The Tbilisi Sea is the deepest reservoir in Georgia: description, features, recreation. Reservoirs of Tbilisi: lakes Lisi and Turtle, Tbilisi Sea Is there a sea in Tbilisi

E If you have a few days to intensively explore Tbilisi, and you have already seen all the main attractions, then this post is for you. I will tell you about Tbilisi attractions that are located outside the central part of the city, and where you will have to get from the center by taxi or public transport.
WITH Today we have on the program: the Ethnographic Museum and Turtle Lake, Lake Lisi, the Tbilisi Sea and the “Chronicle of Georgia” memorial.

E The tnographic museum is located in the open air, on the outskirts of Tbilisi on the way to Turtle Lake. It is convenient to combine these two attractions. The museum has a fairly large area, there is a whole village here: various household items from different eras and regions are collected here in hundred-year-old and two-hundred-year-old houses of the same region. The museum bought houses for exhibition, for example, in Adjara, they were carefully dismantled, transported and reassembled on its territory. The interiors, furniture and even personal belongings and photographs of the previous owners in many houses remained the same. That’s how this village was formed with outbuildings, maranis, and vegetable gardens. There is even a Svan tower (modern, though) and a live goat.

IN Each house has its own “mistress” - a guide who will tell you about its former owners, how Georgians lived in past centuries, and demonstrate tools. In the Adjarian part of the museum there is a unique wooden mosque decorated with carvings. And in the Mingrelian house of the museum, bread is baked in a tone (Georgian oven).

Z The museum is open, but only some exhibitions are open. And in the summer, during the tourist season, life is in full swing here, master classes are held: they bake bread, make mchadi, make churchkhelas, and sculpt clay pots. You can get here by taxi from the city, the entrance ticket costs 3 GEL. The museum has a day off on Monday.
GPS 41.704354, 44.744895

L isi is a small and beautiful Tbilisi lake, as well as a popular vacation spot. There are beaches with sun loungers, summer cafes, baths, sports grounds, and a small park. In the summer there is a boat and bicycle rental, go-karting, and rope parks for children and adults. And in winter it is quiet and peaceful. It’s a nice place to take a break from the summer heat or the bustle of the city and feed the ducks.

WITH Now, at the beginning of 2016, the lake is being improved, and by the summer of 2016 there should be a bike path and a circular embankment around the lake. Now the embankment is only on one side of the lake.
The lake is located on the outskirts of Tbilisi, even public transport goes here, for example, bus 29 from the Technical University metro station.
GPS 41.742027, 44.738347


E then the huge memorial “History of Georgia” in Tbilisi, or rather a little behind it, on the shore of the Tbilisi reservoir. The height of the columns is more than 30 meters, they have bas-reliefs depicting Georgian rulers, important events in the history of Georgia, biblical stories. Nearby are statues of the thirteen Assyrian fathers. Sculptor - Zurab Tsereteli, the memorial was opened in 2003. The memorial offers wonderful views of Tbilisi and the reservoir.
The easiest way to get here is by taxi or car. You can also try by public transport, buses 111 and 60 to the “Military School” stop.
GPS 41.770548, 44.810505

A this is the Tbilisi Sea - the so-called Tbilisi Reservoir, a large lake in the northern suburbs of Tbilisi. The shores of the Tbilisi Sea are both sandy and rocky, pine trees grow on them, and the water is an unreal turquoise color. The lake is 9 km long and quite deep. This is one of the most popular vacation spots for Tbilisi residents. There is some kind of large recreation center with a water park (we want to explore it in the summer), a yacht club, and several cultivated paid beaches. You can get there on your own by bus 111 from the station or bus number 60 from Grmageli.
GPS 41.737731, 44.859835 (Waterpark)
A few more photos and that's all for now!


Georgia is a country where literally everything is created for relaxation and exciting pastime. Rare natural beauty, balneological resorts, majestic mountains, historical monuments - every corner of it has a special appeal and is of considerable interest to tourists. However, the most attractive for travelers remains the picturesque Georgian coast with the best beaches, which offer unlimited opportunities for swimming, sunbathing and water activities. What is the sea like in Georgia, where to visit upon arrival in the country, what reviews do guests leave about prices and holidays in 2019 - you will learn all this in detail from our review.

What is the sea like in Georgia?

The waters of the Black Sea wash the western part of Georgia along its entire coast, stretching for a distance of 308 km. The coastline of the state is completely covered with cozy resort towns, replete with clean beaches, modern hotels, boarding houses and sanatoriums. Batumi, Kobuleti, Poti, the villages of Kvariati, Ureki, Makhinjauri, Gonio - any settlement is always happy to travelers and is ready to offer them quality service combined with traditional Georgian hospitality and excellent national cuisine of Georgia.

Thanks to the mild subtropical climate, you can relax at sea for 6 months a year. The beach season traditionally opens in early summer and lasts until September, but many travelers come to the beaches as early as May or stay to bask in the warm autumn sun until October. The best months for the trip are considered to be July and August, when the average air temperature reaches +24... +28 °C, and sea water warms up to + 25 °C. During this period, you can easily get a tan and feel all the benefits of a Black Sea holiday.

The velvet season begins in September in Georgia. Towards the end of the month it often rains, but on sunny days you can still swim and explore the local attractions. The abundance of fruits, lower prices for accommodation and food are exactly what encourages many travelers to come to the Georgian coast at the end of the beach season.

Where to relax by the sea in Georgia: the best resorts

Along the sea coast of Georgia there are dozens of resort areas, famous for their comfortable beaches, hotels, and opportunities for active recreation. The most popular of them include:

Batumi

Batumi beach

The main and largest Georgian resort is a modern tourist center with rich cultural and historical potential and a wide selection of marine entertainment. On the 7 km long coastline of Batumi you can find many pebble beaches, a water park, a dolphinarium, and jet ski rental points, which allows both young people and couples with children to have a great time.

Kobuleti

Kobuleti is considered the true pearl of Adjara and is replete with clean beaches covered with a mixture of pebbles and sand. The resort is especially popular among young people, since on its territory you can find many discos, cafes, and night clubs. Many tourists come to the village to improve their health in its sanatoriums, which offer treatment for pathologies of the cardiovascular system, musculoskeletal system, and gastrointestinal tract.

Kvariati

Within the boundaries of Kvariati, truly exotic nature rages, and in the sea, endless opportunities for exciting scuba diving open up for tourists. At the very beginning of its kilometer-long pebble beach there is a diving center, with the help of which travelers can go to explore the seabed and see not only beautiful fish and algae, but also sunken ships.

Gonio

A secluded village 11 km from Batumi attracts tourists with a luxurious eucalyptus grove and the ancient Gonio-Apsaros fortress, the oldest in Georgia. Built several thousand years ago, it is surrounded by many myths and has great historical significance. The beaches of Gonio are suitable for those who prefer to relax in peace and quiet; they are always sparsely populated and have virtually no entertainment infrastructure.

By the river

The village of Ureki is famous for its healing sand, which allows you to get rid of some cardiovascular diseases. It has a characteristic dark color and is rich in the natural mineral magnetite, which promotes overall well-being, eliminating insomnia and the effects of stress. Additional healing power is given by the surrounding pine and eucalyptus forests, which make the local air truly beneficial.

Chakvi

Chakvi is called the Georgian tea capital, as its surroundings abound with vast tea plantations. In addition to them, on its territory you can see groves of bamboo and Japanese mandarin, as well as soak up the pebble beach, dotted with small shells and sandy islands. From the village it is easy to get to famous tourist attractions - the Botanical Garden and the Mtirala National Park, created to protect unique relict forests.

Vacation prices

Hotels on the coast of Georgia

A trip to the sea in Georgia can without a doubt be classified as inexpensive. Prices here are moderate for food, accommodation and entertainment. That is why many tourists go on a trip with the whole family, choosing the most suitable resort according to their preferences and financial capabilities.

  • Accommodation . Most guests of the state stay in hotels, which, depending on the star rating, offer comfortable rooms at average prices from 70 to 100 GEL per day. If you want to save money, you can go to the private sector, where a room will cost 25–30 GEL, and a separate apartment will cost about 50 GEL.
  • Nutrition . The cost of lunch in a small national cafe is 15–30 GEL, a good shish kebab can be ordered for 15–20 GEL, and dinner in a restaurant (excluding alcoholic drinks) is 40–50 GEL.
  • Entertainment. Every resort town in Georgia offers entertainment for every taste, but their choice depends entirely on the thickness of your wallet. In particular, a visit to the dolphinarium in Batumi will cost 15 GEL, and a ride by cable car to the observation deck will cost 10 GEL.

This article is for those who have already become familiar with the main historical and cultural monuments and want to see the nature of Tbilisi. I’ll tell you about the reservoirs that are located within the capital: Lisi and Cherepashye lakes, the Tbilisi Sea. How to get to them, location on the map, photos, where to shop.

Lake Lisi is a great place to relax from the noise of the city. Located on the outskirts of Tbilisi. Some incorrectly call it Fox Lake, probably associating it with foxes. Although it owes its name not to these red predators, but to the marsh grass “fox” that grows along the banks.

The lake itself is small, measuring 800 by 550 meters with a rocky landscape and little vegetation. The maximum depth reaches 4 m.

How to get there:

  • by municipal bus No. 29 from the Station Square or Technical University metro stations. The fare is 50 tetri, paid by card or cash to the driver;
  • a taxi ride will cost 7-8 GEL;
  • personal car. There is paid parking for vehicles.

Lake Lisi is equipped for recreation. In the summer, you can sunbathe on the beach or swim, rent a boat and a catamaran. Tbilisi residents take blankets with them and have a picnic in the shade of the trees. There are also free exercise equipment to keep fit. You can play table tennis, do archery, and there is also a go-kart track here. A playground has been built for the little ones. Nearby there are cafes, vending machines with water and ice cream, and snacks. Around the lake there is a two-lane (bicycle and pedestrian zone) asphalt road 3 km long with benches for rest on the sides.



On the second half of the lake, grass grows, ducks swim and frogs croak, and fishermen catch fish. We even met a small turtle.


Fishing on Lisi

In 2018, under the leadership of the Tbilisi City Hall, the monthly festival “Tbi-Lisi” is held, the goal of which is to introduce the population of the capital to a healthy lifestyle. The festival will take place from April to September on every last Saturday of the month. I was lucky enough to attend the opening of the festival on April 28th. It was fun and interesting.


Festival "Tbi-Lisi"

In recent years, the area adjacent to Lake Lisi has been actively developed. The mayor of the city, Kakha Kaladze, decided to suspend all construction work in order to develop a plan for the development of the area and not spoil the natural beauty of the reservoir.

Turtle Lake is very small. Its dimensions are only 150 by 380 meters, the maximum depth is 2.6 m. It is located within Tbilisi on the slope of Mount Mtatsminda at an altitude of 687 meters above sea level.

In Georgian it is pronounced Kus Tba. There are two versions of the origin of the name. One says that there used to be turtles in the lake; in another, that the very shape of the lake resembles a turtle.


Howget there:

  • from Vake Park take the cable car. The fare is 1 GEL. Carriage of bicycles is paid additionally - 1 GEL. You need a Metromoney card. The ascent will take 6-7 minutes. From the cabin you can enjoy a view of the park;
  • by car. There is paid parking next to the lake;
  • for a taxi you will have to pay 5-7 lari.

You can go around the lake along a walking path. Almost the entire path is in the shade of trees, because the lake is located in the forest, which means that even in the hot summer the walk will be a pleasure. You will be able to enjoy the clean cool air and listen to the birds singing.


There is a recreation area around the Turtle. For children there is a small playground with trampolines, inflatable slides, and water games. The disadvantage of the site is that it is located under the sun.


Residents of Tbilisi come here to run and exercise on exercise machines, fish or sunbathe. And, of course, go swimming! The entrance to the water is only on one side, the beach has pebbles.

Catamarans are available for rent. The cost of a half-hour walk is 35 GEL.


There are several cafes around the pond, although their prices are a little high.


Nearby is located, which contains houses from all regions of Georgia, reflecting the life of the population in the old days.

Tbilisi Sea (reservoir)

In fact, there is no sea in Tbilisi, there is only a large reservoir in the northeast of the capital. So the locals called it the Tbilisi Sea. To create it, three bitterly salty lakes were flooded in 1952 with the waters of the Iori River. The dimensions of the Tbilisi Sea are 9 by 2.85 km. In spring, the reservoir fills and the maximum depth reaches 45 meters, the average - 26.6 meters.


How to get there:

  • from the Akhmeteli Theater metro station by minibus No. 158 or by bus No. 60 from the Grmagele metro station. You can see the map of Tbilisi metro stations;
  • on .

It is possible to get to the Tbilisi Sea by public transport only from the western and southern sides. To explore the views of the northern part you will have to take a taxi.

In winter, the Tbilisi Sea does not freeze. There were only two exceptions, in 1992 and 2012.

There are several city beaches on the Tbilisi Sea. They are not very clean, but they are free. There are also paid beaches. You should go into the water carefully, because there are small broken stones all around. Sun loungers and umbrellas are available for rent. On weekends in summer the beach is always crowded. Tbilisians come to relax with their families after everyday work.



For entertainment, there is the Gino Paradise Tbilisi water park at the Tbilisi Reservoir. Official website http://ginoparadise.ge. On the beaches you can rent a boat or catamaran, or go jet skiing. There is a yacht club. Cafes and restaurants have been built along the sea.


Next to the reservoir there is a pine forest, where you can take a walk and breathe clean pine air.


Where is it safe to swim in Tbilisi

All three natural reservoirs (Tbilisi Sea, Lisi and Turtle lakes) are safe for swimming. From May to September inclusive, water samples are taken monthly at all beaches. The chemical and bacteriological parameters of the water of the Tbilisi Sea and Turtle Lake correspond to the standards. But in Lake Lisi the concentration of sulfates is increased due to the large amount of vegetation. You can swim in it, but you shouldn't swallow it. After all, sulfates have a laxative effect.

If you want to relax and swim, then the Tbilisi Sea is the best choice. You can also go to Lake Lisi. But I don’t think it’s worth choosing Turtle just for swimming.

Enjoy your stay in Tbilisi!

Tbilisi Sea- this is the unofficial name of a huge reservoir located to the northeast of and is a favorite vacation spot for townspeople. It was created in the middle of the last century with the aim of supplying the capital of Georgia with water, and for this purpose three lakes and several surrounding villages were flooded with the waters of the Iori River.

The length of the Tbilisi Sea is 9 km, width 3 km, maximum depth 45 m. In the spring, the reservoir is filled with water and then released throughout the rest of the year - as a result, the water level fluctuates up to 10 m. Interestingly, in winter the reservoir does not freeze, it is covered with ice covered only twice in its entire history - in 1992 and 2012.

In addition to purely utilitarian purposes, the Tbilisi Sea is used by townspeople as a “huge park of culture and recreation”: the reservoir has several equipped beaches, an excellent modern water park with a large spa area, and on a hill above the water rises one of the most interesting monuments of Tbilisi: "History of Georgia". This is where we will begin our next walk around Tbilisi.

Monument History of Georgia (Chronicles of Georgia)

Already on the approach to the huge black columns, Tsereteli’s name comes to mind and his Moscow “Peter I” comes to mind - and, as it later turns out, not in vain. “The History of Georgia” is also the result of the inspiration and imagination of the most prolific Georgian sculptor, who worked on this creation for 20 years, from 1983 to 2003!

The monument is made in the form of 16 huge cruciform steles, 35 meters high, each of which is decorated with 4 bas-reliefs on biblical subjects and events from the history of the country. There are no explanatory inscriptions, but even without them you can identify the great Georgian poet Rustaveli, King Bargat (founder of the famous Bagrationi dynasty), Queen Tamara, and the founder of Tbilisi, King Vakhtang Gorgasali.


Next to the stelae there is a church - clearly a remake in appearance, but quite beautiful:

From the walls of the church there is a wonderful view of the northern part of Tbilisi and the Tbilisi Sea:


How get there before"History of Georgia«: You can get there by car or walk from the Tbilisi Sea. In principle, there is a road to the monument from the residential areas of Gldani and Guramishvili, but I couldn’t drive there in my car - at some point it turned into a dead dirt road, and I decided not to risk it.

If you drive from the direction of the reservoir, you can enter these coordinates into your navigator: N41.76835, E44.80866, this is the turn to the monument from the main road going around the Tbilisi Sea.

Tbilisi Sea

Almost under the monument History of Georgia one of the best beaches on the Tbilisi Sea is located:


With some stretch, the beach in this place can be called pebble, but in fact it is not pebbles, but small stones - which is not surprising, given the artificial origin of the Tbilisi Sea.

There are usually a lot of vacationers in the summer on weekends, the infrastructure on the beach is very minimal: sun loungers, umbrellas, changing cabins, trash cans, during the season you can rent a boat or catamaran. In general, the entire organization of recreation on the beach gives a somewhat “handicraft” impression, and this has its own charm:

Staircase made from used tires

Since this is a city beach, you can’t expect crystal cleanliness from it - cigarette butts, cigarette packs, bags, etc.

It is advisable to swim in special rubber slippers - since the reservoir is artificial, there are not pebbles along its banks, but rather ordinary broken stones. And the edges of these stones can be quite sharp. Well, in sunny weather the pebbles get very hot, walking on them barefoot is not comfortable. Otherwise, it’s a great vacation spot within the city; we drove from ours to the beach by car in about 20 minutes, depending on traffic. Plus, nearby is the “History of Georgia”, a water park, an arboretum - in a word, a strategically very good and convenient place to relax. Of course, this is not sea or, but if you want to relax by the water and there is no way to get out of the city, the Tbilisi Sea is a very good option.

Between the road and the reservoir there is a wonderful pine forest with incredibly tasty air:

Usually, when going on vacation to Georgia, tourists think that they can only swim in the waters of the Black Sea. But this is far from true. There are also reservoirs in Tbilisi where swimming will be just as great as on the Georgian coast. One of these favorite places for many visitors and residents of the Georgian capital is the Tbilisi Sea.

Is there a sea in Tbilisi or another city in Georgia? Indeed, there is no other sea other than the Black Sea in the country. Local residents call the huge city reservoir in the northeast of the capital of Georgia the Tbilisi Sea for its impressive size. There are no marine inhabitants in it, since the water is fresh. This is a very picturesque place to relax at any time of the year, which is easy to see by looking at the photo of the lake. In addition to its recreational value, the reservoir has several other functions: irrigation of nearby lands and regulation of river flow.

Description of the reservoir

The artificial reservoir of Georgia was created in the mid-20th century to supply Tbilisi with water. For its construction, it was necessary to flood three salt lakes that were previously located in this territory with the waters of the Iori River.

Reference! The scale of the reservoir is amazing: its length is 9 km and its width is 3 km. The average depth is about 26 meters, but in some places it exceeds 45 meters. The water is clear and clean, warms up quickly and by July often reaches a temperature of 28 degrees. The area of ​​the water surface is 11.6 km². The reservoir is located at an altitude of 535 meters above sea level, so in summer it is not hot or stuffy on its shores.

Holidays on the shores of the Tbilisi Sea

In this beautiful place everyone will find something to do in the summer. Everything has been created on the banks of the reservoir so that vacationers do not get bored. There are cafes, restaurants, boarding houses and tourist centers built here. There are both free and paid beaches, equipped for a comfortable stay.

Important! The beaches of the Tbilisi reservoir resemble pebbles, but if you look closely, they are not pebbles, but broken stones, because the lake is of artificial origin. These stones are quite sharp, so it is more convenient to swim in special rubber shoes.

Among the large number of places for swimming on the small “sea”, every tourist will definitely be able to find something to suit his taste. We advise people who cannot tolerate noise and prefer silence to sunbathe and swim on the free “wild” beaches. They are located mainly on rocks, so you will have to go down to the water along rocky paths. But for lovers of a comfortable holiday, paid beaches are more suitable. They have a fairly developed infrastructure. You can not only sunbathe and swim on them, but also spend time actively.

Entertainment

If you are not a fan of passive relaxation, in this place you can easily find something to do so that you don’t get bored. You can’t even imagine how many interesting things there are here!

Local entertainment and attractions:

  • Excursion to the Olympic Village;
  • Arboretum;
  • Pinery;
  • Monument "History of Georgia";
  • Tbilisi National Park;
  • Yacht trip:
  • Fishing (paid);
  • Boat and catamaran rides;
  • Trip to Turtle Lake;
  • Cable car;
  • Aquapark;
  • Playgrounds;
  • Cycling or riding a scooter.

There is plenty of entertainment on the water and on the shore. Fishing, boating, catamarans or scooters will help brighten up vacationers' leisure time. There is even a local yacht club here. For those who cannot imagine life without sports, jogging and cycling paths have been created. Botany lovers will be interested in taking a walk through the arboretum located nearby.

The reservoir is separated from the highway by a pine forest with clean and fragrant air. All beaches offer beautiful views of the mountains. Once you find yourself in this unique, man-made corner, do not forget to capture in your photo the untouched beauty of Georgian nature.

Tourists who prefer an active pastime are advised to climb the hill above the reservoir and look at the “History of Georgia” monument, created by the great sculptor Zurab Tsereteli. The monument stands at an altitude of 120 meters; the master worked on this masterpiece for almost 20 years. There is a small church nearby. From the height of the hill a beautiful panorama of the surrounding nature opens up.

As an excursion, you can visit the local sports town “Olympic Village”, which was built for the 2015 Youth Olympics. Tbilisi National Park is located nearby. Those who come on holiday with children will also not be bored, because a modern water park with a huge spa area has been built here for little fidgets.

If you find yourself on the shore of a reservoir in Georgia in winter, you won’t regret it either. The thing is that during this cold time it is not covered with ice. Although this happened three times in its history: the first time the lake froze in the 1960s, then in 1992, and the third time it was covered with a crust of ice in 2012.

How to get to the reservoir

If you don’t have a car or the ability to call a taxi, then you can get to the Tbilisi Reservoir in Georgia by public transport. To do this, at the Tbilisi Central Railway Station you need to take minibus No. 111. You can also take the metro to the German station, and from there transfer to route No. 60.

Attention! People who travel by public transport need to know: buses approach the northern part of the reservoir. All other areas can only be reached by car or taxi. Travel time from Tbilisi to the place is 40 minutes.

Turtle Lake

There is another popular vacation spot in Tbilisi - the small Turtle Lake. It is only 3 km away from the capital of Georgia, or 10 minutes if you go to it by car. You can also get there by taxi or bus. This rather deep lake is located on the slope of Mount Mtatsminda, and from its observation deck there is an amazing view of the city.


Recently, a cable car appeared here; it connects “Turtle” (as the townspeople lovingly call the lake) with Vake Park. The lake area is well-maintained: the pebble beach has sun loungers, sun umbrellas and playgrounds for children. Why the reservoir has such a name is not exactly known. Some say it's because of its shape, while others claim that turtles once lived here. How many people, so many opinions.


If you decide to relax on the beaches of Georgia, it would be a mistake not to swim in the Tbilisi Sea, especially if the distance to it is short. Of course, the country’s Black Sea coast is beyond any competition, but for those who find themselves in Tbilisi, more than 300 hundred km from the sea, there is a good alternative for a pleasant beach holiday. After all, the city is home to the Tbilisi Reservoir and a small but well-maintained Turtle Lake, where you can escape the summer heat and swim.

These beaches in Georgia and Tbilisi are very popular among both Georgians and tourists; in the summer they are always crowded and lively. People come here for picnics with friends, to have fun with family or to arrange a romantic weekend for their girlfriend.

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