Extra Streetwise
Extra Streetwise
Price of a cup of coffee
From € 1.50 to € 3
Tipping
Tipping is not required, but tips of 10% are not uncommon in restaurants.
Tap water
The tap water in Russia is not drinkable. Bottled water is cheap and widely available.
Public transport
Bus
Sochi has regular-sized buses for which you need to pay the driver in cash upon entrance. Small buses of local service require payment upon exit. Please note that you'll need to call for your stop! In high-season buses can be overcrowded.
More info about city buses can be found at bus23 (Ru), and for local services look on eway24 (Ru).
Train
In the Sochi region trains run from Sochi centre to Rosa Khutor in the mountains. Intermediate calls are at Adler, the Olympic park and Sochi airport. For searching and booking train tickets in Russia, we recommend to use the official page of the Russian Railways.
From Sochi International Airport (AER) to Sochi, Adler or Krasnaya Polyana
Train
There are direct trains from Sochi Airport (AER) to Sochi Central Station, Adler Central station and to the ski area of Rosa Khutor. Plan your journey and find prices on the official page of the Russian Railways.
Bus
Buses 105 and 105c drive you to Sochi Central Station for about € 2. Bus 135 drives you to Adler Central Station for about € 1.
In the opposite direction, all three buses 105, 105c and 135 drive you to the ski area of Rosa Khutor for about € 4.
Check the signs on the bus stops to be sure of going in the right direction!
Taxi
Taxis line up outside the airport terminal. To get a better price, it is recommended to use an app like Yandex.Taxi for ordering a taxi at Sochi Airport.
As an indication, a taxi to Sochi centre costs around € 20, to Adler centre around € 7, and to the ski area of Krasnaya Polyana around € 30.
Find more information about Sochi International Airport on the official website.
Events in Sochi
Singing Fountain
Almost every night there's a colorful fountain show on Medal Plaza in the Olympic Park, a delight for the eyes! The show takes about an hour, interrupted by minute breaks. The starting time of the show may vary depending on the season, and on any events on the territory of the Olympic Park. See the official website (Ru) for the latest updates about the shows.
Christmas in Russia
The 7th of January is Christmas time in Russia. Sochi has a special atmosphere, where decorated Christmas trees on squares are surrounded by palm trees. A great celebration complete with snow usually takes place in the ski area.
Epiphany Bathing
On the 19th of January there is a tradition of Epiphany bathing in the mountain rivers, lakes or the sea. The ceremony of water consecration in the Black Sea happens at midnight, with thousands jumping into the sea.
The Winter Sports Day
Since the 2014 Winter Olympics, every year on the 7th of February the Winter Sports Day is celebrated in Sochi. Many sports events and concerts are being organized on this festive day.
Maslenitsa festival
'Pancake week' is celebrated during the week preceding the Great Lent (end of February/beginning of March). Traditionally the people then eat pancakes all week long! At the end of the week there is a great celebration with a fair, concerts, sport events and the burning of the figure of Maslenitsa on the main squares of Sochi.
Victory Day
The 9th of May is celebrated throughout Russia as the National Victory Day, honoring the people who fought for Russia during the Great Patriotic War. The celebration starts traditionally with a parade on the Memorial Square to the Three Soldiers (get directions), and all festivities usually end with beautiful fireworks in the evening. On this day the entire city is decorated with red flags.
Local pages
Bee garden of Gamzat
The bee garden of beekeeper Gamzat is situated on a picturesque place on the way to Krasnaya Polyana. Amazing stories about working with bees are provided here, together with the opportunity to taste a rich collection of honey products. See Gamzat's official website (Ru) for more info. Get directions.
Bike rental
Velomesto provides an overview of bike rentals in the Sochi area.
Boat rental
Boat rental is offered all-year-round at Imeretinskiy Yacht Marina. Find more information about the rental of catamarans at HobieClub (Ru). Pro Yachting (Ru) offers more information about renting sailing boats, or sailing lessons.
Enclosure complex of wild animals
This complex is as a zoo occupied by wild animals from the Caucasus mountains: raccoon dogs, lynx, bison, wolves, deer, bears, and birds to name a few. Twenty-five species here are listed on the Red List of threatened species. See the official website (Ru) for more info. Get directions.
Formula One track
Dive into the world of Formula One with a venue tour in the racing area. During ‘Track Sessions’ it is possible to test your own car on the Formula One track. Have a look on the official website for more info. Find the entrance at the mainstand of The Autodrom. Get directions.
Glass-blowing Studio
The only place in Russia that produces beauties of Czech glass. The artists here create unique pieces, and organize an amazing show that tells about the history of the glass production and the entire working process. The studio sells souvenirs made of glass, but it's also a place where you can make your own creation! For more info, see the official website (Ru). You can get there by bus 105 from Sochi or bus 135 from Adler, getting off at the bus stop 'Trout Farm', which is within walking distance. Get directions.
Nightclubs
Find an overview of the parties per day at Kudago (Ru).
Olympic Park
The Olympic Park consists of 6 stadiums and 2 training arenas: Fisht Stadium, Bolshoi Ice Dome, Iceberg Skating Palace, Shayba Arena, Ice Cube Curling Center and the Adler Arena. Most stadiums can be visited only during events or on a special excursion, except the Adler Arena (open for trampoline jumping) and the Cube Curling Centre (for playing curling).
Taxi
The most popular Russian taxi app Yandex.Taxi works well in the Sochi area.
Train
For searching and booking train tickets in Russia, we recommend to use the official page of the Russian Railways.
Trout Farm
The biggest trout farm of Russia, with many species of trout that can also be fed. The site includes a tasting hall and a farm shop with fresh fish and semi-processed food and caviar. For further info, see the official website (Ru). You can get there by bus 105 from Sochi or bus 135 from Adler, getting off at the bus stop 'Trout Farm'. Get directions.
Vorontsovskaya Cave System
Vorontsovskaya is the longest cave in Krasnodar Krai. It has served as a home for primitive people. The stone and bone tools that were discovered here, are estimated to be 15 to 20 thousand years old. There are rivers, lakes and even waterfalls along this 11-kilometre karst solid mass. Please note that entering the caves is only possible with a local guide, which is included in the ticket price of about € 5 per person. For further information, check out the official website (Ru) of the Vorontsovskaya Cave System.
The Sochi ski areas
In Esto-Sadok, near Krasnaya Polyana, four ski resorts offer a great time in the mountains. Each of the four ski resorts has its own hotels, bars and cafés, slopes and lifts.
Rosa Khutor Resort
The biggest year-round world-class mountain resort in Russia that offers a wide variety of leisure activities and entertainment: from skiing and snowboarding to mountain biking, horse riding and hiking. The Mountain Olympic Village can be found here as well, on 1,170 meters above sea level. See the official website for more info.
Laura Mountain Resort
Gazprom all-season resort was used for biathlon and alpine skiing during the 2014 Winter Olympics. It includes the comfortable Grand Hotel Polyana, the residence of the Russian President, and the Galaktika entertainment center with an aquapark, an ice arena and a bowling center. The resort also contains a 5 kilometers long 3S gondola, which is considered to be one of the longest ropeways in the world. See the official website (Ru) for more info.
Alpika Service Ski Resort
The first ski resort in the settlement of Esto-Sadok opened in 1993, and marked the start of the development of an extensive ski infrastructure. Alpika Service hosted luge and bobsleigh events during the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Krasnaya Polyana Resort
Year-round mountain resort Krasnaya Polyana includes a number of hotels, entertainment facilities and the ski resort of Gornaya Karusel, where slopes are illuminated at night. The highest peak here is the Black Pyramid with 2,375 meters. Visit the official website for more info.
© 2016 - Streetwise World B.V.
All rights reserved