What to see in Sochi and where to go - my TOP 15
Sochi is called not only the city itself, but the entire region, including neighboring villages, starting almost from Tuapse to Abkhazia. Greater Sochi stretches for 146 km along the coast. Therefore, when they say that a particular attraction is in Sochi, then you need to clarify exactly where.
In my post, we will mostly talk about those places that are located, either in the city of Sochi itself, or not far from it. Sochi is the largest resort city on the coast, so there really is something to see here. And going somewhere is not a problem, cultural life is also present. It is not in vain that some people move to this city for permanent residence, and I myself periodically think about it..
The content of the article
- one Unusual excursions in Sochi
- 2 What to see in the city of Sochi
- 3 What to see in the vicinity of Sochi
- 4 On the map
Unusual excursions in Sochi
For those who want to save time on preparing for the trip and immerse themselves more fully in the atmosphere of the place, I would recommend using the author's excursions. Look below the prices for such excursions, something will definitely suit you - Sochi, Abkhazia, Krasnaya Polyana, etc..
Prices for excursions in Sochi>
In my opinion, individual excursions are much more interesting than organized excursions with their large number of people and a hackneyed program. Moreover, with a private guide, you can always agree on a convenient time and day, as well as adjust the program.
What to see in the city of Sochi
In addition to the sights, I also went around restaurants and cafes, after which I wrote a post - Where to eat in Sochi. Of course, not everything fit there, but I mentioned the most important places. You can add your reviews about the visit, because they will be useful to everyone who travels to Sochi.
Also, if the TOP 15 is not enough for you, then look at my TOP 35 attractions, there is more choice.
Here's more just in case selection of inexpensive hotels, with a good rating and reviews. You will not come for a day, but for a couple of weeks, and you will need to stop somewhere.
A selection of hotels in Sochi>
Stalin's dacha
An atmospheric and slightly unusual museum. You can go inside the building with a group, listen to an excursion. The story is very interesting, it helps to look at this place in a special way. There are few historical exhibits in the building, but the building itself and the surrounding landscapes are impressive. Stalin's dacha is located on the territory of the Zelenaya Roscha sanatorium. The park offers a wonderful view of the surroundings. More about Stalin's dacha - More about Stalin's Dacha.
Ticket price: 300 rubles.
Stalin's dacha in Sochi
Sochi Arboretum
Arboretum of Sochi is one of the main attractions of the city. The park was founded in 1889, when the publisher «Petersburg newspaper», SN Khudekov bought a plot of land in Sochi, on the slope of Lysaya Gora. Later, his villa was built there. «Hope», named after his wife and laid out a park with exotic plants.
In 1922 the park was nationalized. Now the territory of the modern Sochi Arboretum is divided in two by Kurortny Avenue, under which you can walk from one part to another along the passage. There, at the entrance to the Arboretum from the avenue, the cable car begins to the highest point of the park.
Walking through the Arboretum, you can see a Japanese garden, ponds with ducks and geese, enclosures with ostriches and peacocks, gazebos, pavilions, statues and solemnly decorated stairs. Many species of subtropical plants, pines, eucalyptus, cypresses are planted here..
The arboretum is in excellent condition, the central part looks like a regular palace park with neatly trimmed plants and wide manicured staircases. More about the Sochi Arboretum.
Ticket price: entrance to the park - 250 rubles, cable car - 200 rubles, entrance and cable car - 450 rubles. Children from 7 to 14 years old 120 100 220 respectively.
Arboretum and cable car
Adler Oceanarium
The largest aquarium in Russia, Sochi Discovery World, is located in Kurortny Gorodok (Adler). The Oceanarium was opened at the end of 2009. It has 29 rooms, a transparent underwater tunnel where you can walk, a sea pool where you can do scuba diving, a professional photo studio.
Shows are held daily in the aquarium (above the transparent tunnel so that visitors can see better): shark feeding and «Underwater fairy tale» - with the participation of mermaids who swim over the tunnel and pose for visitors for a photo. The aquariums are divided into several thematic zones. For example, rainforest, ocean dwellers, etc..
In the aquarium you can see not only different species of fish, but also turtles, sharks, moray eels. There are small open ponds where you can feed koi carp, the feed is sold in vending machines nearby. More about the aquarium - Oceanarium in Adler - surprise, delight and shock.
Ticket price: 800 rubles, children from 4 to 11 years old - 500 rubles, photos and videos - 100 rubles.
Oceanarium in Adler
Olympic Park
The Olympic Park is a new landmark in Sochi and one of the main venues for the 2014 Winter Olympics. It is located on the seashore, in the area of the Nizhneimeretinskaya Bay. On the territory of the park there are sports arenas where speed skating, figure skating, curling competitions, the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games were held.
Now the Olympic Park is a huge area with bike paths, along which you can ride a bike or a rented golf car. There is a large singing fountain (the light and music show starts at 19:30 and lasts about an hour), a beautiful embankment with a beach, the territory of the Sochi Park with attractions and, of course, Olympic facilities: Iceberg Winter Sports Palace, Fisht Olympic Stadium, hotels, and Formula 1 track.
Now the park is preparing for the football championship, the stadiums are being refurbished. But some objects work, you can go inside. More about the Olympic Park.
Ticket price: adult - 700 rubles, children - 350. Children under 5 years old - free.
Singing fountain in the Olympic Park
Sochi Park
An amusement park, in the spirit of Disneyland or the Spanish Aventura Park, is located next to the Olympic Park. There are fourteen large attractions on the territory of Sochi Park, including quite extreme slides such as the Quantum Leap and more children's carousels, playgrounds and small swings. There is entertainment for both adults and children..
They tried to create a fabulous setting in the park: the rides are called the Serpent Gorynych, the Firebird, the magic tree, picturesque ponds, sculptures and life-size puppets of fabulous characters. The Bogatyr hotel complex rises above the park. In addition to all kinds of entertainment in the park there is a dolphinarium, an experimentarium, thematic shows are held, for example, «Alice in Wonderland».
In the evenings, the park is beautifully illuminated, cafes and restaurants work. More about Sochi-Park.
Ticket price: 1650 rubles.
Amusement park Sochi-park
Park Southern Cultures
Dendrological Park Yuzhnye Kultury is located near the Olympic Park in Adler, on the left bank of the Mzymta River. Now the park is being restored, because has been a little deserted lately. The park has wonderful air, atmosphere, few people, unity with nature. Ponds with swans and ducks. The park was founded at the beginning of the last century, about a hundred years ago.
It was a large landscape park on an elevated part of the territory, separated from the regular French park by a system of ponds. Now in the park you can see bamboo, eucalyptus, rare species of pine, ducks and swans in the ponds. Quiet, secluded and calm place where in summer you can take a walk in the shade, hiding from the hot sun. More about Southern Cultures.
Ticket price: 120 rubles, 60 rubles for children (7-14 years old). Free after 18 hours.
Southern Cultures Park
Abandoned sanatorium Ordzhonikidze
One of the unofficial sights of the city, where tourists are not brought by buses and they are not offered to buy a private tour. In fact, this is not an abandonment in the full sense of the word, but a sanatorium closed for an indefinite period, guarded and fenced.
I have a separate post with the history of this amazingly beautiful place, which used to be a national health resort, where ordinary workers improved their health, but now it is empty and destroyed due to inconsistency with seismic resistance standards and neighboring illiterate construction projects. More about the sanatorium.
Sanatorium Ordzhonikidze in Sochi
Navaginskaya street
An excellent walking walk from the railway station to the Marine Station, or just a walk in the city center along an alley densely overgrown with tropical plants. A place of amazing beauty and photogenicity, with rows of restaurants, shops, benches and various sculptures.
A very popular place that looks equally good both during the day and in the evening with lighting. The only drawback is the problem with parking in the center, but you can still find paid parking nearby. More about Navaginskaya street - More about Navaginskaya street.
Navaginskaya street in Sochi
All Gelendzhik hotels>
Historic Boulevard
It does not look like a boulevard in its classical sense, but this pedestrian zone deserves a separate visit, which may turn into addiction. The path starts at the Seaport and runs along the upper edge of the Greater Sochi coast.
There is no such crowd here as on the central embankment below, gorgeous views of the bay and the port open from here, there are a lot of benches and beautiful secluded places. The boulevard covers about 30 historical and cultural sites and buildings, and ends near the Winter Theater. More details and pictures about the boulevard - More about the boulevard.
Ticket price: free. The territory has no fences.
Historical Boulevard in Sochi
What to see in the vicinity of Sochi
Zmeikovsky waterfalls
Near the city of Sochi, literally half an hour away by car, there is a cascade of four waterfalls on the Zmeika River. The most beautiful are the upper and lower waterfalls. To see the whole cascade, you need to start along the hiking trail, which starts near the cafe «Snake», and the entrance is paid.
The whole journey will take about 2-2.5 hours. The upper waterfall is suitable for swimming, so bring your swimwear during the hot season. For more details and pictures about Zmeikovsky waterfalls, see here - More about Zmeikovsky waterfalls.
Ticket price: 100 rubles per person.
Zmeikovsky waterfall in Sochi
Agur waterfalls and Mount Akhun
Mount Akhun is not high, but a tower of the same name was built on it. For a moderate fee, you can climb to the very top of this tower, where the observation deck is located, and from where you can see Sochi and Adler. Pretty pretty. In my opinion, this is the easiest observation deck in terms of accessibility in Sochi. On the way up you will come across Agursky waterfalls.
In the summer season, especially on weekends, there are a lot of people on this route, people are invited to try barbecue from everywhere, it is noisy around and you can easily stand in line just to take a photo with a waterfall. Waterfalls look best in the off-season, in spring or late autumn, when they are at their most abundant and there are no large crowds of tourists. But in the summer, in the heat in the lakes under the waterfalls, you can swim, refreshes.
Ticket price: entrance to the Sochi National Park - 100 rubles. Entrance to the tower - 100 rubles.
View from the Akhun tower
Tisosamshitovaya grove and Devil's Gate canyon on the Khosta river
The yew-boxwood grove is an eco-trail with a length of about 5 kilometers (the so-called big circle, and there is also a small one). The walking route passes through unusually beautiful places with relict species of trees and plants that have been preserved here since pre-glacial times. Canyon «Devil's gate» on the Khosta River - a natural pool with stone grottoes, lianas hanging from above and boxwood trees.
In order to walk along the trail and canyon, you need to prepare a little: a supply of water, food, comfortable sports closed shoes. If you arrive early, before the crowds of tourists and walk in a large circle, you can almost get into a fairy tale: trees covered with moss, the ruins of a fortress, a cave, rocks, lizards and the murmur of water in the river. The small circle is asphalt paths and benches, you can walk it in just an hour.
On the territory of the canyon there are equipped places for recreation, a bathhouse on the banks of the river, tables and barbecues. More about Yew-Boxwood Grove.
Ticket price: 300 rubles. Children under 7 years old are free, from 7 to 12 years old - 150 rubles.
Yew-boxwood grove
Skypark
Skypark is one of the most exciting places in the Sochi region and a tourist attraction that adrenaline lovers will love. Located on the way from Adler to Krasnaya Polyana, in the valley of the Mzymta river. The park includes a high-rise suspension bridge over the Mzymta River, which is more than 400 meters long. It is the longest suspension bridge in the world.
Also in the park there are bungees, one of which is more than 200 meters high - the highest in Europe. The highest swing has a swing of 170 meters, and the fastest trolls can reach speeds of up to 150 km / h. The complex also includes a rope park «Mowgli», climbing route Via Ferrata. In general, Skypark is good for everyone, but the prices are a bit exorbitant, almost like landscapes.
Ticket price: adults from 1250 rubles, children (up to 12 years old, upon presentation of a document) - 600 rubles. Includes only observation decks and a bridge, all other attractions are paid separately
Skypark and skybridge
Orekhovsky waterfall
Orekhovsky waterfall is located in the village of Plastunka, about 14 kilometers from the center of Sochi. This two-stage waterfall, 27 meters high, is one of the most impressive in the vicinity of Sochi. You can get to the waterfall along the Sochi River.
From the final stop of the bus, the journey will take only half an hour. The path is not difficult, it goes through a very beautiful forest with oaks and chestnuts. On the way there are two springs where you can get mineral water. The descent to the waterfall is equipped with a staircase with a handrail; there is a cafe nearby. More about the waterfall - More about Orekhovsky waterfall.
Ticket price: free.
Orekhovsky waterfall in Sochi
Akhshtyrskaya cave
The cave is located in the Dzykhrinsky gorge, above the right bank of the Mzymta river, near the village of Kazachy Brod. This is a rather large cavity in the mountain, extending 150 meters deep, forming a corridor and large halls up to ten meters high. The cave is interesting because people have lived in it since ancient times. The thickness of the cultural layer in the cave reaches five meters.
The bones of cave bears and primitive tools were found here. Now it is «a monument of primitive archeology and history». The entrance to the cave is located one hundred and twenty meters above the Mzymta River; you can climb to it along an equipped path. At the entrance there are staircases with railings, lighting is provided inside the cave. From the outside entrance opens a view of the picturesque White Rocks Canyon. More about the cave - More about Akhshtyrskaya cave.
Ticket price: adults - 200 rubles, children - 100.
Akhshtyrskaya cave in Sochi
On the map
Sights of Sochi
Sights of Sochi: