Since Soviet times, Sochi has stood out from other Black Sea resorts with both architecture and subtropical nature, and even now local residents assure that Sochi is not the Kuban. On the eve of the holiday season in 2022, we have collected in an informative article all the places where to go from Sochi for 1 day or longer.
First, we will give locations in the city itself and its environs to get out for a couple of hours, with links to required excursions. Then – a little further away, where you can go by car or public transport, or even plan a route for a couple of days with an overnight stay.
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You can now book holidays in Russia on domestic services:
All of them accept Russian bank cards for payment. From the choice of hotels on the coast, eyes predictably diverge, so we have found the best options for a pitstop for the weekend. And it’s convenient to choose excursions in Sochi, Adler and the picturesque surroundings on Tripster or Sputnik: with a description from the guide and reviews from tourists. You can immediately contact the guide and book the desired day and time. |
Rent a car in Sochi – prices and where to get it
Traveling to Sochi by car is not a pleasure for everyone. Even by regional standards, the city is located far from everything and everyone, and the mountain serpentine at the entrance to the resort is another attraction. Therefore, many locals travel by train, and from other regions by train or plane.
But renting a car in Sochi or Adler is another matter. Allowing you to embrace all the sights in a short time and get to where the wheels of a minibus or sightseeing bus do not reach (and these are wineries, lavender farms, cliffs!).
We personally tested Sochi means of transportation: from sharing scooters (and minibuses :)) to Yandex.Drive and car rental through local offices.
- They concluded that their four wheels, albeit temporary, save valuable hours of travel.
- And in the battle between car sharing and rental, they voted for the latter. Yes, renting a car from an agency is more profitable, but to make it even more “reliable”, you need to book through the LocalRent service. They are always on the side of the client – both in terms of prices, and the selection of agencies, and service – this is captivating.
Subsequently, we wrote a detailed report, through which services to rent a car in Sochi, how to choose a car and prices for everything-everything-everything – here it is.
What to see in Sochi itself?
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Sochi is not only about lying on the beach, but also about taking a walk. We have already published a detailed article with personal reviews on what to see in Sochi on your own, where they make delicious coffee and what else to do on vacation, so here we will give just a couple of interesting points.
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sightseeing individual tour of the evening Sochi by car – for 1-3 people, 3900 rubles, 3 hours. |
Ordzhonikidze sanatorium
Atmospheric and monumental – this is how this resort can be described in a nutshell. It was closed in 2010, after which it seems to have only become more popular: excursions and photo tours arrive here daily, and come on their own. Last year, security was strengthened, and the flow of tourists became smaller, but did not dry out. The guards swear for show, but they don’t kick them out of the territory, so it’s still possible to take a selfie for the very network that can no longer be named. Getting inside is still difficult, and not recommended – after all, Ordzhonikidze is already an old man.
You can see the sanatorium by taking bus number 551 to the stop of the same name, or by parking your car nearby, or you can:
- along with a guide on the “Abandoned Sochi” tour, which also includes Mr. Kvitko’s haunted dacha and the old restaurant on Akhun (8900 rubles, individual for 1-4 people, 4 hours).
- or by arranging a professional photo session with tour guide and photographer in one person for 6000 rubles (individual for 1-3 people, 1 hour).
Address: Sochi, microdistrict. Bytkha, Kurortny Ave., 96/5
Arboretum
The arboretum is one of the places that is not difficult to explore on your own. The easiest way: take the funicular to the very top (500 rubles for an adult, 400 rubles for a child), pay for the entrance to the arboretum and go down with your feet – and feel like a little botanist and zoologist. There is a huge territory and almost two thousand species of plants from around the world. Peacocks, parrots, squirrels and other inhabitants live in the shade of exotic plants.
If you don’t want to walk for a long time, you can visit only the lower park (150 rubles per adult, 70 rubles per child).
Address: Sochi, Kurortny prospekt, 74
Opening hours: from 09.00 to 17.00, ticket offices — until 16.00
< p>Ticket price: 320 rubles per adult, 150 rubles for children 7-14 years old, under 14 free of charge
Where to enjoy nature near Sochi?
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Now about interesting sights near Sochi, where you can get no longer than 1.5 hours. Appreciate the meditative landscape from above, spend a hot day in cool caves or look at a beautiful waterfall near Sochi – everything is collected in this section.
First of all, observation platforms near Sochi:< /p>
- Tower on Mount Akhun (microdistrict Small Akhun, road to Big Akhun, open from 09.00 to 21.00, entrance to the observation deck 100 rubles, under 7 years old – free)
- Yew-Samshitovaya grove (Khosta village, 2 km from Khostinsky railway station, Samshitovaya street, open from 09.00 to 18.00, admission 300 rubles per adult, 150 rubles for children 7-14 years old, younger – free of charge)
- “Wind rose” on Mount Battery (Sochi, Alpiyskaya st., 7/7, open from 09.00 to 21.00, entrance to the observation deck 100 rubles)
- Akhtsu gorge (village of Monastery , the old highway Adler – Krasnaya Polyana, the passage is free at any time)
We descend from the mountains underground and go to the caves. You can see in the vicinity of Sochi the Vorontsov system, located in the Khostinsky district. The air in the underground labyrinths is not just cool (grab something with your sleeve), but healing – thanks to the microorganisms living here.
Address: Vorontsovsky Ridge
< em>Opening hours: from 10.00 to 18.00
Ticket price: entrance to the park – 200 rubles, entrance to the cave with a tour – 450 rubles per adult, 300 rubles for children 7-12 years old, under – free.
There are more than 70 waterfalls near Sochi, many enter the national park with an entrance fee (200 rubles). Of course, we will not list all of them, but we will make the top 5 most beautiful and full-flowing ones in order to refresh ourselves and collect likes from subscribers:
- 33 waterfalls
- Agurskie waterfalls
- Zmeykovskiye waterfalls
- Orekhovskiy waterfall
- Maiden's Tears waterfall
Excursions to canyons and waterfalls are especially popular in the Sochi region . They are much better to inspect as part of their compact group; and if you gather four or six nature enthusiasts with swimsuits and hiking shoes, the tour will be cheaper than the group.
What to see in the Adler region?
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The nearest option where to go from Sochi is Adler and its environs, Rosa Khutor and Krasnaya Polyana. Before the 2014 Olympics, it was good here, but not very well equipped, but now the resort is not inferior – and sometimes even superior – to Sochi in terms of popularity, comfort, number of hotels and attractions.
By the way, we have a separate text Where is it better to relax – in Sochi or Adler? – with a comparison of housing prices, beaches and general suitability for a tourist. If you still chose Adler for your vacation, you can read more about the best local area of Imeretinskaya Bay – somehow we spent a couple of months there and created a guide.
Olympic Park
What is the Olympics without sports facilities? The Formula 1 track, the Iceberg Ice Palace, the Fisht Stadium – all this is gathered in one place by the sea in Adler. The squares are huge, so rent a yellow bike at the nearest UrentBike station – a very popular means of transportation here! – and rushed off.
Children will enjoy the Sochi Park amusement park, which is located nearby (and asks for 2,100 rubles for an adult and 1,950 rubles for a child), and in the evening you can stay at the show of singing fountains – for free, colorful, from 19.30 to 20.30.
Krasnaya Polyana (Rosa Khutor)
“Everyone rolls!” – this is how you can describe Krasnaya Polyana in winter, when even those who used to cut through the snow only on cheesecakes get up on snowboards and skis. And from May Day to Halloween, there is a completely summer atmosphere here: tourists walk among the European houses below or climb the ski lifts into the mountains (there are already 32 options), go hiking with backpacks in the hills or soak in the baths and soak in the pools in hotels with views of the slopes.
Address: s. Estosadok, st. Olimpiyskaya, 35
Price of tickets for the cable car: ski passes – from 3250 rubles per adult, from 1700 rubles for children 7-14 years old, walking lift without skiing – from 1755 rubles for an adult, from 1080 rubles for children aged 7-14.
You can get to Polyana and Rosa Khutor in the following ways:
- by bus (for example, No. 535e from Adler) – 190 rubles
- by minibus-largus – they are recruited at bus stops for plus or minus the same cost
- by train Lastochka – 290–416 rubles< /li>
- by renting a car or car sharing – 1 day from 2000 rubles
But a good and inexpensive (1000 rubles per person) group excursion for the whole day to Krasnaya Polyana – you will see all the pearls Sochi mountains, hear all the legends and the latest news, and even hit the gorge and canyon along the way.
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Skypark
This is not pop-it and simple-dimple, you need nerves like ropes: 330 meters above sea level, a suspension bridge with glass balconies over a gorge, a swing over an abyss, bungee, zip-line – it even sounds scary. But there is no need to be afraid, security is at a high level. There is a panoramic restaurant on the territory, sports competitions are held – there is definitely no time to be bored.
Address: с. Cossack Brod, st. Krasnoflotskaya, 54A
Opening hours: from 10.00 to 17.45, from July 2 you can just walk in the park until 22.00
Ticket price:entrance – 1900 rubles for an adult, 900 rubles for children 7-15 years old, younger – free of charge. All extreme entertainment is paid separately: from 500 rubles for a rope park and up to 9,000 rubles for a swing and 20,000 rubles for a jump from 207 meters.
Ecotourism in the vicinity of Sochi
Photo: Wikipedia
Recently, people go to the resort not only for the sake of the sea, the beach and Stalinist architecture. Opening the chakra of environmental friendliness, learning zen on a tea plantation, feeding kids from a bottle, seeing bees that make the right honey – all this is offered to do around Sochi.
The coolest locations for a whole day in the fresh air:
1. Solohaul– the main thing for which they come here is a tea plantation. The price of the entrance ticket includes local tea with pancakes and jam (yum!). You can go up in a hot air balloon or fly on a zip-line (from 1500 rubles), climb the rope park (from 500 rubles) or do other activities.
Address: с. Solokhaul, Khartsyz Pervyy, Razvilka stop
Opening hours: from 12.00 to 18.30 from Thursday to Sunday
Ticket price: from 500 rubles, children under 14 — free of charge
2. Trout Farm– here you can see how the fish lives, and then go to the company store and buy fresh trout/caviar from the “just swam” category. Or you can arm yourself with a fishing rod, catch your lunch and cook it right there, everything you need will be given for a fee.
Address: с. Cossack Brod, st. Trout, 45A
Opening hours: from 08.00 to 18.00
Ticket price: for fishing — 350 rubles (fish, inventory , pavilions are paid separately), for an excursion – 250 rubles for an adult, 150 rubles for children 7-14 years old, younger – free of charge
3. Private apiary– the words from Winnie the Pooh's song about “honey if there is, then it is immediately gone” are not about this place: there are rivers of linden, chestnut, acacia and other honey. You can just stop by and buy a couple of jars, or you can buy an excursion through a Sochi travel agency, the owner personally conducts it.
Address: с. Cossack Brod, st. Krasnoflotskaya, 3A
Opening hours: from 08.00 to 22.00
4. Volino Farm— a small family farm with goats, cows and a cheese factory. Cute, natural, delicious – everything we love.
Address: Krasnaya Volya, st. Ulyanova, 88
Opening hours: from 10.00 to 19.00 from Thursday to Sunday
Ticket price: 300 rubles per adult, 200 rubles for children 5-13 years old, younger — free of charge
5. Exarcho Farm– completes our eco-list of what to see in Sochi on your own. There are mountains, horses (you can ride), goats (you can feed), an organic farm restaurant from what grew here in the beds. With children, you can arrange a photo shoot or go up in a hot air balloon.
Address: с. Progress, st. Yubileinaya, 103/7
Opening hours: from 10.00 to 20.00 from Tuesday to Sunday
Ticket price: from 300 rubles
Abkhazia, Lake Ritsa – distance 95 km
So, when we have traveled all the sights of Sochi and Adler, it is easiest to see Abkhazia near Sochi.
Some couple of hours – and you are abroad, and a passport is not needed. But don't forget Russian. The main thing for which they go to Abkhazia one day is Ritsa Lake. It is one of the places where you can go from Sochi by car both on your own and with a guide.
You can visit Abkhazia on a rented car: take a car, peep at all the interesting locations in any excursion route in Abkhazia and drive on your own . Moreover, you can only rent a car – there are many of them on Localrent – because carsharing does not allow traveling abroad. Rentals allow, but you will have to pay 5,000 rubles to the rental price.
Well, if the car is not your story, bookmark this group tour (1500 rubles per person, went personally) to see the main sights: start in Gagra, make stops at the main canyons, waterfalls, see the relic forest in Pitsunda and, of course, climb to the blue water of the Ritsa. The guide Roman offers to go to Abkhazia with your company (11,300 rubles for 1-3 people): you will learn the history with him, visit interesting points on the map, try the local cuisine (hominy and feijoa compote – you will lick your fingers).
Gelendzhik – distance 250 km
Photo © moscow live from flickr.com
Let's go further. Literally: we will list where you can go from Sochi by car, but the road will take more – from 6 hours. Here you already want, don't want, but you need to rent a car or drive your own. Bus adventures are for the tough and tough.
Choice of cars in Sochi and Adler >>
In our subjective opinion, Gelendzhik, of course, is nice, but fresh. For a walk or a ride on a scooter bike along the embankment, we will give a more picturesque location below. And yes, it is better not to swim in the bay. Although the authorities claim that they have long dealt with the discharge of all sorts of filth into the sea, locals do not go to city beaches, and this is an alarming call to tourists. The water is much cleaner from the side of Tolstoy Cape (high-rise buildings have just been set up there and there are many apartments for rent or Thin Cape (there, like a grandmother in the village, there is a good selection of budget guest houses).
Cool excursions in Gelendzhik:
- Gelendzhik cat Vasily — an unusual sightseeing tour in the format of an immersive theater, 800 rubles per person (group), 1.5 hours
- From the lighthouse to the lighthouse – a route along the embankment with key sights and gastronomic stops, 3500 rubles (individual for 1-4 people), 3 hours group, up to 8 people), 4 hours
- Secret places – nature in all its glory: dolmens, the Blue Abyss, Pitsunda pines, 7000 rubles (individual for 1-3 people), 5 hours
- walk on the deck – 1000 rubles
- look around on the deck and look into the engine compartment and cabins – 2000 rubles
- children over 5 years old in both cases – 500 rubles, younger ones – free of charge
- Hotel Nadezhda (Kabardinka village, Mira str., 3), then walk through the campsite along the sea
- treatment facilities (Kabardinka settlement, Luchistaya/Tsentralnaya St.), further along the mountain road or in a tourist jeep (100–150 rubles)
- Country club « Cordon” — two-level cottages with private terraces for 1-4 people (there are no regular rooms) — from 18,000 rubles
- Glamping “House by the Sea” – 4-bed bungalows at a great price to get acquainted with the concept of glamping – from 10,000 rubles
- Imperial Boutique Hotel – rooms from standard to suite — from 12,000 rubles
- The Krugloye Ozero estate — standard rooms from economy to superior — from 3500 rubles
- Business cards – an overview of the resort, viewing platforms, Utrish reserve and Cypress Lake, 6500 rubles (individual for 1-4 people), 3.5 hours
- Wine tour – worthy a set of wineries (Gai-Kodzor, Semigorye, Abrau-Dyurso) + a promenade along the Novorossiysk embankment, 8500 rubles (individual for 1–3 people), 7 hours
- Crimea in 2 days – galloping through Bakhchisaray, Sevastopol, Yalta and other cities with an overnight stay, from 5500 rubles per person
- Beton Brut Loft Hotel (all inclusive) – rooms from standard to deluxe – from 12,000 rubles
- Panoramic hotel in the Utyosov rock – junior suites or apartments – from 15,000 rubles
< /ul>
Chateau de Talhus Winery
Photo © Larisa V. from flickr.com
The winery was built by the former governor of the Kuban, Alexander Tkachev, who decided to spend his pension aristocratically. Last year, Provence and Versailles appeared near Gelendzhik, the scale and pathos are appropriate. Therefore, girls, do not forget a flying dress and a straw hat – they are ideal for the local surroundings.
Address: Gelendzhik, st. Fadeeva, 52A, open from 12.00 to 22.00
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A separate word about wineries and vineyards of the Krasnodar Territory.You can taste wine and dine exquisitely almost everywhere – every winery has a restaurant*. You can’t name the prices for bottled wine right away, because the choice is huge + probably this year they raised the price tag. For example: last year, in company stores at wineries, you could get decent wine from 400-500 rubles, and eat in a restaurant – from about 2,000 rubles for two without alcohol, wine by glass – 300-400 rubles. < p>*This does not apply to Gai Kodzor, only the store is open for everyone there. You can get inside by booking an excursion, it includes wine tasting. |
Safari Park
One of the few zoos where the conditions do not make you want to call Greenpeace. There are many animals, some you can feed (say hello to the alpacas). The territory is large and located on the side of a mountain, so mentally prepare for mountain climbing at minimum wages. There are carousels for children (although who cares about them when there are hippo crocodiles around?), and on the cable car you can go upstairs and be stunned by the panorama of the bay.
Address: Gelendzhik, Don road, 1511 km
Opening hours:safari park 09.00 – 17.00, cable car from 11.00 on weekdays, from 10.00 on weekends to 17.30
Ticket price: to the park – by card 1070 rubles, in cash 1250 rubles; cable car ticket 510 rubles, cash 600 rubles
Ship “Rio”
Photo by © Mikhail S. from flickr.com
The poor cargo ship, which in 2018 was going to the port of Novorossiysk and got in such a storm that it ran aground. Since then, the ship “Rio” has been a place of photo pilgrimage and picnics. At first, the crew still lived on the ship and watched the tourists from the deck, then they packed their bags and disappeared into the sunset. Now someone enterprising organizes excursions there, while the cargo ship has not yet completely rusted.
It is worth visiting the abandoned ship “Rio” in Kabardinka (for one adult):
Although thousands of tourists have been coming to the ship for many years, they have not made a decent road. You can get by car to:
Ship coordinates: 44.619553, 37.91534< /em>
Sail Rock
A unique natural rock as high as a nine-story building and no more than a meter wide, there is also a window. It is believed that the hole in the Sail was shot during the years of the Caucasian War, then the tourists made the opening even larger. It is located right on the beach, which is one of the cleanest in the Gelendzhik region, so many people set up tents right here (note to lovers of wild recreation).
Address: с. Praskoveevka, beach
Old park in Kabardinka
The whole world in the palm of your hand and in miniature: there are copies of the architectural sights of Egypt, Japan, Antiquity, the Middle Ages and other eras. The ticket price includes a sightseeing tour. After a walk, you can cultivate yourself in museums (there are five of them) and the theater (performances and concerts several times a week, tickets in 2022 from 1300 rubles).
Address: с. Kabardinka, st. Chornomorskaya, 55
Opening hours: June-September from 09.00 to 22.00, October-May from 09.00 to 18.00
Ticket price: 600 rubles for an adult, 300 rubles for a child 6-13 years old, free of charge
Where to stay:
Novorossiysk – distance 280 km
Photo by © Oleg N. from flickr.com
The next stop to go from Sochi on your own is Novorossiysk. A bay surrounded by mountains, ships of all colors, a desperately turquoise hue of the sea – any local resident will recognize this landscape. That's where you need to take a cup of coffee or rent a scooter and walk-walk-walk. By the way, they used to swim only in the area of Malaya Zemlya, now the beaches are well equipped throughout the city. But guys, a port is a port, we don't recommend it.
From Novorossiysk, it’s like in a fairy tale: if you go to the right, you will get to Myskhako, if you go to the left, you will reach Abrau-Dyurso. Here are excursions with good reviews in Novorossiysk and its environs:
Chateau Pinot Winery
Photos will not post themselves, so we continue our journey to places where it is picturesque, informative and delicious!
Chateau Pino is one of the best wineries in the Krasnodar Territory with breathtaking views, its own apiary, a bird nursery and a snail farm. By prior appointment, you can peacefully admire how grapes grow and snails live, and then have a refined dinner with them (no, but what?).
Address: Novorossiysk, c . Fedotovka, Avtodorozhnaya Territory, 5 km, open from 12.00 to 00.00
Price: excursions with tasting — 1100–2100 rubles per person
Abrau-Dyurso
Photo © ru13r from flickr.com
A small mountain village with a bomb-turquoise lake in the style of “forget you're in Russia.” Here it is customary to go on a tour of the local champagne factory, which conveniently ends in the company store, take a bottle of sparkling wine and cheese there and have a picnic under a tree or on the shore (grab a blanket and glasses).
If it is very hot, you can swim, ride a boat with a guide, rent a stand-up board or a yacht. Tasty food is served at the Rose Villa restaurant and the Wind to go club. And in the evening, be sure to stay at the fountain show.
Where to stay in Abrau-Dyurso:
Anapa — distance 330 km
For a long time now, this resort has been not only familiar from childhood, “thank you to mom and dad for being in Anapa,” so don’t rush to cross it off the list of places to go from Sochi by car.
In recent years it is fashionable and prestigious to make wine here, so the range here is from a family shop for a couple of barrels to industrial plants. The competition is great, so the guys are trying, some make cheese as a bonus, grow lavender for bouquets and soap, or take them on a tour with tasting. We have chosen the most worthy, so that the wine is good and the eye is happy:
| Address | Opening hours | |
| Gai Kodzor Vineyard | p. Gai-Kodzor, st. Shaumyan | from 11.00 to 18.30 |
| Lefkadia Valley | s. Moldovan, st. Stepnaya, 1B | from 10.00 to 22.00 |
| Manor “Semigorye” | n. Semigorye, highway A-290, 24 km | from 09.00 to 21.00 |
| Restaurant “Vinoterria” | n. Semigorye, highway A-290, 23 km | from 12.00 to 21.00 (on weekends until 23.00) |
| Rocky Shore Winery | s. Varvarovka, st. Landing | from 09.00 to 18.00 on weekdays |
About everything is tasty and beautiful, so we recommend to select a couple separately for a trip to wineries days and a sober driver.
Yes, with such a scope and speed of discoveries, it is just right to master wine routes in Russia! Some already exist – on the YouTravelMe author's travel service you can collect a tour of all the wonderful wineries in the south of Russia.
Another photogenic location is the Mediterranean Maison Des Plantes (Semigorye village, A-290 highway, 26 km). Lavender is grown here, from which bouquets, tea, honey and much more are made. They also serve delicious food and specialty desserts, you can bring your own drinks. It is impossible to leave without a photo shoot in fragrant lavender fields (500 rubles for a phone, 1500 rubles with a photographer – this is for the company), the most blooming purple time is mid-June.
Interesting excursions in Anapa and from Anapa:
Cypress Lake in Sukko
Photo by © Nastay M. from flickr.com
The unique artificial Sukko Cypress Lake is a place where trees grow from the water. It is most beautiful here in autumn, when the foliage turns red-red, and most of all entertainment is in summer. There is a beach with sunbeds (300 rubles for 1 day), gazebos for gatherings with barbecue (from 2000 rubles/day). You can rent a catamaran, boat or canoe (500-1000 rubles for half an hour or an hour) and swim up to the trees themselves (unfortunately, this harms the roots). And you can get a dose of adrenaline on the zip-line (1000 rubles/descent).
The passage to the lake is free, but you can’t drive up by car. In order not to go uphill, you can take an electric car for 50 rubles.
Address: с. Sukko, trans. River, 12A
Where to stay: