10 have to-see areas in Crimea (photos) - Russia past

The picturesque Black Sea peninsula is famous for its shorelines, mountains, vineyards, palaces and prosperous heritage. We spotlight the unmissable places when traveling in Crimea.

1. Sevastopol

The Monument to the Sunken Ships

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The top-rated area to beginning your Crimean voyage is in the regional capital of Sevastopol. domestic to the Black Sea Fleet, it has the repute in Russia of a metropolis of defense force Glory. Take a sightseeing boat along Sevastopol Bay and think about the many ships, including ones on energetic provider. make sure to talk over with the surprising defense of Sevastopol panorama, which tells the story of the Crimean battle 1854-fifty five.

The Saint Vladimir Cathedral in Chersonesos

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some of the metropolis's main attractions is the ruins of the historic Greek polis Chersonesus Taurica. within the tenth century, it belonged to Byzantium and, in accordance with legend, become the area where Prince Vladimir converted to Orthodoxy and baptized Rus.

2. Foros

The Church of the Resurrection of Christ

Igor Derevyagin (CC by way of-SA three.0)

Foros is the southernmost aspect of Crimea. In Soviet instances, this historic agreement with its picturesque rocky coast and light local weather, breezes and pine forest became the birthday celebration elite's vacation spot of choice for spa holidays and medication. incidentally, its sanatoriums are still operational.

The main enchantment of Foros is the 19th-century Church of the Resurrection, overlooking a steep cliff. From the church, make certain to head up into the mountains and prevent in at the Baydarskie Vorota restaurant on the mountain circulate for the premiere chebureki (mutton pies) in Crimea and a few equally mouth-watering views.

3. Balaklava

Balaklava Bay

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The winding Balaklava Bay offers an incredible natural panorama, in addition to a real Crimean marina, dotted with yachts and boats. We enormously advocate renting a cutter and crusing across the bay to the open sea to the rocky caves.

Fortifications in the defense force historical past Museum of Balaklava

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but possibly the spotlight of Balaklava is the armed forces background Museum. it is discovered internal an underground complex which in Soviet times housed a take care of and a submarine fix facility, no longer to mention a nuclear arsenal.

4. Yalta

A view on the longest trolleybus route on the earth

Peggy Lohse

there are many the right way to get from Simferopol Airport to Yalta, but we advocate that you simply try out the longest trolleybus route on this planet — 86 kilometers along a picturesque mountain street with views of the sea.

Yalta is the unofficial capital of the southern coast of Crimea, and probably the most typical motels on the peninsula, noted for its sandy shorelines. it's also a party city that by no means sleeps, filled with lively restaurants serving fresh fish and seafood, and all kinds of americans jogging down the long promenade, the place you're going to additionally see highway artists and magicians.

Yalta Embankement

Konstantin Mikhalchevsky/Sputnik

Russian writers have been keen on taking health trips to Yalta — Anton Chekhov spent the closing six years of his life right here, and his cottage has been transformed into a museum. On the embankment there's even a monument to Chekhov and the "girl with lapdog" from his eponymous story, which turned into set here.

The Swallow's Nest

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no longer removed from the city is the calling card of the whole of Crimea: the decorative Gothic-fashion Swallow's Nest castle. We suggest taking a pleasure craft alongside the southern coast (known as better Yalta) and staring at up from the water at this majestic edifice perched chook-like atop a sheer cliff.

5. Ai-Petri

A view from the proper of Ai-Petri

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apart from seaside pastime, Crimea is noted for its mountains. probably the most maximum peaks is Ai-Petri (1,234 m), which can also be reached by the use of one of the longest unsupported cable vehicles in Europe. A a little much less dramatic approach up is by street (albeit an incredibly serpentine one), while enjoying a view of the Uchan-Su waterfall.

one of the vital longest unsupported cable vehicles in Europe

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on the summit, go to the restaurant for some Crimean Tartar dishes: pilaf, laghman (noodles, meat, veg) and chebureki, and style some genuine Crimean wines. however don't neglect to gown warmly, even in summer. It's very windy excessive up.

6. Alupka

The Vorontsov Palace

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This small resort city is famous essentially for the Vorontsov Palace, inbuilt the English style. which you could study extra in regards to the palace here.

in the 19th century, a chic park protecting ​​greater than forty hectares become laid out across the palace. Its panorama featuring a lot of sculptures, fountains, terraces, and greater than 200 species of plants from all corners of the globe is a vacationer magnet. incidentally, Alupka presents unbelievable views of each Ai-Petri and the Black Sea, which is why the illustrious seascape painter Ivan Aivazovsky changed into so keen on it. He even has a cliff named in his honor.

7. Livadia Palace

The Livadia Palace

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not removed from Yalta stands one of the vital luxurious palaces in Crimea, which served because the summer season residence of Emperor Alexander II. It changed into commonplace for the Russian tsars to vacate right here in summer with their households. Later, Nicholas II had a separate wing developed for himself.

In Soviet times, the imperial palace was converted into a sanatorium for employees and peasants; and the famous author Maxim Gorky loved leisure cures here. In February 1945, right through WWII, it hosted the Yalta conference of the Allied leaders Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt.

by the way, the Livadia Palace is where the protagonist of Jonathan Littell's award-winning novel The Kindly Ones resides and, because the writer describes, takes therapeutic strolls along the Tsar's course. you can examine more in regards to the palace right here.

8. Massandra

The Massandra palace

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a different summer imperial residence with French park may also be considered within the contract of Massandra. despite the fact, it become not used as a long-time period residence via any of the tsars, who favourite Livadia. study greater about this enigmatic area right here.

Massandra wine cellar

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travelling Crimea and never tasting the native wine is effortlessly against the law. thankfully, the Massandra wine factory offers excursions and tastings in eight of its branches throughout the peninsula. There that you could consult with the winery, wander around the wine cellar, and observe the winemaking process.

9. Yevpatoria and the crimson Lake Sasyk

The Juma-Jami Mosque

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This city is premier for households with children — it boasts sandy shores and a heat shallow sea. right here many toddlers's camps have remained due to the fact that Soviet times. it's also home to the best Muslim monastery in Crimea, courting lower back to the 15-sixteenth centuries, as neatly because the 16th-century Juma-Jami Mosque, both reminders of the centuries-lengthy Ottoman rule over Crimea.

Lake Sasyk

Angu (CC by-SA 3.0)

not removed from Yevpatoria is a real miracle of nature in the shape of Lake Sasyk, separated from the Black Sea by a slim strip of land. The lake's forte lies in its color, which varies from pink to vivid crimson. The secret's within the carotene-producing microorganisms that live within the water. The ancient Greeks had been the first to extract salt from the lake, which become so first rate it later made its manner onto the desk of the Russian tsars. And hid beneath the layer of salt is therapeutic mud. See some unbelievable photos of the lake here.

10. Kerch

Ruins of Yeni-Kale fortress constructed by Ottoman Turks

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determined on the jap coast of Crimea, Kerch is the first metropolis that greets friends coming by way of the lately developed Crimean Bridge. Kerch also has the distinction of being the oldest metropolis in Russia, believed to were founded via the historical Greeks within the late seventh century BC.

The 8th century Church of Saint John the Baptist

Sergey Ashmarin (CC with the aid of-SA 3.0)

Remarkably, Kerch has preserved archeological facts of all of the ancient periods of Crimea: from historic ruins and an 8th-century Byzantine basilica to a late seventeenth-century Turkish fortress and a nineteenth-century Russian fort.

study greater: How did Crimea become part of the Russian Empire?

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