Things to do in Sochi Russia
Are you one of the lucky ones who get to attend the XXII Olympic Winter Games and XI Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi? If so, you are probably wondering what else is there to do in Sochi?
Well, Sochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, located on the Black Sea coast near the border between Georgia/Abkhazia and Russia. The Greater Sochi area sprawls for 145 kilometers along the shores of the Black Sea near the Caucasus Mountains. According to the 2010 Census, the city had a permanent population of 343,334, which makes it Russia’s largest resort city. It is one of the very few places in Russia with a subtropical climate, with warm to hot summers and mild winters.
The unique beauty of its mountainous terrain, Sochi has mountain villages that will offer places where foreigners will have opportunities to listen to classic music and fairy tales of this region. Sochi is home to many popular Russian folk tales and famous fairy-tale characters (Baba Yaga, Firebird, Ilya Muromets, Sadko, Ivan the Fool and the Gray Wolf). These tales and characters will offer foreigners a chance to understand the personality traits of the Russian people, their humor, morals and values a little more clearly.
If you are looking for more nature-themed activities during your stay, here is a list of must-see attractions.
- Dendrary Botanical Garden (Dendrarium)
The largest subtropical park in Russia contains more than 30 acres of stunning natural beauty
- Krasnaya Polyana Mountain Cluster
The location of a large ski resort and an area for hiking in the warmer months, Krasnaya Polyana and the other surrounding ski areas are a significant reason as to why Sochi was chosen as the Olympic host for the 2014 Winter Games.
- Friendship Park
As a message of international friendship, this park has “Trees of Friendship” and a museum displaying messages of good will from around the world.
If you would prefer to stay indoors for the majority of your trip here is a list of museums, halls and theatres you can visit.
- Winter Theatre
Legendary Winter Theatre known throughout the South Russian stage area and cultural institutions.
- Hall of Organ and Chamber Music
The only authority on the Black Sea coast of Russia.
- Sochi Art Museum
The Sochi Museum of Art was erected in Sochi in 1936. Soviet architect I.V.Zholtovsky designed this building.
Thanks to apps like Road Tripper, you can plan out your day trips with ease. By adding in all of the points of interest, a route will be planned out for you. Heading to Sochi with friends? Share your map with them directly, and they can add in their own points of interest! With Road Tripper you can map out your routes either by driving or walking. Want to track your kilometres (or miles) along the way? Road Tripper can do that too!
The folks at ZurApps have created two Road Tripper Sochi starter maps for you! You can download them (and more) here, and customize by adding more places to visit.