'''Krasnodar Krai''' is a region in Southern Russia, bordering Ukraine to the west (across the narrow Strait of Kerch), Rostov Oblast to the north, Stavropol Krai to the east, and Georgia and Karachay-Cherkessia to the south. Krasnodar Krai offers travelers Russia's premiere beach resorts as well as some of Europe's tallest mountains in its Caucasian south.

Regions

  • Adygea Republic
  • North of the Kuban
  • South of the Kuban
  • Cities

  • Krasnodar — capital and principal city
  • Adler — just south of Sochi and home to its airport, this small resort town is famous for Putin's Dacha
  • Armavir (Russia) — founded by Armenians, this is the principal city of eastern Krasnodar Krai
  • Anapan — an ancient Pontic Greek port, now a small, family-friendly Russian beach resort town
  • Labinsk — mineral waters, waterfalls, lakes, and caves along the Laba river in Krasnodar Krai's southeast
  • Maykop — capital of the Adygea Republic
  • Novorossiysk — Russia's main Black Sea port, a must for WWII buffs, but it also has some nice sandy beaches
  • Sochi — a big resort city located in a simply beautiful area, where Russians come for fun in the sun (and in the nightclubs!)
  • Other destinations

  • Caucasian Biosphere Reserve — a UNESCO World Heritage site in the breathtakingly beautiful Western Caucasus, home to the newly reintroduced European buffalo
  • Krasnaya Polyana — a Western Caucasus ski resort and personal favorite destination of Russia's President Putin
  • Sochinsky National Park
  • Understand

    Krasnodar Krai contains Russia's largest tourist industry by some measure, catering principally to domestic tourists. The region contains a full 25% of all Russia's registered hotels and resorts. For international travelers, the biggest reasons to visit Krasnodar Krai are to see the stunning and lush slopes of Western Caucasus mountains and to party po-russky at the beach! Anyone visiting a seaside resort should consider reading Bunin's ''Sunstroke'' (_R___|_~_u___~___z ___t_p__), one of the most beautiful short stories ever written.

    Krasnodar Krai encompasses two major distinct climactic regions. The northern two thirds of the region (north of the Kuban River) is covered by Russia's near ubiquitous steppe and has a continental climate. The southern part of the region, however, is much more exotic, ranging from a Mediterranean climate along the Black Sea coast to subtropical in the southeast to high alpine along the border with Georgia.

    Additionally, Krasnodar Krai encircles the enclaved '''Adygea Republic''' — named for the mountain Adyghe people, also known as the Circassians.

    Talk

    Rest assured that all, including any ethnic minorities, speak Russian.

    Get in

    The principal rail service for the region comes from virtually any Russian city through Rostov-on-the-Don from the north to Krasnodar, Novorossiysk, and as far south as Adler. There are cheap express trains (~18–20 hours) from Moscow and Saint Petersburg to Krasnodar.

    Krasnodar airport is serviced by flights from Vienna, Frankfurt, Thessalonika, and Istanbul, as well as by numerous domestic Russian flights. It is also easy to fly to Sochi or Anapa from any major Russian city.

    It is possible to arrive at Sochi or Novorossiysk by boat from numerous ports on the Black Sea.

    Get around

    See

    Itineraries

    Do

    Eat

    Drink

    Stay safe

    Get out

    Dombai, perhaps Russia's most beautiful resort, is located in nearby Karachay-Cherkessia in the Caucasus mountains.