Location: Sukhumi
Top Things to do in Sukhumi
10 Things to Do in Sukhumi That You Shouldn't Miss
Sukhumi or Sokhumi (Abkhazian: Аҟәа, Aqwa; Georgian: სოხუმი, [sɔxumi] ( listen); Russian: Сухум(и), Sukhum(i)) is a city on the Black Sea coast. It is the capital of the breakaway Republic of Abkhazia which has controlled it since the 1992-93 war in Abkhazia, although most of the international community considers it legally part of Georgia.
Restaurants in Sukhumi
1. Sukhumi Botanical Garden
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 211 reviews
Reviewed By bryan-quiller-hire - Tbilisi, Georgia
The trees and flowers are well labeled with metal plaques embedded into the soil beneath the species and the walking paths are well maintained and plenty of rustic benches are located here and there so you can take a rest. Beware of the mosquitoes! If you are walking you don't notice them. i stopped to read my guide book and map, on a log bench, and at first did not notice the huge and fat slow flying mosquitoes. They have an anesthetic in their stinger that works better than pre-surgery anesthesia and you don't notice all the needle noses plunging into your blood veins! 15 to 20 minutes later the numbing injected chemicals wore off and i had about 30 large bites on my legs and ankles!
There are many vendors selling tourist bric a brac along one whole side of the garden perimeter, as you leave.
It is a nice walk through the center of town back to the seaside, if you so wish.
I just spent 12 wonderful days in Abkhazia. I highly recommend it. It took only 5 minutes to deal with Georgian government officials on the Georgian side of the Engur River, and 15 minutes to pass through Russian border guards on the other side of the river [they are more thorough against suspected illegal crossings]. There are at least a dozen ATM cash machines now in Sukhumi, and at least one ATM at the large GAGRA BANK in Gagra on the main Nartaa seaside road. A few restaurants take VISA cards. Only a few. Hotels can now be found for $32 to $52 a night, for three occupants, easily. Most one day package tours are around $30-$35 and well organized and fill your whole day [Lake Ritsa, the Krubera Caves, the monastery, etc.]. Restaurants start at $15 for full meal. Street vendor food is around $3.
One tip to save you time and energy. The walk is not really so pleasant from one side to the other of the Enguri River at the crossing zone, and the horse drawn buggy is slow and not really cheap. There are a few go cart driven transport buggies that the Mgrelian vendors regularly use who cross each day for mundane product exchanges, and it costs only 2 GEL Georgian laris, or about 40 rubles [around $1]. It is much quicker than horse buggy and walking.
I found the Abkhaz people very hospitable and friendly and helpful and curious. Since tourists are mainly Russian and some Armenians, an American [like me] stood out like a 7 foot tall Mongolian in Guatemala Highlands. Often i was told I was the first American ever to visit the street I was on! A taxi driver even gave me his prayer rosary that had been hanging on his rear view mirror, as a token of his hospitality.
Sukhumi is more of a lower middle class Russian family tourist destination, and Gagra is just on the Russian border so there are busloads and busloads of one day Russian soujourners. Also, there are more sexy couples in Gagra, which are rare in Sukhumi. [I was told Sochi is TEN TIMES more expensive for the same natural setting!] Gagra is packed with restaurants and bars and dance floors at night. Borscht is served nearly everywhere in Gagra to please the constant stream of Russians, but in Sukhumi i could not find one place with borscht, the Russian national dish. Of all the Abkhazian wines, Chegem the red wine made from Cabarnet Sauvignon grapes is excellent, as is the white wine Dioskuria, both of European tastes to the tongue and fitting such standards. All the many other Abkhaz wines, are on the sweet side and may not be to your liking, who knows?
You must take a Russian phrase book with you! I think it might be easier to learn pidgin Russian in Abkhazia, rather than in Russia. The people here are more patient in Abkhazia and willing to struggle with you, and maybe one out of 15 Russian tourists speaks some bit of English [especially if from St. Petersburg], but almost no Abkhazia denizens speak a word of English. Hotels and restaurants use Russian and almost never English.
Sukhumi has very few wifi supported cafes or restaurants, however, Gagra has zillions of them. GOOGLE translator works great between Russian and English, so if you can get the undivided attention of friendly people in a wifi cafe-eatery, then have them type what they want to say on the little peck-peck-peck Russian keyboard on the Google screen, and you can use your own latin alphabet keyboard on your laptop keyboard, and you then can even discuss art, culture, literature and philosophy with each other!
2. Fountain Griffins
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 59 reviews
Reviewed By BigTravellCouple - Tbilisi
This place was the most photographed place till 1992 war between Georgia and Russia. I have at list 10 pics from this place) On the opposite side there is the garden where small photo store was located. It provided services to amateur photographers like me))
Unfortunately the only way to get there is through Russia, as it controls the city, since its occupation and ethnic cleansing of Georgians.
Russia does not allow refugees to visit their homeland. From another side, Georgia does not allow foreigners visit Sukhumi (and other occupied cities) entering from Russia. By the law such tourists are facing legal charges.
Officially Abkhazia is part of Georgia. Georgians were the majority of its population till 1992. It's independence is not recognised by the world. Except of Venezuela and Russia itself. Russia is controlling local government by subsidising it but keeping the region undeveloped.
Security issues are still the major concern there. So people visiting Sukhumi even illegally must be very careful.
As for the beauty of the city and its nature, there is no better place in there world than Sukhumi.
3. Sukhumi Embankment
Overall Ratings
4 based on 95 reviews
Reviewed By SergeiShubin - Kazan, Russia
Набережная очень печальная, а всего то нужно побелить побелкой столбы и ограды из камня, срезать ненужные помосты, сдать в цветмет старые ржавые лодки что стоят на самом виду. Но почему то местным жителям это не нужно. Набережная для прогулок достаточно длинная, ходить вечером девушкам не рекомендую, очень уж много джигитов ходят небольшими компаниями.
4. Abkhazia State Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 36 reviews
Reviewed By Sn0rkey - London, United Kingdom
Located in a grand building, just below the Botanical Gardens, this is a strange museum. The outside entrance has a random collection of things - rusty anchors, plane propellors in fishing nets, bits of neolithic stones and a bunker. The bunker is not part of the display, but adds to the randomness of the show. Inside is a couple of floors of stuff. starts well, fairly comprehensive flora. fauna and geology walkthroughs, plenty of stuffed things, fish in preservation jars. All in Russian obviously. Nice display of axe heads and flint from the old days. Walk to floor 2 and it gets a bit strange. Some folk art and clothing from probably the 19th century, some random village models and then suddenly you in transported to 1992/3. a century of history has been removed. Lots of photos and displays from the civil war. some a bit gory. many hagiographic profiles of people involved in the war and anti Georgian cartoons and propaganda. the upper floors were administration only. locals pay 20 RUB or so, foreigners 100. worth a visit if you have an hour to spare
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 26 reviews
Reviewed By SergeiShubin - Kazan, Russia
Хорошая такая колоннада, именно здесь можно купить картины Сухума. Выглядит достойно и ухоженно. Кстати вечером, можно увидеть взрослых жителей играющих в нарды, колоритно.
6. Monastery of Saint John Chrysostom
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 30 reviews
Reviewed By Alexey A
Балл-за полное отсутствие информации в храме и монастыре о юрисдикции. Поскольку хозяева объекта своё церковное лапы-усы-и-хвост (документы на деятельность от законного патриарха) не предъявляют-то, извините, свечей никаких, ибо нечя раскольников спонсировать)).
[Обратное-докажите]. И с чего решили, что это именно гроб Златоуста в храме слева стоит? Ааа!-"принято считать")). Ну а пятый век, конечно, интересно посмотреть, угадав его в новоделе.
7. Monument Pingvin-Filosof
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 31 reviews
Reviewed By Sn0rkey - London, United Kingdom
The paucity of documented things to in Sukhumi is highlighted by this . its a 1 metre tall bronze, on the run down seafront, between the pier and the monolithic concrete cruise liner structure. Its nose is rubbed gold from touching. um. Don't make a day trip especially for this.
8. Sculpture Nika and Record Player
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 21 reviews
Reviewed By WhereIsTuryansky - Moscow, Moscow City, Russia
Невозможно пройти мимо и не сфотографировать :) Еще одно украшение данной набережной. Побольше бы таких... но я думаю их будет больше через пару лет и место будет еще более приятное для прогулок.
9. Mokko Beach
10. Sukhumi Monkey Nursery
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 152 reviews
Reviewed By watsuko - Paris, France
It used to be and is a research center of monkeys. You can see several types of monkeys in cages that seems a normal research building. It can be called a zoo and is not so exciting place however Sukhumi, the city has nice ambience on the contrary to its recent history. You can buy some foods for monkey then you can feed them directly. You may find some abandoned or half broken buildings with rusty ambience.
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