Krasnaya Polyana
Long before Vladimir Putin made Krasnaya Polyana a pet project—that of turning a dilapidated Soviet resort into a world-class ski destination—Czar Nicholas II used the hillside village as his getaway hunting ground. The snowy mountains, located a short drive from the beaches of Sochi, are home to three ski resorts, including the new Rosa Khutor Alpine Resort, where the Olympic alpine skiing and snowboarding competition will take place. The mountains, which reach over 6,000 feet in some places, provides up to 140 days of skiing per year and other activities such as mountain biking, rafting, and hiking. Many luxury hotels and restaurants are under construction here in preparation for the Olympics.
