When Russians come to Sochi, they want to swim in the Black Sea! It's one of the main attractions, the warm sea! It has echoes of the Soviet era when Russians could only vacation within the Soviet Union, the beaches are still packed!
This is the highlight of my entire day, enjoying swimming in the Black Sea. The weather was hot, it was 30 degrees Celsius. As I was walking to the beach from my hotel by the train station to the seashore, I was ready to cool off with a swim.
As Sochi is famous for relaxing in the Black Sea, and it was a busy place. Even at 10am, the beach was filled with locals and holiday makers. Walking from the Grand Marina takes just a few minutes and you are at the beach promenade (Primorskaya Ulitsa). There are shops and restaurants to enjoy, and beach clubs along the entire waterfront.
Are Sochi Beaches Free?
It seems a bit daunting at first, not knowing what to do when you see so many umbrellas on the beach. The access to the water is usually free, and sitting on the rocks by the shore doesn't cost anything. This is specific to this part of old Sochi. There are lots of beach clubs that make it more comfortable to enjoy the Black Sea. For around $5 USD, you can rent a chaise with an umbrella and rest your bum on something softer than the famous Black Sea rocks.
There are lots of free beaches in Sochi. However, there are many beach resorts that are also private and closed off to the public. Some fancy hotels have their own beach access, which has less people on them. As you see in the video, it can be pretty chaotic and hard to relax on a public beach.
There are lots of free beaches in Sochi. However, there are many beach resorts that are also private and closed off to the public. Some fancy hotels have their own beach access, which has less people on them. As you see in the video, it can be pretty chaotic and hard to relax on a public beach.
Sochi Black Sea Rocks
This isn't the regular tropical beach you expect, with small grains of sand. Sochi is famous for the black smooth rocks the cover the shorelines. The Black Sea is huge, so yes, you will find sandy beaches, but here in old town Sochi, black rocks rule.
Bring your flip flops, as it can be hard to walk on barefoot. There are pathways to the water you can walk along to make it easier, but I don't recommend walking with no shoes on!
If sitting on the beach isn't your thing, there are even some water parks along the promenade. Like all beaches, there are lots of water sports that you can do. I saw long inflatable bananas that many people could ride behind a boat, or you can even parasail or rent a Sea-Do.
As much fun as that sounded, I was super happy to sit and relax in the water. The water temperature was around 25°C or 77°, which was perfect for me, this was towards to end of July. It was the perfect way to rest and relax at Sochi Beach Russia before I had to catch an evening flight.
©PetersFoodAdventures.com
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