Sites of Crimea

Sites of Crimea

The Crimea is a peninsula rich in areas of sublime beauty. It is a land of deep blue seas and towering coastal peaks, interlaced within a multitude of palaces and castles, expansive forests, and ancient towns of stunning historical value. Few places in the world possess such a combination of natural beauty and historical monuments in such a small place.

Crimea is teeming with interesting sites. It is possible to live here for years and still not to have seen everything. I have summarized the main sites as below:

Sites of Crimea - Bakhchisarai
A quiet and relaxed town situated between Sevastopol and Simferopol, Bakhchisarai has some world-class sights. The perfectly preserved Khan's-palace is the main place of interest, a former residence of the Crimean Khans who ruled from 1443 to 1783. On the edge of town, amongst cliffs and canyons, you will find the ancient 'Holy Assumption Monastery', founded by Greeks in the 8th century. The monastery was carved into the rock face of a cliff, and if you are lucky you'll witness a service run by the local monks.
Just 3 kilometres out of town is the best preserved of Crimea's many cave towns - Chufut-Kale, which is thought to have appeared in the 6th century. It is possible to see all of these impressive and extremely diverse sites on a day trip from Simferopol or Sevastopol.

Sites of Crimea - Sudak
Sudak contains one of the most interesting medieval fortresses in Europe. It was built by the Genoans in the 14-15th century, and it has remained well preserved since that time. The huge walls of the fortress are 2-metres thick and 6-metres high. The fortress of Sudak is situated at the top of a hill on the coast, and affords stunning views over the Black sea.

Sites of Crimea - The Big Canyon
A 2-hour drive from Simferopol, the Big Canyon is located deep within Crimea's hills and forests. The Big Canyon is impressive in stature; it reaches 320 meters in height, and at points is no more than 3 meters wide. There are many walks that can be undertaken within the canyon itself, or in the surrounding forests and mountains.

Sites of Crimea - Novy Svet
On the southeastern corner of Crimea, this tucked-away settlement is situated in a big nature preserve. Novy Svet is a considered by many locals to be one of the most beautiful parts of Crimea. It is a small town surrounded by impressive mountains, cliffs, and deep blue sparkling water. The scenery is magnificent, the air aromatic and the sea clean and clear.

Sites of Crimea - Balaklava
A small and peaceful harbour town, sitting on a narrow S-shaped inlet surrounded on every side by steep hills. 20 minutes drive from Sevastopol, at the present time it is a small tourist and fishing town right on the edge of becoming a full on resort. Balaklava is not only interesting; but in fact positively unique. In Soviet times, deep within Balaklava's mountains, the Russian navy's secret nuclear submarine base was housed. The hills surrounding Balaklava contain a maze of tunnels that allowed large numbers of nuclear Soviet submarines to hide unobserved. During that period, Balaklava was one of the most secret residential areas in the Soviet Union. This base is now open to the public for guided tours around the canal system and the base. Balaklava was conquered by the Genoese in 1365, and you can see the impressive remains of a fortress built by them in that century.

Sites of Crimea - Foros
Built in 1892, this impressive church stands alone perched on a hill 412 meters above the sea. This is Crimea at its best; man-made and natural beauty sitting side by side. The church is situated between Yalta and Sevastopol, and is a short drive/walk up from the main coastal road. It was built in 1892 by a local tea merchant to commemorate the Tsar of the time surviving a train accident. You are treated to fantastic views of the Black sea and surrounding mountains. Inside the church is an impressive array of mosaics. The 1917 revolution led to the closure of the church, and the church was turned into a snackbar for visiting tourists until 1969. Not until 1992, with Gorbachev's reforms, was the church re-opened.

Sites of Crimea - Ai-Petri Mountain
A spectacular mountain forming the backdrop to Alupka, the peak of Ai-Petri, somewhat remarkably, is accessible by cable car. This is one of the longest cable-car rides in Europe (3.5 km). This dazzling, unnerving ride begins in Alupka, and ends 20 minutes later 1234 meters above sea level.
Alternatively, you can reach the peak of Ai-Petri by taking a minibus or a taxi up the winding forest road that leads to the plateau behind the summit. From the peak opens up magnificent vistas of Yalta, Alupka, and the glittering waters of the Black sea.

Sites of Crimea - Marble Caves
Situated close to Simferopol, and 1000 meters above sea level in the mountains, the Marble Caves are considered to be one of the five best equipped cave complexes in Europe. Sculpted by nature over a period of hundreds of thousands of years, these caves leave a lasting impression on all visitors, even if those who wouldn't normally be interested in this sort of attraction. The Marble caves are accessible by taxi.

Sites of Crimea – The Crimean Palaces
Crimea is famed for its palaces, built in the last century by various members of the Russian high society. The 2 palaces most of interest are the Livadia Palace, and the Alupka Palace. The common feature of these palaces is the beauty of their location. They were built high up above the coastline, giving fantastic views over the Black sea and the surrounding mountains. The Livadia Palace - the ex-summer residence of last Russian Emperor Nicholas II, is the main sight of Yalta. In February 4th-11th 1945, the Livadia Palace was the stage for the negotiations between the leaders of USSR, USA and Great Britain, the result of which, was that Europe was carved up between the nations, and the first steps towards the creation of the UN were undertaken.
The Alupka Palace is breathtaking. Its striking beauty lies not only in the building itself; but in its surroundings.
It was built in 1828-1846 by an English architect, and the northern side of the place looks like a Victorian English mansion. The southern side, however, is of an Arabic style, and its grandeur is only matched by the sea views afforded from it. The places is surrounded by an immense sculpted park, and lies at the foot of Crimea's second highest mountain; Ai-Petri.

Sites of Crimea – Swallow's nest
A symbol of the Crimea's Southern coast, The Swallow's nest is architecturally compelling; resembling a miniature medieval castle. It perches precariously on top of a 40-meter cliff, and is accessible by a short and visually stunning boat ride from Yalta. The Swallow's nest was built in 1911, and nowadays functions as a renowned and (over-priced) exclusive restaurant.

Sites of Crimea - Khersonesos
Khersones is Crimea's monument to its ancient Greek and Byzantine past. The city has existed on the Crimean coast for almost 2 millennia. It was founded in 422-421 B.C by the Greeks, and remained an important centre until the 14th century when it suffered at the hands of the invading Tartar hordes. It consists of extensive ruins, some of which have been very well preserved. Some columns are still standing from that time, as well the ruins of an antique theatre and defensive walls. This ancient city is located 3 kilometers from the centre of Sevastopol, and makes an accessible and interesting half-day trip.

At AccessCrimea, we've been lucky enough to have visited these sites of Crimea, and we believe that Crimea offers sites and attractions of a world class standard. We can organize trips to these sites according to your specific needs; helping you to get the most out of your stay in Crimea. To find out more please go to http://www.accesscrimea.com