Top 25 Attractions in Crimea

Crimea is a real pearl of the Black Sea. This unique peninsula has been attracting people since ancient times; there are traces of ancient and medieval civilizations here. Crimea managed to visit both a rich Greek colony, and a harbor of Italian merchants, and an outpost of the Ottoman Empire before becoming a resting place for the rulers of the Russian Empire. During Soviet times, the peninsula was the main beach of a huge country.

First of all, a vacation in Crimea is a vacation on the beaches of the picturesque South Coast and the famous medical resorts of the West Bank. In between sunbathing, tourists go to see numerous sights: ancient cave cities on high mountain plateaus, magnificent imperial palaces in Livadia and Massandra, the famous Sevastopol and the old Khan's Bakhchisaray.

What to see and where to go in Crimea?

The most interesting and beautiful places for walking. Photos and a short description.

bird home

A well-known architectural monument of the southern coast of Crimea, one of the most famous sights of the peninsula. In the 19th century here was the private residence of a retired general, later the land passed into the hands of the German baron Steingel, under whom in 1911 a neo-Gothic palace was built. After the end of the Civil War, the Swallow's Nest fell into decay and only in the 1960s. recovery began.

Livadia Palace

Palace complex with a landscape park in the village of Livadia. The first buildings appeared here at the beginning of the 19th century. After 1861, the Livadia Palace was sold to the royal family and began to be used as a dacha. The white-stone building that has survived to our time was built at the beginning of the 20th century. During the Second World War, the entire territory of the park was destroyed, the palace lay in ruins. It was restored before the start of the Yalta Conference in February 1945.

Vorontsov Palace

Museum-reserve at the foot of Mount Ai-Petri in the village of Alupka. The complex was built in the first half of the 19th century for Count Mikhail Vorontsov according to the project of the English architect Edward Blore (he took part in the construction of the Scottish castle of Walter Scott and Buckingham Palace). The western part of the building is made in the style of the English Tudors, the southern facade is an example of Moorish architecture.

Massandra Palace

Another Crimean palace of the late 19th century not far from Yalta. Initially belonged to the Vorontsov family, but then it was bought for the imperial dynasty. The castle was built with elements of the style of the times of the French king Louis XIII, the construction work was supervised by the architect M. Messmacher. In the Soviet years, the palace was used as a summer residence for the first persons of the state, now there is a museum on the territory.

Khan's Palace in Bakhchisarai

The former residence of the Crimean khans, built in the 16th century. The main architectural idea of ​​the complex is to convey the idea of ​​the Crimean Tatars about heaven on earth. Several generations of the rulers of the Khan dynasty Girey lived here, each tried to expand and supplement the palace complex. In the XVIII-XIX centuries. the palace was on fire, rebuilt, repaired and almost lost its original appearance. It was not until the 20th century that the original interiors were restored.

Mount Ai-Petri

One of the mountain peaks of the southern coast of Crimea. It belongs to the Yalta mountain and forest reserve. Previously, the Greek monastery of St. Peter was located here. A cable car runs almost 3 km through the mountain. in length, which is recognized as one of the longest in Europe. During the ascent to the top in a cabin, the tourist gets the opportunity to admire the picturesque views from a bird's eye view.

White rock Ak-Kaya

Natural and archaeological monument of the Crimea, located in the valley of the river. Biyuk-Karasu. The rock is an array composed of white limestone rocks. At the foot of Ak-Kai, sites of primitive man were found, the remains of tools there and fossilized bones. At the top, ancient Scythian mounds were excavated. An 800-year-old oak tree grows next to the rock. It is believed that under this tree Suvorov negotiated with a representative of the Turkish Sultan.

Ayu-Dag (Bear Mountain)

Historical, archaeological and natural monument of the peninsula, where the remains of a fortified settlement of the 8th-15th centuries have been preserved. One of the legends says that the mountain is a petrified huge bear that wandered through the valley, crushed everything around and calmed down on the shore at the behest of the sea god. More than a dozen species of rare animals listed in the Red Book live on the territory of the reserve.

marble cave

Karst cave near the village of Marble. The age of formation is several million years. Until now, the cave continues to expand, as the processes of formation of the young Crimean mountains continue. There are several large halls in the cave, through which excursion routes of about 1.5 km are laid. Here you can admire the rarest types of crystals and stalactites.

Cave city of Chufut-Kale

A fortified city located on a high plateau near Bakhchisarai. The road to the cave city passes through the territory of the rocky Holy Dormition Monastery. It is believed that Chufut-Kale appeared in the 5th-6th centuries. as a fortification on the outskirts of the Byzantine possessions. In the XIII-XIV centuries. the city became the center of a small principality - a vassal of the Crimean Khanate, where representatives of the Karaites began to settle. In the 19th century, the last inhabitants left Chufut-Kale.

Chersonese Tauride

An ancient Greek city founded in the 5th century BC. Subsequently, it became a large and rich center of the entire Greek colony on the peninsula. From the II century BC. was dependent on the ancient Bosporus kingdom, later became a vassal of Rome. Chersonese is also one of the cradles of Christianity - the first followers of Christ settled here in the 1st century. In the 10th century, Prince Vladimir of Kievan Rus was baptized in Chersonese.

Genoese fortresses

Three fortified forts of the Genoese navigators, located in Balaklava, Sudak and Feodosia. In the Middle Ages, they were the Black Sea outposts of powerful Genoa and were used for protection from the sea. Under an agreement with the Tatars in the XIV century, the Genoese annexed to their possessions the territory from modern Feodosia to Foros. The region was called the Genoese Gazaria. In the 15th century, the fortresses passed into the hands of the Ottoman Empire.

Foros Church

Another name of the temple is the Church of the Resurrection of Christ. It was built at the end of the 19th century on a rock rising 400 meters above sea level. Alexander III gave the order to build a temple in memory of the train wreck, in which the whole family of the emperor almost died. A few years after the victory of the Revolution of 1917, a restaurant was placed in the building, which existed until the early 70s. In the 90s. The temple was restored at the expense of the Ukrainian government.

Assumption Cave Monastery

The current male monastery, presumably founded in the 8th century AD. fugitive Byzantine monks. The monastery existed for many centuries, during the Ottoman rule, even the Crimean Khan came here to honor the local shrines. After the establishment of Soviet power, the monastery was closed, the earthquake of 1927 destroyed the buildings. Revival and restoration began only in 1993.

Monument to the Scuttled Ships

The monument in the waters of the sea on the embankment of Sevastopol is considered a symbol of the city. It was established in honor of the events of the middle of the 19th century, when Russian ships were deliberately sunk in the Sevastopol Bay in order to block the path of the Anglo-French fleet. To avoid a battle (since the enemy fleet was more powerful and better armed), Prince Menshikov decided to flood the ships, but not let the enemy troops approach the city.

Panorama Museum "Defense of Sevastopol"

Historical monument dedicated to the events of the Crimean War of 1853-1856. This is a monumental panorama of the defense of Sevastopol by the master of battle painting Franz Alekseevich Roubaud, located in a rounded building. Work on the canvas has been carried out since 1901. F. Roubaud created his masterpiece with the help of students from the Bavarian Academy of Arts and several German painters.

Object 825GTS

Formerly a secret military facility in Balaklava, a former underground submarine base. During the Soviet era, it was one of the most secret in the USSR. For many years, Balaklava Bay was not marked on the maps. After the fall of the USSR, the object was launched and plundered, only in 2004 the government of Ukraine organized a museum of the history of the submarine fleet there. After the transfer of Crimea under Russian jurisdiction, the Russian authorities plan to place a new base there.

Balaklava Bay

A small bay with intricately indented and picturesque shores, where, according to Homer's Odyssey, the legendary navigator visited. One of the Genoese fortresses stands on the shores of the bay. It is believed that the first settlements arose here in the VIII-VI centuries. BC. During the Crimean War, the base of the British was located in the bay, in Soviet times it was a secret parking lot for submarines.

Grand Canyon of Crimea

A landscape landmark of the Crimean peninsula, a state reserve since 1974. The canyon is a wide crack in the rock, formed during the formation of the Crimean mountains. Along the crevice there are several capes-cliffs, the river flows along the bottom. Auzun-Uzen. There are several hiking trails with viewing platforms along the bottom of the canyon and in the vicinity.

Ghost Valley

The accumulation of rocks on the western slope of the Southern ridge of the Demerdzhi mountain range. More than 100 stone blocks of different sizes are scattered in the valley, the largest ones reach 25 meters in height. At dawn and during sunset, the stones cast bizarre shadows that move and intertwine with each other. That is why the place received the poetic name "Ghost Valley".

Cape Fiolent

Natural area 15 km. from Sevastopol with an expressive landscape, a 10-kilometer coastline and a unique flora. On the cape there is St. George's Monastery and Jasper Beach, connected by a staircase of several hundred steps. Cape Fiolent is considered the best place for diving, as there is almost one hundred percent visibility and ships do not moor.

Golitsyn trail

A three-kilometer trail in the village of Novy Svet, created by the princes Golitsyn especially for the arrival of Emperor Nicholas II. Now it is a popular tourist route. The trail starts at Mount Orel, goes along the coast past Mount Khoba-Kai to the through grotto of Golitsyn. Viewing platforms are equipped on the route in the most beautiful places, fragrant pine trees grow around.

Waterfall Dzhur-Dzhur

It is considered the largest and most powerful Crimean waterfall. Jets of water fall from a height of 15 meters, the maximum size of the channel is 5 meters wide. It remains full-flowing even during the long dry season. Along with water, stones sometimes fall into the heights. The waterfall is located in a mountain-wooded protected area, the water temperature even in hot summer does not exceed 10 °C.

Nikitsky Botanical Garden

It is located about 10 km from Yalta. The garden covers an area of ​​several tens of hectares, scientific activities are carried out on its territory and research institutions are located. It appeared at the beginning of the 19th century with the assistance of Count Vorontsov and the botanist F. Bieberstein. The first director was the well-known naturalist H. Steven, who over 12 years of work collected and adapted about 500 plant specimens to local conditions.

Crimean wines

Crimean wines are several well-known brands that produce various varieties of grape drink. The most famous of them are Massandra, Solnechnaya Dolina, Inkerman, Novy Svet, Koktebel. The Novy Svet brand is famous for its excellent champagne (brut is especially good), Massandra is famous for its specific taste of wines, and Inkerman produces a good red wine under the same name.