After the Winter Olympics ended in 2014, the Olympic Park is one of the most visited and recognizable places in Sochi. The main sports complexes for past competitions are located here. Now it has been transferred to the ownership of the city and anyone can visit it to see the legendary sights and have a great time with friends and family.
Good decision
The city of Sochi became famous throughout the world in 2014. After all, it was there, on the shores of the Black Sea, that two grandiose events took place: the 22nd Winter Olympic Games, and a little later the 11th Paralympic Games.
For the brilliant and comfortable holding of these events of global importance, for all participants and spectators of these competitions, two clusters were built in Sochi in just 7 years. One - mountain - is located in Krasnaya Polyana, a mountain village near Sochi. And the other - coastal - was located in the Imereti Lowland of one of the districts of Sochi.
This idea of the organizers worked “Hurray!” Thanks to this successful division, the Olympics became an unprecedented celebration held in a Russian city: outdoor competitions were held in the mountains, and indoor competitions were held in the coastal, urban cluster.
The Sochi Olympic Park became the main venue where the colorful Opening and Closing ceremonies of the Olympics took place, as well as competitions in various sports held indoors.
Fisht Stadium
Fisht Stadium is a unique sports attraction in the Krasnodar region.
The height of the stadium reaches 69 meters, it is designed in the shape of a sea shell and a snowy mountain peak. Australian specialists worked on the project, and this work of art was erected by Russian and Turkish construction companies. This majestic building fits well into the surrounding mountainous landscape and vaguely resembles the shape of the Fisht mountain of the same name. In 2022, the Fisht stadium is preparing to host the FIFA World Cup; about 1 million people plan to visit it.
What to see in the Olympic Park
The territory of the Olympic Park covers more than 200 hectares. There is everything here for both sporting competitions and recreation for visitors of all ages. On the detailed map you can see the locations of the main Olympic and entertainment venues, cafes and restaurants, and parking lots.
Now, for orientation, I will briefly describe the main parts of the park, so as not to get lost in its vastness. And below there will be a more detailed story about all the objects. “Let’s go” from the farthest point of the park to the main entrance.
The central place of the Olympic Park is occupied by stadiums, they are located along the perimeter of a round square called Medal Plaza. In the center there is a huge Olympic flame torch and fountains. More information about this will be provided below.
To the right, almost the same territory is occupied by the entertainment themed Sochi Park, where there are roller coasters and other attractions for children and adults.
Between these zones there is a Ferris Wheel. It can serve as a visible landmark, as it can be seen from afar.
If you move to the right towards the main entrance, you will cross a rainbow pedestrian bridge.
These are 5 fairly long and wide spans, which are designed for the passage of tens of thousands of fans from the main entrance to the stadiums.
The famous Formula 1 race track runs along it, as well as around the Olympic stadiums.
After crossing the bridge, on the right there will be a car museum building and a Russian house, near which there is a monument to the first Olympic champion in figure skating in London. It was Nikolai Aleksandrovich Panin-Kolomenkin who received this honorary title in 1908.
Moving further, on the left will be the main grandstand of the Sochi Autodrom.
And here in front of us is a huge semicircle with several dozen doors. This is the main entrance to the territory of the Sochi Olympic Park. This is what it looks like from the inside.
And here it is - outside.
On the huge square in front of the main entrance, next to the Olympic rings, there is a beautifully illuminated fountain.
You can climb its steps and admire the view of the entire complex of sports and entertainment facilities and facilities.
And in the back there will be a railway station building, which was also built for the start of the 2014 Olympic Games.
Well, now I invite you to take a leisurely walk through the territory of the Olympic village in order to study in more detail all its sports, educational and entertainment attractions.
Work schedule
The park is open from 8 to 24 hours.
The fountain operates depending on the onset of darkness at different times of the year:
- winter:
18 - 19 h - autumn-spring: 19-20 hours
- summer: 20:30-21:30 h
A visit to the Olympic Park can be combined with a visit to Sochi Park, which is located nearby. Or take a walk along the new Imeretinskaya embankment.
Life in Olimpic park is in full swing, despite the fact that the Olympics ended a long time ago. A variety of events are held here, and not just sports. The large ice palace hosts tours of the Cirque du Soleil, and often hosts concerts and various festivals. But naturally the most popular are sporting events. Every year there are football matches, figure skating, hockey, etc.
To avoid getting tired ahead of time
Actually, the park area is huge! It’s not so easy to walk around 200 hectares! Therefore, in the vicinity of Olympus Park there are about 20 bicycle rental points. At the Sochi bike rental you can rent bicycles for both adults and children of various brands and sizes. This is a very popular way of transportation here.
I want to give you one piece of advice - the prices for renting bicycles are higher the closer you are to the Olympic Park. Therefore, if you have such an opportunity, rent a bike, for example, in Adler.
The whole journey will take about 20 minutes, but, firstly, you will be able to significantly save on rent for your wallet, and secondly, you will have the opportunity to drive along the embankment with a breeze and admire the surrounding landscapes.
There are 7 rental points in the Olympians Park itself. Here you can rent, in addition to bicycles, also roller skates and, for example, electric cars. The price for renting an electric car is 600 rubles per hour of driving. But in general, there is a lot of things here: scooters, Segways and other vehicles are waiting for their temporary owners!
In the Park you can take part in an excursion in electric cars; it costs 200 rubles per person. If you take a ticket for such an excursion, you will not only be taken everywhere, shown everything and told about everything, but also given a discount on entry to all museums located in the park.
It seems like a small thing, the money is small, but there are a lot of museums here, and the amount accumulates is quite decent. So consider taking advantage of this offer. And the driver-tour guide will then receive his commission interest. After all, his last name will be indicated on each discount ticket. This is such an unusual affiliate program.
At the beginning of May, there were very few people willing to take part in the excursion program around the park, and the driver agreed to take me for a ride alone. We agreed on a cost of 500 rubles. Considering that later I received a discount on entry to almost all museums of 50 rubles, then this excursion cost me only 200 rubles.
