Palm trees in front of snow-capped peaks: the first image of Sochi lies in this contrast. The city stretches between the Black Sea and the foothills of the Caucasus, in a subtropical strip where magnolias, cypresses and tea bushes grow, while white ridges close off the horizon. Ships dock at the downtown sea terminal, a 1955 building topped with a 71-metre spire, a Stalin-era monument that has become the emblem of the port.

The waterfront, the resort's beating heart

Right outside the terminal, the seaside promenade unrolls its quays lined with cafés, ice cream kiosks and benches facing the waves. The marina lines up its sailboats and excursion boats, street photographers offer their services and swimmers take over the pebble beaches as soon as the weather turns fine. Sochi has been the country's great seaside resort for a century, and this vocation shows everywhere: resort architecture, well-tended gardens, summer crowds in light clothing. The kiosks serve grilled corn and chilled kvass, and the loudspeakers of sea excursions mingle with the cries of the gulls. It's pleasant to simply sit facing the water and watch the resort live.

The arboretum, a forest from around the world

On the hillside, the Dendrarium gathers hundreds of species of trees and subtropical plants from every continent: sequoias, bamboo, citrus, palms of every silhouette. The most enjoyable approach is to ride the gondola up to the upper lookout, from which the view takes in the city and the coast, then walk back down path by path, between ponds, free-roaming peacocks and ornamental pavilions. Allow a good half day to enjoy it without rushing, with a hat and a water bottle in your bag.

Riviera Park and simple pleasures

Across the Sochi River, Riviera Park has cultivated the art of strolling since the late 19th century: shady paths, a rose garden, rides and an open-air theatre. Families meet here, churchkhela, strings of nuts dipped in grape must, are sold, and the atmosphere gives a faithful glimpse of holidays as they're lived here. Between the two parks, the centre offers its markets piled with spices, smoked cheeses, valley honey and coastal fruit. This is the place to taste the flavours of the Caucasus: walnut churchkhela, spicy adjika and fragrant tomatoes that remind you the region lies at a crossroads of culinary traditions. The vendors happily offer tastes, and you rarely leave empty-handed.

The Olympic legacy and the mountains

The 2014 Winter Games left a double legacy here. By the sea, in the Adler district about thirty kilometres from the centre, the Olympic Park lines up its stadiums around Medals Plaza and its musical fountain; it's pleasant to tour by bike or golf cart, among lawns and sculptures. Inland, the Krasnaya Polyana valley links resorts and Caucasus ridges by gondola. These excursions require a full day in port, but they show how far the city has grown between sea and summits.

A last look from the deck

At departure, the terminal's spire recedes against green hills, and the Caucasus peaks catch the last light. Sochi leaves a singular impression on the Black Sea: that of a holiday town born for the pleasures of the seaside, which has grown all the way to the eternal snows without ever giving up its palm trees.