Thinking about an ideal vacation, they often mention the Red or Caribbean Sea, but when it comes to practice, the choice almost always falls on the Black Sea coast. This is largely due to elementary financial issues, but nevertheless they would not come here if it was bad here. Perhaps a vacation with children on the Black Sea is not a dream simply because most of our compatriots are not so difficult to realize it, while every family member will surely like it here.
Benefits
Why are Russians so massively drawn to the Black Sea? This is not an accident - there are many reasons that make family tourists come here. So, the choice in favor of the Black Sea is:
- Everything you need for a quality holiday. In addition to the sea itself, we also need an appropriate infrastructure, from comfortable and equipped beaches to hotels and entertainment. The Black Sea coast is almost the only one in the whole of Russia that more or less fully meets this requirement.
- Just organizationally. Several countries have access to the Black Sea coast, but Russian tourists in 99% of cases travel to the Black Sea without leaving their own country. This means that no additional documents are needed, be it a passport or a visa, there is also no need for knowledge of foreign languages, or for due attention to local customs - they are not particularly different. In short, there are not many intermediate steps from conception to arrival.
- Close... Traveling with children is always difficult also because of the poor tolerance of kids on a long journey. To the Black Sea coast from Moscow - more than a thousand kilometers, from St. Petersburg - more than one and a half thousand, and from the Urals and Siberia - even further, but it is still much closer than all the other seas, claiming to be not just a salt reservoir, but a normal resort.
- Convenient to get there. For Russian transport companies, the southern direction is important all year round, and in summer it becomes a priority. The major local resorts can be reached in a matter of hours from almost any corner of Russia, which is very convenient for families with babies and small children. Trains cover almost the entire territory, but the cost turns out to be a little cheaper; for most regions of the European part of the Russian Federation, the duration of the journey usually does not exceed two days. Finally, the adjacent subjects of the federation are also connected to the Black Sea coast by bus service, which even extends to Moscow and St. Petersburg. About 2/3 of all our fellow citizens live in the zone of normal achievement, many of them are ready to go on vacation even just by car.
- Inexpensive. Considering the relative geographic proximity to the consumer and the non-international nature of local resorts, you can significantly save on travel. This is very important for families with children, who are already regularly faced with the need for significant costs. It is better to relax here and still buy something useful than to spend everything on a conventional Dubai.
In addition, the tourism potential of the region is rapidly developing in an area that is not directly related to beach recreation. For example, in the southern part of the Russian Black Sea coast, there is an opportunity to go on a short excursion to the mountains at any time - to admire the scenery in summer or go skiing in winter.
Gourmets will not be able to pass by the local cuisine, which has absorbed the traditions of the indigenous peoples of the Caucasus. Those who like to learn about the culture of the region in which they are resting will like to learn new interesting facts about the history and peculiarities of these regions.
In a word, going to the sea, you can have a great rest for little money without unnecessary paperwork, and even bring a whole lot of unexpected impressions.
Climatic features of the area: temperature of water and air by seasons
Speaking about the peculiarities of the climate of the Black Sea coast of Russia, it should be understood that we are talking about a territory stretching for hundreds of kilometers, therefore absolutely identical climatic conditions simply cannot exist here. Most often, according to climatic characteristics, this region is divided into three parts, which differ significantly from each other.
From Taman to Anapa
A temperate maritime climate reigns here - unlike the more southern regions, there are no mountains that protect the coast from winds from the north. The weather conditions are typical for the south of Russia, perhaps somewhat softened by the proximity of the sea. Average summer temperatures are 26-30 degrees above zero. Water warms up to the same temperatures, but other times of the year for a beach holiday are definitely not suitable here. If you are going on vacation with young children, then June is not the best choice, since the water has not yet warmed up.
In fact, the rest here is not much different from the one on the coast of the neighboring Sea of Azov, and it makes sense to travel a few dozen extra kilometers to get into more favorable conditions.
On the other hand, the reduced tourist popularity of this section of the coast may appeal to those who do not like unnecessary noise and want to save money.
From Anapa to Tuapse
Experts call the local climate Mediterranean, which is sure to please tourists. A characteristic feature of this area is a particular aridity, since the number of sunny days per year exceeds 300, and in summer, clouds are generally a huge rarity, which only contributes to a beach holiday. As for the temperatures, they practically do not differ from the Taman ones here - perhaps a couple of degrees hotter. The local summer heat is much better tolerated due to the low humidity.
This part of the coast could be described as the one that enjoys an average level of popularity among tourists, but for children it is paradise. Therefore, it is here that there are most of all children's camps. July and August are an unambiguous tourist season, June is also rarely cool, and you can come with older children even at the end of May or the first half of September.
South of Tuapse
This part of the coast is already reliably protected by the spurs of the Caucasus Mountains, so the climate here, practically without any transition, turns into subtropical humid. There is no snow here at all, but rains are not uncommon, although most of them still fall not directly on the coast, but a few kilometers further - in the mountains. The air temperature in summer often reaches 35 degrees, and such conditions are tolerated a little more difficult precisely because of the high humidity - it can be quite stuffy here.
The water warms up to a temperature of 30 degrees for almost half a year, which greatly extends the season. In general, a noticeable influx of tourists is observed here even in the second half of April and throughout October, however, for a vacation with small children, it is better to consider dates from May to September.
An important role is also played by the exact location of a particular settlement, because some settlements are reliably closed by mountains from all sides, while others, in a few kilometers, can be open to winds from the valleys. At the same time, in the summer it is good here almost everywhere, and if you climbed to the very south, then May and September will not disappoint.
Features of acclimatization: how not to spoil your vacation
For an adult constantly living in a cool climate, suddenly moving into a hot summer for a short time is a dream, but for a child such a test can be too difficult. Children generally have a hard time tolerating sudden changes in temperature, so a rapid transition "from winter to summer" is contraindicated for them.
True, the Black Sea coast does not provide such opportunities, but nevertheless pediatricians argue that acclimatization of a child from Moscow and especially St. Petersburg will take up to ten days - at this time, you must especially carefully monitor the health of your child, avoid too long exposure to the sun and monitor the state of the body's water balance.
In addition, getting into an unfamiliar climate can aggravate or dramatically expose existing health problems. Before going to the resort, it is recommended to consult a doctor and clarify the likelihood that a long journey will give an unexpected unpleasant result. The fact is that too hot weather, for example, will have an extremely negative effect on children suffering from cardiovascular problems if their homes are much cooler. It is also considered undesirable to travel to the sea if a child has an allergy - again, in a particularly sultry subtropical climate, even more flowering plants can be expected, each of which poses a potential danger to the baby.
Review of popular resorts on the coast from Anapa to Sochi
All the main Russian seaside resorts, which gather the overwhelming majority of Russian swimmers and sunbathers, are located on a stretch of coastline about 400 kilometers long. As already mentioned, even the climatic conditions here differ significantly, not to mention the range of entertainment and attractions, so you should be more careful when choosing the destination of your trip.
Anapa
This small town is a good family resort. There is a huge amount of healing mud, and in 2011 Anapa was even recognized as the world's best balneological resort. The local sandy beach is 40 kilometers long, there are pebbly beaches, but there are fewer of them. Among the tourist attractions are the thematic villages (African, Greek, Armenian), Dinosaur Park and Cypress Lake.
It will appeal to those who like a quiet holiday. You can get there in any way: there is an airport (in summer - a wide selection of flights, the rest of the year - only Moscow), a railway station (all year round - Moscow, Krasnoyarsk, Tomsk and Minsk, in the tourist season - several times more options) and a bus station.
Popular resorts near Anapa - Vityazevo and Dzhemete, we advise you to take a closer look at them.
Novorossiysk
The beach potential of Novorossiysk is relatively small - the presence of a large seaport affects the water area. Officially, this city is not considered a resort, but it still receives thousands of tourists every year. Good beaches can be found in its vicinity - in Shirokaya Balka, Sukhaya Shchel, or Yuzhnaya Ozereevka.
Fans of excursions are advised to visit the famous Abrau-Dyurso sparkling wine factory and go to the dolmens, Novorossiysk itself is also attractive in terms of walking around the city.
The easiest way to get to the city is by train - in the summer, the city station accepts more than two dozen pairs of trains from different parts of the European part of the Russian Federation, as well as from the Urals and Western Siberia. There is no private airport in Novorossiysk - if you are traveling by air, choose the neighboring Anapa or Gelendzhik as your final destination.
Gelendzhik
Included in the TOP of the most children's resorts located on this coast. The infrastructure here is at a pretty good level, the nature is also very good, but there are relatively few really big attractions here, so there is no crazy influx of tourists. A truly quiet vacation can be found in the surrounding villages, where for little money you can be practically alone with the sea, forest and mountains.
A characteristic feature is the predominantly pebbled nature of the beaches, but a sandy beach can also be found if desired.
In terms of accessibility, Gelendzhik is the complete opposite of Novorossiysk - there is no railway, but there is an airport, so the two cities seem to complement each other. You can fly here directly from many large cities of Russia.
Tuapse
Fairly famous, but relatively small resort. Due to its size, the city is quite quiet. Here, as in Gelendzhik, there are neither too noisy entertainment, nor special attractions, nor an exorbitant influx of tourists, especially since the much more popular Sochi is located relatively nearby.
Many visitors to Bolshoi Tuapse come to the village of Dzhubga - there are many recreational facilities, plus good beaches made of sand and small pebbles.
It is not very convenient to get to Tuapse by plane, because each of the three nearest airports (Gelendzhik, Sochi, Krasnodar) is located more than 100 kilometers from the city, although a commuter train runs to Sochi airport. The same trains pass through Tuapse that go to Adler, but most visitors prefer to get to Sochi.
Sochi
The Big Sochi resort is the main seaside resort in Russia. The famous Adler, perceived by many as a separate luxury resort, is just one of the districts of Sochi. In addition to high-quality sandy beaches, the city attracts guests with its stunning infrastructure, pronounced Caucasian flavor and cuisine, the proximity of popular mountain resorts where you can go on excursions, as well as Olympic facilities for the 2014 Games.
The swimming season here is from mid-May to October.
The local airport is second only to three in Moscow and St. Petersburg in terms of occupancy, serving dozens of flights from all over the country. The situation is approximately the same with trains.
The Crimean resorts are also attractive for families with children - first of all, Yalta, Feodosia, Evpatoria.
Here, on the southern coast, there are a lot of children's camps (including the famous Artek) and sanatoriums, there are comfortable sandy beaches and mountains nearby. The climate here is magnificent, the sea is clean, and the nature is mesmerizing, so just a walk around the surroundings will please both adults and children.
At the same time, getting here with children is rather inconvenient - there are no direct trains, and there are not so many buses either. Almost the only available transport is air, because planes fly to Crimea from dozens of Russian airports, but they land in Simferopol, and from there to the sea - at least 60 kilometers. The situation will be corrected by the bridge under construction, which will connect the mainland of Russia with the Crimea and make recreation more affordable.
You can also consider the Black Sea resorts of other countries. A trip with children to the Black Sea to another country makes sense only if the documents have already been drawn up in advance for other purposes, and the child is already old enough to survive a really long journey. Russians most often choose Bulgaria (for example, the resort of Varna) and the Black Sea coast of Turkey.
Accommodation options with a small child: what to choose
Since it is the Black Sea coast of Russia that is the most popular destination for families with children among our fellow citizens, it is worth talking about it in more detail. Due to the huge number of visiting tourists, it boasts a proper level of infrastructure development for rental housing, which is presented in all possible forms. Coming here with very young children, you should carefully consider all the options for the settlement.
- The cheapest option - the private sector, which is available for selection even where there are no hotels - locals never mind making a little money.Having rented a guest house, in terms of convenience, you will find yourself approximately at home - there will be no service, you will most likely have to wash and cook on your own, but the child's behavior will not annoy the neighbors, and noisy neighbors will not interfere with the baby's sleep. When choosing such housing, pay special attention to the availability of facilities specifically for children. The missing bathroom, shower or toilet can be a serious problem for guests with small children. In addition, you will also have to entertain the child exclusively on your own.
- Family-type boarding houses good not only for the opportunity to get medical treatment, but also for a certain organization of free time. If this is a large institution, focused, among other things, on the reception of families with children, there are certainly various entertainment activities for the little ones. Perhaps they will take no more than a couple of hours a day, but even this will cheer up the child, and allow parents to relax a little, especially since such leisure is already included in the price of the voucher.
- Hotels invented specifically for those who would like to just relax, while solving as little everyday problems as possible. When traveling with children, it is better to choose those where everything is already included in the price - they often offer a fairly good range of entertainment, including for children. If a particular hotel has animation, you don't have to worry that the kid will get bored, because specially trained people will entertain him throughout the day. The "all inclusive" mode also includes meals - ask in advance if this hotel has a special children's menu. For kids, choosing a hotel with a swimming pool is a great idea - there are no waves, it's easier to learn to swim, and the water is never too cold.
Such rental services as Booking and Ostrovok make it easier to choose a place to stay.
If you need a flight, check out special services like OnlineTours: in one place you can see the offers of the largest tours. operators.
Wellness holiday
The Black Sea coast of Russia has a huge health potential. There is a favorable climate, a combination of sea air with mountain air, there are no toxic emissions from industrial enterprises, there are numerous sources of mineral water, deposits of healing mud. In this regard, on the four hundred kilometers of the resort area there are hundreds of sanatoriums, many of which are of the family type.
Their main part is a general health plan. You can come here with the whole family, undergo a medical examination right on the spot, and correct it a little. Such rest presupposes medical supervision, proper nutrition without junk food (as an option - with the use of mineral water), light health-improving and therapeutic procedures, but also a certain entertainment program with free time.
The day's schedule is structured in such a way that guests do not feel like patients, but feel like they are on vacation. Such institutions can be found in any major resort on the Russian Black Sea coast, especially in Gelendzhik.
There are also specialized sanatoriums focused on the treatment of certain diseases. They usually get here on the referral of a doctor. Most often people come here to treat diseases of the respiratory system, or to undergo recovery after recovery - the clean local air is very conducive to this. However, there are institutions in other areas, in particular, for orthopedic patients or children undergoing recovery from complex injuries.
Since the need for treatment may arise not only during the holidays, but also in the middle of the school year, some sanatoriums even organize their own classes, similar to school ones.
Best Campgrounds & Campsites
Not everyone needs first-class service - many people prefer to have a rest as "savages", retiring from civilization. At the same time, it is still not necessary to give up the elementary conveniences of the modern world.
The tent can be pitched in a special tent camp, where showers and toilets are organized, in some places there is even 24-hour security.
The plus of such a holiday is in greater unity with nature, even if there are not so few people around. This is an inexpensive way to remember the romance of college youth. It should be borne in mind that for young children such a calm, quiet rest may not seem very interesting, therefore, apparently, it is suitable only for teenagers.
Of course, there are a lot of such campgrounds on the Black Sea coast - they are present in the picturesque and quiet surroundings of every relatively large resort. For example, the famous camping "Kubanets", located near Tuapse, offers accommodation in tents, but there are even playgrounds and organized evening programs. With all the privacy of this place, it is located very close to the village, which allows you to dramatically change the type of rest for one day.
A lot of campgrounds with everything you need are located in the vicinity of Gelendzhik - these are "Pines" in Betta, "Krinitsa" in the village of the same name, "Juniper grove" in Kabardinka and "Golubaya Bukhta" near Gelendzhik itself. Camping sites located in this part of the coast are distinguished by a special distance from the main tourist paths; you should only go here if you have a good idea of what awaits you there and are sure that you want to do just that.
Reviews
Reviews of summer vacations at the sea in the Krasnodar Territory are characterized by a consistently high degree of satisfaction, and by their nature indicates a variety of options for organizing a vacation here.
The most budgetary option is, of course, tents in the forest or on the beach, but with the right organization, you can make romance inseparable from basic amenities, and it will not cost much. You can have a cheap rest in guest houses of local residents, but for lovers of expensive and high-quality rest with all the amenities, the doors of the best hotels in this region are open.
Those wishing not only to relax, but also to improve their health and have some good fun are advised to pay special attention to boarding houses and sanatoriums, which are usually in the middle between expensive and cheap options, or a little closer to expensive ones.
The type of vacation is also very different depending on the resort. The general rule is that the further south you go, the more expensive your vacation will be, but the more entertainment you will find for tourists. Another rule states that the same gradation from cheap and secluded to expensive and noisy is observed not only from north to south, but also from small villages to large local centers - Anapa, Novorossiysk, Gelendzhik, Tuapse and Sochi.
The vast majority of those who have been here will recommend you to come here too. Apparently, you won't be disappointed either, since The Black Sea coast of Russia is an ideal place for a summer vacation with children.
And now some useful tips for those planning a vacation on the Black Sea.
