Even in the most unfavorable times for our country, Sochi has always remained a popular place. But the usual "good old" flavor of the South of Russia is almost gone. For several years Sochi has been steadily moving forward into the list of modern European resorts in order to take its rightful place among them.
The city has been incredibly transformed since the end of the 2014 Winter Olympics. Hotels of world chains have appeared in the picturesque bays of the Black Sea coast, rows of luxurious villas lined up along the well-groomed embankments, the best restaurants have opened their doors to the discerning public.
In modern Greater Sochi, colonnades of the 19th century rotunda and technically perfect Formula 1 racing tracks, old cypress alleys and breathtaking attractions of Sochi Park, nostalgia for the past and a confident path to the future, harmoniously intertwined.
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What to see and where to go in Sochi?
The most interesting and beautiful places for walking. Photos and a short description.
Sochi Olympic Park
The territory where the Olympic facilities are located: the Fisht stadium, the Iceberg ice palace, the Adler-Arena center, the Olympic Village and others. During the Games in 2014, the coastal cluster of the Olympic Park was located here (the Mountain Cluster was organized in Krasnaya Polyana). Throughout the park, you can walk and ride a bike. For a more detailed acquaintance with the objects, an excursion is offered.
Sochi arboretum
A park area where hundreds of species of tropical plants and rare birds live. Here you can admire Mexican agave, Australian eucalyptus or Algerian cork oak. The arboretum has always been a popular place for walking; during the high season, it can be quite crowded inside due to the influx of tourists. The observation decks of the park offer a beautiful view of the mountains and the coast.
Park "Riviera
The resort park, founded at the end of the 19th century by V.A. Khludov. The Riviera is especially proud of its pink alleys. Whole "plantations" of different varieties of roses have been planted on the territory. Each time, landscape designers come up with new forms and flower arrangements to delight visitors to the park. At all times, the Riviera has been a place for romantic dates and vacation flirting.
Mount Akhun
Bolshoi Akhun is a small peak (just over 660 meters in height) 3 km. from the Black Sea coast. A well-equipped hiking trail leads to it. On the surface of the mountain there is an observation deck - a tower built in the "Romanesque" manner. If we give a more precise definition, then Akhun is a whole mountain range, on the clones of which groves of relict trees grow, and the bowels are dotted with a system of caves.
Observation tower on Mount Akhun
Locals believe that the tower at the top of Mount Akhun is the most romantic and beautiful place in the city. It was built in the first half of the 20th century. The height of the building is 30 meters. Tourists flock here for stunning panoramic views that are great for landscape photography. The city, mountain ranges and valley lie as if under the feet of the one who climbs the tower.
Marine Station
Built in the middle of the 20th century. It is included in the list of monuments of federal significance. The central tower of the station is decorated with a 71-meter spire, along the edges there are sculptures symbolizing the four seasons. The sea terminal is surrounded by a landscape park, where a fountain with a figure personifying the goddess of navigation is installed. Numerous pleasure boats moor in the station's marina.
Railway station Sochi
The facility is located in the central part of Sochi, close to city beaches and major hotels. The modern building of the station is a construction of the middle of the XX century, although the railway station at this place has existed since 1918. The station tower is decorated with an original clock with a zodiac dial. Sochi railway station is considered one of the most beautiful railway stations in Russia.
Cathedral of Michael the Archangel
One of the oldest Orthodox churches on the Black Sea coast, the main Sochi cathedral. It was erected in the second half of the 19th century after the end of the Caucasian War. The cathedral was named in honor of Tsarevich Mikhail - the son of Nicholas I and the emperor's governor in the Caucasus. Construction was delayed due to the outbreak of the Russian-Turkish war. As a result, the temple was consecrated only in 1891.
Winter theater
A cultural monument and the main theater stage of Greater Sochi. The building was built in 1937 according to the project of K. Chernopyatov. The architecture of the theater is dominated by a strict classical style without unnecessary pretentiousness and splendor. The opening of the stage took place in 1938, Rimsky-Korsakov's opera The Tsar's Bride was chosen as the premiere performance, where actors from the Moscow troupe of the Theater. K. Stanislavsky and V. Nemirovich-Danchenko.
Sochi Art Museum
The gallery is located in the building of the 30s. XX century, which in itself has considerable cultural and historical value. The first showroom opened here in 1972. The permanent exhibition of the museum includes almost 5,000 works of art from different eras. Among the most valuable exhibits are canvases by Aivazovsky, Shishkin, Petrov-Vodkin. Also, the Sochi Art Museum annually hosts temporary exhibitions from St. Petersburg and Moscow.
N. A. Ostrovsky Literary Memorial Museum
The house where the great writer N. Ostrovsky lived (the mansion was granted to him by the Soviet government). Literally a few months after the death of the master, a museum was opened on the territory. Everyone could get to know the writer's family better, see photographs, study manuscripts. A couple of decades later, another building appeared, which housed the Literary Museum.
House-Museum "Stalin's Dacha"
One of the residences of I.V. Stalin. It was believed that the "father of peoples" had a special love for his Sochi dacha, as he was very fond of the Black Sea coast. The dacha looks rather modest - there are no columns, fountains and sculptural groups. The interior is also quite simple, as Stalin did not have a weakness for luxury. But in spite of everything, the house-museum is very popular and there are always a lot of people who want to visit this place.
Sochi Oceanarium
The largest oceanarium on the coast. It includes 30 aquariums with marine and freshwater inhabitants. The Oceanarium is located in the Riviera Park. It has 200 species of fish (more than 4000 individuals). The aquarium hosts a variety of shows featuring sharks and other large aquarium dwellers. Diving training and certification services are also offered.
Singing fountains of Sochi
A complex of musical and light fountains on the territory of the Sochi Olympic Park. Grandiose evening shows that take place in the evenings attract many visitors to the city. Jets of water dance to the chords of classical and modern music. The complex consists of several dozen powerful water cannons, as well as hundreds of light sources. All elements are controlled by a single computer.
Matsesta
A composition created in 1967 and embodying the life-giving properties of nature. The sculpture is made in the form of a girl hugging a mountain. Numerous healing hydrogen sulphide springs gush around it. Matsesta is also the name of a well-known balneological resort in Sochi, where, with the help of waters and healing mud, they work to heal gynecological ailments and diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
Dolmens
Monuments of ancient civilizations scattered in the Greater Sochi area. According to rough estimates, they were created in the III-II millennia BC. It is believed that stone structures were used for ritual and burial purposes. In total, there are about 200 dolmens in the vicinity of Greater Sochi. Among them - Volkonsky dolmen, Kudepstinsky sacrificial stone, dolmens in the tract "Three Oaks".
Navalishchenskoe gorge
The gorge is located on the slopes of Mount Akhun; the Khosta River flows along its bottom. This place is a popular natural attraction. The slopes of the gorge are covered with relict vegetation - yew and boxwood trees. In the gorge there is a small mountain lake, a cave, rocks of bizarre shapes. A long excursion route with convenient sightseeing points is laid along the gorge.
Vorontsov Caves
Karst formations in the mountains of the Vorontsov ridge. The caves were thoroughly explored in the middle of the 20th century. As a result of excavations, it turned out that about 20 thousand years ago primitive people lived here. Archaeologists have discovered hunting and labor tools, shards, arrowheads. By 2000, a fairly safe excursion route was equipped in the caves, and it became possible to visit them.
Tea houses in Uch-Dera
In the area of the city of Sochi there are tea plantations, which are considered the most northern in the world. The notorious Krasnodarsky tea variety is grown here. In tea houses on the plantations, you can taste different types of drink and take part in the tea making ceremony, where national musical instruments and a samovar are used. Local honey, jam, pancakes are served as snacks.
Trout farm in Adler
The farm has been operating since 1964 and is considered the largest in Russia. Several types of trout are bred here, as well as salmon and sterlet. Fish can be purchased both raw and smoked (hot and cold smoked). They usually enter the territory as part of an organized excursion. The Adler Trout Farm also sells caviar for breeding to other fish farms.
Agursky waterfalls
Waterfalls along the Agura river. These are small cascades and rapids that dry out almost completely during periods of extreme heat. The waterfalls are located at different heights, the maximum distance from which water jets flow down is about 18 meters. The Upper Waterfall is considered the deepest and most powerful. It is surrounded by dense greenery, to the left of it is the entrance to the cave.
33 waterfalls
Natural landmark, which is located in the valley of the Shakhe river in the Dzhegosh gorge. The area is part of the Sochi National Park. The natural complex “33 waterfalls” unites several river rapids and small waterfalls (the height of the jets falling is from 1.5 to 10.5 meters). Tourists can see only some of them, as a convenient tourist route is not equipped everywhere.
Yew-boxwood grove
Part of the territory of the Caucasian Biosphere Reserve, where the unique Colchis boxwood and berry yew grow. These species are already several million years old. Some trees reach the age of 1500-2000 years, the average age of the trunk is 700-800 years. The grove is included in the lists of the natural heritage of the planet. On its territory are the remains of a fortress dating back to the 11th-12th centuries.
Skypark AJ Hackett Sochi
Extreme park, located on the road to the mountains to Krasnaya Polyana. The centerpiece of it is the main attraction - the jump from the longest suspension bridge in the world from a height of 207 meters (bungee jumping). This project was created in collaboration with a New Zealand company. The enthusiastic jumper D. Fedin, who was carried away by similar attractions in other countries, became the ideological inspirer of the park.
Rosa Khutor resort in Krasnaya Polyana
The ski resort, completely renovated and rebuilt for the 2014 Olympics, is positioning itself as the best winter resort in Russia at an international level. Snowboarders and skiers are 77 km away. perfectly equipped trails. Hotels, villas, restaurants, apartments and shops - everything looks like a tourist is in the French Alps. The architects thought through everything to the smallest detail, even built an impromptu city hall.
