Sochi
Sochi is the largest Russian resort city situated in Krasnodar Krai on the Black Sea coast. Greater Sochi sprawls for 145 kilometers along the shores of the Black Sea near the Caucasus Mountains. Sochi is the longest city in Europe. Most of the city is located on the mountainside and hills. The exotic setting and the natural beauty of the place offer the tourists supreme sense of pleasure and comfort. Sochi is often called "Russian Riviera". The Greater Sochi consists of four districs: Lazarevo district, Central District, Hosta district, Adler district. The population of the city is about 343 000.
Sochi will host the XXII Olympic Winter Games and XI Paralympic Winter Games in 2014, as well as the Russian Formula 1 Grand Prix from 2014 and will be one of the host cities for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
GAZPROM MOUNTAIN SKI CENTRE "LAURA"
Highlights:
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Krasnaya Polyana (Red Meadow) - the most famous Russian ski destination, one of the venues of the Winter Olympic Games 2014. The skiing resort is located at an altitude of 600 meters. The resort is also known for its good quality of snow. The wonderful location of the meadow is close to the sandy beaches. The ski resort is sometimes called "Russian Switzerland". Nowdays there are several mountain skiing complexes in the Krasnaya Polyana: Alpika-Service, Laura (Gazprom skiing complex), Mountain Carousel, Rosa Hutor.
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Dendrary Botanical Garden (Dendrarium) - the largest subtropical park in Russia, which houses a large collection of flora from all over the world.
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Riviera park - the most favotite park of Sochi citizens. The park has a great variety of attractions: carousels, green theatre etc. The main attraction is the ''Glade of Friendship" where magnolia trees were planted by Soviet cosmonauts.
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Dolphinarium (Aquatheatre) - arranges a number of shows which will entertain a lot both children and adults. The shows are presented by well trained dolphins, sea lions, fur seals and killer whales.
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Sochi World Discovery Aquarium - one of the world largest aquarium complexes. The territory of the complex is 6000 sq.m. and includes 29 aquariums with totally 5 billion liter of water with more than 100 specimens of fishes from all over the world.
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Stalin's Dacha - one of the most visited by tourists museums in Sochi. Stalin's Dacha is situated on the territory of the health resort "Zeleny Shum". The former Stalin's summer residence houses nowdays a small hotel and a museum where you can learn Stalin's life and see interiors of the Stalinist epoch.
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Sochi National Nature Park - was established in 1983 to preserve unique subtropical nature complexes of the Black Sea shore and Caucasus. The reserve has a great variety of specimens of flora and fauna.