Sprawling along the shores of the Black Sea, Sochi Port is a scenic resort city which will be the venue for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games. Having a subtropical climate, Sochi is home to pebbly and sand beaches as well as the majestic Caucasus Mountains. This Russian resort city also boasts subtropical vegetation, fascinating monuments, amazing parks, and interesting architecture. Located north of the city is the Caucasian Biosphere Reserve which was named as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Things to do
Sochi offers many interesting spots that tourists can visit during their stay. These include:
- Michael Archangel Cathedral, a very small church built in the late 1800’s to celebrate the end of the Caucasian War.
- The Sochi Art Museum with an elegant neoclassical design built in 1939, is another must see.
- The Arboretum is another great museum which houses various flora collections from many countries.
- Sochi was developed as a health resort because of the sulfur -hydrogen springs. There are many wealthy summer homes that date back to pre-revolutionary Russia.
- Dendrary is the largest subtropical park in Russia and has more than 30 acres of exotic trees from all over the world including: Candy tree, Soapberry tree, Tulip tree, Strawberry tree, Sakura and Fig tree.
- Other attractions include Festivalny Concert Hall, Winter Theater and Water Park.
Another popular area for tourists and local residents alike is the Riviera Park which offers various attractions such as the ‘glade of friendship’ where you will find magnolia trees planted by Russian cosmonauts and amusing statues. You can also find a concrete bow near the west entrance of the park as well as some statues of doctors and nurses from the Second World War. Along the pier is a boulevard where you can have a nice walk and simply enjoy the ambience.
Visitors can also arrange to have a great safari on army trucks and visit various waterfalls and rivers in the mountains. The most familiar building in the city is the Railway Terminal Station built in 1952, which is a classic example of Stalinist architecture.
Shopping
Tourists can visit Sochi’s market where just about everything needed for Russian cuisine can be purchased; including the famous Georgian dry red wine. The markets are made of groups of several kiosks and some permanent larger buildings where you can buy local produce and souvenir items.
Restaurants and Bars
Sochi offers several fine dining areas to its visitors. The city is adorned with a wide variety of restaurants, bars and cafes. One of the more popular restaurants, Calipso, is near the ‘Festivalny’ Concert Hall. The restaurant has a reputation of excessive service which explains why it is a very expensive restaurant for the region. Another great place for dining is the American Diner, which ironically only serves Russian cuisines, not American food. But if you want to have a nice bite of pizza, you may want to visit Art-Pizza located near the Winter Theater.