10 places to go on vacation in July
Contents:
• There is not much time left until autumn, and the coronavirus still keeps the borders under lock and key. Turkey is not yet in a hurry to open its arms to Russian tourists, it is too hot in the UAE, and the rainy "low" season is in full swing in the Maldives.
• Of course, there is the Black Sea coast – Crimea and the Krasnodar Territory – but many are reluctant to fight for a piece of land on a crowded beach.
Therefore, especially for you, we have found 10 best places to go on vacation in July , for different tastes – from classic lying on the beach to outdoor activities.
10. Dream of a hermit – Astashovo, Kostroma region
Do you want to forget about Zoom meetings, constant phone calls, e-mails, traffic jams and crowds in the subway? Want to hide from everyone in a cozy burrow with individual meals and scheduled cleaning?
• Then we recommend that you choose Astashovo Forest Tower as a place of rest – a wooden palace hidden in the very depths of the Kostroma forests. Phones are not picked up there, there is no Internet and is not expected, and you will have to communicate in the old fashioned way – in words with personal contact.
• However, you are unlikely to suffer from boredom, because traditional tourist activities are organized in Astashovo, such as cycling, trips deep into the forests on off-road vehicles, swimming in forest lakes, mushrooms and berries, and so on. The set comes with classic Russian cuisine, including the famous oatmeal jelly, which is not drunk, but cut into pieces.
9. Paradise for fishermen – Lagan, Kalmykia
The coast of the Caspian Sea is still little developed by tourists, and the infrastructure, frankly, does not shine. However, he has his own zest, which is not in the more popular brothers – the Black and Azov Seas.
• The reason is the Volga, which, as we know from school geography, flows into this sea, and on its way forms a grandiose delta with many lakes, streams and channels. This is a true fishing paradise.
• Lagan is especially convenient because it is only 9 km from the sea coast, and people get there both by car and by regular bus. You can stay both in a hotel in the city and in private houses on the sea coast. As they say, it bites perfectly there, especially perch, crucian carp, pike, rudd and carp. However, you are unlikely to taste the noble sturgeon (except in a restaurant) – a moratorium has been imposed on production.
8. "The Lord of the Rings"n – Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia
This is not the most popular place among tourists, either in July or at other times of the year. However, the wild and ancient beauty of this region will amaze you to the very heart. Majestic mountains, transparent springs, luxurious flower fields stretching beyond the horizon, marvelous beauty of the surrounding nature, bringing to mind the grandiose landscapes of New Zealand – all this will surely leave a mark in your heart.
• We advise you to visit the charming and a little frightening ancient "city of the dead" in Dargavs, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, the ruins of the ancient fortress Dzivgis, and be sure to taste hot Ossetian pies.
• The easiest way is to book a hotel room in Vladikavkaz, and then choose one of the many sightseeing tours.
7. On the water surface – From Moscow to St. Petersburg by boat
Many borders are still closed due to the pandemic, there are not so many travel destinations, so the seemingly old, well-known tours have sparkled with new colors.
• At the same time, prices for cruises have not risen too much, and a six-day tour can be bought for 31 rubles per person. Moreover, “luxury” ships became available, which served almost exclusively foreigners before the pandemic. In general, for relatively little money, a Russian passenger receives a cabin, full three meals a day, an entertainment program on board and a couple of excursions a day, as well as the opportunity to admire the surrounding beauties.
• The most popular cruise tours on a ship are long sailings for a period of up to three weeks, as well as trips from Moscow to St. Petersburg and large Russian cities like Astrakhan and Kazan. The northern exotic is not far behind – flights to the Solovki and to the Ladoga skerries of Karelia.
• Animal lovers love to swim through the closed, pedestrian-inaccessible areas of protected parks, where you can even set foot on the ground during a short excursion.
6. Active program – Altai Territory
Altai is an ideal place for outdoor enthusiasts. There is a paradise for lovers of trekking (hiking), and for climbers, and for rafters (rafting on the river), and for equestrians.
• There are also complex tours, where all the listed activities are available to tourists, plus a rich excursion program to the famous places of the ancient region. There are even special tours for herbalists, where they teach you to distinguish medicinal plants and prepare teas from them, use them in cooking and cosmetology. Do not forget about mystical destinations, such as traveling to Mount Belukha in the footsteps of the Roerich expedition.
• However, do not be afraid that you will be forced to exist exclusively in field conditions, spend the night in a sleeping bag by the fire and suffer from the invasion of mosquitoes. There are many comfortable hotels and tourist complexes in Altai where tired travelers can touch civilization.
5. Improve your health – Staraya Russa, Novgorod region
This is one of the oldest resorts in our country – it is already about two hundred years old. Once upon a time, the elite of the empire rested there, and now healing mineral waters and therapeutic mud are available to everyone.
• On the territory of "Staraya Russa" there are 8 mineral springs, but you should drink water from only two, and the rest are intended for external use. The local sulphide-silt mud has no analogues in the world. And even breathing air filled with bromine and magnesium ions is already beneficial for the respiratory system.
• The mineral waters and mud of Staraya Russa strengthen the body, restore the immunity that has been undermined by long winters and city life, and improve metabolism. However, one should not think that they are treated there only with ancient methods – there is physiotherapy with the most modern equipment, physiotherapy exercises, massage and even psychotherapy.
4. With children – Sea of Azov
Against the background of its illustrious relative – the Black Sea – Azov looks, frankly, modest. There are no breathtaking mountains, no sheer cliffs, no powerful waves, no noisy resorts of many thousands.
• The depth of the Sea of Azov is small, and most of the beaches are one continuous shallow water only one and a half meters deep. Therefore, the sea warms up quickly. Due to the relief of the seabed and the steppes surrounding the sea, strong storms do not happen here. All these features have turned the Sea of Azov into the best place for a beach holiday with children.
• We also add that, compared to the Black Sea coast, the Azov Sea is not yet so hyped, so there are fewer people there, much quieter, relatively less noise and bustle. And the prices do not bite so much, so living on the coast of the Sea of \uXNUMXb\uXNUMXbAzov will cost about one and a half to two times cheaper than the Black Sea.
• But the infrastructure leaves much to be desired: not all beaches have changing cabins, toilets, not to mention such luxury as showers and sun loungers.
3. For the soul – Montenegro
Montenegro is one of the few countries that has almost never refused to accept Russian tourists over the past “covid” year. And now you can visit it without a visa, direct flights, you only need a certificate of vaccination, a negative test for coronavirus or the presence of antibodies.
• The Adriatic Sea in July just warms up well (up to 25 °), but we do not recommend limiting yourself to one beach holiday. After all, Montenegro is rather a country for the soul. Its advantages are very beautiful landscapes, rich history, excellent cuisine, and the general feeling of a congenial Slavic country, familiar, but still alien enough to be interesting. The prices there are quite affordable, you can even embark on a trip on your own.
• 2. Northern romance – Baltiysk, Kaliningrad region
• The wind blowing from the Baltic Sea is filled with salt, freshness and the aroma of distant wanderings. Sand dunes overgrown with wild roses, pine trees with golden resin on their bark, unique Baltic forbs, the cries of seagulls are heard, ships are maneuvering on the horizon ... Here you can wander for hours, alone or with your soulmate, and dream.
• Beyond dreams, the Kaliningrad region has a lot to offer. There are long sandy beaches 100 meters wide and more, modern sanatoriums, hotels for every taste and budget, water parks, museums, the natural reserve of the Curonian Spit and much, much more.
1. Warm sea – Greece
Greece, the place where you can fly to the sea in July. Today this is the best foreign destination available to Russian tourists for a beach holiday. The season in July is in full swing, the weather is hot, but bearable. Water warms up to 25-26°, and air – more than 30°. Therefore, we recommend rocky islands, like Crete, Rhodes and Kos – there is a breeze, and the freshness of the sea, and there is where to swim, so the heat is easier to bear.
• Greener islands should be avoided – the more trees, the higher the humidity, the more difficult it is to breathe, especially if you are asthmatic. And during the day it is better to adopt the local custom of siesta (afternoon rest) and hide inside the white stone house, where it is much cooler.
• Unlike Bulgaria, which, it would seem, is glad to receive Russian tourists, but only air traffic is still closed, you can fly directly to Greece, plus there are visa centers. Vaccination against coronavirus, or a certificate of past illness and the presence of antibodies or a negative PCR test are required.
