Dacha is a russian word for seasonal or year-round second homes often located in the exurbs of russian and post-Soviet cities. Cottages or shacks serving as a family’s main or only home (or districts of such buildings) are not considered dachas, although many purpose-built dachas are recently being converted for year-round residence. In some cases, dachas are occupied for part of the year by their owners and rented out to urban residents as summer retreats.