Cruises to the Greek islands will be a new offering for the 2025 season from Sochi, with a total of three scheduled trips. Each cruise will last for 10 nights and include stops at Rhodes, Mykonos, and either Santorini or Lesbos (Mitilini), depending on the chosen itinerary. Additionally, two week-long cruises are planned for July and September, during which the ship will sail along the coast of Mount Athos.
Travelers will need a Schengen visa for the cruises to the Greek islands, which should be arranged prior to departure. Assistance in obtaining the visa will be provided at the time of booking the trip.
"We see immense potential in this new direction. In July 2024, the Astoria Grande cruise ship celebrated its anniversary—marking two years since the first cruise departed from Sochi. Even in this short time, we have already seen significant growth in demand for sea tours: compared to last year, we have increased the occupancy of each cruise by an average of 35% compared to the same period in 2023," said Stanislav Naumov, CEO of the shipping company "Aquilone."
In addition to Greece, the sole liner operating international cruises from Sochi also includes Turkish and Egyptian destinations in its program. These offerings feature a two-week cruise to Egypt with a visit to Alexandria, 14-night tours along Turkey's southern coast, week-long routes to major Turkish resorts, and year-round mini-cruises. In total, from March 2025 to January 2026, 46 international maritime journeys are planned to depart from Sochi.
The Matsesta balneological resort has been named a "legendary brand of Russia", securing a top spot in the "Top 50 Legendary Brands of Russia" ranking based on a public vote. Russians chose their favorite time-tested companies from hundreds of contenders
Blueberry cultivation has officially begun in Sochi, with the first significant harvest yielding 320 kilograms at a farm in Vardane. This farm spans 30 hectares and also grows various stone and pome fruits that thrive in the subtropical climate, including persimmon, feijoa, peach, plum, fig, kishmish grapes, honeysuckle, and blackberries
Blogs
