Gelendzhik stands on the coast of Gelendzhik Bay of the Black Sea, surrounded with spurs of Markotkh Range of the Greater Caucasus, 180 km to the southwest of Krasnodar.

It is located 43 km to the southeast of the railways station of Novorossiysk city (which has bus and sea communication as well), on the highway Novorossiysk - Tbilisi - Baku.

The climate here is of subtropical dry Mediterranean type. Winters are soft and comparatively warm for Russia. Sometimes cold north-eastern winds blow from the land. Average temperature of January-February is +4С. Summers are hot, with fair dry weather. Average temperature of July is +24С.

The most favourable climatic conditions for recreation here are from June to September. The swimming season lasts from May to October.

Along with the major natural attraction of its climate and sea, the resort boasts mineral waters. They also use here therapeutic muds imported from the Salt Lake near Taman. The resorts treat patients suffering from diseases of cardiovascular, nervous and endocrine systems, respiratory organs, and muscular-skeletal system.

Gelendzhik is the centre of Gelendzhik resort zone of the Black Sea coast spreading for about 100 km including the resort districts of Kabardinka (to the northwest of Gelendzhik), Divnomorskoe, Djanhot, Betta, Krinniza and Arkhipo-Osipovka (to the southeast of Gelendzhik).

The total area of Gelendzhik makes 1228 sq.km.

Sightseeing

Gelendzhik extends over a long narrow strip of the seacoast of the Gelendzhik Bay, and the bend of the coastline determines a slightly rounded direction of city streets. In the 19th century it was built up according to a regular planning.

In the late 19th – early 20th centuries resort buildings were designed in the style of eclecticism and art nouveau.

In the vicinities of Gelendzhik there is a remarkable forest of Pitsunda Pines, which is a nature sanctuary, as well as gardens and vineyards. Medieval Adygei kurgan burial grounds will be interesting to lovers of antiquity. Gelendzhik has several museums: Local History Museum, V. G. Korolenko's House Museum, the Central Exhibition Hall, and others.