URTRIPS: Sochi

Sochi Russian Federation

Sochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, on the Black Sea coast near the border between Georgia/Abkhazia and Russia. Greater Sochi, which includes areas and settlements administered by Sochi itself, stretches for 145 kilometres along the Black Sea shore near the Caucasus Mountains. As part of the Caucasian Riviera, it is one of the very few places in Russia with a subtropical climate, with warm to hot summers and mild winters. MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS • Stalin-era Empire-style buildings. The history of modern architecture in Sochi began with the general development plan of 1934. • Loo Temple. Located on a hilltop away from the sea, it was originally built between the 10th and 12th centuries, rebuilt in the 14th century, and converted into a fortress in the 15th–16th centuries. • Anchor and Cannon. The oldest monument in the city, erected in 1913. An original 19th‑century cannon and 18th‑century anchor symbolise the victory of the Russian army in the Russo-Ottoman War of 1828–1829. • The Singing Fountains. Located in the city centre, at the corner of Kurortny Prospekt and Navaginskaya Street, at the entrance to Sochi Trade Gallery. A pool with numerous water jets and special sound and visual equipment allows the water to “sing” and “dance” in time to the music. • Olympic Countdown Clock. Installed and started in May–June 2011, 1,000 days before the opening of the Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Games. • Sochi Art Museum. Housed in one of Sochi’s most beautiful buildings, constructed in 1936. Its collection is the largest on the Black Sea coast. The exhibition is regularly updated with new works by Sochi artists, and frequent solo exhibitions are held. • Sochi History Museum. One of the city’s oldest cultural sites, opened in 1920. The exhibition covers key stages in the city’s history, archaeological finds, the local natural environment and notable figures. • Riviera Park. The most popular and largest public park in Greater Sochi, established in 1898 and fully renovated 100 years later. Riviera is an all‑season attraction. The park’s Green Theatre hosts regular concerts and festivals, but the main highlight is arguably Friendship Alley, created in 1960, with trees planted by famous politicians, celebrities and other well‑known figures. • Dendrarium. The finest park on the Black Sea coast, home to a wide variety of tree species. • Frunze Park. One of the city’s oldest resort parks, located in the coastal area of the Khosta district near Dendrarium. It includes the Summer Theatre, sports facilities and an impressive cascading fountain.

Recommended airport

Sochi (AER)

Sochi, Russian Federation

Sochi Russian Federation