Gelendzhik, Krasnodar Krai (Russia)
Gelendzhik is one of the most popular Black Sea resorts in Russia. It is located on the shore of a picturesque bay, surrounded by the Caucasus Mountains, covered with pine forests. Protected from storms and storms, Gelendzhik Bay is an excellent place for swimming in calm and clear, sun-warmed water. The beaches in the Gelendzhik area are sandy and pebbly and are located right in the city. There are also conditions for “wild” recreation.
In addition to the gentle sea and the warm southern sun, another factor in the rest in Gelendzhik is its healing mountain-sea climate of the Mediterranean type. Here, the use of thalassotherapy – sun and air baths – in combination with sea bathing is extremely effective. The number of sunny days a year allows you to relax in Gelendzhik from May to mid-October.
The resort area of Gelendzhik has more than 170 sanatoriums, boarding houses, rest houses, hotels and tourist complexes. A large number of vacationers can take the private sector.
In recent years, due to the efforts of the administration, entrepreneurs and residents of the city, the coastal and inner city territories have been significantly landscaped. Gelendzhik began to look a lot like prestigious European resorts, which attracts more and more tourists every year. In the city you can find entertainment for every taste – water parks, a dolphinarium, sports grounds, concert halls, jet skis and bicycles, you can sail on a yacht, fly over the bay with a parachute and look deep into the sea with scuba diving. On the city embankment, festivities go on until the morning, here vacationers are waiting for discos, nightclubs, casinos, cafes, bars and restaurants. A cable car was opened in Gelendzhik. It starts on the Central Embankment and ends in the mountains at an altitude of 640 m. The cable car passes over the “Safari Park”, which allows you to admire wild animals from a height.
This region is rich in sights. These include dolmens and the “Emerald” waterfall on the Zhane River, the Bigius waterfalls in the village of Teshebs, the “Sail” rock in the village of Praskoveevka, the “flower” lake near Thin Cape, the “Tsarsky” mound, the Gelendzhik Museum of Local History, the writer’s house-museum V. G. Korolenko.
Goryachinsk, Republic of Buryatia (Russia)
Resort Goryachinsk is the oldest balneological resort in Buryatia. It is located in the Pribaikalsky district on the shores of Lake Baikal, 1 km from the healing spring. It is believed that this spring was discovered at the beginning of the 18th century. According to legend, the healing properties of the spring helped a local hunter heal a dog wounded in a fight with a taiga animal, after which its mineral water became known throughout the district. The first hospital was built here at the beginning of the 19th century, and in 1984 these places were declared a protected area and a natural monument. Today, the resort of Goryachinsk is one of the most popular holiday destinations for residents of Buryatia. It is surrounded by pine forests and mountain ranges, and its climate is softened due to the proximity of Lake Baikal.
The water of the Goryachinsky spring is characterized as thermal low-mineralized nitrogen-sulphate-sodium with a high content of silicic acid. Its outlet temperature is +54.5 degrees. In addition to mineral water, low-sulfide sapropelic mud from the nearby relic lake Bormashevoye is used in the treatment. The resort balneological centers offer the following procedures – baths, showers, irrigation, inhalations, elementary drinking courses, gynecological and andrological procedures using mud, galvanic mud, mud applications and tampons. With their help, diseases of the musculoskeletal system, cardiovascular and nervous systems, digestive tract, skin and gynecological diseases are treated.
Resort Goryachinsk located on the shore of a small bay of Lake Baikal. Sandy beaches are equipped here, where visitors to balneological centers relax in the summer. A children’s health camp is located
14 km southwest of the resort on the shores of Lake Kotokel . Lake Kotokel is located 2 km from the shore of Lake Baikal. This is a small lake that attracts many vacationers in the summer. Sand and pebble beaches stretch along its western, northern and southern shores, along which more than 40 tourist centers are open.
Gremyachinsk, Republic of Buryatia (Russia)
If you want to relax on the shores of Lake Baikal, lie in the sun and swim, then you should go to the village of Gremyachinsk. This is a favorite place for tourists and locals for families. The village is located in the Baikal region. There are several recreation centers here. Local beaches are considered to be one of the cleanest on the whole Baikal. Majestic mountains covered with pine forest approach the beach. From Gremyachinsk, you can go to other places of rest – Lake Wild (2 km from the village), Lake Kotokel (10 km from the village), or north along the coast of Lake Baikal to the balneological resort Goryachinsk .
Gus-Khrustalny, Vladimirskaya oblast’ (Russia)
According to COMMIT4FITNESS, Gus-Khrustalny – the capital of Russian crystal, one of the cities of the Golden Ring. It is located 63 km south of Vladimir on the Meshcherskaya lowland. Gus-Khrustalny
has been mentioned in historical documents since the 17th century. The city owes its development to the Decree of the Senate issued in 1747, which prohibited the construction of large factories near Moscow. In those days, the merchants Maltsovs, who were engaged in glass production, were known throughout Russia. They had several enterprises for the production of crystal near Moscow, however, were forced to withdraw their enterprises to more remote areas. Thus, in 1756 a crystal factory was founded in Gus-Khrustalny. With each Goth, the pace of production increased, and with this growth, the city also rose. Crystal products were famous for their diamond cut, etching, and were decorated with engraving. At the beginning of the 19th century, Maltsov products also entered the world market. At the same time, a paper-spinning factory was opened in Gus-Khrustalny, whose cotton products were immediately awarded medals at the All-Russian Exhibition. However, the troubled times of the early 20th century put an end to the golden age of Gusev crystal. The factories were taken over by the state. Only in the second half of the 20th century did the rapid growth of production resume. Nowadays Gus-Khrustalny still remains the capital of Russian crystal.
The main attraction of the city is the Cathedral of St. George. It was built in 1904 by the Russian architect Benois by order of the owner of the Gusev Crystal Factory Yu.S. Nechaev-Maltsov. The cathedral differs from ordinary churches in small towns; Nechaev-Maltsov spared no expense in decorating it. The interior of the cathedral was decorated with paintings by V.M. Vasnetsov and mosaics by V.A. Frolov, which are still the subject of admiration for art lovers. Today, the CrystalMuseum is located in St. George’s Cathedral, which was opened in 1983. The museum presents more than 2,000 exhibits – from samples of the second half of the 18th century to modern works, as well as unique author’s works.