Sochi

Sochi stretches for more than a hundred kilometres along the Black Sea, from the subtropical parks of the centre to the Olympic district of Sirius and up into the Caucasus at Krasnaya Polyana and Rosa Khutor.

That geography is the point: in a single trip you can spend the morning on the beach and the afternoon at 1,500 metres. The city centre suits guests who want restaurants, promenades and spa hotels; Sirius is newer, quieter and built around large resort complexes; Krasnaya Polyana and Rosa Khutor are the ski season and, in summer, hiking and mountain air.