Nightlife in Crimea can differ from nightlife in the West. Whereas we in the West gather together to socialize in some kind of official establishment (pub, restaurant), young Crimean people are much more predisposed to finding a pleasantly located bench, and chatting the night away under the open sky.

Despite this there are many clubs and bars around Crimea, which work all year round in Simferopol and to a lesser degree in Sevastopol, and from May-October in the coastal resort towns.

Such nightlife establishments in Crimea come in all shapes and sizes. You can find cheap and simple ''zabegalovki', a throwback to Soviet times, with a few plastic tables and chairs, incredibly cheap vodka and beer, and food sold in ridiculous portions (you can, for example, order 1 olive, or 1 piece of chocolate). Generally, these establishments are where older men gather to discuss the days events..and get hammered.

At the other end of the scale of nightlife in Crimea are ultra-modern, snazzy, over-priced nightclubs. They are vastly popular partly because they are overpriced (and hence prestigious), and are populated by impossibly dressed young women, and smartly attired men (both young and old).

As previously mentioned, there is a tendency for nightlife in Crimea to revolve around drinking. This does not mean however, that there are long queues at the bar and endless pushing and shoving to get a drink. Nightclubbing in Crimea, Ukraine and Russia as a whole is a very civilised affair. As a rule, all the punters get a table; a footing from where the evening is based. They order not just drinks but also 'zakucky'; the obligatory food that accompanies the drinks. They may order a bottle of vodka with an assorted fruit plate and a round of Russian salads lavished with mayonnaise, or perhaps a few beers with a nut and salty fish accompaniment. Perhaps, if its a special day, they'll order a bottle of Crimea's finest champagne; Novy Svet.

Nightlife in Crimea goes on until the early hours; clubs are open until late; 4 or 5 is the norm. The music tends to consist of popular Russian pop/dance songs and Western chart music. Some are more 'clubby', with a professional DJ and techno music. Others are more 'alternative', playing independent and Rock music. The nightlife in Crimea is varied, and there is something for everyone

The 2 other main nocturnal attractions in Crimea are the theatre and the cinema. The theatre plays a bigger role in the nightlife of the ordinary Crimean than, say, a Brit. In Russia and Ukraine there is a great history of theatre. Countless masterful plays have been written by playwrights from these countries. Some of these plays are linguistic masterpieces, some are powerful and emotional, and others just downright funny.

Simferopol alone has 5 theatres, and they are usually full. Theatre in Crimea is an egalitarian affair; subsided by the government and hence accessible to all. The attraction of the theatre in Crimea is not based on fancy sets or special effects, but on the intrinsic quality of the plays, and the accomplished and powerful acting.

As a nightlife event, the cinema is gaining in popularity, and amongst some in the younger generation it is more popular than the theatre. The Ukrainian film industry is small, but the Russian industry has had some great successes in the last few years, with films such as 'night patrol'. Predictably, though, American films dominate, and it is here that locals often get the distorted view that everyone in the West is super rich and beautiful looking!