Why Traveling to Pyatigorsk and Kislovodsk is the 'New Black'

For many, a trip 'to the waters' is associated with dusty sanatoriums, gastrointestinal treatment, and retirement-style vacations. But Dasha Kabatskis' column (@dasha_v_kabake)* convinces us otherwise. In this text, you'll find information about the best shashlik, coffee, hotels, dancing to Loboda, useful contacts, networking in the Caucasus, and also places where no work messenger will bother you. 

From Moscow to Mineralnye Vody, we flew for 3.5 hours — an hour longer than usual. The airport itself is compact; it's impossible to get lost there even if you try hard. Outside, tourists are met with a typical sight — a taxi queue. You can use familiar Moscow services, but it's better to arrange this in advance by booking a transfer. Here's why: mobile reception isn't everywhere, the navigator might get confused, and the names of villages along the way can be similar. 

Kislovodsk

We searched for our accommodation a little longer than the hostess promised: the driver mistakenly took a different road. My friend and I planned a secluded vacation, away from the resort center, but still easily accessible to restaurants and other signs of city life if desired. Our long search was successful: we found a small wooden house in SNT 'Nezhinskoye', just four kilometers from Kislovodsk itself. 'A mountain dacha in the Elbrus region,' we decided. The entire way from the airport to the fence of our temporary 'dacha', we kept exclaiming: 'Oh, cows!'

There's indeed a lot of horned livestock there, but civilization on the outskirts of the city is practically non-existent: the only tiny shop, with no set opening hours and a very meager assortment, didn't inspire confidence. However, this didn't spoil the impression of the dwelling itself: Woodhouse turned out to be a cozy recreation base with two houses on a shared, fenced territory. Around it stretched a multi-tiered dacha settlement, seemingly descending towards Kislovodsk itself. And directly above us rose a mountain range with its main attraction — Koltso-Gora (Ring Mountain), which, according to local legend, Lermontov himself once climbed. 

The owners of the houses are Armenian-hospitable people: Albina with her husband and her brother named Garik, who would later become the patron of our restaurant life in Kislovodsk.

In the fridge of our house, we found farm-fresh chicken eggs, fluffy bread, and even instant noodles. Such a welcome left no room for dissatisfaction about the lack of a supermarket, and we immediately set up an open-air brunch. On the first day, we walked all the way to the center, passing through the settlement. On other days, we ordered taxis — it was quick and affordable. 

The main gastronomic mecca became the restaurant Zolotoy Mangal, which was owned by that very Garik. In general, establishing good neighborly relations is the first thing you need to do in the Caucasus: this way, all authentic places, which simply aren't in tourist guides, will immediately open up to you. At 'Zolotoy Mangal', you can dance until you drop to local hits, drink strong homemade wine, and snack on vegetables straight from the fire, which is exactly what we did. And if you're lucky, the hospitable owner will pick up the tab. 

For a social outing and content hunting, we went to Arkady Novikov's famous restaurant Vysota 5642, located directly opposite the central fountain; this duo is the hub of resort life. Crowds of tourists flock there closer to evening, when the fountain's water shoots upwards with a light show. To have dinner with cocktails, you need to book a table in advance; prices in the restaurant are closer to Moscow's, but the cuisine takes local traditions into account: it's deliciously homemade. The next stop on our gastro-map was the restaurant Kombinat, located near 'Vysota'. Almost all establishments on weekdays worked until 11 PM, but 'Kombinat' welcomed guests until midnight. There, you can order any track — from Loboda to Egor Kreed, savor a delicate 'Pavlova' for dessert, and wash it all down with Aperol* for an unusually low price. 

Among the daytime impressions, Shalyapin's dacha stood out. Outside, the house is beautiful and photogenic, but getting inside is difficult due to queues. You can brighten up the wait at the neighboring cafe — Stary Gorod. There, it's the same 'Armenian baroque', live music, and grilled fish. But for panoramic city views, it's worth going higher, right into the amusement park, where you can ride the Ferris wheel. At sunset, this place resembles Montmartre: street musicians, rare chestnuts, the twinkling of city lights somewhere below.

Among the obvious drawbacks — Soviet-era attractions can hardly be called safe; during the ascent in the antiquated cabin, we said goodbye to life several times. Everything ended well, but I wouldn't risk repeating it. 

I recommend having breakfast at the cafe Barbaris: it offers simple European cuisine without culinary frills and a bright, manor-style interior. This establishment is worth visiting after a morning trip to the foothills of Elbrus, which can be reached in half an hour via the suburban highway. We set off into the mountains with a trusted guide around 8 AM and returned to the city by 11 AM. One of the most convenient viewpoints, from which Elbrus is almost entirely visible, is the Shadzhatmaz plateau. A mountain observatory is also located there, and there's not a soul around, a complete absence of even a hint of internet, just an endless ridge of mountain ranges among the clouds. Getting there is simple and quick, and the views along the way are breathtaking. 

Places worth visiting in Kislovodsk: 

• Woodhouse (1st Line, House 2, SNT 'Nezhinskoye') — dacha houses with all amenities on a private territory within the SNT.

• Zolotoy Mangal (Tolstoy St., 1) — an authentic Caucasian cuisine establishment with the best homemade wine and dancing. 

• Vysota 5642 (Kurortny Blvd., 13A) — the most fashionable restaurant in the center, with Moscow-level service and generous resort portions.

• Kombinat (Pervomaysky Ave., 23) — an excellent gastrobar with music and desserts, fully booked until closing, prices lower than Moscow's. 

• Stary Gorod (Shalyapin St., 12A) — another local cuisine restaurant with opulent interiors. 

• Barbaris (Kuybysheva St., 51/1) — European cuisine and an excellent selection of breakfasts for every day. 

Picnic recommendation: stock up at Kislovodsk's central market, where you can find literally everything. My favorites were fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, seasonal greens, homemade churchkhela, and natural wool products as souvenirs. 

Pyatigorsk: The City from Pechorin's Diaries

We set aside a separate day for Pyatigorsk — the city is small but colorful. The smelly mountain water and Lermontov's museum weren't particularly delightful, but they are definitely worth trying. Pyatigorsk differs greatly from Kislovodsk; it's more provincial in a good way, preserving historical buildings with a touch of imperial antiquity. I recommend starting your acquaintance with the city at the coffee shop Pravilny Kofe: they even serve vegan cake there, a rarity for the Caucasus! The central avenues are awash with tulips, strongly reminiscent of Dutch cityscapes. Pechorin wrote that Pyatigorsk's air is conducive to love, and romances begin at the foot of Mashuk. We couldn't verify the authenticity of his claims, but the atmosphere there is indeed intoxicating. Apparently, mountain vapors and abundant blossoms slightly affect one's consciousness. However, the city center itself is charming: admire the facade of the Operetta Theater, peek into every courtyard where laundry dries right above neat front gardens. A mandatory stop at the top is the historical gallery, where the 'water society' supposedly gathered. Recently, a cafe with a summer veranda opened there, and a little higher up, pompous sanatoriums for lovers of Soviet luxury are clustered. Life continues to bustle at the very top of the mountain: souvenirs and bouquets of mountain flowers are sold, shashlik is grilled, and visitors are invited on sightseeing tours. At the very edge of the cliff, the 'Aeolian Harp' gazebo is nestled, offering views of all of Pyatigorsk and neighboring mountain peaks. Thrill-seekers can bathe naked in the hot springs, which we never got to.

However, you can't live on impressions alone, so head down and have lunch at the cafe Shashlychnaya na Bernardazzi, where even vegetarians can find dishes. There, I fell in love with sauerkraut with potatoes, warm lavash, and smoked mushrooms. After a Rabelaisian feast, catch a tram and embark on a free city tour in any direction. You can return from Pyatigorsk to Kislovodsk by taxi, which we did for 1,000 ₽. The journey from one city to another is short, so we made it back for a late dinner right in our yard. This is an undeniable advantage of suburban accommodation: gatherings around the barbecue in the yard definitely remained one of the most vivid impressions of the entire trip. The biggest disappointment was Kislovodsk's Resort Park, where throughout its vast territory, not a single decent cafe with Wi-Fi and good coffee could be found. Nature, of course, is beautiful everywhere, and yet contemplating mountain landscapes is much more pleasant in the wilderness than within the city limits, especially without the option of having an Americano. 

By the way, we also managed to conquer Koltso-Gora (one of Kislovodsk's most famous natural attractions, shaped — incredibly — like a ring), but we chose not the most suitable day for the ascent, as it had been raining since morning and all the paths were muddy. For our desperate recklessness, fate threw us an unexpected companion — a homeless dog of an unidentified breed, whom we named Garik in the local style. This little one accompanied us into the mountains and afterwards waited for our return from the city every day. He settled right under the porch of our house and regularly received sausages from us (from that very shabby shop) and even premium dog food. So if you stay at Woodhouse, be sure to say hello to furry Garik and his human namesake.

Places in Pyatigorsk: 

• Pravilny Kofe — Kirov Ave., 23, 2nd floor. 

• Shashlychnaya na Bernardazzi — Bratyev Bernardazzi St., 4.

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