Gelendzhik is in the center of Russian Black Sea coast, to the south of Novorossiysk. The airport that was opened in 2010 contributed to development of this resort.
The resort zone of Gelendzhik, as the other resorts in the Caucasus, isn’t only within the city, but covers the territory of some 100 kilometers. It includes settlements Kabardinka, Divnomorskoe, and Arkipo-Osipovka in the north, as well as settlements а также поселки Dzhanhot, Praskoveevka, Krinitsa and Betta in the south.
Unlike Sochi, which is only 260 kilometers off, Gelendzhik features dry, Mediterranean climate, the same as on the rest of the Black Sea coast. There are no tall Caucasian mountains here, still, the spurs of the Markhotsky Range impart a kind of picturesqueness to surrounding landscapes of Gelendzhik.
The city of Gelendzhik is at the back of Gelendzhik Bay. The bay is rather sheltered, so sometimes the water gets dirty, but thanks to frequent storms it is continuously refreshed. Blue Bay is in the north of Gelendzhik. Although this bay is open, resort infrastructure is yet to be developed there.
Thin and Thick Capes are on both sides of Gelendzhik. The center of the city, featuring very wide embankment, is closer to Thick Cape. Every June on this embankment the famous carnival is held dedicated to the opening of resort season in Gelendzhik.
Generally, Gelendzhik Embankment is the feather in the cap of city dwellers. It is very long stretching for over 12 kilometers. There are a lot of flowers all along the embankment, and some sections are planted with Pitsunda pines. There are always many walkers here, and this creates the atmosphere of deliberate resort recreation. Many people go here with children.
The mountains in the neighbourhood of Gelendzhik aren’t as beautiful as in Sochi, but there are some nice places with mountains streams and small waterfalls, which are favored by tourist. Pitsunda pines grow all along the coast. Plesetsk waterfalls, Pshadskiye waterfalls, and Tebeshskiye waterfalls, as well as Emerald waterfall on the river Zhane, – these are the most famous waterfalls of Gelendzhik.
You can have very beautiful views on the way southwards, between Praskoveevka and Dzhanhot. For example, there located the Blue Urochische (tract) – a beautiful panorama of sea and cliffs overgrown with pines. Sail Rock is south of Dzhanhot. This is a solitary flat rock reaching the height of 30 meters. And indeed, it strongly resembles a sail.
