Crimea: Peninsula Paradise

©PANORAMA

All year round we look forward to the summer holidays, and when summer finally comes, we don’t know what to choose - seaside resorts, mountain conquests or ancient cities. Crimea combines all of these - the sea, mountains and ancient ruins. There are many prime holiday spots in eastern, western, southern and northern Crimea that will make you want to come back again next year

It has always been crowded in Crimea. The remains of settlements of early cultures, the ruins of ancient Greek colonies and the walls of Genoese fortresses are scattered across the peninsula. Crimea inspires creativity, so there are many museums dedicated to people like Lesia Ukrainka, Chekhov, Grin and Aivazovsky. The sea and mountains, architectural sights and natural landscapes of Crimea all take your breath away. Every year the peninsula receives several million tourists, and even those who have travelled the world recognise that there is no place like Crimea. That is why over half of the visitors to Crimea return.

Simferopol: The Gateway to Crimea

Simferopol is home to Crimea’s main airport. The name of the city in Greek means “the city that collects”, and Simferopol’s official seal bears a bee and honeycomb. Tourists usually begin their journey across Crimea at Simferopol, the beginning and end of all Crimean roads.Because of the strategic location of the city, it has long been a valued by different peoples. In the 3rd century BC, it was the capital of the Scythian nation. Known as the Scythian Naples, it had a population of several thousand. Today the remains of the old Scythian city mark the oldest part of Simferopol. Just south of the city centre near Neapolitan Street, one can visit an excavated square from the Scythian Naples. At the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries, the Mongols and Tatars arrived in Crimea, and the settlement became known as Ak-Mechet, capital of the Crimean khanate. In memory of this period, the Kebir Dzhami mosque on Kurchatova Street has been preserved. Built in 1508, it is one of the oldest in Ukraine.

One of the more recent sights in Simferopol is Vorontsovsky Park (or Salhirka) with the Vorontsov Estate on nearby Hrafska Street. Simferopol is a very green city, second only to Kyiv in the number of parks. Crimea’s longest river Salhir divides the city in two. There is no lack of cultural centres in the capital of the peninsula, including the Crimean Tatar Theatre (5 Mendeleev St., tel.: (+380 652) 251-385), the Crimean Philharmonic Society (3 Pushkin St., tel.: (+380 652) 279-496), the Regional Museum (14 Hohol St., tel.: (+380 652) 252-511) and the Museum of Arts (35 Libkneht St., tel.: (+380 652) 275-404).

And a few words about Simferopol’s scenery. The city is divided by the longest Crimean river Salhir, its centre is composed of two- and three-storey houses, and every spring Simferopol turns into a garden of blossoming cherry, plum and peach trees.

Yalta: A Favourite Resort

The most popular Crimean city is Yalta. No matter where you go on the peninsula, if you don’t go to Yalta, you haven’t really been to Crimea. And it’s because Yalta has a long history of attracting settlers from different cultures who have left a wide variety of places of interest that contribute to the unique appearance of the city. By the 1st century AD, present-day Yalta was the site of a Tavr settlement; later it became home to Venetians, Genoese, Turks and Russians. One of the city’s greatest adornments is the former Palace of Emir Bukhara (12/43 Sevastopol St.), constructed in the early 20^th century after the style of the Muslim architecture of Northern Africa. Yalta’s other main cultural site is the Roman Catholic cathedral on the bank of the mountain river Uchan-Su. It houses a Hall of Organ and Chamber Music. Crimea once charmed the delicate Ukrainian poetess Lesia Ukrainka, who lived in Yalta for three years. Today Yalta has a Lesia Ukrainka Museum (8 Katherine St., tel.: (+80654) 325-525). The life of the city revolves around the seafront, which is an ideal place to go for a stroll in the evenings, to find souvenirs and to enjoy cosy suppers by the water.

Treasures of Big Yalta

Big Yalta is the name given to the region on the southern coast of Crimea from Gurzuf to Foros. Vorontsov, Livadia and Masandra, some of Crimea’s most magnificent palaces, are found here. The Vorontsov Palace in Alupka was built as a summer residence for Count Vorontsov. The Livadia Palace is best known as the site of the meeting of the “Big Three”, Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill, during the Yalta Conference. The palace is surrounded by one of Crimea’s greatest and oldest parks. At the end of the 19th century, the Masandra Palace, another majestic residence, appeared. The town of Masandra is also famous for its wines.

The building perched on the edge of the cliff at Ay-Todor Cape has long been a symbol of Crimea. Known as Lastivchyne Hnizdo (The Swallow’s Nest), it looks like a medieval castle, but it was built at the beginning of the last century. The exotic plants scattered along the coast and collected at the Nikitskiy Botanical Gardens not far from Yalta underline the eminence of these palaces. Big Yalta is also rightfully proud of the cable car running from Miskhor to the top of Ay-Petri, one of Crimea’s tallest peaks. Besides, the tallest Ukraine’s waterfall Uchan-Su (98.5 m) is located at Ay-Petri.

Big Yalta is rich in wonders. One of them is Hurzuf, a small town once favoured by Feodor Shalyapin and Anton Chekhov. The city has reminders of each of them, from Shalyapin’s Cliff and the Pushkin Grotto to the Chekhov Villa (22 Chekhov St.). Ayu-Dag (Bear Mountain), also a symbol of Crimea, rises near Hurzuf. You must also visit the town of Foros, Crimea’s southernmost point. The local places of interest include the palace and park of Alexander Kuznetsov, the “porcelain king” of the 19th century; the Church of the Resurrection of Christ with its Italian mosaics and the Baidarski Gates, an arch built in honour of the 1848 completion of the road linking Sevastopol and Yalta.

East of Hurzuf is Alushta, another must-see town. It is named for Aluston, the 6^th-century Byzantium fortress that was here. The fortress tower still stands in the centre of the old city. The suburbs of Alushta feature the Marble Cave, one of Europe’s most beautiful, the Dzhur-Dzhur Waterfall, Crimea’s most powerful, and a picturesque Mount Dimerdzhi.

Eastern Crimea

The eastern part of the peninsula has its own gems; they are Noviy Svit, Sudak, Koktebel and Feodosiya. Noviy Svit is known for its climate and unique mountain scenery. It is also the site of the famous champagne factory established by Prince Holitsyn and the Noviy Svit Museum of Winemaking History (tel.: (+380 6566) 329-21). Sudak’s claim to fame is its 13^th-century Genoese fortress (tel.: (+380 6566) 210-29), the biggest in the world. Koktebel is considered the homeland of hang gliding (an obelisk found here had a hang glider depicted on it, and Mount Klementyev has the Museum of Gliding) and the birthplace of winemaking. Feodosiya is closely connected with famous author Alexander Grin and prominent painter of seascapes Ivan Aivazovsky. You’ll find museums dedicated to both outstanding men on the same street: the Grin Museum (10 Halereinaya St.) and the Aivazovsky Museum (2 Halereinaya St.). Feodosiya is rich in places of interest, including the 14^th-century Bastion (or Constantine’s Tower) and the Armenian Temple of Saint Serhiy where Aivazovsky was baptised and married.

Western Crimea

Sevastopol is a city known both for its heroic role in a number of wars and for its unique landscapes. One of the most beautiful is the Khersones Reserve (1 Drevniaya St., tel.: 8 (0692) 24-14-15), a former Greek colony that has been preserved. One of the primary symbols of the city is the monument near Primorskiy Boulevard, built in honour of the Black Sea fleet that was sunk here in 1854 to block English and French ships from entering the harbour. The southern waterfront in the centre of Sevastopol is home to the Graf Wharf, hastily constructed in one month in 1783. Learn more about the city’s role in the Russo-Turkish War and the Second World War at the Panorama of the June 18, 1855 Defence of Sevastopol (Historic Boulevard, tel.: (+380 692) 579-786), the Diorama commemorating the storming of Sapun Hill in 1944 (Sapun Hill, tel.: (80692) 544-070) and the mid-19^th-century fortifications known as Malakhov Hill (tel.: (+380 692) 366-751). Sevastopol’s natural treasures are Laspi Bay and Fiolent Cape with its crystal-clear water.

The small town of Balaklava near Sevastopol was once closed to the public due to the presence of a top-secret repair station for submarines. Balaklava has every right to be called the Ukrainian Nice, and the fantastic appearance of the city is augmented by the ruins of the Genoese fortress of Chembalo.

Crimea’s western coast has two noteworthy cities. Yevpatoria and Saky both possess unique medical properties, the first due to brine, the salty water of Moinaky Lake, and the second due to the medicinal mud of Saky Lake.

Crimea’s Steppe

One normally associates Crimea with the scenery of the seacoast, but its steppe does not include sea views. A visit to Bakhchysarai, the former capital of the Crimean khanate, is a must. Tour the khan palace and the 4^th-century fortified city of Chufut-Kale.

All roads to Crimea cross the Sivash Gulf, known for its medicinal salts and mud. Crimea’s unique combination of sea, mountains and vast plains will be a pleasant surprise even to those who are accustomed to exotic landscapes.

Places for Rest and Relaxation

Ukraine Hotel
Located in the centre of Simferopol, the Ukraine Hotel offers deluxe, semi-deluxe and standard rooms plus parking and delicious cuisine in the hotel restaurant.
Address: 7 Rose Luxembourg St., Simferopol; tel.: (+380 652) 510-165

Sevastopol Hotel
This three-storey building in the heart of Sevastopol has deluxe and semi-deluxe rooms with sea views.
Address: 6 Nakhimov St., Sevastopol; tel.: (+380 692) 543-682

1854 Tavern
One of Sevastopol’s most popular restaurants recreates the times of the Crimean War and serves up the city’s best seafood.
Address: 8 Velyka Morska St., Sevastopol; tel.: (+380 692) 544-760

Oreanda Hotel
This 5-star hotel right on the water in Yalta offers deluxe and semi-deluxe rooms, suites, a pool, fitness centre and sightseeing tours.
Address: 35/2 Lenin St., Yalta; tel.: (+380 654) 274-227

Lydia Hotel
This hotel in the centre of Feodosiya offers comfortable deluxe rooms, a gymnasium, a conference hall, sightseeing tours, diving and yachting.
Address: 13 Libkneht St., Feodosiya; tel.: (+380 656) 231-549

Ukraine Hotel
Located in the centre of Yevpatoria, the Ukraine Hotel offers deluxe and semi-deluxe rooms, sightseeing tours and delicious dining.
Address: 42/19 Lenin St., Yevpatoria; tel.: (+380 656) 936-504