Sochi

Welcome to Sochi! We are happy to introduce to you the cordiality and splendor of our city.

Sochi has always wanted to be all things to all people, and a surprising amount of time it has succeeded. It has always been a city of recreation and health, and the rush was always to the new, large, the prosperous, the fashionable. It is no longer to say that Sochi is the city of handsome spas and exotic parks, or eve n that it is the city of ethnic diversity and amazing landscapes.

Sochi is really a scene for changes, as it takes on a different character for each of its guests and residents, and what it does that no other spa destination can do is provide them with choice: a combination of beach holidays with recreation and treatment at natural springs, or a possibility to ski in the mountains only 50 km away from the center - make the glory of our city.

Sochi is the place where culture is not merely consumed but manufactured by different nationalities.

Sochi is a big resort area stretching for 145 km along the Black Sea coast. Its vast size means that the city can embrace everything, and it often does. Sochi natural resources - the beautiful scenery of the sea and the mountains, the mild climate, the curative waters, together with the rich diversity of national cultures, traditions and cuisines, and the infrastructure into which the state lavishly contributed from its budgets of the 30-es, 50-es - 80-es, have determined for Sochi a leading position among the recreational and health resort regions of Russia.

There are 58 rivers running into the sea in Sochi, they are famous for trout and the Black Sea salmon. Some of the waterfalls, caves and lakes can be easily reached, though they have not yet become as known to tourists as the century-old Sochi Arboretum (2 thousand species of trees) or the primeval Yew and Box-wood Grove (300 ha) with some trees over 1000 years old.

The city's proximity to the Black Sea moderates the climate , so Sochi is the only area in Russia, where tea, persimmons, pomegranates and citrus fruits are grown. There are few snowfalls and the snow does not stay in the city, the average temperature in the city is 8-10C in winter; and the temperature rarely rises above 30C in summer. There are 2250 hours of sunshine a year, which is more than in Mediterranean Riviera. In tourism terms, it means that people can enjoy the beach and the mountains, with their lush, almost virgin forests -- and even skiing for eight months of the year -- on the same day.

For decades our city has been called the capital of Russian resorts. Palace-like structures bewilder the guests, they hardly believe that the city was born a century ago out of just a number of small settlements scattered in the wild forests along the coast. Sochi architectural ensemble was constructed in the 30-es and the 50-es to the design of the best Soviet architects, who chose the Roman and Gothic details both for ecclesiastical significance and for formal appeal.

In the "golden" 1970-es and 80-es the resort used to operate in summer, in autumn, in winter and in spring, providing health care with the local curative water. The tourists had to book accommodation well in advance, because nearly 5 mln people came here annually. Sochi was characterized by the concept of tourism as an activity organized for social goals along corporative lines: health tourism to Sochi before 1990-es was up to 70% covered by Trade Unions as an incentive for their members. Since a "resort" has been defined in Russia as a place primarily for health treatment rather than leisure, the hospitals, sanatoria and balnearia have always been the responsibility of the Ministry of Health. There were created 20 specialized medical and research centers in Sochi, that lead in the development of balneotherapy by the curative climate, by physical exercises on the beach and in the mountains, but mainly - by baths of the local water and curative mud.

Over 50 spas are profiled in their application of treatment methods, accordingly they provide treatment against different types of health problems: from nervous and cardio-vascular - to skin problems. The spas have always been advanced in their diagnostic and medical treatment equipment, special attention has always been given to promoting healthy ways of life and healthy eating habits, but the spas are different from hospitals in terms of the patients' freedoms and arrangements for leisure activities.

The great majority of people who visited Sochi during the Soviet years justified their visit primarily as a way to improve their health. In this, Sochi tourism was more like Western European spas of the 19th Century.

The new age of tourism is starting in Russia yet in the end of 1990-es, as human resource issues are being tackled. The first Tourism Institute in Russia was created in Sochi in 1989, and since then it has been upgraded to the Sochi University for Tourism and Recreation.

The recently founded Sochi Business School linked to the International University (the Sochi branch of the Moscow International University) are also working on aspects of tourism, notably on organizing convention and meeting tourism.

Sochi, because of its high quality mineral waters and spa treatments, has a very large number of medical doctors, many specialized in treatments related to ageing. Through collaboration with the universities and with the researchers at the Research Institute of Balneology, the medical staffs at the various facilities are beginning to work out how they will make the transition from working in a public context to a private one.

Sochi Polytechnic (College) graduates working in the hospitality services and food areas will have to provide international levels of service, while retaining and building u p on the attractiveness of the national traditions and cuisines. Fortunately, there is excellent cooperation between the city leaders, the universities, and the tourism sector, which makes it possible for effecting these changes with local resources.

Someone would say, that the present economic and political situation in Russia is not to the benefit of tourism. Indeed, there has been a considerable drop in the number of guests of Sochi since 1991. However the city preserves its ambitions and develops its infrastructure, improves professionalism of service providers, maintains new routes, supports its foreign links, and receives over 1 mln guests a year.

As an essential element of Sochi strategic vision for tourism development, it will be important to develop a process that is supported by the local population for deciding what to keep and what to change. This is fundamental for all aspects of Sochi tourism development -- natural and built -- since Sochi has not in the past been subjected to Western style development pressures. Sochi will benefit from outside views in this process, since many other places face similar issues, although usually not so dramatically, and also because one aspect to consider is what attracts foreign tourists.

The present market of Sochi is the domestic one - potentially one of the biggest in the world, though it's viability depends on people's income and ability to travel without risk. As the reforms go on, there will be the time for Sochi to regain its leading position in the world's resort business and to win prizes for ecological sustainability.

A note from the authors: The CVB Sochi pages in English is one of the first initiatives to present our area in the English language among other electronic destinations. This was the joint enthusiastic effort of Sochi students, teachers, businesses and administration, who contributed information, ideas and pictures into this project in 1998. The core team of the text writers and site developers is from the Sochi Business School and the Sochi branch of the Moscow International University. The idea of launching these English language pages on Sochi was introduced by the Sustainable Tourism Development Associates, Spain yet in 1997. However, the idea took shape in 1998 in the process of the School + University participation in the Contest of students' English language booklets "I am from Sochi" under auspices of the Sochi Education and Science Department and the British Council. The Sochi Business School's pages of Sochi were awarded the Diploma of the Contest. These pages got the new concept, the new home and the new audience in 2002 - at the CVB Sochi site

Participation in the ENTER - 98, ENTER -99 conferences, consultations with experts on the conceptual development of the site, and analysis of other tourism destinations' experience in electronic promotion - resulted in our current choice: the site is not a commercial agency, it's not an online booking facility. It's, rather, an electronic gate to the Russian Riviera. However, if you are looking for business contacts, reservation or detailed information in Sochi, we'll be happy to assist you in finding what you need.

The texts about Sochi Climate, Heritage, Sights are the copyright of Sochi Business School. You are free to use our texts with proper references. Please contact us at schoolok@sochi.ru

Things to do

"Dendrarium"
(A Garden of Trees)Trees planted 100 years ago.The Park is arranged in French Asymmetrical style and decorated with Italian sculpures. It's a nice escape from the heat in summer. For professionals and amateurs in landscape gardening. For romantic travellers.

Yew-and Box-Tree Grove

A real rarity: a trip to the pre-historic European forest. A long walk , nice views, legends, a small museum of local flora and fauna. Pleasant even for those who don't take sports wear on the trip, to say nothing of those who take it.

The Tree of FriendshipAbout

40 types of citrus fruits on one tree. Graftings done by famous people. Museum of souvenirs from all over the world. A Paradise of flowers.
For years the Tree and its Garden impressed those whose fingers are green, people of Goodwill, school children, sentimental ladies, very tough men, politicians.

Russian Tea-Party.

The only Russian tea plantations, the Nothernmost place for tea in the world, beautiful panorama and a lecture on the History of Tea, Museum of Samovars and crafts, Tea-party in a Russian wooden Izba, souvenirs. A collection of very nice Russian impressions to take home.

Fine Arts Exhibition Hall

A little shop of Russian Amber, icons, paintings and crafts. A big display of recent paintings. One can trace the history of Russian painting this century. For reasonable shoppers. For those who can't live a day without Exhibitions. For everyone on a rainy day.

Theatres , circus, concerts.

The best performances - in August, September and October. Nice local performers , musicians, singers - all the year round. For those who hate evenings in the hotel and restaurants. For people on a diet. For those who are fond of music. For couples who haven't been at performances for ages. For those who value cultural events even away from the Bolshoj Theatre.

Outing to the mountains

First, driving away from the restaurants, hotels and crowds. And finally, this "Oh-so-good-to-be-enjoying nature-" feeling, with a taste of real fresh air. For the travelers, who like to be aware of where they are.

A trip to Krasnaya Polyana - a settlement 30 km away from the sea side into the mountains, it is being turned into a sports and tourism complex. Rafting, paragliding, snow boarding, horse riding, skiing, many other opportunities for adventure tours and extreme sports.

Pictures