Sunny Sochi is a summer dream for millions of our fellow citizens who adore a typical beach holiday and do not want to leave their native country. Adler is perceived by many as a separate settlement, which it once was, but today it is a full-fledged part of the city of Sochi, albeit somewhat remote from the center.
However, not all the most interesting things in Sochi are located in its center, and Adler is not for nothing considered so popular among beach goers. There is something to see here, and most importantly, this place is great for families with children.
Climatic features of the region: choosing a season for a trip
The Adler resort is located in that part of Russia that belongs to the subtropical zone - this is one of the southernmost settlements of the entire country. The city is reliably protected from the cold from the north by the spurs of the Caucasian ridge, and the Black Sea helps to reduce the temperature drop - both daily and annual. It also affects the level of humidity, which is constantly high here.
Summer here lasts almost six months, and of the remaining six months, another half is occupied by local, very mild autumn.
There is no winter in the classical Russian sense at all - often there are years when the subzero temperature has not been recorded, but this season is not suitable for a beach holiday.
For most of Adler's visitors, the main reason for coming is sunbathing on the beach and swimming in the sea, which are possible only in summer. It starts here around mid-April, but keep in mind that children's immunity is usually not so reliable, so it's better to wait a couple of extra weeks.
The same applies to the onset of autumn - although it usually begins here in October, during the planning stage, do not risk staying here for so long, because the coolness may come earlier, and then the vacation will be ruined. If the sea and beaches are not the main reason for your arrival, Adler will welcome you at any time of the year - even in winter the weather is relatively good here.
What's the best way to get there?
Despite the relatively small size of both Adler itself and the city of Sochi, in general, it is very easy to get here - this is one of the most accessible cities throughout the country. The reason for this is the high resort attractiveness of the region, the developed infrastructure of recreation and entertainment, as well as the 2014 Winter Olympic Games, which additionally stimulated the development of infrastructure and an increase in tourist interest in these places.
There are three ways to get here.
By plane
It is in Adler that the airport is located, serving the city of Sochi, as well as a huge adjacent resort area with the city of Tuapse and neighboring Abkhazia. So it is not surprising that with an annual passenger turnover of 4-5 million people, it ranks fifth among all Russian airports, behind only three Moscow and St. Petersburg airports.
You can get here from dozens of airports throughout Russia, and the flight duration from Moscow is only about two hours, which is very convenient for traveling with kids.
By train
The Adler railway station is the terminal for most trains, and the geographical coverage of the routes is very wide - it includes almost the entire territory of Russia, and neighboring states - Belarus and Lithuania, as well as partially recognized Abkhazia. A characteristic local feature is that in summer the number of trains arriving here approximately doubles, which expands the geography of possible trips to the limit.
Traveling with children on the train should be approached with caution - in particular, a trip from Moscow can take up to one and a half days, while there are also much longer flights. Many children find it hard to cope with long train journeys, and what starts out as an exciting adventure can become boring after a few hours.
By bus
The bus service in Adler is at a high level, but mainly covers not the most remote cities - mainly the Krasnodar Territory and the adjacent constituent entities of the Russian Federation. Again, too long a trip will tire the child very quickly, especially since on the bus, unlike in the train, you won't even be able to lie down on a shelf or frolic in the vestibule.
Districts of Adler: choosing an option for accommodation
Adler is just a district of the city of Sochi, but it itself is also divided into several even smaller districts, each of which has its own tourist characteristics.
- Adler Center. A good option for those who want to have a good rest and see as much as possible. There is a lot of tourist-oriented infrastructure here, but at the same time, it is also an ordinary city center, from which it is convenient to get in different directions to various attractions and interesting places. There is definitely something to do here, given the good transport accessibility of the surroundings, and you can settle for every taste and budget. At the same time, the very heart of the resort is not here.
Imeretinskaya lowland
Despite the fact that this area could be called the geographical outskirts of Adler, this part of the city has the greatest tourist attraction. There are the most opportunities for an expensive vacation, because in this part there are the most fashionable chain hotels and hotels.
Many tourists are attracted not only by the opportunity to have a good rest on the beach, but also by the close proximity of the very facilities that hosted the 2014 Olympic Games - after all, they were held mainly not in the center of Sochi, but in Adler. The proximity of the state border also adds some charm - there are no more than a couple of kilometers to it.
Resort town
As the name suggests, the tourism industry has been developing here for a very long time, so it is organized mainly according to the old Soviet principle - sanatoriums, boarding houses and other institutions for organized recreation are located as densely as possible, often with a health-improving bias.
Although other tourist infrastructure is also present, it is relatively quiet here, as quiet as it can be in Adler, which makes this region one of the most popular among visitors with children.
Of course, the choice of places for settlement here is truly huge. To simplify the choice, let's highlight the main features of all the main options.
Private sector
This option is the most inexpensive, especially if your choice fell not even on Adler, but on some of its suburbs. A wide range of such housing is offered by the State Farm "Russia" area, located in the Imeretinskaya lowland, not far from the coast.
Do not take this option as inconvenient - on the contrary, the hosts try to make their guests' stay as comfortable as possible. It's just that there is no such service and sophistication as it could be in expensive hotels. All entertainment, and most often food, are not included in the cost of housing; you will have to look for and pay for them separately. On the other hand, there is a plus in this - it's easier to save money this way.
Please note that the owners of rented private housing usually do not accept guests for a day or two, preferring those who have arrived for a long time.
Boarding houses
This option is good for those who do not like to independently organize their leisure time, but would like to be helped in this. In addition, boarding houses and sanatoriums are distinguished by a pronounced health-improving nature of recreation, which provides for constant medical supervision, a complex of restorative and therapeutic medical procedures, as well as typical resort treatment, for example, with healing mud or mineral water, which, by the way, is in Adler.
Most of the boarding houses and sanatoriums are located in Kurortny Gorodok. A significant part of local institutions of this type are oriented towards guests arriving with small children.
Hotels
For those who want to use only the best and have enough money to pay for such services, hotels are the ideal solution. The price tag at the first moment can be frightening, however, if the hotel operates on an all-inclusive basis, it is worth choosing it - the price includes accommodation with meals, and, possibly, even excursions and children's animation. In addition, all amenities are present here - in particular, many tourists choose hotels with a swimming pool, which allows you not to get out of the water, regardless of the weather and season of the year.
There are hotels in the city for every taste, and the organization of accommodation in them is also different. For example, the apart-hotel "Twins", located next to the park "Yuzhnye kultury", offers suites, and one of the best three-star hotels in the center "Adelphia" offers inexpensive typical hotel rooms and a visit to the restaurant and spa located in the same building ...
There are plenty of options for settling in Adler, but keep in mind that this is perhaps the most popular resort in the country. When planning a trip here during the high season, start by finding suitable accommodation and booking it for the planned date.
Beaches
Adler stretches for several kilometers along the Black Sea coast, and almost all of them are beaches ideal for swimming and sunbathing. Local beaches are made of both sand and small pebbles - in the second case, it is worthwhile to provide for at least a child's shoes, because it is not always pleasant to walk on such a surface. Nevertheless, you can always simply move to another section of the coast, especially since there are beaches in all parts of Adler.
An important point is that all or almost all of Adler's beaches are equipped with everything you need. This is not surprising, because the city would not have become such a popular vacation spot without toilets, showers and changing cabins that can be found on any beach here, as well as sun loungers and umbrellas.
All popular “sea” entertainment is presented here: water equipment rental and typical water attractions. In such conditions, it is very easy to work up a remarkable appetite, and numerous cafes and bars are ready to solve this problem, offering exquisite local cuisine, ice cream, snacks and soft drinks.
Attractions and entertainment
Holidays in Adler are good because with all the development of the beach and hotel infrastructure, there is also something to see.
Perhaps the most interesting objects for nonresident guests appeared in Adler quite recently, just a few years ago, since we are talking about sports facilities built specifically for the 2014 Olympic Games.
Olympic Park - the main attraction on the scale not only of Adler, but of the whole of Sochi, here you can not only see, but also experience some sports facilities, for example, go ice skating in the ice palace. It will be interesting for boys of any age to visit the Autodrom and the Fisht stadium, which will also host matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, even without a competition. You should also take a walk along the Olympic Embankment and take pictures with the Olympic rings in the background.
Sochi Park - a chic family and children's park, where you should go to get acquainted with the culture of Russia, which is presented here in six special thematic zones.
Fans of monumental architecture will surely like the Temple of the Image of Christ the Savior Not Made by Hands, although it is, in a way, also an Olympic object - it was also handed over for the Games, so it is not old.
At the seaside resort, you will not surprise anyone with water parks and dolphinariums, but if your kids are very fond of wildlife, they should also be interested in the Adler Ornithological Park, a monkey nursery, an ostrich farm and the Southern Cultures Park, which has collected plants from all over the world and rightly so considered the pearl of Adler.
Teenagers and their parents may also be interested in the rich history and culture of this region - then do not pass by the museum of the history of the Adler region.
Popular excursions
The highlight of Adler is that it is surrounded by other places that claim to be of tourist interest, so you just need to go somewhere on an excursion. In fact, there are a lot of options, but we will highlight only those that will appeal to everyone, without exception, including children:
- You can’t rest in the immediate vicinity of the mountains and so you can’t visit them. They are available for visiting at any time of the year - in Rosa Khutor in the cold season you can go skiing and snowboarding, and it is advised to go to Krasnaya Polyana in the summer - there are gorgeous views, which are especially fascinating when climbing the cable car.
- Again, it is a crime to rest on the seashore and not ride on it yourself. Moreover, in Adler, even such a service as night yacht rental is offered. The atmosphere during such a walk is truly romantic and fabulous - you can endlessly admire the lights of the city of one hundred thousand, reflected in the dark waves.
- Lovers of walking in unfamiliar cities also have something to do. You can go to the center of Sochi - in principle, in recent years in Adler, which is supposedly a suburb, even more interesting, but if you arrived for a long time, then why not. Inveterate travelers who dream of sticking flags "I was here" on the entire map of the world will definitely want to visit Abkhazia, which is only a few kilometers away. No additional documents are required for this. In general, you cannot find something super interesting or unique there either, however, it is still a different country, with a slightly different way of life and culture.
Useful tips for vacationers
When visiting any city where you are for the first time, it is recommended to know its features better in advance so as not to miss anything interesting. For those who are planning to vacation in Adler, you can also give some useful tips:
- Everyone goes to Adler by the sea, but find time for other options for local pastime, because there is a lot of interesting things. Explore the main city sights and be sure to get out of the city, for example, high in the mountains, because you probably have never seen such a charming nature.
- Although the majority of the population of modern Adler are Russians and Armenians, who have also not been perceived as something exotic for a long time, it is still the Caucasus, and many peoples have left their mark here, which is reflected in the local cuisine. Perhaps young children will not like unusual food or even harm it, but teenagers and their parents should try unusual local dishes, especially considering that they are praised by literally everyone who rested here.
- A trip to a resort with such a scale of popularity cannot be planned a day or two before departure - arrange in advance, and devote enough time to it. Decide where you will live, and at the same time monitor the situation with tickets for transport back and forth. Remember: trying to change something at the last moment threatens to end in a complete vacation failure.
Reviews
Judging by the comments on thematic forums on the Internet, Adler is a paradise, if not on Earth, then at least within Russia (if you do not take into account the reviews on the purity of the water in the sea).
According to the results of the vacation spent here, everyone, young and old, has a sea of positive impressions caused by the sunny local climate, warm sea, an abundance of interesting attractions and entertainment, delicious food and a high level of service.
Rare criticism can be found only in the context that it is expensive here, but in fact the only question is in the thoroughness of the search for housing - there are also very budget options. Some also complain about the huge number of tourists during the high season, but this was naturally to be expected.
If you are planning to swim in the sea, take into account that many people complain about the dirty sea, because in many places the waste water flows directly from the city into the sea. This is one of the most significant disadvantages of staying here, especially with small children.
As an alternative, we suggest considering a vacation in Crimea, on the sandy beaches of Vityazevo and Dzhemete - these places are rightfully considered the best on the Russian coast for families with children.
See the video below for even more information about your vacation in Adler.
