Sukhumi

Understand

First settlement was founded here in the second and early first millennia BC by local Colchian tribes. Later in the mid-6th century BC it was replaced by the Milesian Greek colony of Dioscurias. It remained one of the Roman (and later Byzantine) strongholds in Caucasus up until being sacked by the Arabs in 736. Afterwards restored and flourished during the reigns of Abkhazian and Georgian kingdoms in the 12th–13th centuries. However, it fell to the Turks about 1570, when they built new fort here. In the late 18th century it became a capital of independent Abkhaz kingdom. Short after that in 1810 Abkhaz kingdom signed a treaty with Russian Empire to become part of it. Sukhum was a centre of the 1992–1993 Georgian-Abkhaz conflict, and thereafter was severely damaged, and the local ethnic Georgian community was ethnically cleansed from the city.

Get in

If you enter Abkhazia with a travel permit issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia, you'll need to visit Sukhum, as this is the place where (if you require a visa) you will have to exchange your permit for a proper visa. The consular service is located at the ground floor of the Ministry of Repatriation on ul. Sacharova 33 (from 09:00, lunchbreak from 12:00). Visit the consulate first to establish if payment is required (e.g. for UK nationals the entry permit may be sufficient). If required, then pay your visa fee ($10 for 10 days) at Sberbank, Lakoba Ave. (opposite no. 37, 09:00-17:00) before returning to the consulate as you will need the receipt in order to obtain the visa.

Get around

Most can easily be done on foot; bookshops sell quite decent maps.

Frequent marshrutkas and lesser frequent trolleybuses ply the roads. To get to the bus/train station ("voksal") take any marshrutka/trolleybus going to the central market and then board trolleybus #1 or #3.

There are three trolleybus routes: №1 Central Market ("rynok") - Noviy rayon. Via train station. №2 Central Market ("rynok") - Kashtak. Via city center and then further southward along city coast line. №3 Central Market ("rynok") - Zheleznodorozhniy Posyolok. Via train station

See

thumbnail|Observation deck thumbnail|Cathedral of the Annunciation

Although some of the major sights of the city were destroyed by the war, Sukhum's principal attraction remained intact: an almost tropical climate with beaches, mountains, lakes, palm trees and of course the warm welcoming of locals, always mixed with a curiosity towards westerners. Russian tourists invade the seaside during the summer; the influx of new money permitted the reconstruction of the main sites, and progress, albeit slow, is visible everywhere.

thumbnail|Beslet bridge Old Soviet buildings and remnants of war: for those who seek for this, Sukhum is a paradise. Among all the abandoned, destroyed and sadly dilapidated buildings that you still find literally everywhere, the most famous one is indisputably the gigantic old government building of the Abkhaz Autonomous Republic (two corners westwards from the Botanical gardens), sacked and burnt out two decades ago. The railway station at the western edge of the town is also worth a look; the huge building, nowadays a burnt-out shell, seems to have had enough space for all the travellers of an entire metropolis like Moscow. It has been replaced by a much smaller, reconstructed building to the west of it.

Do

thumb|right|The Botanical Gardens

Swim at the moderately well maintained pebble beach.

Buy

Since tourism returned to Sukhum, it's not difficult to find local momentos. Most souvenir stalls are located at the Sokhumi seaside and sell the usual kitsch such as you may buy at any Mediterranean resort, but some of the notable are Abkhazia flags, T-shirts, fridge magnets, photo books, home made honey. Abkhazian brandy, vodka and chacha (a local spirit) are also available everywhere and make good gifts.

Shops open M-F from 09:00 to 18:00, Sa till 14:00. The produce market operates on weekends. Small grocery shops are open till late night.

The city has several banks where you can exchange currencies. There are several ATMs in the city centre accepting Visa and Mastercard cards. It is also possible to withdraw cash from these cards at all banks’ counters for a 2% commission. Many tourist-oriented places, such as restaurants, accept credit and debit cards.

Eat

There is a fair share of restaurants in Sukhum, which cater mostly Russian or Caucasian style dining. Many of them are at the coast next to Hotel Ritsa; they are designed to cater Russian tourists, and while they are not exactly cheap on local standards (a diner with two courses and wine can cost up to €15-20), most of them are decent and reliable. Walk along the seaside and choose what you like most (and where you find a free table, which can be tricky during the summer). Some new openings are visible around the town, especially around the tourist-invaded botanical garden.

There is also an authentic cafe on the parallel street to pr. Mira, next to a bookstore. Authentic (Mokka type) coffee, great for breakfast.

Drink

thumb|Roman Catholic Church of St. Simon the Zealot Plenty of places along the coast. Walk along the coastline and take your pick. The places on the pier are great for a sundowner.

Connect

Internet can be found in restaurants with Wi-Fi and in a few Internet cafes.

There are 2 local mobile operators A-Mobile and Aquafon, both offer 4G networks. Foreign SIM cards usually do not work, with the exception of Russian branded operators MTS, Beeline, Megafon.

Go next

Auadhare – Abkhazian resort, 18 km from Lake Riza, at an altitude of 1,600 m, famous for its mineral springs and sulfide waterfall with sparkling water. Gagra New Athos (22 km) – A coastal town featuring orthodox monastery and ruins of the medieval city of Anacopia Ochamchira (50 km) Sochi, Russia – A big Russian resort in a picturesque area Zugdidi, Georgia – Not very popular city with tourists, however many of them pass through it on their way up to Mestia in Northwestern Georgia