Sochi is a palm-lined resort squeezed between the Black Sea and the mountains of the western Caucasus, and it is the only place in Russia where you can swim in the morning and ski in the afternoon, at least in theory. The city stretches along the coast for about a hundred and forty kilometres, a long ribbon of sanatoriums, hotels and apartment blocks, with pebble beaches, subtropical gardens and a promenade. The climate is the mildest in Russia, with warm, humid summers and rarely freezing winters, and the vegetation includes palm trees, magnolias and bamboo. Tea is grown on plantations near Dagomys, farther north than anywhere else in the world.
The city gained international attention in 2014, when it hosted the Winter Olympics. The coastal cluster held the ice events, while the mountain events took place at Krasnaya Polyana, a resort inland up a river valley, where gondolas and ski runs now climb the steep slopes. Joseph Stalin used to holiday here, and his dacha, a dark green house in the forest, is open to visitors, preserved with its original furniture. The seafront has Soviet-era buildings with columns and mosaics, and the old railway station is a fine example of that architecture.
For riders, the roads leading inland offer a dramatic change of scene. The route up the Mzymta valley to Krasnaya Polyana passes through deep gorges, waterfalls and forest, with the road running next to the river and climbing steadily, and the mountain scenery is impressive. The Western Caucasus, a protected area listed by UNESCO, holds some of the last large areas of mountain forest in Europe, home to bison, bears and lynx. Roads are generally in good condition, but the coastal highway is heavily congested in summer, with traffic crawling along the seafront.
Sochi has plenty of fuel stations and workshops. The food is varied, with grilled meat and cheese pastries in the Caucasian style, and the local wine and tea. The best months for riding are May, June and September, when the water is warm and the crowds thin. Rain can be heavy in autumn and winter.