Sochi is located on the mountainous coast of what is now Russia’s Florida – a sunny, glorious, holiday land. The city used to belong to the Cherkess, who farmed the foothills and traded with Turks.
By the 1900s it was already a prestigious holiday spot. Tsar Nicholas II had a summer cottage in the region by the seaside. Famous Russian artists and performers including the legendary opera-singer Fyodor Shalyapin, poet Vladimir Mayakovsky and writer Isaac Babel, also came here. During the years of the Soviet power the Soviet elite and top workers also came here to bask on the large-pebble beaches and stroll along the cypress and palm-shaded promenades overlooking the sea. Now, Sochi is the favorite resort of kids, old folks, well-to-do Russians and a few foreigners.
The major attraction of the city of Sochi is its natural resources and the beauty of its landscapes. Pristine rivers and streams run out of the forest covered foothills of the Caucasus. The beaches stretch as far as the eye can see. In the fall we paint the leaves fantastic colors, and then throw them to the wind.
The most prestigious holiday spot is the Riviera Park. Pools, statues, and magnolia trees are among main draws of the park.
Matsesta Spa is a palatial, old sulfur spa. Matsesta's name means "fire water" and refers to the hot sulfur springs that have been known here since ancient times. It is located down a beautiful tree line street about 15 minutes by car from our center. It is one of Sochi's original structures and was the basis for the first developments in our area. The first spas were built in the early 1900's, and this particular one in the 50's. The Matsesta Spa has a number of bathing rooms, massage tables, and inhalation cubicles. The spa is used to treat a number of respiratory and cardiac problems.
Sochi has one of Russia's warmest and sunniest climates. In fact, on average the city benefits from 300 days of sunshine annually. Spread along the Black Sea , warm air masses that pass over the sea remain over Sochi as they are unable to pass the Mountains behind the city; this creaties a warm environement. The climate is classifed as subtropical, the only one of this type in all of Russia.
Sochi is full of shopping opportunities, from street markets to large malls this resort town has plenty to offer. You'll find top clothing boutiques as well as the Russians and foreigners that frequent Sochi are known for their love of fashion.
The Russian currency is the Ruble. Street markets will require cash whereas most major department stores will accept credit cards. For current currency conversion rates, visit www. xe. com.
Sochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated just north of Russia's border with the de facto independent republic of Abkhazia, on the Black Sea coast. Greater Sochi sprawls for along the shores of the Black Sea near the Caucasus Mountains. According to the preliminary results of the 2010 Census, the city had a permanent population of 343, 285; up from 328, 809 recorded in the 2002 Census, making it Russia's largest resort city.
Sochi will host the XXII Olympic Winter Games and XI Paralympic Winter Games in 2014, as well as the Russian Formula 1 Grand Prix from 2014 until at least 2020.
Sochi has a humid subtropical climate -Mediterranean-type, with mild winters (average during the day and at night in the period from December to March) and comfortable summers (average during the day and at night period from May to October).
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