Although named in ancient times Pontus Exinus 'The Inhospitable
Sea', the Black Sea proves that name completely unjustified. Today
it hosts hundreds of resorts and makes the perfect holiday
destination for anyone seeking sun and sea. Far and away the most
popular spot for Russians is Sochi, often known as 'the Black Sea
pearl'. Warm climate, legendary spa waters, beneficial air and the
city's unique mountain backdrop attract millions of Russian and
foreign tourists to Russia's unofficial summer capital.
What makes Sochi that bit special is
that you can swim in warm sea waters, sunbathe and laze on the
beach the morning and then head off in the afternoon up into the
mountains for some great skiing in Krasnaya Polyana (Red Valley) -
or simply play snowballs or make snow angels. Amazingly, the balmy
beach resort of Sochi will actually host the Winter
Olympics in 2014. The humid subtropical climate keeps waters of
the Black Sea amazingly warm from April through October yet just a
few hours away the mountains, which protect the city from cold
winds, are well-covered enough with snow for top-class skiing on
well-groomed pistes right through until late May.
Sochi is an ideal destination for a relaxing holiday. The sandy,
pebbly beaches of Sochi are not wide, but they are very long and
there are countless seaside activities to entertain you, from scuba
diving and water-skiing to para-gliding and hang-gliding. And there
are aqua-parks and funfairs by the dozen. No wander, then, that
young Russians and families flock here by the thousand in July and
August - which is why it is worth coming in June, if you can, to
beat the crowds. But there is much more to Sochi than a beach
holiday.
Sochi is a big, bustling city and at night it resounds to the beat
of lively cafes and casinos bars and clubs pumping out music -
anything from Russian ballads to the latest Western hits. But there
is a more sophisticated side to Sochi, too, with many concert
halls, theatres, and museums. Especially worth visiting are the
Sochi Museum of Fine Arts which boasts more than 3000 exhibits of
Russian and foreign painting, sculpture and handicrafts; the Town
Museum which holds the Soyuz 9 space capsule; the Mikhail
Archangel Cathedral built to commemorate the end of Caucasian War
of 1864; and the beautiful arboretum where 1500 species of rare and
exotic trees are laid out in Japanese, Mexican, English or other
ethnic styles.
A real gem is the 'Tea Cottages' in Uch-Dere village. Here
Russian tea is grown on the most northern plantations in the world.
From the cottage terraces you can enjoy a breathtaking panoramic
view over the Black Sea, and you sit here sipping pungent and
flavoured tea brewed in smoking samovars while tasting appetizing
pies, blinis and jam - all to the soothing sound of Russian
traditional songs. No wonder Russian Ex President Vladimir Putin
and German Ex Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder often drop in on this
place!
If you just want calm, natural beauty, Sochi has that too.
Not far away are spectacular landscape features such as the
Orekhovskiy waterfall, the Salvation Cave, Tiger's Cave, the
romantically named Lakes of Love, Dragon's Jaws, canyon Devil's
Gates and the Eagle Rocks, Agoura Waterfalls and Greater Akhoun
Mountain.
Getting to Sochi is surprisingly easy. There are daily
flights from Moscow and from some other major cities like St
Petersburg. You can catch a train from Moscow, too, but it is a
long journey, taking up to 30 hours. You can also get here during
the summer by daily boats from Trabzon in Turkey or Bakumi in
Georgia. Once you get there, there is a wealth of hotels to suit
all pockets, from the luxurious Hotel Lazurnaya to the cheap and
cheerful Hotel Sochi.
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