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Introducing Sochi
Sochi may not have the best European beaches and there's still an element of tackiness but the city is in makeover mode. Investment money is being pumped in, some by government and some by developers who've gone overseas, seen what they've liked and copied it in Sochi.
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Wander the downtown area by the elegant sea terminal and you're in a garden city where the scent of magnolia trees mingles with the tang of salt carried on sea breezes. Follow the sea embankment (naberezhnaya) and you'll cruise by a blur of restaurants, bars, shops and souvenir stalls jostling for attention. The place oozes booze and food and at night resounds to a pumping mix of Russian ballads, rousing Armenian tunes, Western pop and a little dance music.
If crowds are not your scene you can escape into the hills and mountains. If you're a snow bunny then Krasnaya Polyana (Red Valley) is the place; the snow lingers into late spring, allowing you to ski in the morning and swim in the sea in the afternoon.
Summer season is from the end of May to the end of September, with crowds pouring in during July and August when, coincidentally, prices are at their highest. We reckon that June is the best time to come, when the city is at its freshest.
Last updated: Feb 17, 2009
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