My soul, back in August of this year, asked me a question: where would I like to spend my birthday, so much so that not like Russia, but in Russia?
Souls yearned for hot dances and cultural experiences!
Then my fingers typed a clear word in the search bar: Makhachkala.
Welcome to Dagestan!
As a starting point, I'll mention the purchase of tickets, specifically the good old and reliable company "Pobeda".
Tickets Moscow - Makhachkala - Moscow 6448 RUB
Next, I was confused by the hotel reservation. It was important to me to stay close to the sea and centrally located. The Golden Empire hotel caught my eye with its special offer at night. It took 25 minutes to walk from the hotel to the main beach, which was located in the center of the city near a mosque and surrounded by excellent cafes. The room included everything you needed: clean linens, towels, slippers, bathrobes, and all the toiletries. The room was small, which does not matter to me, so I did not sit there.
The cost of a double room for three nights,
including breakfast 6000 RUB
Hotel: Golden Empire
Day 1
I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that when you leave the plane in Makhachkala, you immediately head out into the city, no complicated arrangements are required! There is only one good news outside the airport: a taxi to the center will cost 400 rubles!
Uber taxi from the airport to the hotel - 392 RUB
Our first action after checking in was, of course, to look at the sea! Although I wasn't planning to swim, I enjoy listening to the sound of waves breaking.
On our first day in the city, we noticed the presence of several coffee houses, which were at every turn, and we wanted to visit each of them, but inside our souls, we wanted something else, which was beer!
The cab driver told us that in Makhachkala, women are not allowed to drink alcohol in bars, but that has not stopped me from trying to find "Pub" on Google Maps.
"Tovarish Saakhov" was the name of the beer bar we came across on our way.
The pub had been designed in the style of films about Shurik; there was also a screen inside from which the film itself was broadcast. We were the only women inside the bar, which had a great beer setting. We sat in a separate room and bought half a liter of tasty beer for 60 rubles and a local fried sausage for 200 rubles.
Beer Pub " Товарищ Саахов"
Bill - 400 rubles (for two)
After quenching our thirst, we set out in search of a delicious dinner.
Kazan-Mangal restaurant was where we had our dinner, the restaurant was decorated in oriental style, with cats sleeping peacefully on the sofas or enjoying the delicious smells of food.
Kazan-Mangal Restaurant
Dinner for two - 616 rubles
Day 2
The next morning, we inspected the Juma Mosque.
After admiring the main beauty of the city, we were in urgent need of food at the local market.
Apricot kernel urbech - 200 rubles
One and a half kilograms of grapes - 100 rubles
Our next stop was the beach for two hours of rest.
Since there was a wind, and the waves weren't small, I laid on a lounger, which cost 100 rubles to rent, just and peacefully.
It's hard and unbearable work for me to lie on the beach: I don't like swimming, I can't sunbathe, and I just feel lousy because of the heat.
In order to freshen up, we went to a nice cafe near the beach to grab some food before dinner.
Cafe "Arka"
Two coffees and a freshly baked croissant - 544 rubles
It took us a long time to decide where to hold my anniversary dinner...
By the way, I'm 30 and I actually prefer not to celebrate birthdays)
Generally, we choose modest cafe restaurants for our celebration
Firuza-Ramses.
There was a good selection of food and reasonable prices, and it was also possible to drink alcohol.
We ate a couple of dishes and emptied a bottle of wine modestly and quietly.
We are my mother and I.
Firuza Restaurant
Dinner for two -1064 rubles
Once we reached the hotel, we realized the bottle of wine was not enough, so we went down to the first floor and had a glass of beer.
Beer - 483 rubles
Day 3
We decided to start the penultimate day with another mandatory location: Mount Tarki-Tau.
Tarki, the oldest aul in Dagestan, gave it its name.
The two of us started off very cheerfully, deciding that we would get there on our own feet...
The minute I stepped foot on the land of clean mountains, I realized that I couldn't get there, because I decided to dress warmly. We walked uphill, but there was terrible heat and sun outside. We called Uber ....
It costs 96 rubles to take a taxi uphill
As soon as the taxi driver picked us up on the road, he brought us right up to the very top, which I was not happy about since I am terrified of driving near cliffs. Finally, I asked if we could go outside...
Taxi drivers cannot turn around on mountains, which is why they backed off!!!
It was definitely impressive to see the view from the mountaintop, but the flies and dung cakes made it impossible to enjoy the surrounding natural beauty! After 20 minutes on the mountaintop we made our way down ...
SHAWARMA was the only thing on my mind.
My delicious shawarma was prepared at the low-priced restaurant Istanbul for lunch.
Lunch for two -320 rubles
We decided to explore another beach called Oasis that day, but when we arrived there, we did not find any difference between the oasis and the city beach, and sun loungers cost the same - 100 rubles.
Taxi to the beach - 172 rubles
Taxi to the hotel - 167 rubles
Smeared by the sea, we shook off the sand and went to a restaurant serving Dagestani food for dinner - INT
Restaurant INT
Dinner for two - 700 rubles
The day ended with delicious coffee in an extraordinarily black and white café .
Two coffees and dessert - 440 rubles
Day 4
We woke up in the morning and took a taxi to Dune.
Dagestan's dune Sary-Kum is a unique natural monument.
Especially as "Dune" was premiering, I had to visit this mountain of sand.
A 50-minute drive from the center of the city separates this location from the city. Whenever you sit down in a taxi, you should say to the driver that you want him to wait for you there, and on your way back, you should pay him in cash without an application, as nobody from Uber or Yandex may sit there at random.
It took about 20 minutes to climb, and a special staircase was laid in the reserve to accommodate tourists, beyond which you are not allowed to go, and there, as in any desert, were scorpions and insects, and there was even a poisonous snake-Gyurza.
Unfortunately for me, I never came into contact with these deadly representatives. At the peak, I stepped over the fence and went to take pictures in the sand with an earpiece in my nose (I imagined that I was filming Dune).
Entrance ticket - 128 rubles
Taxi to Dune - 619 rubles
Parking - 100 rubles
Taxi back - 600 rubles
Due to the late arrival of our plane, we were able to eat three or four more times after arriving at the hotel.
We had lunch at the Pavlonia cafe.
Rarely do I make a mistake with a place choice, but this time I was not successful.
The place itself was nice and clean, but the food was kinda rotten.
Cafe Pavlonia
Lunch for two - 505 rubles
As we were dissatisfied with such a dinner, we decided to visit a cafe, where I ordered a glass of hot chocolate, and my mother ordered a sorrel cocktail
The bill - 270 rubles
As I was leaving back home, I wanted to eat this adorable shawarma at a restaurant one more time. I realize that I didn't get to see live performance of Lezginka from hot Daghestan dancers!
Istanbul Restaurant
Dinner for two - 400 rubles
Taking in the scent of this magnificent city one final time, a scent I never bought, which still smelled like Bakarat 540, I ordered an Uber and made our way to the airport.
Taxi to the airport - 497 rubles
Dagestan was an excellent choice for our trip.
The fears that you will be stolen there, or that you have to go in a long dress with black tights, they will come to us. All that is gone now ...
I was very impressed by what I saw now.
It is a beautiful city with its own culture, very beautiful women, and well-mannered men. Seeing children playing dinosaurs on the street was already unreal for me!
For me, benevolence and sincerity are always indicative of people.
I would go back to this republic whenever the opportunity arises. Its nature is endlessly beautiful and impressive.
I have included a link below to a map of all of the places I've visited in Makhackala
Written by Alina Starostina
@girlbdash_klava
@klava_paradise
@klavamagazine
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