Although Moscow is largely perceived as a vast urban jungle, there are many local neighbourhoods where staying active means more than merely walking to the metro every morning. For winter sports enthusiasts in particular, there are plenty of options when it comes to living in an area where skiing, snowboarding and ice-skating facilities are available.

The Russian winter can arrive early – and linger on for some time – so making the best of it can be crucial to one’s physical and psychological well-being. When it comes to enjoying this season, the close proximity of a sporting facility can be very beneficial.

Nagorny: snowboarding fun

The Nagorny neighbourhood, situated in the south of Moscow, is one of the best locations for those who enjoy staying fit and having fun in the winter. Nagorny is small, but has a huge all-season sports complex that offers a variety of options for its residents.

Kant sports complex, located on Elektrolitny Proyezd near Nagornaya metro station on the Serpukhovsko-Timiryazevskaya line, has 11 ski slopes equipped for skiing and snowboarding, as well as a school offering skiing and snowboarding classes for kids and adults.

There are three metro stations here, Nagatinskaya, Varshavskaya and Nagornaya, so that avoiding traffic on the weekends is easy enough for local residents.

Shopping options in the area are adequate – residents point out that there are numerous small shops spread out all over the neighbourhood, as well as two indoor markets and Varshavsky shopping centre on Varshavskoye Shosse.

There are 12 public schools and nine kindergartens in Nagorny neighbourhood, which serves the small area well.

For going out, locals recommend Swedish restaurant Shale, located on Eletkrolitny Proyezd right next to the Kant sports complex. Here, the average price per meal will not exceed 1500 roubles.

“You can go skiing or snowboarding, and then you can be off to have mulled wine and good meat in Shale,” a local resident told The Moscow News.

According to Vasily Mitko, general director of MIAN real estate agency, the average price for a square metre in Nagorny neighbourhood varies between 127,000 and 130,000 roubles. “Renting an apartment in Nagorny is cheap, and there are a lot of offers on the market – on average, a one-bedroom flat will cost you 30,00 roubles per month,” Mitko said.

Krylatskoye: clean and convenient

Krylatskoye is another interesting neighbourhood popular among Muscovites for its winter slopes and trails.

Some 76,000 people live in Krylatskoye, which is located in the western part of Moscow, not too far from the centre. Among Krylatskoye’s residents, there are many who enjoy the Krylatskiye kholmi, or Krylatskiye hills, where there are six well-equipped slopes to choose from.

Ice-skating lovers will be happy to know that local sports complex Krylatskoye, located appropriately on Ulitsa Krylatskaya, is a great place to take to the ice.

Krylatskoye is considered a highly prestigious and convenient neighbourhood, with a great environment and a well-developed educational infrastructure. “Krylatskoye’s property prices are higher than average prices for Moscow: 154,000 roubles per square metre,” as Alexander Ziminsky, director of the elite property department at Penny Lane Realty, told The Moscow News – adding that an economy-class apartment can cost up to 145,000 roubles per square metre and a business-class place will cost up to 240,000 roubles per square metre.

Novo-Peredelkino: relaxed living

The west of Moscow in general is a good place to relocate to if you are interested in having a decent ski slope nearby. Novo-Peredelkino, located beyond the Moscow Ring Road, is a place where life can be enjoyed at a slower pace.

The famous Novo-Peredelkino ski slope, located on Proyektiruyemy Proyezd, is the jewel in the crown of the neighbourhood. For snowboarders, there are three ski jumps, a rail and a hive pipe (soon to open). The ski lifts operate until midnight on weekdays and until 1 am on the weekends.

There are also 13 public schools, 14 kindergartens, two hospitals and two specialised children’s hospitals located here. Shopping in Novo-Peredelkino does not present a problem, as there are many chain stores around the area, including Sedmoy Kontinent on Borovskoye Shosse and Perekryostok on Ulitsa Skulptora Mukhinoi.

Residents have their own media outlets, such as the Novo-Peredelkino local monthly newspaper, and a local cable station called Prima.

Vasily Mitko of MIAN real estate agency said that on average, renting a studio apartment in Novo-Peredelkino will cost around 25,000 roubles a month, and a one-bedroom place will cost 30,000 roubles.

Ramenki: skiing by the centre

Those who fancy winter sports but do not want to live far away from the city centre will be happy to know that there are ski slopes in Moscow that are located a mere ten-minute metro ride away from the Central Administrative District, in the prestigious Ramenki neighbourhood.

The Vorobyovy Gory slopes in Ramenki, located within walking distance of Moscow State University and Luzhniki stadium, are a perfect location for snowboarders and ski-lovers. There are three slopes of different lengths, each equipped with ski lifts.

According to Anna Levitova, managing director of Evans Property, one can rent a three-bedroom apartment in a Stalin-era building near Vorobyovy Gory starting at around 50,000 roubles per month. “The average property price around here is 180,000 roubles per squatre metre,” Levitova pointed out.

Ramenki is widely considered to be one of the most picturesque neighbourhoods in the west of Moscow. According to Levitova, the average client interested in buying or renting an apartment in Ramenki tends to have a higher than average income and wants to live close to the city centre, yet in a beautiful, fairly unpolluted location.

Other neighbourhoods that winter sports lovers should definitely check out are located father out and include Orekhovo-Borisovo Severnoye, Orekhovo-Borisovo Yuzhnoye and Severnoye Butovo. Although these places involve a trek from the city centre, local skiing and snowboarding aficionados swear by them.

Source: The Moscow News