Of course, most people at least once heard the name Gelendzhik. This is a wonderful place that combines a cozy town and the famous resort area, which has gained great popularity and success among tourists. In the holiday season, you can never say that this place is empty. Many people come here every year, most of them are not the first time, they like it here so much. The population of Gelendzhik is very diverse, but it is always hospitable and happy to welcome tourists in their own city. It is worth talking in more detail about this resort, telling about where it is located, its population, leisure features and sights of the city.
Gelendzhik - general information
First you need to consider general information about the city in order to better understand what is at stake. So, Gelendzhik, as already mentioned, is a wonderful resort town. It is located in Russia, in the Krasnodar Territory. It is worth mentioning separately about its importance for the country - in 2001 it was recognized as a resort of federal significance. It is located on the Black Sea.
Of course, in this regard, all areas of tourism are actively developing here. Its popularity is also increasing every year, holidays in Gelendzhik for many already become a tradition. The local nature fascinates all vacationers, as there is a mountain range nearby, as well as stunning views of the sea.
The population of Gelendzhik, according to 2016, is about 72 thousand people. This will be discussed a little later.
Where is the city located?
Now it’s worth talking about the geographical location of this wonderful resort town. The city of Gelendzhik occupies a rather large territory, its area is about 1925 hectares. The village is located near another famous city - Novorossiysk, only 25 kilometers southeast of it. Another landmark is the mountain range with the unusual name Markotch. The city is located right at the foot of this mountain.
Gelendzhik population - details
So, the territory of the city, its location was considered, and now it’s worth talking about such an important component as the population. As already noted, the number of residents of the city is about 72 thousand people. If we talk about the whole urban district, which is called the resort city of Gelendzhik, then its population has a much larger number of people - about 112 thousand people.
Interestingly, in recent years, starting in 2005, there has been a small but steady population growth. However, natural growth is not observed here, the number of people here increases only due to attraction to seasonal labor in the tourism industry, because of this, a significant number of people migrate here.
A little bit about the national composition of the population
After the main figures were given regarding the number of people living in the city, it is necessary to say a few words about its national composition. The population of Gelendzhik is quite diverse and includes several nationalities. Among them, a significant proportion are Russians - about 85%. You can meet here Greeks (about 5%), Armenians (about 3%) and Ukrainians (also about 3%). The remainder are representatives of other nationalities.
Employment
Of course, most of the people living in the city are engaged in the spa and tourism business. Another well-developed area in the city where a significant number of people work is the catering and trade sector, which is also explained by the great popularity of this resort place among vacationers.
Nevertheless, the city has other developed industries, in addition to those that are directly related to tourism. Basically, among them we can distinguish construction and the scientific sphere. Also in the city operates the food industry. Wine is especially popular here.
Features of rest in this place
So, the basic facts about the territory, geographical location and population of the city were considered. Now it’s worth talking about some of the nuances associated with staying here. Going to the resorts of Gelendzhik, you need to know some features of sea holidays in these places. Firstly, it must be noted that the local nature is not only beautiful and unusual, it has a positive effect on the state of health. Magnificent groves of centuries-old pines stretch here, they saturate the air with useful substances and make it much cleaner, which undoubtedly has a beneficial effect on the body.
Another important point - in the city there are practically no operating industrial enterprises, which also contributes to good air quality.
As for the sea, it is calm and fairly clean in these places, compared with other areas, due to the fact that the resort is located in the bay. Therefore, tourists with children often choose a holiday in Gelendzhik; here you can not worry about the safety of small vacationers.
Sea in the area of Gelendzhik
To begin with, it is worth noting that the holiday season in these places lasts quite a long time. Tours in Gelendzhik are most popular from June to September. There is less chance of rainy days at this time. The swimming season opens here in May and lasts about six months. It usually ends in October.
The coastal strip in this area is flat, it has more than 100 different beaches. Interestingly, the total length of the beaches is about 20 thousand meters. In the center of the bay is a large beach that was created artificially. Its length is about a kilometer, it also has a vast area of more than 5 hectares. Thus, the resort area is well developed in order to accept a large number of vacationers.
The transport network here is well developed, you can easily reach all areas of Gelendzhik. Basically, various buses run here.
Health Resorts in Gelendzhik
Probably, many have heard that rest in these places not only charges with positive impressions, but, in some cases, is very good for health. Indeed, there are special tours to Gelendzhik that are aimed specifically at treating or improving the body. The peculiarity of the resort is that there are a large number of mineral water sources nearby. Here there are both their deposits and self-flowing sources. Their total number in the Gelendzhik region is more than 20. In addition to healing waters, special therapeutic muds are used to treat various diseases.
On the territory of the city there are many sanatoriums and other health institutions where various diseases of the cardiovascular system, nervous system, respiratory system, endocrine system are treated.
The city's attractions
As you know, the city of Gelendzhik has a rich history. It is not surprising that over the long time the city has existed, many cultural monuments have appeared here. Going on a trip to this resort, many people want to explore the sights in order to better get acquainted with the history and culture of the city.
To begin with, it is best to explore the center of Gelendzhik, here you can walk along the pleasant and quiet streets and feel the atmosphere of this sunny city.
There are also several interesting museums. The first is the Museum of Local History. It is worth a visit, as you can learn a lot of interesting things about the history of these lands in the museum. The second object is the House-Museum of the writer Vladimir Korolenko. Here you can get acquainted with his life and work.
In Gelendzhik there are many monuments dedicated to famous people and various important events, for example, a monument dedicated to the bicentennial of A.S. Pushkin, a monument to M. Yu. Lermontov (next to the boulevard dedicated to the poet), a monument to V.I. Lenin and others. Often you can see residents and tourists around the monument to the heroes of World War II.
It will be interesting to see the local architecture, it is represented by various temples, for example, there is the Ascension Church, Holy Transfiguration Church and others.
How to get to the resort?
So, information about Gelendzhik, the features of rest in these places, local attractions and much more were examined in detail. Now it’s worth talking about how you can get to the resort. There are several options for traveling to Gelendzhik, you can always choose the most suitable.
The first and most common way to get to the city is by rail. There is no train to Gelendzhik , however, in this case it is convenient to get to Novorossiysk on it. From there, from the train station you can get to Gelendzhik by bus or taxi, which does not take much time. The journey time by train from Moscow to Novorossiysk is approximately 1.5 days. Most people who want to go to Gelendzhik in June usually buy tickets long before the trip, as this is the most popular month.
The second option of the trip is to go by personal car. This method is also very convenient, since in this case it becomes possible to independently move around the city and its environs, as well as to explore various attractions. In order to get from Moscow, you need to follow the M4 “Don” highway. The distance between the two cities is about 1518 kilometers. The trip takes about 18 hours.
Is it possible to get to Gelendzhik by plane?
In addition to the listed methods, how to get to this popular resort, there is another option. You can fly to the city by plane. There are flights from Moscow, St. Petersburg and other large cities of Russia. An airport operates in Gelendzhik, however, some tourists prefer a flight to Anapa, followed by travel to Gelendzhik. Flights from Moscow depart, usually every day. Flight time is 2 hours 20 minutes. This method will be convenient for those who have a short time allocated for rest, which would be a shame to waste on the road to the resort.
Interesting facts about Gelendzhik
Since Gelendzhik is a popular place and attracts the attention of a large number of people, it is surrounded by various stories and facts that would be interesting to learn.
Firstly, it is worth noting that this region occupies an important place in the work of some writers and poets. The most famous among them is M. Yu. Lermontov. According to some reports, the writer was here in 1837 on a duty of military service. It was here that he was inspired to write his famous novel “A Hero of Our Time”. In this work, the main character - Pechorin, makes exactly the same route as Lermontov. In the city, as already mentioned, there is even a monument dedicated to the writer, on whose pedestal there is a facsimile of his seal. Nearby is also a boulevard named after Lermontov.
Another interesting thing that you should pay attention to is the hydraulic air show, which is periodically held in the city. This event is an exhibition of aviation achievements related to water and ship-based. It is held every 2 years.