Sochi, a tropical resort on the Black Sea

Russia is a rather cold country, with long winters and short and often cool summers. So, almost everyone here has a dream “to go to the south”, to wear the shorts and summer dresses, to have a lazy vacation on a beach, to wash away all the problems swimming in the gentle warm sea. Sochi, a famous resort city on the Black Sea coast, with its humid subtropical climate supremely well serves this purpose. When people hear the name ‘Sochi’ in Russia, they instantly imagine a tropical resort with the** **sea and palms.

The Russian Riviera

No doubt, the main landmark of Sochi is the sea. The Black Sea coast under the Caucasus Mountains in Krasnodar Krai includes 120 km of beaches and dozens of resorts and hotels. Sometimes it is called the Russian Riviera. Sochi is one of the biggest and most popular places on the seacoast. However, some people prefer small towns or villages at the sea’s edge.

The charm of old architecture

If you feel bored lying on a beach, picturesque nature and rich history of this region created many other wonderful opportunities to spend your time in Sochi. Among modern, recently built hotels, there are many pieces of old architecture - sanatoriums, fountains and sculptures, that keep their charm.

Swim with the dolphins

A marine passenger terminal and a beacon are the integral features of a port city. In Sochi, you can see the oldest beacon of the entire Caucasus region created in 1880 and equipped with Fresnel’s composite lens. Its red light is still visible at a distance of 32 kilometers. The high spire of the marine passenger terminal will show you the way to the sea trip. You can take a boat tour and admire the panorama of the Sochi coast or rent a motor yacht and enjoy a good rattling speed and the salty sea spray. With some luck, you may see the dolphins in the sea. If you fail to see the dolphins in the sea, you can visit the dolphinarium and see their performance. These clever creatures show incredible tricks. After the performance, you can swim with the dolphins in a swimming pool, but you have to book it beforehand.

A floral kingdom in Sochi Arboretum

The famous Sochi Arboretum,** founded in 1892, is located on a hill. So, the best way to visit it is to reach the top in a cable car and then walk down through this floral kingdom** from the forests of South and North America to the thickets of Australia and Oceania, from Japanese and Chinese gardens to the Mediterranean.

45 types of citrus fruits in the Friendship Tree

In the Subtropical Botanical Garden, you can see a unique citrus tree, which is called The Friendship Tree. It was planted as a scientific experiment in 1937 to create a new hybrid. There are also oranges, mandarins, cuties, grapefruits growing on this tree, in total - 45 different types of citrus fruit grafted on it. People of 167 countries from around the world grafted these citrus sprigs.

The wonders of wild nature

If you prefer wild nature, around the city, there are more than 70 waterfalls, as well as lakes and canyons, mountains and rocks, old-growth forest and about 70 caves. However, only a few of them are adapted to the tourists. Many of these wonders of nature are not far from the city, so you can reach them on your own.

For thrill-seekers

Thrill-seekers can visit the SkyPark with its 439 meters long sky bridge, the highest swing in the world, zip line with the flight distance of 700 meters and the speed of 70 km/h, bungee jumping facilities.

It is said, that the best rest is changing the activity. Sochi, a famous tropical resort city on the Black Sea coast, suggests us dozens of possibilities for changing the activities from morning till evening. Get up with a plan to recollect all the memories at the end of the day, when you will enjoy the beautiful sunset and the fragrance of the sea and flowers.