The coastline of Greater Sochi is 160 km of pebble beaches that are interspersed by bollards and breakwaters. On its equipped embankments in summer, vacationers crowd that spend the sunset hours in the languid coolness of the sea breeze.
There is not one embankment in Sochi . Each resort area (Lazarevsky, Adler, Khostinsky and Central) has its own place for an evening promenade.
At dusk, the city coast is lit up with neon lights, beating to the beat of incendiary rhythms. Burnt by the generous sun, tourists gather imposingly under the snow-white domes of cafes and eateries.
Stone fetters
In Central Sochi, the embankment is located half an hour walk from the seaport building. Its beginning is marked by a sculptural group, a symbol and a visiting card of the city - Semyon Semenovich Gorbunkov with his family from the movie “Diamond Hand”.
In Sochi, the embankment begins at the port estates. Round-sided yachts, boats and motor ships moored to the berth of the sea station. Loud barkers vying to offer to ride on ships of all stripes and calibers.
The coastline is neatly laid with paving slabs and has a neat, elegant look. A huge number of souvenir shops and restaurants are concentrated on it, serving dishes of Caucasian cuisine.
Places of fame
In Sochi, the embankment is not just a place for meetings and walks. With its ancient history, it boasts several attractions at once.
Firstly, it is a lighthouse building. It was erected at the end of the 19th century. Next to it stands the concert hall "Festival". Despite its sufficient age, the lighthouse still illuminates the sea surface with a soft greenish glow.
Secondly, one cannot fail to mention the bell tower, which is part of the general architectural ensemble of the Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel. It was erected in honor of the end of the Caucasian war, becoming part of the first church of the Orthodox Church, built on the Black Sea territory of Russia.
Sea promenade
The central promenade of the resort is an integral part of the evening promenade, which, according to tradition, is made by all vacationers in Sochi. The main pedestrian artery of the city adjoins the pier, lined with street cafes, open terraces and craft shops.
People come here to drink a cup of aromatic coffee, feast on sweets, taste meat or fish, which is cooked on hot coals in an open roasting pan. There is also a water park "Mayak". It operates from mid-May until the last days of October.
Festival Concert Hall is located opposite the water complex. The capacity of the main hall is 2500 spectators. Every summer, popular stars of domestic and foreign pop perform on its stage.
Hotels
As if sails pulled by the wind, an endless series of tall buildings rise along the Black Sea coast of Sochi. The first line of the resort is wholly owned by fashionable and luxurious hotel complexes.
Almost all hotels on the Sochi embankment have their own beaches and are within walking distance of the main tourist attractions.
Pools, tennis courts, park areas, flower gardens and impeccable service - these are the features that distinguish hotels located in the very center of the city. Most of them are assigned categories 4 and 5 of the international classification by stars.
Olympic embankment
Sochi Olympic Embankment is another place of pilgrimage for the guests of the resort, a symbol of the Olympic district of the city. The official date of construction is 2014. Its opening was timed to coincide with the start of the Winter Olympic Games.
The embankment stretches for six kilometers, which stretch from Fisht Stadium to the Russian-Abkhaz border itself. With a narrow rim of gray pebbles, it encircles the entire Olympic village.
Unlike the coastline of Central Sochi, silence reigns on it. There are no miscellaneous stalls and counters littered with beach accessories to the top. Despite the almost complete absence of any entertainment venues, the promenade seems cozy.
Here and there you can see poppies of straw umbrellas casting long oblique shadows on the sunbeds. Cyclists and scooters scurry along smooth asphalt paths. From the observation deck offers a bewitching view of the bluest Black Sea.