After the 2014 Olympics, Sochi became more popular; indeed, this region of the Russian Federations was a famous touristic destination long ago. It was one of the most attractive places to visit in Russia, and as a result, every year, millions of tourists travel to Sochi Russia. What about safety? Is it safe to travel to Russia? Yes, this part of Russia and safe and tourism-friendly. This city has extraordinary natural views, which even grabbed the attention of a famous Soviet leader Stalin. Among the places to visit in Sochi, you can see his dacha and other memorials. In this post, you will read about the famous places in Russia, Sochi - Lazarevskoye, and have enough reasons to travel to Sochi Russia. Also, you will find the answers to your questions about your future travel to Sochi Russia, such as is it safe to travel to Russia, what are the must-see places in Russia Sochi, etc.
Mount Akhun
Many tourists travel to Russia, Sochi, every year to relax and admire nature. On the one hand, Sochi is surrounded by the Caucasus Mountains, and on the other side, it is on the coast of the Black Sea. You can view all this beauty at the same time from the observation deck located on Mount Akhun at an altitude of 663 meters above sea level. The observation tower is the main attraction of Mount Akhun. It was built in 1935 by the personal order of Joseph Stalin. According to one version, Stalin gave the order to pave the road to the mountain's top. According to the project proposed by the architect Sergei Vorobyov, a tower 30.5 meters high was built on the top of the mountain in a knightly style. Mount Akhun is, perhaps, one of the most mysterious places in Russia Sochi, shrouded in many legends. One of the legends says that Zeus instructed the god Akhyn to keep track of Prometheus, who, as punishment for giving fire to people, was chained to the Eagle Rocks so that the eagle tormented the liver of the unfortunate every day. Only one girl named Agura took the liberty of secretly carrying water and food to Prometheus. For a long time, she remained unnoticed, but once Akhyn still noticed the girl and threw her into the gorge. Falling, she turned into a river, and her tears became a waterfall.
Arboretum park
Everyone who is going to visit this resort capital of Russia should visit the Arboretum Park, a green paradise. It is at the top of the famous places in Russia. Founded in the 19th century, it never ceases to amaze residents and guests of the city with its beauty. Each year brings a series of innovations to the park, be it the emergence of new plant species or sculptures' production. Its history began at the end of the 19th century, in 1889 when Sergei Khudekov bought land and allocated 15 hectares on the southern slope of Lysaya Gora for a park that was supposed to become a repository of all rare plants collected from different parts of our planet. In the 1930s, construction began on Kurortny Avenue, and the Arboretum was divided into two parts: Lower and Upper. The lower part is home to many animals - a kind of mini-zoo. Some of them walk on their own in the park, for example, rabbits, while others have aviaries. Here you can see pelicans, ostriches, peacocks, porcupines, and other animals. In the upper part, most of all plants are located. There is also a butterfly garden and geographical departments, where the flora of East Asia, South and North America, Australia, the Mediterranean, the Caucasus, and other territories is represented. What is most interesting is that the park keeps pace with the times and all technologies. There are new ones with a QR code next to the old plates with the names of plants. In addition to plants and animals, there are many sculptures and monuments in the park, making it one of the most popular places to visit in Russia. One of them was created in honor of the founder Khudekov. Also, in the park, there are four fountains: "Cupids", "Roman woman with a dagger", "Roman with a sword", as well as "Tale", created according to "The Tale of Tsar Saltan" by A. S Pushkin.
Stalin's Dacha
One of the must-see places to visit in Sochi is Stalin's Dacha. Walking through the dacha's halls and rooms, you can still feel the mood of that time and understand the character and lifestyle of the leader. To touch the legend, study the interiors and plunge into the atmosphere of the era, breathe the same air as it. There are several types of excursions. From time to time, the museum hosts interesting exhibitions, about which, as a rule, there is little information on the network, but some of them deserve attention.
Dolmens
Dolmens make Sochi one of the famous places in Russia. These monuments of ancient civilizations, scattered throughout Greater Sochi. There are more than 200 of them here. Antiquities dating back to the 3rd-2nd century BC. Presumably, these structures accompanied various ritual and burial processes of the ancient peoples who lived in these territories. Many endow these objects with supernatural powers, even arrange rituals using psychotropic substances. But I would advise you to just look more closely around, as many of them are located right in the city center. Perhaps touching the dolmen will become some kind of revelation for you.
Orekhovsky waterfall
Orekhovsky waterfall is one of the largest and, therefore, one of the most famous and most visited Sochi waterfalls. In the middle of an oak-chestnut forest, along a sheer wall 27.5 meters high, the waterfalls beautifully down into a small rocky lake. At the very beginning, the rocky ledge divides the waterfall into two streams, but towards the middle, the ledge ends, and the streams merge into a single powerful stream. Unlike other waterfalls, Sochi's Orekhovsky waterfall does not dry out in summer and does not freeze in winter, as the waters of an underground river form it. You can visit it all year round. And in the summer if you want to swim, you can. Do not worry about is it safe to travel to Russia; it is, and you can safely swim there. The waterfall and the nearest village Orekhovka got their names from the walnut grove located nearby.
Vorontsov caves
Among the interesting places to visit in Sochi, there are Vorontsov caves. These are karst formations in the Vorontsov ridge mountains, which were named after Count Illarion Ivanovich Vorontsov-Dashkova, whose hunting grounds were located there. In the middle of the twentieth century, the caves were thoroughly studied, all archaeological finds testifying to the existence of ancient civilizations in these places were removed and sent to museums, and one of the caves was opened to the public and equipped with safe routes for excursion routes in 2000.
Tea plantations
In addition to the sea, mountains, waterfalls, a unique climate, and stunning nature, Sochi's city is famous for its tea plantations. For more than a century, Sochi tea plantations in the village of Uch-Dere had the northernmost status in the world, until in 2012, the British harvested the first crop in Cornwall. The most beautiful tea plantations have long become an integral part of the Sochi landscapes. They attract to themselves with fresh and tasty air. They are enchanting with unprecedented beauty and lightness of flowing green ornaments and intriguing with collecting tea leaves.
Cathedral of the Holy Archangel Michael
This cathedral is one of the oldest churches on the Black Sea coast. The building dates back to the 19th century; the temple was erected immediately after the Caucasian War. It bears its name in memory of Tsarevich Mikhail, the son of Nicholas I, who was the Tsar's governor in the Caucasus. The Russian-Turkish war intervened in the builders' plans, and the consecration of the temple took place only in 1891. Even if you are not religious, you can always just walk around the temple in the shade of trees and enjoy the beautiful architecture.
Olympic Park and Singing fountains
The Olympic park of Sochi is one of the wonderful places to visit in Russia. The territory where the Olympic venues are located is an unconditional attraction for tourists. Fortunately, there is something to see in the park. And even if the Olympic venues are not open for daily visits, one look from the outside is enough to feel the greatness and scope of the historical event that took place there. Sochi Autodrom, according to the infrastructure of the Olympic Park, is one of its facilities, but I would like to highlight it as one of the youngest and most interesting. If only because it still hosts the Formula 1 Grand Prix once a year and offers many activities for tourists every day. Fountains are a well-known point of attraction for fans of spectacular spectacles since there are enough of them in the city. The Olympic Flame Bowl fountain is the youngest and rightfully the most solemn of all. The fountain works on schedule from 20:30 to 21:30, periodically stopping its work for a technical break.
