Departing from the pier, you will visit the Dendrarium to admire one of the most charming botanical gardens in Russia which extends over 30 acres.  Enjoy a leisurely walk among an unusual variety of trees and shrubs, perhaps pausing to enjoy the view of the fountains, basins, statues and pea-cocks around the place.
     Your tour will then take you to the Sochi's spa Matsesta, a recent seaside development.  It's name, "Fiery Water," of Cherkass origin, is a reference to the hot sulphur springs that have been known here from ancient times.
     A stroll here will let you experience a great variety of opportunities offered to pleasure seekers and holiday-makers from all over the former Soviet Union.
     Boarding your motor coach, you will be take up the slopes of the Bolshoi Akhun Mountain (1,900 feet).  Traveling along one of the most scenic routes in the Caucasus, you will top at it's 90-foot-high lookout tower and enjoy a panorama of almost the whole of Caucasian Riviera, from Tuapse down to cape Pitsunda.
     Behind you, the snow-covered peaks of the Caucasus seem quite close, although they are actually 25 miles away.
     Before your return to the ship, you will have a chance to shop for local handicrafts and enjoy a beautiful drive downtown.