Part 1. What can I see in Sochi?

Sochi is an amazing city. It is incredibly popular among Russian tourists, and on the eve of the Olympics, foreigners also reached here. For obvious reasons, the price of hotel rooms immediately soared, but you can always book and rent apartments in Sochi on the portal Daily.ru.

So, we're going to Sochi. If you have never been to this southern city before, then surely you will be puzzled by the following questions: what to see in the first place and that there is interesting in General except for the sea and the Olympic facilities (read about them in our article "Winter Olympic Games 2014"). Let's immediately, without long, useless Preface, proceed to the sightseeing of Sochi.

 

Going to this southern city, it is impossible not to visit the yew-boxwood grove. This is a truly unique natural area of the black sea. There is almost completely preserved quite a large area of Colchis forest. Excursions here are always popular with tourists of all generations. And to get here is not difficult: take the bus number 4 or number 4S and on the way to enjoy the stunning views from the window. Get off at the Host-bridge stop. Now you need to walk a little on the street with a beautiful name Boxwood. After about, a kilometer turn left and go another 300 meters and voila! You are at the main entrance to the yew-boxwood grove. The area of this nature reserve is 301.4 hectares. Locals reverently call it the "Museum of wildlife". This is a rare place where ancient plant species have been preserved since pre-glacial times. And many species are not found anywhere else in the world!

Currently, the journey to the grove is available to absolutely everyone, just need to choose the right routes and not to overestimate their capabilities. A convenient excursion trail will take you to the White gardens, where you can admire the river Khosta, then it goes deep into the reserve and returns to the millennial yew at the entrance. However, there are other routes. After such a walk is especially nice to return to the homely apartments for rent in Sochi.

 

Фото: World-Fact

Very interesting and beautiful place an observation deck on the Eagle rocks. To get there you need to get off at the bus stop "Old Macesta" (you can get there by bus number 3). Now go to the left Bank of Matsesta and turn left, and after fifty meters to the right, without turning anywhere. So you will come to a fairly large clearing. There you turn again ... However, it is better to go with the instructor or people who have already been there and know the way well, because soon the dirt road will end and you will have to Dodge.

But here you are. From the observation deck offers a view that captures the spirit! Menacing ridges of Eagle rocks break and go down, there, at great depth, writhing snake, runs the river Agura, a little further away with the noise of hitting waterfalls. Very touching here looks small walkways through Agur. And when you look up, you can see the Caucasus mountains: peaked Chugush, flat Achishkho, trapezoidal Pseashkho, peaks of Aibga, cone of Sugar head and others. Worked up? Now you can go home, your apartments for rent in Sochi are waiting for you.

 

You can also go to the Prometheus rock and waterfalls. Interesting name, right? Legend has it that once upon a time there lived people who did not know the fire. They lived in caves (modern man is difficult to imagine such an extreme, it's not comfortable apartments for a day in Sochi), hunted, using stones and clubs, ate raw meat. Whether it is the inhabitants of Olympus, one word — Gods. And then Prometheus, taking pity on people, stole from Olympus a spark of sacred fire and gave it to people. And their lives immediately changed. Together with household amenities, they had time for creativity and learning crafts. But the Supreme God of Olympus Zeus did not forgive Prometheus this act and severely punished him. On his orders, Prometheus was chained to Eagle rocks. According to legend, the cliff of one of the rocks to this day keeps the remains of chains and the body of the apostate. Regretted the hero only beautiful Agura, who began to bring him food every day. For this formidable gods turned it into a river. Currently, based on ancient legends, there is a huge sculpture of Prometheus.

But we will not stay here for a long time, it is better to walk along the banks of the river Agura — it is full of beautiful places. Here, for example, the Devil's font — a gloomy pond, surrounded on all sides by steep walls. It offers beautiful views of the waterfalls.

If you still have strength, then from here you can climb to the top of mount Ahun, where there is also an observation deck. Mount Ahun is located near the sea — this is one of the most beautiful attractions of the coast. This ridge, five kilometers long, stretches from North-West to South-East and its shape is somewhat similar to a volcano but has three peaks: Eagle rocks, Small Ahun, Big Ahun. The massif of the mountain is rich in flora and fauna. The distance from Sochi to the ridge-about 20 kilometers, there is a road and you can drive up by car, but in a straight line is much closer. And Yes, the view from here is mind-blowing. Now just go home! Well, that housing in Sochi are equipped with not only a shower, but the conditioner, after a stroll, you just happy.

 

Usually, tourists visit the waterfalls of Matsesta is a literally primitive delight. The height of the waterfalls is relatively small — an average of 5-7 meters, but a lot of them and they are beautiful! The falling water splits into tiny splashes, sparkling in the sun. The air here is fresh and cool, given that the climate is subtropical and summer as well, very hot, here just do not want to go anywhere.

The most picturesque waterfalls are located on the Snake River. Boxwood waterfalls are located on the East Dagomys river. Agur waterfalls are quite high (23 meters) in the gorge near the Eagle rocks. Orekhov waterfalls are the highest-their height reaches 33 meters, located near the village of Orekhovka. We recommend you to book a tour "33 waterfalls", its duration is 8 hours, but during this time you will have time to see the most beautiful waterfalls in the vicinity of Sochi.

 

Фото: KUKARTA

Also, tourists are attracted by excursions to the caves, because the caves are a completely different world. If you are also interested in plunging into the bowels of the earth, keep in mind that the temperature there does not exceed 9-11 degrees above zero (do not forget to grab a warm jacket). By the way, a walk through the caves with an experienced guide is not only entertaining but also useful. The air in the caves is crystal clear, there are almost no microbes (all due to the fact that along with the groundwater here still penetrate radioactive isotopes that make glow stalactites, and those, in turn, ionize the air).

But we will tell you about the caves in the second part of our route to the sights of the unique southern city — Sochi. The route "Part 2: What can I see in Sochi?" we'll tell you about the Vorontsov caves, Akhshtyr cave, about the unique mountain resort" Krasnaya Polyana", about the monkey nursery, located near Adler, go to visit the beekeeper and taste the delicious Sochi honey, drink honey tea in the famous "Teahouses" and much, much more.

So see you in the second part of our tourist route to the sights of the Sochi district.