Areas in Central Sochi and where to stay

To rest in the Central District of Sochi fully met your expectations and did not bring disappointment, in addition to the star quality of the hotel or the quality of private rented housing, it is also important to take into account its location. After all, Sochi is a city with a very difficult geography, chaotic layout and a large number of controversial (illegal) buildings. Therefore, if you choose an unsuccessful place, you may encounter, for example, such troubles:

• The remoteness and inaccessibility of the beaches from your hotel, including due to the beaches closed to public access.
• Lack of elementary tourist infrastructure nearby: cafes and restaurants, shops.
• Poor transport accessibility by public or even private transport, taxi.
• Mountainous terrain, which makes walking to the beach or tourist places will be tedious.
• Problems with parking a personal car if you are traveling in your own or rented car.

Therefore, we advise you to read our recommendations below and an overview of the areas, look at the map and read reviews about the accommodation in the booking systems. And do not forget that even the proximity of the hotel to the beach on the map does not mean that you will have easy access to a beach holiday, because sometimes the beach may be closed to public access, or the path to it will be bypassed due to the territories of sanatoriums, private possessions or a twisted railway zone along the coast.

And now we will tell you about the microdistricts of Central Sochi, which may be of interest to tourists and vacationers, and whether it is worth choosing a hotel or accommodation for recreation there.:

Central microdistrict

• ✔ Developed transport, tourist and urban infrastructure, lots of entertainment.

• ❌ High prices for accommodation, no hotels on the first line and too noisy and hectic for those who prefer a relaxing beach holiday.

Yes, in the Central District of Sochi there is also a central microdistrict. This is actually the very center of the city, located on the Left Bank of the Sochi River (Central District on the map). There is a railway and bus station, a sea station, a pedestrian tourist street Navaginskaya, many shops and most of the tourist infrastructure, including hotels and the sale of excursions. At first glance, this place seems very attractive for tourist accommodation, but the fact is that accommodation in the Central District is the most expensive, and in any case you have to walk to the beaches. From here on foot you will be able to access the promenade and the Central City Beach, the center of the Riviera Beach, the Riviera amusement park, the historical Boulevard and other interesting places of the city.

Zavokzalny microdistrict

• ✔ Far from the beaches, poorly developed tourist infrastructure and no entertainment for vacationers.

• ❌ Inexpensive accommodation options for families can be found.

This is a zone located behind the city railway station and separated from the Central microdistrict by a railway (Zavokzal microdistrict on the map). In our opinion, this is a very controversial area for accommodation, since this is actually a residential quarter, in which there is little tourist, and the beaches are quite far from here. But if you are looking for inexpensive accommodation, especially for families with children, then here you can find relatively inexpensive and comfortable options for short-term housing in new modern houses.

New Sochi

• ✔ A new modern area, there are sanatoriums with their own territory.

• ❌ Access to the shore is difficult, there are too many closed beaches.

Novy Sochi is a large microdistrict that occupies the territory on the Right Bank of the Sochi River (New element on the map). It is here that the beach and the Riviera amusement park are located.

This area looks very modern thanks to the new modern condominiums grown on the hills, sparkling with glass. And at first glance it seems that this is a very attractive place for tourists. But the problem is that not the whole area is suitable for comfortable accommodation. Firstly-there are considerable height differences. And secondly-most of the coast and beaches, respectively, are occupied by sanatoriums, and for vacationers from the outside are not available. Of course, it will be good if you settle in one of these sanatoriums. But if this is not possible, then you will either have to go to the Central Beach by bus or taxi, or walk quite far to the small beaches in the area: Riviera, Firefly or Albatross. And, most likely, you will have to overcome, albeit gentle, but protracted descents and ascents.

Bald Mountain

• ✔ Inexpensive accommodation can be found.

• ❌ Far from the beach, too complex geography with covered descents/ascents, little comfortable accommodation.

Officially, the Bald Mountain microdistrict does not exist, but this is a special part in the city center, which simply cannot be ignored because of its features. This is really a mountain stretched perpendicular to the coast and going inland for a couple of kilometers (New element on the map). Here are Krasnaya streets, Dokuchaev and Rizhsky lanes.

Bald Mountain is very densely built up, and here you can find offers for vacationers at a very favorable price, and basically it is a "private trader". But do not rush to immediately book accommodation, no matter how tempting the price may seem. The fact is that the room may not even be an apartment or a room in the house, but a garage or an extension, and this is not uncommon. In addition, you need to understand that this is a mountain, and the geography here is appropriate: sharp ascents and descents, very narrow roads and almost no sidewalks. If you decide to go here in your car, get ready for difficulties with parking, and in general with movement and maneuvering. In some alleys, the degree of inclination of the road is so steep that even in summer in dry weather, not every car can master it, and there is nothing to say about winter or wet asphalt.

In general, we do not dissuade from placing here, especially since the prices come across really very nice. Just keep in mind about the features of this area.

Arboretum Area

• ✔ There is accommodation almost on the first line, a more relaxed atmosphere.

• ❌ Beyond the arboretum, all beaches are closed.

If you move further from the center behind the Bald Mountain towards Sochi Arboretum, you will find yourself in the Khostinsky District of Sochi (Arboretum area on the map). Although it is no longer officially the center, but in fact it is located so close that it can well be attributed as a great place to relax in the center, especially if you prefer a slightly more relaxed environment. Here you can stay in chic new hotels almost on the first line with sea views, there are sanatoriums with territory, inexpensive private housing by local standards. To the center of tourist Life (city embankment, Sea station and tourist street Navaginskaya) from here you can even walk on foot, or take any city bus or taxi. When choosing accommodation here, you need to take into account only one thing: starting from the Sochi Arboretum, the coast is completely closed to visits by medical beaches of sanatoriums.

If you have carefully read our review, now it will be much easier for you to decide on the location of the hotel or holiday accommodation. Additionally, we advise you to read our review of beaches in the center of Sochi, and then you will only have to choose the appropriate area to book accommodation, which is recommended to do in advance. At the very least, we always try to pick up and book in advance, because this way there are more chances to get a good accommodation or a hotel room at the best price. And it is best to do this on these proven and reliable sites:

You can also use our interactive map of the center, which marks the beaches, neighborhoods and hotels of Sochi: