World Cup city guides: hospitable Sochi

The date on the calendar is rapidly moving towards June 14 – the start of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. From that day on, different Russian cities will host matches of teams from all over the world. Fortunately, the 2018 World Cup is not only an opportunity to see your favorite foreign team on home soil, but also a great chance to visit other cities in our country. Trust us, they will definitely find something to surprise you. We continue our series of guides with the Black Sea resort – Sochi.

After the 2014 Winter Olympics, Sochi has changed significantly from its former days. Now it looks like a real European city. Transport interchanges with bridges and tunnels, a large amusement park, a neat embankment and numerous cafes, illuminated in the evening with warm lights. And if you can’t wait to get up into the mountains, get ready to see good ski slopes with convenient and understandable service.

How to get to Sochi from the airport and railway station?

The city is stretched along the sea coast, so it has several railroad stations. At least, these are Dagomys, Sochi and Adler. The main station, Sochi, is located in the central district of the city, so there are no difficulties with transportation here. Nearby you can find bus stops and taxicabs.

This is interesting: by the way, this station is a monument of architecture of federal significance. Upon arrival at it, look around, and you will see high arches and columns of polished granite.

The local airport is located in the Adler microdistrict. It’s not close to the city center, but it’s not hard to get from there at all. There are several options:

• Cab, which can be ordered at the single dispatch center of the airport or independently from the applications you know: Uber, Yandex-taxi, Get Taxi.
• Aeroexpress, which will deliver you with comfort and without traffic jams. It goes on the route Sochi-Airport-Sochi with an intermediate stop in Adler.
• Public transportation, which runs almost every half hour from 5-7 am to 10-11 pm depending on the route. You can see the bus schedule here.

Where to live in Sochi?

It is better to worry about the place of accommodation even before departure. Of course, if you do not prefer an extreme vacation and do not want to spend time looking for accommodation on the spot. In my opinion, the best solution for choosing an overnight stay is accommodation rental sites. The well-known services Airbnb ve Booking will help you contact the owners of the apartment. Here you can choose any neighborhood of Sochi. Whether you want to live near the stadium to get home quickly after the match or near the sea to sit on the beach at any time. Or maybe you will be attracted by the housing near a ski resort. The decision is up to you.

On average, renting an apartment for a day for one adult will cost 2-3 thousand rubles. But if you want to save money, then think about renting a room. Another option to save money is hostels. There are a large number of them here, so you only have to choose. And, of course, the most banal option – a hotel. After the 2014 Olympics, they are located in all parts of Sochi. Prices vary greatly, so you will surely be able to find “the one” with the necessary amenities and at a suitable price.

How to get to the stadium in Sochi?

World Cup matches will be held at the already known to us Olympic stadium “Fisht”. Just since that time, the city has developed a transportation system, thanks to which it will be easy to get to the soccer field. The stadium is located in Adler on the territory of the Olympic Park. You can get to it in several ways:

• “Lastochka ” – the same express train, which will take you to the place in 45 minutes. By the World Cup the interval between the trains is promised to be reduced to 10-15 minutes. You can get on the train at stations in Sochi, Matsesta, Khosta, Adler and the Olympic Village. See the schedule here.
• City bus. The traffic interval for the World Cup will be reduced to 5 minutes. And on the days of the Championship, having a ticket and a fan passport will provide you with free transportation to the stadium. Such buses will be marked with a special sign.

• Shuttle. If you have a ticket or accreditation, then boldly look for additional buses marked with the letter “S”. They will take you directly to the stadium.

• Personal transportation. Of course, you can rent a car during your stay in Sochi. However, traveling by it will be difficult, especially when traveling to the stadium. For the time of big events, driving through the territory of the Olympic Park is closed, as well as parking lots inside it. If you still decide to get there by private vehicle, from the center of Sochi take the M-24 highway to Triumfalnaya St. or Champions St. (turn right at the viaduct) to the entrance to the Olympic Park. Address of the stadium for navigator: Olimpiysky Prospekt, Adler, Krasnodar Territory, Russia, 354340.

Transportation network

Mostly locals use buses: the network of their routes is quite large, and the interval is 15-20 minutes. There are also shuttle buses around the city, so there are no large crowds at the stops. Buses and marshrutkas with numbers from 1 to 99 carry passengers within one district. And numbers from 100 move to other neighborhoods and suburbs. The price of bus fare varies: within one district – 17 rubles, in the Central district – 19 rubles. The cost of travel from one district to another depends on the distance. It can be found out from the driver when boarding the bus.

Recommended for visiting

• Waterfront. Of course, this is the seashore. Escaping from the hustle and bustle of your hometown, breathe in the salty air and relax. Embankments in Sochi are well arranged: benches, lanterns, cafes with verandas and stores with souvenirs. For the curious and impatient, there are slopes to the sea, so you can walk on the stone beach or even climb on the breakwater.

• Marine Station. On the seafront, do not pass by the sea station. This is the sea gateway of our country. To the main two-story building adjoins the gallery. And in the courtyard there is a tower with a stainless steel spire, decorated with sculptures of the seasons. In the square in front of the Sea Station there is a fountain with the goddess of navigation in the center. It was also here that an episode of the popular Soviet movie comedy “The Diamond Hand” was filmed.
• Arboretum. In Sochi it is quite large. Here you can walk among century-old baobabs and cypresses, listen to birdsong and take a break at the fountain. What is not a fairy tale? Maybe you will like some special specimen of southern flora.

• Olympic Park. When going to the stadium, don’t forget to walk around its neighborhood. This is a special historical place for the city and even the country. It is also home to the Olympic Village, where all the athletes lived during the competition. Who knows, maybe the look of these structures will inspire you to take up a new sport.
• Water parks. If you find the sea water too cold for swimming, go to one of Sochi’s water parks. Most of them are outdoors, so find out the weather forecast in advance. Otherwise, a fun ride on the slides may end up in a game of hide-and-seek with rain.
• Adler market. Can you imagine summer vacation without sweet fruits? Here you will find fresh fruits and vegetables from Abkhazia and Turkey. But of local origin – fish, meat, honey and cheese. Look also in the spice shop, where spices are beautifully arranged in bags and jars. It sells figs, grapes and, of course, churchkhela.
• “Sochi Park”. This is a theme park of attractions. Many dizzying rides here are based on old Russian myths and fairy tales. For example, the wings of the Firebird is one of the most exciting free-fall rides. But don’t be frightened by extreme slides, Sochi Park offers entertainment even for the youngest ones.

What to try in Sochi?

The cuisine of Sochi has a Caucasian influence, so it is somewhat different from the usual Russian cuisine. Be sure to try some of the local dishes to feel the flavor of the Black Sea city.

• Meat dishes. Khinkali, lulia kebabs, kebabs are prepared in the best traditions, so refuse an extra big mac at the nearest fast food joint. Look for the most legendary ones at the White Nights khinkalaya.
• Seafood. Once you arrive at the seaside, don’t leave without sampling local seafood dishes. Otherwise, how can you remember the taste of the sea.
• Homemade wine. Taste at the local market, buy and enjoy. It is not necessary to understand, but it is worth to keep in mind the cool temperament and high degree of the drink.
• Mamalyga. The traditional dish of Caucasians is a steeply cooked porridge made of corn flour. The porridge itself is bland, so it is good to eat it with sauces and cheeses.
• Mchadi. Dense flatbreads made of corn flour. In Sochi they often replace ordinary bread.

Where to eat in Sochi?

“Syndicate”, “Suluguni”, “Khmeli & Suneli”, “Olivier”, “La Terrace”, “Baran Rapan”, “Fettuccine”, “Frau Marta”, “Dom 1934”, “Cho? Kharcho!”, “Chaika”, “San Remo”, “Blue Sea”, “Moge/More”, “Ruccola”, “Japona Mama”, “Soho”, “Moyama Bar”.

Budget establishments: “Ris”, “Yaroslavna”, “Varenychnaya Hata”.
The average check in a restaurant is about 1.5-2 thousand rubles. In cafes, the prices are even more pleasant. The most budget option – canteens. Here you can eat for 250-300 rubles.

Souvenirs: what to bring from Sochi?

In addition to the attributes of the 2018 World Cup, you can take typical magnets, plates and the like. Of course, it is much more interesting to bring something not with the image of Sochi landscapes, but with the spirit of the Black Sea coast. For example, sauces, honey or Isabella wine from grapes, the variety of which is characteristic of the south of Russia. You can also bring tea as a souvenir. The most common tea farms are “Dagomyschay” and “Matsestinsky tea”. You can buy these goods almost everywhere.

Having come to the World Cup, do not get hung up on soccer matches. Russian cities can offer you so many amazing places, dishes and discoveries. The main thing is to prepare well for the trip and not be afraid of new impressions.