Resort Dagestan: what to see and do in Derbent

Derbent is breaking records in many positions. It is the southernmost and most ancient city in Russia. It is home to the oldest mosque in the post-Soviet space, one of the largest defensive structures in the world and a secret development by Soviet engineers. And at the same time, the city falls in love with its relaxed atmosphere, the Caspian Sea and the labyrinths of old streets.

Contents

• How to get there
• Where to stay
• What to do and what to see
• Where and what to eat

How to get there

The easiest way to get to Dagestan is by plane. It will take 3 hours of time for a flight from Moscow and a budget of 3,100 rubles for a one-way ticket. And voila — you are in the capital of the region, Makhachkala. From here to Derbent is at hand: only 130 km, which can be overcome by car, taxi or train in 2.5-3 hours. 

If you want to complicate the task, then you can take the Moscow — Makhachkala train from Kazansky railway station. It passes through such large cities as Tambov, Saratov, Astrakhan. You can get to Dagestan by bus from Pyatigorsk, Mineralnye Vody, Vladikavkaz, Krasnodar and other cities.

The easiest way to get to Dagestan is by plane. Photo: Mila Demidova/Shutterstock.com

Where to stay

The main advice: it is better to live on the first coastline (we are still at the resort) or in the historical center. We have compiled a selection of hotels for different budgets: 

• Safia Hotel — from 2,433 rubles per night. A nice hotel, which is located 100 meters from the sea — the proximity to the Caspian Sea decides. 
• Buta Hotel — from 3830 rubles. A small four-star hotel with only 11 rooms next to the main fortress. 
• The Citadel Derbent Hotel — from 5316 rubles. No granny carpets: modern interior and proximity to Naryn-Kale.
• Phoenix Hotel — from 4396 rubles. Excellent value for money. 
• Apart-hotel “1908” — from 4978 RUB. The hotel is located in a historic building from 1908 with a corresponding design. 
• Boutique hotel “Derbent” – from 5792 rubles. A brand new hotel with traditional interior details and an ideal location.
• Hotel “Parallel” — from 6572 rubles. 10 out of 10 points of the national rating.
• Hotel “Metropol” — from 5477 rubles. Many guests praise the place for its proximity to the beach and the friendly staff. 
• The Europa hotel complex — from 6725 rubles. All the most interesting sights are nearby.
• Khazri recreation center — from 7846 rubles. A great place to go out of town. Wooden houses, barbecue, nature — beauty!

The Europa Hotel complex.

Things to do and see

To see the main “Gates of the Caucasus”

Derbent is so ancient that no one can tell its exact age, but various sources confirm that the city is more than 4,500-5,000 years old. To whom it just did not belong: the Scythians, Persians, Turks and other peoples, eager at different periods to seize this glorious territory. Just for defensive purposes, back in the VI century, the Persians built a fortress wall and the Naryn-Kala citadel here, which became truly iconic and remains one of the largest defensive structures in the world to this day.

The structure of the fortress is admirable: double walls on a total area of 4.5 hectares, lined with special Sasanian masonry, protected Transcaucasia and Central Asia from attacks from the north and reached the Caspian Sea. High mountain cliffs surrounded the walls on three sides, defensive towers stood proudly every 25 meters, and inside the fortress was designed so that the defenders could withstand a long siege. The well-thought-out reservoirs for drinking water supply are especially impressive.

For defensive purposes, back in the VI century, the Persians built a fortress wall and the citadel of Naryn-Kala here. Photo: Vladimir Mulder/Shutterstock.com

Now the well—preserved citadel is part of the state historical and architectural reserve. Archaeological excavations are still underway here, and historians regularly find interesting artifacts. 

A bonus will be a stunning panoramic view from the fortress, because it is located on the only hill in the area and wherever you look from here, it will take your breath away from the beauty. 

Advice before visiting : go to Naryn-Kale on foot, because in a city whose road is blocked by a fortress wall, traffic jams are worse than Moscow ones. And it’s even better to visit the attraction with a guide: he will not only immerse you in the history of the place, but also show you more rooms than are available to those who study the citadel on their own. An entrance ticket to the fortress for an adult will cost 200 rubles, the cost of the tour will range from 900 to 1,500 rubles per person.

To go to Naryn-Kale on foot, because in a city whose road is blocked by a fortress wall, traffic jams are worse than those in Moscow. Photo: shushonok/Shutterstock.com

Explore the old town and local magals

Derbent is notable for its atmospheric Old Town (the part on the mountain is called that) and magals. These are ancient labyrinths of stone streets that live their own lives. The very name magal means quarter in translation — in its shape and mood, magals resemble the colorful madinahs of Arab cities, in which it is so easy to get lost. 

The magals were built at about the same time as the fortress, in the VI century, and there are nine of them in total. From time immemorial, Muslims have lived here, and already in the lower part of the city there are Jews, Armenians and Russians (so do not be surprised that there is both a synagogue and an Armenian church in Derbent). Cozy courtyards hide behind beautiful wrought—iron doors, and around the turns in the narrow streets there are wells with drinking water, underground baths and small quarter mosques. Traditionally, on Fridays, all Magalians go to the Juma Mosque, the oldest and most revered in Russia and the Caucasus (734).

Tip before visiting: start exploring the magala from Freedom Square and walk up to the Juma Mosque and fortress. Good-natured locals, handmade colored carpets, chic jugs and fragrant coffee on the sand are waiting for you.

Magal is an ancient maze of stone streets that live their own lives. Photo: Sergei Afanasev/Shutterstock.com

Dagestan is non-classical

Central Dagestan has long become a super—popular region, which is home to the famous Sulak Canyon and Gamsutl ghost village – by the way, here you will find a ready-made route to the steepest points of the region from a local resident. However, Derbent is a completely different story. Here begins Southern Dagestan with high mountains and hidden villages. It takes at least three hours to drive from Derbent. We advise you to pull off such an adventure exclusively with local guides. 

Collect a collection of murals

Well, what a city: here you can feel the antiquity and color enough, and see a collection of modern art right on the streets of the city! It all started in 2019: then the graffiti festival “Wall” was held in Derbent for the first time, which subsequently began to take place annually. Murals are made by artists from different regions and countries in accordance with the rules of Islam. Some graffiti are inspired by the motifs of the works of the respected Dagestani poet Rasul Gamzatov. 

Tip before visiting: most of the murals are located on the embankment, so by all means go along it to the promenade.