Crimea is a region, formed by a peninsula jutting out into the Black Sea that separates it from the Sea of Azov. The image of sunny riviera, evoked by the Crimean postcards, only represents the southern coast, which enjoys a privileged climate sheltered from the Crimean Mountains. From around fifty kilometres, from Yalta to Feodosia, an almost uninterrupted succession of tourist resorts occupies the coves of the picturesque coast, dominated by orchards and vineyards. The rest of the peninsula is much less privileged. Part of the alpine diagonal, belonging to the folded system of the Bulgarian Balkan and the Caucasus, the Crimean chain which culminates at 1,545 m, dominates the Black Sea in the south and in the south-east, but inclines by forming plateaus towards the North and the North-West. To the east, the Kerch peninsula limits this shore to a Mediterranean climate. 80% of Crimea is occupied by a steppe plain which receives less than 400 mm of precipitation per year. The peninsula is connected to the mainland by a tongue of dry land, the Isthmus of Perekop, the minimum width of which is less than 10 km. Now that you know the geography of the land let’s take you on a journey around the 10 most rated attractions of this beautiful region.
Swallow’s Nest
Swallow’s Nest is the small castle located about 40 meters above the Avrora cliff from Ai-Todor Cape in Gaspra, Crimea. For many years the castle became a kind of symbol of the southern coast of Crimea. Built in 1912, the Swallow’s Nest is one of the “fantastic castles” of Neo-Gothic architecture near Yalta, designed by Russian architect Leonid Sherwood. It is peculiar because of its small dimensions, only 20 meters long and 10 meters but with an incredible terrace with panoramic views over the sea. The interior of the Swallow’s Nest cannot be considered a luxury, there are no ornaments except old chimneys and beams made of ebony wood with frog-shaped dams. But although it is small, it is truly impressive, between the sky and the sea, imposing on its natural watchtower. Every visitor to the castle must visit the semicircular observation site that looms over the extraordinary beauty of the Black Sea, where yachts sail over the vast horizon. The little castle, whose structure resembles the castle of a medieval knight, is one of the most popular attractions on the Crimean Peninsula.
Livadia Palace
Livadia Palace, built of white stone in the 19th and 20th centuries, was the residence of the royal family of the Russian emperors. Now it is not only one of the most beautiful buildings on the southern coast of Crimea but an important monument of history. This site would be just another palace of Crimea, but the event that took place in early 1945 changed the history of the palace forever. Here three leaders of the USSR, the USA, and Great Britain met to define the world regime in the postwar years. Built in the Italian Renaissance style, it has the eclectic elements of the Byzantine style as well as the oriental and Gothic motifs. The palace is given a special charm by an Italian courtyard framed with roses. The palace hosts a museum with two permanent exhibitions, one dedicated to the work of the Yalta conference and the other to the life of the royal families of Russian emperors. Near the palace, there’s a beautiful park where the famous Paseo del Sol or Tsarista starts, which is seven kilometres long. The walk is distinguished by the landscape that can be seen and by the decorative sculptures, intricate benches, trees, and exotic bushes along the way.
Gora Ay Petri
Mount Ai-Petri is a massive 300-square-kilometre mountain stretching 25 kilometres from east to west. His name is formed by the distorted words of Greek origin such as “agios” (saint) and “Peter” (the name of Saint Peter), and in his honour, a temple was built there. This legendary massif is attractive to tourists as they can admire the incredible views of the entire southeastern coast of Crimea. To see these fantastic panoramas, many travellers climb Mount Ai-Petri throughout the year. There is a cable car that takes passengers from a station near Alupka to the main Ai-Petri area, a great opportunity to take pictures and take home memories of this unforgettable trip. The highest peak of the plateau, the Bedene-Kyr mountain, is 1,334 meters high and you can reach the top by riding the cable car. The ascent by cable car takes around 20 minutes, it runs from Crimea to Mount Ai-Petri, you can catch it in the Greater Yalta area, between Alupka and Koreiz. As a curiosity, it is worth mentioning that this cable car is the only one in Europe with more 2 kilometres long without supports.
Marble Cave
It is one of the most visited caves in Europe and was included in 7 Natural Wonders of Ukraine. Located on the Chatir-Dag plateau, it was discovered in 1987 and consisted of a complex of several halls and natural galleries. The marble cave, called Mramornaya, is the best known and most impressive among other caves in Chatir-Dag. Also, they are considered one of the most beautiful in the world. Its length exceeds two kilometres and the depth reaches 60 meters. The millions of years old cave represent a complex system of forking corridors and halls adorned with stalactites and stalagmites of extravagant shapes. They were made in the form of impressive flowers, columns, and even fabulous characters. It seems incredible that such wonderful figures were created only with the outside of nature with its two tools, water and time. The Emine-Bair-Josar cave is another rare treasure hidden in its subsoils by Mount Chatir-Dag. All of them hide their distinctive jewels, crystals of different colors that shine and a real underground lake that has a depth of more than six meters.
Massandrovskiy Dvorets
This Louis XVIII style palace soon lost its owner. The author of the project was the French architect Étienne Bouchard. However, his future master never saw the project finished: due to the death of the building patron Vorontsov in 1882, the works were stopped. It was designed in a romantic style reminiscent of the castles of the Loire, with round towers topped by pointed conical slate roofs. After seven years of halted, the construction of the palace complex was resumed when the family of Emperor Alexander III acquired it. Three years later the building was completed, but the emperor did not live in it either, as he died in 1894 and the estate passed to Nicholas II. In the 1930s the palace became the “Proletarian Health” spa for tuberculosis patients. After the Second World War, it was transformed into the Stalinskaya state dacha, which was used as a summer residence for high-ranking guests such as Stalin, Khrushchev, and Brezhnev. Since 1992 it is a museum worth visiting, as it preserves the former glory of the palace.
Arabat Spit
The Arabat Spit in Crimea is an opportunity to discover the unique and beautiful Azov beaches and tour the natural environment. Only a few centuries ago it was formed from sand and snails. The area begins in the north-eastern area of Crimea, near the city of Kamensky. It has an area of more than 110 kilometers and a width of 270 to 300m and is mostly up to 8 kilometers in the narrowest places. Almost the entire surface of the Arabat Spit is covered with sandy beaches and desert spaces covered with steppe. The Azov Sea stretched on the one hand in the spit, and the Siwash Salt Lake on the other hand. In the past, because of its strategic position, the isthmus has often become the scene of hostilities. The ruins of the Arabat fortress of the 17th century, the only Turkish fortification in the Azov coast on the Crimean Peninsula, about 2 km from Kamensky, are a reminder of these turbulent times. Usually, tourists that come to the Arabat Spit for 1-2 days enjoy the scenery and the gentle sea, sunbathe and relax from the hustle and bustle. The lack of fresh water, food, services, firewood or even the shade of nearby trees makes it impossible to rest much.
Cape Fiolent
Cape Fiolent, whose rocks protrude above the mirror of the sea and stretch for a few kilometres between Sevastopol and Balaclava, occupies a special place among the natural attractions of Crimea. It is a charming and unmistakable place on the Crimean Peninsula that conquers the hearts of travellers for the beauties of the wild nature and the romantic atmosphere. It is set apart from the noise and crowds of the South Coast resorts and is an ideal place for a harmonious rest and contemplation of the luxurious landscapes of Crimea. Cape Fiolent holds under its waters one of the secrets of the Crimean Peninsula: the construction of the first underwater Orthodox church in the world. With the approval of the Russian Orthodox Church, a group of divers has placed a three-meter cross at a depth of twenty meters, which will become the fundamental structure of the future Church of Saint Nicholas.
The Valley Of Ghosts
The Valley of Ghosts is located in the vicinity of the city of Alushta on the Demerdzhi Mountain side. It is one of Alushta’s most interesting nature attractions and must be visited. Nature created an unusual stone formation in this place, which recalls the outlines of people and animals. With a good deal of imagination, you can even see people’s head and faces, animal silhouettes, and fantastic creatures. Not only the stone figures but its shadows created this unusual spectacle. People say that you can see the fantasies behind each feature. An hour and a half before sunset is the best time to look at the shadows.
Mikhaylovskaya Battery
Mikhaylovskaya (Michael) Coastal Battery is one of 10 fortifications on the coast of Sevastopol and was built to protect the naval shipyards from attack from the sea. The coastal batteries consisted of military complexes of heavy artillery that were located near the seashore and their main objective was to defend a square, an arsenal, or an important crossing, against the attacks of the enemy squads. This battery was used as a hospital when Russians moved to the north side of the bay during the Crimean War and the central Sevastopol was a massive fortification. The museum was recently converted into a museum on the military history of Sevastopol, focusing on the Crimean War. Original uniforms, weapons, photographs, and tons of memorials are displayed, and you can also listen to ancient military marches, and historical figures speak.
Nikitsky Botanical Gardens
Nikitsky Botanical Garden represents a real open-air museum. It is a jewel of the South Coast of Crimea. This park made with the hands of man is considered a masterpiece of the art of landscape design and it is also one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world. Well, it is not in vain that the garden is called a green treasure of the peninsula since exotic plants from all over the world are gathered here. The park is internationally known due to its arboretum that has an area of 40 hectares and comprises hundreds of trees and shrubs from all continents forming an exceptional landscape. Walking through the park you have the sense as if you were taking a trip around the world. The main attraction for tourists in the arboretum is the cactus greenhouse where more than a thousand rare specimens and one of the best collections of roses (more than 2000 species) in Eastern Europe are presented. The Nikitsky Botanical Garden is very interesting since here something blooms every day and that is why the park is called a magic garden.
If you want to explore more famous places and seasonal events, check the official Crimea travel portal.