can drink three types of mineral water for free: Narzan, Slavyanskaya, and Yessentuki. This spot is especially convenient if you're staying in the northern part of the city, which has many new hotels and sanatoriums. Nearby is the Cascade Staircase and an entrance to Kislovodsk Park, so it's easy to continue your walk. More about the alley on Lenina Avenue and how to visit.

Valley of Roses

The Valley of Roses is a beautiful flower park covering 2 hectares. Here, in the flowerbeds between the pedestrian paths, over 30 varieties of roses bloom annually, along with other flowers and plants, including some exotic to northern latitudes. You can walk along the paths between the flowerbeds, take as many photos with the flowers as you like, but you cannot pick or damage them. Around the perimeter of the valley, there are benches for resting and an arbor offering a view of all the beauty. An even better view from above can be seen from the cable car, whose station is nearby. More about the Valley of Roses in Kislovodsk.

Grotto with a Face or 'Master of the Mountains'

On one of the trails in Kislovodsk Park, passing under the Blue Rocks, there are several grottoes. One of them is interesting because inside, right on the grotto wall, a large stone face-bas-relief is carved, which has become one of the most mysterious local attractions. Initially, it was called 'Demon' because the facial features were seen to resemble the face of the demon figure that 'lives' in Lermontov's Grotto near the Kislovodsk Kolonnada, but later it was renamed 'Master of the Mountains'. Where this bas-relief in the rock came from and who its author is is unknown, but guides and tour guides tell all sorts of legends about it, attributing an aura of mystery and mysticism to this place. More about the 'Master of the Mountains'.

Cascade Staircase

This is an original architectural monument, one of the main attractions of Kislovodsk. Although it's not nearly as grand and beautiful as the Cascade Staircase in Zheleznovodsk, it is still an attractive place worth visiting during your holiday at the resort. More about the Kislovodsk Cascade Staircase.

Temple of Air

The Temple of Air is a historic spot in the national park, consisting of a small themed pavilion located on a hill, from where you can enjoy panoramic views of Kislovodsk Park and even see the two snow-white peaks of Elbrus, if, of course, you're lucky with the weather. We wouldn't say it's a must-see place in Kislovodsk, but if you're walking in the national park or visiting the Valley of Roses by electric taxi, we recommend stopping by here as well. More about the Temple of Air.

Red Stones

This is a place in Kislovodsk National Park that seems unremarkable at first glance, and most tourists visit these spots simply because they are marked on the signboards installed along the walking paths in the park. But in fact, it's a unique geological attraction. The fact is that long ago, a sea was located in this place, and mountain rivers washed rock from the mountains and brought it to the bottom for millennia. During tectonic activity, the compressed rocks formed at the bottom of the sea rose from the water, and then, under the influence of precipitation and winds, lost some of their soft rock, forming bizarrely shaped cliffs of bright red color. More about the Red Stones.

'Balancing Rocks' Sculptures

This is a relatively new attraction and even a kind of entertainment for vacationers in Kislovodsk. A local craftsman builds these amazing sculptures on his own initiative without any financial help from the administration, and, contrary to the opinion of skeptics, without the use of glue or iron rods. The stones are indeed completely freely placed one above the other in the form of bizarre pyramids solely due to friction and gravity, as well as the art of balancing. More about the 'Balancing Rocks'.

St. Nicholas Cathedral

This is one of the main religious sites of the resort and the largest Christian church in the city. According to preserved records, the first mentions of the cathedral date back to 1803, but at that time, a simple wooden church stood on the site of the current cathedral. In the 1930s, the area where the church was located began to be developed, and the old church did not fit into the new landscape, so it was demolished. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, a decision was made to rebuild the church. Construction work lasted 6 years, and in 1999, the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker received its first parishioners. More about St. Nicholas Cathedral.

Mirror Pond and Glass Stream

This is a unique natural and man-made attraction, and one of the most popular and famous tourist spots in Kislovodsk. It's a small artificial pond that is filled with cool water from the Semigradusny natural spring at any time of the year, and then this water flows out of the pond through a small artificial waterfall called the 'Glass Stream'. In calm weather, the water surface of the pond is so smooth that you can see your reflection as if in a mirror, which resort guests love to use, organizing photo sessions with their reflection. More about the Mirror Pond and Glass Stream.

Grotto or Demon's Cave

This is not a very spectacular attraction of the resort, but it is one of the central spots that you will almost certainly pass by during your vacation. This attraction is an artificial grotto under a historic staircase, where behind a grating 'lives' a statue of the demon – the main character of M. Yu. Lermontov's eponymous work. Initially, the staircase under which the demon now resides was built as part of the overall resort plan in 1826 by the main architects, the Bernardazzi brothers. Of course, at that time there was no connection to the poet or his works, and the grotto housed a coffee shop, then a store, then a photo studio. The connection to Lermontov appeared after his death: in 1949, his sculpture was installed here, and the staircase landing was named Lermontovskaya. The demon himself, i.e., his sculpture, was 'settled' under the staircase during Soviet times in the 1960s. More about the Demon's Grotto.

Memorial Stone for the Founding of the Resort

This unremarkable attraction is located near the Kislovodsk train station and the building of the local philharmonic. It's a memorial stone weighing about 12-15 tons, extracted from the ground in 1823 during the construction of the Myasnikovsky log house – the first well for the Narzan spring. We wouldn't say that you absolutely must visit this attraction, as there's not much to see. But if you're walking in the area of the train station, you can make a short stop here, because it's safe to say that the spring gave start to the development of the health resort, and the stone itself symbolizes its founding. More about the memorial stone in Kislovodsk.

Birch Gully

This is one of the scenic walking routes in Kislovodsk that will be interesting for tourists who have already fully enjoyed the beauty of the National Park but still want to relax in nature and are looking for trails less explored by mass tourists. It starts about a 10-minute walk from the city Kolonnada and passes through the gorge of the Berezovaya River, which originates in the mountains of Karachay-Cherkessia. The river flows through all of Kislovodsk and its tourist district, but of course, you won't be walking in the city, but going upstream outside the city. During the walk, you can enjoy the beauty of the local nature and the whimsical rock formations that appeared as a result of water action millions of years ago. More about Birch Gully.

Main Narzan Gallery

This is the largest drinking gallery in Kislovodsk, where anyone can drink medicinal mineral water for free and without any prescriptions. Here you can try water from several springs at once: dolomite cold and warm, and sulfate cold and warm. You can drink as much as you like, but according to the rules, you cannot take it with you. However, it is still not recommended to consume uncontrollably and self-medicate with the water, as it is very 'active', not at all like the bottled water sold in stores. More about the Main Narzan Gallery here..

Narzan Pump Room No. 5

Pump Room No. 5 is not as popular as the main Narzan gallery, but the water here is just as good. Here, you can also drink medicinal mineral water of several types for free and without prescriptions, pouring it into your own glass or a special ceramic mug, or buy a disposable cup for 5 rubles or a mug for 200 on site. You cannot take water with you, and they monitor this, and besides, there's not much point, as it loses its healing properties after a few hours. More about Narzan Pump Room No. 5.

Zhelyabovsky Pump Room or Narzan No. 23

This spring is located a bit away from the center of Kislovodsk's tourist life and the pedestrian street, and therefore is not very popular or well-known among vacationers. However, this does not diminish the value of the medicinal mineral water sulfate narzan No. 23, which is presented in two types: warm and cold. The water comes from a depth of 308 meters, making it the deepest of all Kislovodsk springs. More about the Zhelyabovsky Pump Room.

'Narodny Spring' Drinking Pump Room

The Narodny Spring is a pump room that operates when all other equipped pump rooms are closed for a sanitary break. It is located on the tourist street not far from the main Narzan gallery, and is made not as a building, but as a concrete arbor. Here you can also drink one of four types of mineral water for free and without a doctor's prescription, but objectively speaking, the condition of the pump room leaves much to be desired: it looks like no one takes care of it or cleans it. More about the 'Narodny Spring' pump room.

Street Pump Room on Lenina Avenue (Rebrovsky Pump Room)

The Rebrovsky street pump room is not a building, but a modern covered location on the new pedestrian alley of Lenina Avenue. Unlike the central pump rooms and the Narzan Gallery, there is no control over taking water — you can take and drink as much as you like, and not only Narzan, but also Slavyanskaya and Yessentuki. The place is especially convenient if you are staying in this area and don't want to go to the center every time. The pump room itself is located in a beautiful spot: surrounded by fountains, flower beds, historic mansions and sanatoriums, and nearby is the entrance to Kislovodsk Park via the Cascade Staircase.

'Fortress' Museum

This is the main city museum where you can learn about the history of the city and region. It's not exactly modern or rich in exhibits, but if you're into history, you'll find it interesting here. Besides, you can learn a lot about the formation of the city and the resort, because Kislovodsk is a very ancient city. Besides the exhibits inside the museum, the building itself is also of interest. After all, it is located in an ancient fortress built in the early 19th century, the only Russian one preserved in the North Caucasus. More about the 'Fortress' Museum.

Yaroshenko Museum 'White Villa'

The museum's core is an exhibition of paintings by Yaroshenko and Kasatkin, and also hosts temporary exhibitions by local artists. The collection includes sculptural works from the 19th–20th centuries, personal belongings and furniture that belonged to the artist and his family. In total, the museum has three sections: works by N.A. Yaroshenko in the main house 'White Villa'; works by Peredvizhniki artists in guest wing No. 1; paintings from the 19th-20th centuries in guest wing No. 2. An interesting tour of the grounds is also offered. Overall, it can be said that the museum is worth visiting and will be interesting to a wide range of tourists, not just art lovers and admirers of Yaroshenko's work. More about the museum-estate of artist Yaroshenko.

Chaliapin's Dacha Museum

The literary and musical museum 'Chaliapin's Dacha' is located in a mansion that the great singer rented for three months for his family's vacation in 1917. Before Chaliapin, in 1911, Sergei Prokofiev rented a wing in the mansion, and in 1917, Sergei Rachmaninov stayed here. Inside the building, the luxurious atmosphere from the time the opera singer stayed here has been recreated: carved furniture, antique chandeliers, antique dishes and other utensils. Among the exhibits are many personal belongings of Chaliapin and his family. There is also an exhibition 'Russian Emigration' in a separate building. More about Chaliapin's Dacha Museum.

A.I. Solzhenitsyn Museum

A.I. Solzhenitsyn was born in Kislovodsk, and between 1920 and 1924 he lived in this house, which belonged to his aunt. After the writer's death in 2008, V.V. Putin personally issued a decree designating this house as a federally protected cultural heritage site, and restoration began. In 2015, the museum was finally opened to the public.

The museum has only one hall and a cinema hall for watching a documentary film, and without a guided tour, you won't learn anything and it's unlikely to be interesting. So if you decide to visit, definitely go with a guided tour, which you can request when buying a ticket. More about the A.I. Solzhenitsyn Museum.

Visitor Center of Kislovodsk National Park

The Visitor Center or Museum of History and Nature of Kislovodsk National Park opened in 2019 in the very center of the city on Kurortny Boulevard. It's an interactive museum that tells about the nature and natural resources of the national park and the resort as a whole. You can learn a great deal, from underground minerals and mineral waters to the varieties of animals living in these parts. The museum is very modern, with interactive exhibits that react to visitors' actions, and even virtual reality. There are 8 halls in total, including a children's hall where you can pet 'virtual' wild animals. It's definitely worth visiting, and best of all during a guided tour, which are held 4 times a day. And by the way, the first hall upon entering the center can be seen completely free of charge.

City Amusement Park

The park is located on a hill in the center of the tourist district, and you'll probably notice its Ferris wheel while walking along Kurortny Pedestrian Boulevard. Unfortunately, the condition of the park is deplorable, so it's unlikely to be of interest to resort guests. There are only a few very old children's carousels, a go-kart track, a fun house, and trampolines, which might only be interesting for the youngest children. The only attraction that will be interesting for older children and adults is the Ferris wheel, which offers a decent panoramic view of the resort area of Kislovodsk. Next to the park is the 'Crazy Cars' go-kart track. More about the Kislovodsk Amusement Park.

Wax Museum

This is, of course, not a classic museum, but entertainment for tourists. It displays figures of movie and cartoon characters, mostly popular American ones, and historical figures. There are also animals, but mostly mythical ones or cartoon characters. You can take photos with the sculptures. Over 60 figures in total.

Kislovodsk Dolphinarium

The dolphinarium is visited not only from this resort but also from other CMS resorts, as it's the only place of its kind in the entire region. The show featuring Black Sea bottlenose dolphins, sea lions, fur seals, walruses, sea lions, and beluga whales is enjoyed by both adults and children. The 'artists' dance, perform acrobatic stunts, and even draw, sing, and count. Everyone gets a lot of pleasure and positive emotions. More about the Kislovodsk dolphinarium.

Kislovodsk Circus

This is one of the interesting places for family holidays in Kislovodsk, which, by the way, are not so numerous at the resort. The hall is spacious, accommodating up to 1483 spectators at once. The circus has been delighting residents and guests of the city with bright performances for several decades. The history goes back to when circus troupes performed for vacationers in the nascent resort towns. Booths and chapiteau tents were set up in parks and squares. More about the Kislovodsk Circus.

Exotic Animal Exhibition

This exhibition features over 50 species of animals, including: monkeys, chameleons, turtles, a python, hedgehogs, a boa constrictor, ferrets, rabbits, and much more. There is also a collection of live insects, including dangerous poisonous inhabitants of tropical forests. Some pets can be petted and held. More about the exhibition.

Old Lake in Kislovodsk

If you get tired of the routine sanatorium treatments in Kislovodsk during the summer, Old Lake is the best way to diversify your vacation. It's a modern and completely free beach area where locals love to relax, while tourists are still passing it by. Here you can sunbathe on a wooden pontoon with loungers, swim, and for activities, there are catamaran and SUP rentals, a rope park, and even a zip line over the water. More about Old Lake and how to visit it.

Kislovodsk Cable Car

The cable car is located on the territory of Kislovodsk National Park and leads to the top of Sinyaya Mountain at an altitude of 1167 meters above sea level. There is a viewpoint, a cafe, and an Olympic complex (not visited by tourists). Along the way, great views open up, especially at the very beginning of the ride when the cabins pass over the Valley of Roses. From the top, you can descend back down by cable car or on foot along one of the trails. We can't help but mention the drawbacks. First of all, the high price. The cabins are packed to capacity with people wanting to ride, and not everyone gets a view from the window. More about the Kislovodsk cable car.

Viewpoint on Sosnovaya Mountain

A new viewpoint has appeared in Kislovodsk National Park on Sosnovaya Mountain, rising almost 100 meters above the center of Kislovodsk. A good pedestrian route with stairs and several rest areas along the way has been laid here, and at the very top, there is an equipped concrete viewing platform with a roof. They also plan to install a monument to the great Russian poet Sergei Yesenin here. More about the viewpoint on Sosnovaya Mountain.

Krasnoye Solnyshko Viewpoint and Lermontov Monument

This is one of the most popular viewpoints in Kislovodsk. The viewpoint offers a panoramic view of the picturesque nature of Kislovodsk National Park, and in the distance, you can see the two snow-covered peaks of the highest mountain in Russia and Europe, and the Greater Caucasus Range. However, to see Elbrus, you need to be very lucky with the weather, as the mountain is 65 kilometers away. But not only the beautiful views make this viewpoint attractive. Its man-made decoration is the monument to the great Russian poet M.Yu. Lermontov, whose fate is inextricably linked with Kislovodsk and other resorts of the Caucasian Mineral Waters. More about Krasnoye Solnyshko and the Lermontov monument and how to visit

Arbor of Seven Winds

This is one of the highest equipped viewpoints in Kislovodsk, only the platform at the upper cable car station is higher. It is located in Kislovodsk National Park at an altitude of over 1130 meters, though of course, this refers to absolute altitude above sea level. Relative to the resort center of Kislovodsk, it is located about 300 meters higher. From here, there is a magnificent view of the city and the National Park, and in good weather, you can even see the two peaks of the highest mountain in Russia and Europe – Elbrus – far on the horizon. More about the Arbor of Seven Winds and how to visit it.

Ring Mountain

This is a round rock arch about 8 meters in diameter, formed from a grotto as a result of weathering and washing away of soft rock. It is located on top of a small mountain, or rather one of the spurs of the Borgustan Range, and from the foot to the 'Ring' itself, you will need to climb up about 20 meters in height (the height of a 6-story building). If you go to the very top, you can explore several more grottoes next to the 'ring' and take great photos of the surroundings and the city from the platform directly in front of the ring. In clear weather, you can even see Elbrus from it. There are always many tourists here, and a fairly large tourist market operates at the foot of the mountain. More about Ring Mountain.

Lermontov Waterfall

This is the only waterfall within the city of Kislovodsk. It's small, about three meters high, but very wide and full-flowing all year round. Previously called Olkhovsky after the Olkhovka River on which it is located. But later it was renamed in honor of the great poet and prose writer M.Yu. Lermontov, as it is believed that here Pechorin from the novel 'A Hero of Our Time' watered his horse on the way from Ring Mountain. More about the Lermontov Waterfall.

Ostrich Farm

The Ostrich Farmstead operates at the AmondGarden landscape nursery. Here, in enclosures, there are domestic animals: ostriches, a camel, sheep, and also raccoons. You can interact with the animals, touch them, and feed them. The visit also includes a guide explaining how to care for them and what benefits they provide. Overall, a fairly interesting place for a nominal fee, worth visiting on the way to Ring Mountain or the Honey Waterfalls.

Honey Waterfalls

This is one of the most famous natural attractions in the entire region. People come here on tours or independently not only from Kislovodsk but also from other resorts. A whole tourist complex has formed here with a hotel and cafe, a market and shops, a mini-zoo, a museum, and a bathhouse. They also offer horseback or buffalo riding, ziplining, river rafting, and jeep trips around the area. You can come just for a walk and to see the sights, or come for a full day's relaxation, for which gazebos with tables, chairs, and barbecues are available for rent. More about the Honey Waterfalls.

Lermontov Rock and Dinosaur Plateau

Lermontov Rock is a picturesque 20-meter cliff in the Olkhovka River gorge, where, according to the plot of 'Princess Mary', the duel between Pechorin and Grushnitsky took place. Here is also the Dinosaur Plateau — fossilized tracks of ancient lizards dating back 135 million years, marked with paint and an information board. Entry is free, and you can get there by taxi or bus. This is a place for a walk with children and for lovers of unusual attractions, when you've already seen everything in Kislovodsk. More about Lermontov Rock and the Dinosaur Plateau.

Castle of Cunning and Love

This is a tourist complex that houses a hotel and a restaurant. But you don't have to be a hotel guest or restaurant customer. You can come here just to walk around and enjoy the beauty of nature and the architecture of this place. The local restaurant with its authentic atmosphere is one of the oldest complexes. Its history dates back to 1921. More about the Castle of Cunning and Love.

Narsana Eco-Park

This is a small complex with animals, something like a farm with enclosures. Here you can ride a camel or pony, feed a bison and deer, touch small leopards. Interesting inhabitants include a monkey, a collection of chameleons and snakes, bears, tigers, a panther, and a white lion. It might not be very interesting for adults, but it delights young children as one of their first places to get acquainted with the animal world. More about the Narsana eco-park.

Maloye Sedlo Mountain

Maloye Sedlo is not even a mountain, but a large hill on the outskirts of Kislovodsk, which you can drive up to by car or walk to through Kurortny Park. No special gear is needed, and the main value of the place is the panoramic views of the surroundings and Elbrus in good weather. It's worth going here when you've already seen the main attractions and want to add a light 'mountainous' touch to your vacation. If you have energy left, you can walk further to Bolshoye Sedlo mountain — another 40–60 minutes of walking. More about Maloye Sedlo mountain and how to visit it.

Bolshoye Sedlo Mountain

Bolshoye Sedlo, 1410 meters high, is the highest point in the vicinity of Kislovodsk and a full-fledged destination for a day hike, not just an easy walk. The views from here are wider than from Maloye Sedlo: you can see Kislovodsk itself, the surrounding hills, and in good weather, Elbrus. It's worth going if you love mountains, are ready for exertion (an elevation gain of over 600 meters), and want to see the resort from the highest point. The routes pass near Maloye Sedlo, so you can visit both mountains in one go. More about Bolshoye Sedlo mountain and how to visit it.