Built for the Sochi Olympics in 2014 and the largest ski area in Russia, rising from a purpose built village on the Mzymta river up to ridges near the Georgian border. The vertical drop is among the biggest in Europe.

The lift system and the pistes are modern throughout, because almost all of it was constructed at once, and the alpine events of the Games were held on this mountain. There is a great deal of long intermediate skiing and serious terrain higher up.

The Black Sea coast at Sochi lies about an hour off, which is an unusual combination anywhere in the world. Check entry requirements, flight routing and current travel advice carefully well before you commit to anything, because the practicalities of getting there matter far more than the skiing.