Sochi

Sochi is Russia's largest resort city, running 145 km along the Black Sea at the foot of the Caucasus. Its humid subtropical climate is unlike that of any other major Russian city. It has fine resorts and world-class facilities, and suits those who want to balance rest with time outdoors.

The swimming season runs from May to October, and in summer the sea is between 23 and 27°C. Along the seafront are gardens, among them the Sochi Arboretum, with tropical trees from many countries. To the south, in Adler, the Olympic Park recalls the 2014 Winter Games.

About 40 km inland from the airport lies Krasnaya Polyana and its three ski resorts. The largest, Rosa Khutor, hosted the Olympic alpine events and rises to 2,320 m. The Lastochka train reaches it from the airport in about an hour, and the ski season runs from mid-December into spring.

Sochi works in both seasons: a warm sea and green mountains in summer; in winter, Caucasus snow an hour from a mild coast, where daytime temperatures stay around 10°C.