The holiday resort Sochi, situated on the Black Sea, is the most popular destination for Russian tourists. It is called "The Black Sea Pearl" and completely justifies its nick-name. Warm climate, legendary spa waters, beneficial air and the city's unique mountain backdrop attract millions of Russian and foreign tourists to Russia's unofficial summer capital. And if these reasons are not enough to persuade you that the city is definitely worth visiting, there is one more - Sochi was chosen by the International Olympic Committee to host Winter Olympic Games 2014. This will become the first Winter Olympics ever held in the subtropics.

With its unique climate and location, you can swim in warm sea waters and laze under the sun in the morning and then set off in the afternoon for the mountains for some great skiing in Krasnaya Polyana (Red Valley). The Red Valley is well-covered with snow all year-round for first-class skiing on pistes of all difficulties and it is already a focus for the world's best skiers who come here to compete in winter sports. Russians value a good relationship with others, so the purpose of the 2014 games will be as in ancient times - to unite people and bring the nations closer to each other.

The local organizers have called the 2014 Olympic Games Sochi's gateway to the future, because all the changes, improvements and developments mean the city will become an even better place to stay in. Sochi has already come a long way since it officially became a city in 1917 and it is now a fast developing resort for millions of tourists who come here every year to enjoy both the wonderful beaches and myriad beach activities and the wide range of other pursuits and leisure activities, including skiing and paragliding.

Sochi first started to develop as a resort long ago when people noticed that its climate, waters and air are very beneficial to health. Numerous sanatoriums, rest and recreation areas were built here in the last century. During Soviet times, the Communist leaders and politicians always used to spend their holidays in Sochi, though it was also visited ordinary people.

Nowadays, of course, Sochi has much more to offer than spa water treatment. Besides the huge range of outdoor pursuits, from the beach to the mountains, the city has a rich cultural life reflected in numerous concert halls and theatres, monuments and museums. The museum's archeological exhibits, for instance, date back to the Paleolithic period and show the fascinating artifacts of the many peoples who migrated through this territory then. Sochi is also renowned for its lush vegetation, with green, succulent trees everywhere and a famous arboretum with about 2500 species of rare plants and trees.