Writing about your hometown, having left it, and now having the opportunity to look at your native distances with an open mind years later is an amazing feeling, like a story about your parents, who are getting younger and prettier with age. Defying the laws of physics and time.
So, Mineralnye Vody. Is it worth coming back here or is it better to leave and forget forever? I chose the middle path. I live in Moscow, but I come for a month or two every year. I’ll tell you literally everything I know, so it won’t be possible to quickly finish reading the review.
Features of the region
Caucasian Mineral Waters are divided into two climatic zones: south and north .
In the south - Kislovodsk. It is located in a natural basin, surrounded on all sides by mountains that block clouds and dampen the wind.
In the north, in Pyatigorsk, Essentuki and Zheleznovodsk, it is also sunny and warm, but the humidity is higher. The weather is changeable and it rains often.
Reference. The region became famous as a balneological resort with mineral springs and healing mud. Hot springs predominate in the northern part of the Caucasus Range.
Safety. What to watch out for
In principle, I did not encounter any dangerous situations. Initially, there was concern because of many stereotypes - what will be the attitude towards girls? I can say that it is really better for girls to travel accompanied by men. But not because something might happen, but in order to attract less attention to oneself. Very often people will come up to meet you on the street, but some people may simply not like it.
In mountainous regions, you need to be wary of avalanches, but this, in fact, does not apply to the city itself.
Cities with natural springs
Let's consider all the cities in the region where mineral springs are located. Each of them is famous for its unique water composition.
Pyatigorsk
In the center of the resort area there are about 40 different healing springs. All of them are suitable for drinking and are used in spa treatment.
Divided into:
- cold with a temperature of 23 degrees;
- warm with a temperature of 25 degrees;
- hot with temperatures of 52 and 60 degrees.
Also in Pyatigorsk there are wells with saline-alkaline springs.
In Pyatigorsk:
- carbonated waters of different temperatures containing hydrogen sulfide;
- radon balneological nitrogen and methane waters with iodine-bromine content.
Essentuki
Mineral springs in Essentuki are salt-alkaline.
Their waters travel a long way underground, absorbing volcanic gases and healing mineral salts.
Treatment with local mineral waters has a positive effect on the functioning of many systems of the human body:
- eliminates mucus formed during inflammatory processes in the stomach;
- normalizes the functioning of the digestive system, has a mild laxative effect; has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the liver, kidneys and respiratory organs;
- speeds up metabolism by increasing the production of digestive enzymes.
Kislovodsk
Locally sourced sources are rich in magnesium, sulfur, calcium, iodine, bromine, lithium, fluorine and chromium in an optimal balance for the human body, as well as
- helps lower the level of bad cholesterol in the blood; reduces slagging in the body;
- speeds up metabolism;
- normalizes the functioning of the digestive system;
- a glass of warm Narzan an hour before meals reduces appetite, and cold one increases gastric activity;
- increases immunity, calms the nervous system;
- normalizes blood pressure;
- indicated for patients with diabetes to lower blood sugar levels;
- When taken at night, it helps cope with insomnia.
Church of St. Nicholas
The temple is located near the city cultural park. Construction of the complex was completed in 1950. At that time it was consecrated in the name of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary. A few years later, the church was renamed at the insistence of the Metropolitan of Stavropol, in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The shrine of the church is the ancient Athos icon.
The church has a rather simple architecture. In addition to the main building, there is a bell tower on the territory of the church. A red brick wall encloses the entire temple area.
Hot Springs
There is only one hot spring town in the region. What is he famous for?
Zheleznovodsk
The advantage of the resort is its high-temperature springs, unique for Europe, with carbonic sulfate-hydrocarbonate waters of medium mineralization.
There are 16 springs in Zheleznovodsk, the effects of which have been tested by time.
Balneology of the 21st century combines the therapeutic effects of healing waters with modern procedures, enhancing the natural effect.
The best health resorts in the region, rating of sanatoriums
In order to not only improve your health, but also relax your soul, you need to choose the right sanatorium. The following are the TOP 3 best health resorts in each city of the Caucasus.
Pyatigorsk
The most noteworthy are:
- The Tarkhany sanatorium was built in 1973, named after the estate of M. Yu. Lermontov “Tarkhany”. A 5-minute walk from the sanatorium there are pump rooms with mineral waters and the Central City Drinking Narzan Gallery. “Tarkhany” operates year-round and has a capacity of 238 seats.
- Sanatorium named after M.Yu. Lermontov" is a multidisciplinary center with a developed medical base. The sanatorium has its own sources of healing drinking water - No. 29 for the treatment of cholecystitis, cold Narzan (source No. 1) and warm Narzan (sources No. 4 and No. 7).
- The sanatorium “Zori Stavropolya” consists of a 12-storey residential and 4-storey medical buildings, and a sports building with its own swimming pool, was built in 1983. The building has a pump room with drinking mineral water.
Kislovodsk
In Kislovodsk there are 3 following sanatoriums:
- Sanatorium "Plaza SPA" offers 4-star service and modern medical equipment. Operating since 2005, located near the entrance to the Kislovodsk National Park. Vacationers have open access to a wide selection of mineral waters. The medical center employs experienced pediatricians; children from the age of five are accepted for treatment.
Sanatorium "Healing Narzan" . In 2022, according to tophotels.ru, the sanatorium entered the top ten best health resorts in the Caucasus. On the territory of the pump room with three types of mineral water: “Slavyanovskaya”, “Dolomitny Narzan” and “Essentuki No4” are openly available to guests of the establishment.- The “Sanatorium and Rehabilitation Center of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia” opened in 2014 and receives not only representatives of law enforcement agencies. The pipeline supplies mineral water “Narzan”, “Essentuki-4” and “Slavyanovskaya” from underground sources.
Essentuki
The following 3 sanatoriums are considered the best:
- The sanatorium-resort complex of a high level of service "Rus" is located next to the Victory Park. The treatment and diagnostic facilities include devices for providing all possible balneological procedures. The drinking pump room of the Rus sanatorium provides guests of the sanatorium with all types of mineral water in the city - these are “Essentuki No4”, “Essentuki No17” and “Essentuki-Novaya”.
- “Sanatorium Istochnik” opened in 2016, the comfortable rooms of two 10-story buildings are equipped with modern technology. The health resort is located next to a mud bath and three sources of drinking mineral water. The sanatorium's pump room receives water from the Essentuki Novaya well.
- Sanatorium "Istok" . The Resort Park with a variety of healing waters “Essentuki No4”, “Essentuki No17” and “Novaya” is 5 minutes on foot. Medical services include baths with healing mineral waters.
Mineral water
The most noteworthy are:
Sanatorium "Mineralnye Vody" . The pump room with drinking mineral water “Novoterskaya Healing” is located in the lobby of the residential building of the sanatorium. Patients are offered mineral water baths and mud therapy. The source is located at the foot of Mount Snake.- The Russian Railways sanatorium invites not only transport workers to relax; vouchers are available to the public for those interested. Positioned as a physical education and health center, focused on improving the health of industry workers.
Zheleznovodsk
In Zheleznovodsk the following sanatoriums have the best ratings:
- “Mashuk Aqua-Therm” was built in 1996 and is one of the ten best sanatoriums in the country. On an area of 12 hectares there are dormitory and medical buildings, a health path, a forested area and a clean lake with springs. The health resort has its own well of the healing Slavyanovsky spring and a repository of natural Tambukan mud.
- “New Sanatorium Plaza” has been operating since 2012 in the center of the resort area, a ten-minute walk from the drinking springs of the city park. Complex treatment programs are based on modern treatment methods using climate therapy and natural mud. The building has its own pump room with mineral water.
- The Beech Grove sanatorium is located at the foot of the Zheleznaya and Beshtau mountains. Guests of the sanatorium are recommended the healing drinking waters of the Slavyanovsky and Smirnovsky springs. Wraps with therapeutic mud from Lake Tambukan are prescribed.
Monuments
- Mass grave for the red partisans who died in the civil war of 1918-1920.
- Monument to V.I. Lenin - the intersection of Karl Marx and XXII Party Congress avenues. It was installed on November 5, 1960.
- Monument-memorial “Fire of Eternal Glory” to soldiers who died during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. Opened May 9, 1976
- Monument to General Ermolov.
- Monument to tank crews on the Dzhemukha River.
- Monument to St. Sergius of Radonezh, erected in December 2014.
- Monument to Peter and Fevronia at the entrance to the local registry office, erected on July 9, 2013.
How to get there?
There are four ways to get to the Caucasus: by plane, by train, by car and by bus.
By plane
in Mineralnye Vody .
You can take a taxi from the airport to any point in the region. There are no direct connections by public transport to cities from the airport.
You can get to the Mineralnye Vody railway station by minibus through the bus station. An electric train runs from the station with stops in almost all cities in the region.
Note. Buses to Pyatigorsk and Zheleznovodsk depart from the railway station square, and to Essentuki and Kislovodsk from the bus station.
By train
There is no railway station from the resort towns of the Stavropol Territory only in Zheleznovodsk. In other cities in the region, long-distance trains stop.
Zheleznovodsk can be reached by regular bus from the Mineralnye Vody railway station.
By bus
There are two large bus stations in the region. The Kislovodsk bus station sends and receives intercity buses from all directions of the North Caucasus and the South of Russia.
There are flights to Moscow. The Pyatigorsk bus station connects the KMV with many cities in southern Russia.
By car
From Moscow to the large resort town of the Caucasus Pyatigorsk along the highway is 1600 km, and to Kislovodsk 1360 km.
Things to do
Despite what I already said above - the small size of the city - you can find something to do here, whether you are a tourist or a local resident. In summer it is always warm and colorful, in winter it is snow-white and cheerful. Some classes are suitable for both holidays and everyday life.
The most interesting places:
Clubs and nightlife
Karaoke club Soprano. Good selection of songs, delicious drinks and food. There is dress control and face control at the entrance.
Extreme Sports
Souvenirs. What to bring as a gift
From Mineralnye Vody, I advise you to definitely bring something with a mountain touch. For example, it could be jam with pine cones, delicious tea with various mountain herbs, or honey with the addition of unusual ingredients.
You can also buy delicious spices for meat, pomegranate or Svan salt. In addition, local water or a mug for drinking from the springs is a popular gift. Sometimes you can find “mountain air” in souvenir shops, which, of course, is just an empty jar, but as a memory it’s very nice.
