Central Sochi: the port, Navaginskaya Street and the hills
Central Sochi: the port, Navaginskaya Street, the parks and the station. Is it worth living here all year? Scores for three addresses.
Contents 9 sections
What the district is like
Tsentralny district is Sochi in the narrow sense: the sea port, pedestrian Navaginskaya Street, Riviera Park, the railway station and the neighbourhoods on the slopes above them. The rest of what is called Greater Sochi stretches for dozens of kilometres along the coast.
People live here all year, not only on holiday. The centre has the city administration, the hospitals, the colleges, the market and most of the offices.
Errands on foot
The lower part of the district, by the sea and along Navaginskaya, is easy on foot. Shops, the market, cafes, clinics, the promenade and the beach are all close. The station links the centre with Adler, the airport and Krasnaya Polyana.
Higher up the hills begin. A building that looks a stroll from the sea on the map may stand on a steep slope that you climb by stairs or by bus. That is the first thing to check.
What we measured
We took Navaginskaya Street in the very centre, Voykova Street by the port and Moskovskaya Street by the station.
| Address | Score | Groceries | Station or stop | School | Park | Noise and air |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Navaginskaya ulitsa, 7, Sochi | 88.1 | 3 min | 6 minGostinitsa "Moskva" | 7 min | 2 min | −0.4 |
| ulitsa Voykova, 1, Sochi | 61.8 | 5 min | 6 minMorport | 11 min | 4 min | −0.4 |
| Moskovskaya ulitsa, 22, Sochi | 81.8 | 6 min | 4 minYaroslavna | 6 min | 3 min | −2.1 |
Map numbers match the table rows. Use the plus button to zoom in.
All three lie in the lower, flat part of town. On the slopes the numbers would look different, and the score does account for the climb: see How the score works.
Who it suits
- People who move to Sochi to live and work, not for a season.
- Anyone who wants hospitals, schools and the station nearby.
- People who hope to manage without a car.
What it costs you
In summer the centre is crowded and Kurortny Prospekt stands still. Prices are high by Black Sea standards. The slopes are steep. Not everyone copes with the damp winters and the August heat; for many, the first August decides whether they stay.
The housing
The lower town has Stalin-era and Soviet buildings of a few storeys. The slopes carry high-rise complexes from the last twenty years, many with a sea view. There are also private houses climbing narrow lanes up the hill.
What to check
Before buying, walk from the building to the sea and back. Find out whether a car can reach the entrance and where you would leave it. Check the papers for the building, since the city has had its share of unauthorised construction. Make sure a neighbouring site will not block the view.
Without a car
In the lower part of the centre you can do without a car all year round.
Neighbours
South along the coast lies Khosta, a quiet resort village. The suburban train and the highway link it with the centre, and people who find the town too noisy look there.