Car rental in Gelendzhik

Gelendzhik sits in a bay shielded from strong winds by the surrounding mountains, giving it a milder climate than most resorts on the Black Sea coast. A seafront promenade several kilometres long - one of the longest in Russia - runs the length of the city and remains its main artery year-round.

Unlike neighbouring resorts, Gelendzhik keeps a relaxed, family-oriented pace: a safari park, a dolphinarium, a cable car to Mount Sakharnaya Golova and thermal springs are all within the city and its immediate surroundings.

The Markotkh mountain pass and the coastal road open access to lesser-known but equally scenic spots - Dzhankhot, Divnomorskoye, Betta - each worth a separate trip and best reached independently, since transport between the villages runs on a limited schedule.

The city's unhurried pace and the way its most interesting places are scattered along the coast make a personal vehicle the best way to see the whole Gelendzhik area, not just its central promenade.