10 fun facts about Sochi

With the Winter Olympics right around the corner, here are 10 fun facts you might not have known about the host city, Sochi, Russia.

The climate is warm

While it might not seem fitting for the Winter Olympics, Sochi is considered humid and subtropical. In the colder months, the temperatures average 50 degrees in the day and 37 degrees at night, rarely dipping below freezing. Sochi will be the warmest city on record to host the winter games.

It’s considered a resort city

Located on the Black Sea’s coast, Sochi is thought to be the most popular resort area in Russia. Joseph Stalin was one of the first notable people to recognize the region’s charm, building his favorite vacation home, or dacha, right in the city. Today, the area attracts nearly 2 million tourists each summer who come from all over to enjoy the beaches, parks, monuments, architecture, and over 250 spa facilities.

It’s close to mountains

Sochi isn’t all about the sun. In fact, its proximity to the Caucasus Mountains won over the International Olympic Committee when its members selected the winter games location. The highest peak reaches 18,510 feet and temperatures are much colder: The northern Greater Caucasus Mountain Range averages 5 degrees in the winter. Snow also covers most of the mountain regions, about 16 feet, with the snowiest regions receiving over 23 feet.

Nature is prominent

From lush green trees to colorful botanical gardens, the city has nearly 500,000 acres of forests, with roughly 10,000 acres right in Sochi Centre. It has several protected natural zones including national parks, 30 botanical gardens, and sanctuaries that house over 30,000 plant species.

The population is small

The city has a population of around 400,000 representing 100 nationalities. That number will more than double with the hundreds of thousands of Olympic athletes, volunteers, media, and a projected 500,000 spectators from around the world.

It’s home to a few famous athletes

Aside from the resorts, Sochi is known for its athletic facilities. Champion tennis players – from Maria Sharapova to Yevgeny Kafelnikov to Elena Vesnina —have trained at its local tennis schools. Olympic swimmers Vladimir Nemshilov and Kharis Yunichev both grew up in Sochi. The city was also home to football player Slava Metreveli, basketball player Vladimir Tkachenko, and bobsledder and professional arm wrestler Alexey Voyevoda.

It has a long history in mythology

According to Greek legend, Sochi’s Akhshtyrskaya Cave was the site where the Greek hero Odysseus encountered his nemesis, the one-eyed Cyclops. If that’s not enough, Sochi’s Eagle Rock was the site where Prometheus was chained to a rock as punishment. Today, a figure of Prometheus (pictured) stands at the site for tourists to take photos with. The legend of Matsesta was also set in Sochi. The story says a young girl, Matsesta, invaded an underground kingdom to find the spirit of the mountains. She killed the spirit, sacrificing her own life, and brought the healing sources of the river to the city. Matsesta is currently a wellness center where hundreds of people are treated in Sochi.

The food is pretty good

Russian cuisine doesn’t always make the top of everyone’s culinary map. But Sochi has some interesting and unique dishes. What locals call the king of Sochi cuisine, shish kabobs is one of the most popular outdoor picnic dishes in Russia, eaten year-round, according to the Russia and India Report. Cubes of meat are marinated, put on skewers, and roasted over an open fire and are traditionally served with onions, fresh veggies, herbs, lavosh, and red sauce. Other favorites include blini—or Russian crepes—and Solyanka soup, a hot and spicy soup made with slow-cooked meat, onions, carrots, garlic, tomatoes, and peppers.

It’s home to Russia’s largest salt water aquarium

Sochi Discovery World Aquarium (pictured) spans roughly 64,583 square feet with 30 aquariums equating to 1.3 million gallons of water. Boasting what the staff say is more than 4,000 freshwater and sea inhabitants, the aquarium features intricately designed exhibits including small tanks and a tunnel that guests can walk through and view the ocean from all around.

It has gone green

With no industrial facilities in the area, Sochi air quality is considered among the best in the world. It seems appropriate that the winter games, according to the Sochi Olympics website, will also become the greenest in Olympic history. With the use of environmentally friendly building materials and renewable energy sources for all of the new venues, hotels, and transportation, the city plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make the events climate-neutral.