Velvet season in Russia 2026: prices and directions
The velvet season is a wonderful period for holidays, when it is no longer hot at sea resorts, there are few people, and prices are pleasantly pleasing.
Velvet season in Russia starts in September, and usually ends closer to mid-October. From the usual summer season in the south, the velvet season is distinguished by a milder and temperate climate, an abundance of fruits, discounts on hotel accommodation.
Content:
- When does the velvet season begin in Russia?
- When does the velvet season end in Russia?
- Vladivostok
- Dagestan
- Kaliningrad and region
- Karelia
- Crimean
- Resorts of the Caucasian Mineral Waters (Kislovodsk, Pyatigorsk, Essentuki, Zheleznogorsk)
- Sochi
When does the velvet season begin in Russia?
Velvet season in Russia in different regions may differ. In the Baltic - the end of August, on the Black Sea coast and in Primorye, his time falls on the beginning of September. In the Krasnodar region it is the first days of September, and in the Crimea – most often the middle of the month.
When does the velvet season end in Russia?
Vacation in the velvet season in Russia in 2026, it is better to plan for September and the first half of October - then the weather will be exactly lucky. In the second half of autumn, the weather is unpredictable - there can be a storm, strong wind, in the mountains it is really cold. Therefore, if your holiday in the velvet season is in October, then bring warm clothes, an umbrella and waterproof shoes.
The longest velvet season in Russia is held in the Krasnodar Territory and the Crimea. Sometimes good weather can last until early November.
Vladivostok
The velvet season is set in Primorye in late August and usually lasts until the end of September. Tourists are waiting for warm and sunny warm weather, the warmed Sea of Japan to + 20 - 22 degrees in quiet bays.
The sea, sun, beach, beautiful seascapes, seafood and the unique nature of the Far East - what else is required for a wonderful holiday?
In Vladivostok, where the beaches overlook the Sea of Japan, the best time for swimming is August and the first half of September.
In Vladivostok, you can try delicious seafood, visit Russky Island, go to the museum and exhibition complex "Treasures of Primorye", the Oceanarium or the Botanical Garden. Tourists are waiting for a walk to Cape Tarann in the Bay of Five Hunters.
Tourists can breathe fresh sea and forest air, admire the beautiful panoramas of the Ussuri Bay and Vladivostok.
If time and financial opportunities allow, then travelers tend to visit Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (distance from Vladivostok - 1650 km). How do I get there? By plane (in flight 1, 5 hours) or steamer.
Unique local nature in early autumn pleases with its colors. The end of August and September are considered a comfortable season for hiking in nature - you can take a tent and go to the beach (if the weather allows you to arrange overnight stays, and admire the stars).
In Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, it is worth visiting the Sakhalin Zoobotanical Park, then by cable car - climb the Bolshevik mountain (601 m), and back down one of the equipped trails.
How to get there:
- Direct flight from Moscow to Vladivostok, on the way direct flight 8 hours, with a transfer - from 12 hours. The cost of tickets from 26 000 rubles.
- By train you can reach in 6 days 22 hours (tickets cost from 15 000 to 25 000 rubles).
- The distance between Moscow and Vladivostok is more than 6000 km, and the road by car will take from a week to 10 days through almost the whole of Russia.
Where to stay: budget accommodation options start from 1500 rubles per room (an inexpensive hostel in a remote area of the city).
The approximate cost of the tour per person: a week tour to Vladivostok per tourist will cost from 120 000 rubles. You can choose a comprehensive trip, where there will be diving, gastronomic adventures, hiking on ecological trails and rest in national parks or some one type of recreation.
Duration: from 7 to 10 days.
Preparation, documents:
What to take with you on vacation to the Far East?
- Travelers need identity documents, and entitling to benefits (if necessary), a CHI policy or VHI.
- If you are going to rent a car and travel around Karelia by car, you need a driver's license with you.
- In autumn in the Far East, the velvet season with warm weather and comfortable sea for swimming (bathing accessories are useful). Keep in mind that the weather in autumn can change dramatically. For traveling in nature, grab warm clothes - sweaters, jackets and raincoats, umbrellas, reliable shoes will come in handy.
Excursions: Order copyright tours and excursions in Vladivostokpossible guide on our website.
Dagestan
September in Dagestan is called the fourth month of summer: the sun is still very much, during the day the air can warm up to +30 degrees, the sea is warm.
Beach holidays in Makhachkala are possible on the city beaches (please note: there are special beaches only for women). If you drive to the village of Turali (10-15 minutes by car), you will find one of the most comfortable beaches of the republic in the Caspian Sea - "Jami".
Where to relax in Dagestan? Tourists go to the Sulak Canyon, to the Tobot waterfall and the Chirkey HPP, explore the barkhans of Sarykum and the Karadakh cliff, visit abandoned auls (Gamsutl) or fortresses. An alternative to resting at sea in Dagestan is to explore the ancient fortresses and citadels of Derbent, one of the most ancient cities in the world.
How to get there
- A direct flight from Moscow to Makhachkala can be reached in three hours. Flights are daily. The cost of air tickets Moscow - Makhachkala - from 3000 rubles one way.
- By train you can get from Moscow to Makhachkala or Derbent. On the way will have to spend a day and 7-10 hours. The cost of tickets from 6500 rubles one way in the seat card (in the compartment - from 8000 rubles).
- From Moscow to the car can be reached in one or two days. The distance from Moscow to Makhachkala is 1588 km.
Where to stay: The average cost of a room in hotels in Makhachkala is 4.3 thousand rubles per night, and in Derbent – 5 thousand rubles.
The approximate cost of the tour per person: a tour for 7 days from Moscow (without food) costs from 75,000 rubles per person, with a full board - from 120,000 rubles per person.
Duration: 7 - 10 days
Preparation, documents: What to take with you on vacation in Dagestan? Travelers need identity documents, and entitling to benefits (if necessary), a CHI policy or VHI. If you are going to rent a car and travel around Dagestan by car, you need to take a driver's license with you.
The sun is still hot in autumn in Dagestan, so you need to bring sunscreen and bathing accessories. To travel to the mountains, grab warm clothes - sweaters, jackets and raincoats, reliable shoes will come in handy.
Excursions: Order author tours andexcursions possible guide on our website.
Kaliningrad and region
The Baltic Sea remembers that it is northern, and especially does not warm up in summer (maximum + 21 degrees), and finally cools down in September. But in the Kaliningrad region are beautiful seaside cities - Zelenogradsk, Svetlogorsk, Yantarny, Baltiysk.
In the Kaliningrad region, travelers arrange picnics in the picturesque coastal dunes, collect real amber in the waves of the Baltic, take photos against the background of a dancing forest, pet cats in Zelenogradsk, admire the beautiful villas of Svetlogorsk.
In the Baltic, the weather is capricious, and if the velvet season in the Baltic is not very velvet, then you can go to Kaliningrad - go to museums, listen to the organ in the cathedral, play hide-and-seek with homlins, drink coffee in a cafe.
How to get there:
- For 6000 rubles you can fly by plane to Kaliningrad (fly from Moscow for two hours, 45 minutes), then by bus or taxi you can reach the coast, to Zelenogradsk, Svetlogorsk, Yantarny.
- By train from Moscow to Kaliningrad you can get a day with a transfer in Smolensk (ticket from 5500 rubles).
Where to stay: The hotel in the resort towns can be found on average for 5 thousand rubles per day.
The approximate cost of the tour per person: tours to boarding houses of Svetlogorsk for 7 days (without treatment) in late August cost from 60 thousand rubles per person, to Zelenogradsk - from 90 000 rubles.
Duration: 7 - 10 days.
Preparation, documents:
What to take with you on vacation in the Kaliningrad region? Travelers need identity documents, and entitling to benefits (if necessary), a CHI policy or VHI. If you are going to rent a car and travel around Dagestan by car, you need to take a driver's license with you.
The velvet season in the Baltic can be unpredictable (contrary to common sense and weather forecasts, the air can warm up to a comfortable + 25 degrees, and tourists will want to refresh themselves in the sea), so you need to bring sunscreen and bathing accessories. Umbrellas and rain
Excursions: Order copyright tours and excursions in Kaliningrad possible guide on our website.
Karelia
Velvet season is not only southern beaches, swimming and tanning. In September, travelers from all over Russia go to Karelia: breathe coniferous air, admire colorful leaves, collect mushrooms and berries, fish and raft along local rivers. A separate and important plus of recreation in nature - in autumn there are no annoying mosquitoes and midges in the forest.
The velvet season in Karelia can also be enjoyed in a hotel from a spa or in glamping on the shore of one of the lakes.
In September, excursions to local attractions (Kizhi, Valaam, Solovki) will be especially attractive!
Golden autumn is beautiful in the natural park of Ruskeala - there you can swim on the surface of former marble quarries on a boat, ride over the water on a zipline.
Tourists can take part in rafting along the Shuya River; go on a jeep tour along the route: Lake White - Kokkoila - Manga; go canoeing on Lake White; take part in trekking with husky dogs in Karyala Park or ride quad bikes.
How to get there:
- by plane (ticket price from 5400 rubles, travel time from one and a half hours);
- by train (ticket price from 1950 rubles, travel time from 16 to 19 hours) to Petrozavodsk.
- By car - to go about a day - the distance between Petrozavodsk and Moscow on the highway is 1022 km.
From Petrozavodsk by rail you need to get to the selected recreation center or hotel.
Where to stay: The cost of accommodation in hotels in the region will be from 3,5 thousand rubles. Possible accommodation in nature - in tents on Lake Palvozero, in the village of Vidlitsa on Lake Ladoga, Hijozero, the village of Tivdia. Lake Pälkärvi.
The approximate cost of the tour per person: a tour from Moscow for 4-5 days with a flight will cost from 45 000 rubles.
Duration: from 2 days to 10-14 days
Preparation, documents:
What to take with you on vacation in Karelia?
- Travelers need identity documents, and entitling to benefits (if necessary), a CHI policy or VHI.
- If you are going to rent a car and travel around Karelia by car, then you need to take a driver's license with you.
- If you practice "wild" recreation in nature - take care of the right equipment for this time of year.
- In autumn in Karelia, the weather can change dramatically, and not always in a pleasant direction, so for travel, grab warm clothes - sweaters, jackets and raincoats, umbrellas, reliable shoes will also be useful.
Excursions: Order copyright tours and excursions in Kareliapossible guide on our website.
Crimean
In autumn, especially in the velvet season, when the sea water begins to cool, hotels and tourist centers of the central Crimea offer guests and residents of the peninsula to spend time against the backdrop of picturesque rocks, colorful forests and crystal clear mountain springs.
The velvet season in Crimea begins in mid-September, and ends depending on the weather, and it is unpredictable here - the peninsula is at the junction of temperate and subtropical climatic zones.
Traditionally, it is believed that the velvet season in Crimea ends in November. The sea by this time cools, the nights become cool, and most of the entertainment facilities close for the winter.
In the velvet season in the Crimea you are waiting for: warm sea, abundance of fruits, pleasant weather for walks, leisurely life of small seaside towns. October is the most beautiful time of the year in Crimea, which is ideal for traveling. Autumn on the peninsula is usually dry, and prolonged and cold rains begin only in winter.
How to get there: the airport in Simferopol is temporarily closed, and you can only get to Crimea by train, bus or car.
Accommodation (per day) in the Crimea can cost from 1000 rubles to 1200 - 2500 rubles. depending on comfort.
The approximate cost of the tour per person:
Duration: 7-10 days.
Preparation, documents:
Excursions: Order copyright tours and excursions in the Crimeapossible guide on our website.
Resorts of the Caucasian Mineral Waters (Kislovodsk, Pyatigorsk, Essentuki, Zheleznogorsk)
A great destination for those who want to meet the velvet season surrounded by beautiful nature and at the same time improve their health!
The distance between Mineral Waters and Pyatigorsk is 25 km. The distance from Mineralnye Vody to Kislovodsk is 57 km, to Zheleznovodsk - 19 km, to Essentukov - 34 km.
The resort towns have a rich history and interesting historical, cultural and natural attractions, as well as beautiful views of the surrounding resorts mountains and magnificent parks. Tourists in the resorts of the Caucasian mineral waters will always find where to go and what to do after the completion of medical procedures.
Kislovodsk is located at an altitude of 900 m above sea level, the highest among other resort cities in the region. On the territory of the luxurious Kislovodsky National Park there are alleys as a sign of memorable events, a cable car, a flower calendar and a clock.
The center of attraction of tourists in Pyatigorsk is the Flower Park, founded in 1828. Decoration of the park - Lermontov Gallery, Diana Grotto, Yermolovsky and Lermontov baths.
How to get there:
- by plane (ticket price from 12000 rubles, travel time from three hours);
- by train (the cost of a ticket for a seat card from 6000 rubles, travel time from one day).
- By car - go about a day - two - the distance between Moscow and Mineralnye Vody is 1,559 km.
Where to stay: How to get there: it is most convenient to fly to Mineralnye Vody, and then to the resort to get by taxi or bus.
The approximate cost of the tour per person: a tour from Moscow per person in September (accommodation in a hotel or sanatorium without treatment + flight and breakfast will cost from 40 000 rubles).
Duration: from 5 days.
Preparation, documents: What to take with you on vacation?
- Travelers need identity documents, and entitling to benefits (if necessary), a CHI policy or VHI.
- If you are going to rent a car, and travel around Stavropol by car, then you need to take a driver's license with you.
- For cool evenings and comfortable walks in the mountains, grab warm clothes - sweaters, jackets and raincoats, umbrellas, reliable shoes will also come in handy.
Excursions: Order copyright Tours and excursions in the Stavropol Territorypossible guide on our website.
Sochi
Together with August, the heat goes away from the southern city, and the beaches become freer. In the sun you can stay longer, in the sea you can swim until the end of September and early October.
Where to relax in Sochi? For example, Riviera is one of the best beaches in the country, marked for cleanliness and safety with a blue flag. The alternative is to go to the semi-wild beaches in the vicinity of Adler or relax closer to Abkhazia - there, almost on the border of the countries, is the Velvet Seasons beach.
Holidays in Sochi in September have its advantages - if you come to the city during this period, you can catch a beautiful golden autumn. Where to enjoy the beauty? Of course, in the mountains of Red Polyana. This time is ideal for walking along ecological trails and getting acquainted with the nature of the region. Tourists in Sochi visit the Caucasus Reserve, climb Mount Akhun and walk along the yew-samshite grove.
If it rains, do not be upset. An alternative option of rest is educational and excursion with a visit to museums, art galleries.
How to get there
- Flight on the route Moscow - Sochi: flight time is about 2 hours 30 minutes - 3 hours 30 minutes. Flights are daily, planes fly several times a day. The cost of tickets from 3600 rubles one way.
- The train can be reached in a day and 6-7 hours. The cost of tickets from 5000 rubles one way in the seat card.
- From Moscow to Sochi by car can be reached in a day. The distance Moscow - Sochi is 1627 km.
Where to stay: A hotel in the city itself can be found for 4 thousand rubles, in the vicinity cheaper - from 3 thousand rubles.
The approximate cost of the tour per person: a tour for 7 days in Sochi from Moscow (without food) costs from 45 000 rubles per person.
Duration: 7 - 10 days
Preparation, documents: What to take with you on vacation in Sochi? Travelers need identity documents, and entitling to benefits (if necessary), a CHI policy or VHI. In Sochi, in the velvet season, you should take sunscreen and bathing accessories. To travel to the mountains, grab warm clothes - sweaters, jackets and raincoats, reliable shoes will come in handy.
Excursions: order author's tours andSochi tour may guides on our website.
Prices are indicated at the time of publication of the material - August 2026.
Text and photo: personalguide
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