We have been to Crimea so many times that there are already favorite places to which we return time after time. Today I will tell you about them - about the most interesting and unusual places that impressed us and made us fall in love.
Important... For all natural places you need to have comfortable non-slip sneakers, a hat, a shirt (so as not to burn your shoulders), water and a small snack, a phone with GPS and a MAPS.ME mobile application with a pre-downloaded map of Crimea. If you need some more things, I will add it additionally.
About the car... We travel across Crimea only by car and we advise you to do the same. It is much more convenient and enjoyable than traveling by bus in the heat, and besides, you do not need to spend money on excursions at all. I can recommend a reliable rental service Myrentacar.com, their prices start from 1000 rubles per day for a sedan. Read also our tips for traveling around Crimea by car.
Download our handy Crimea travel guide to your smartphone! For you, we have selected only the most beautiful, beloved and proven places. The card works without the Internet, which is especially important in Crimea. Cafes, restaurants, hotels and other places are also marked there. The card costs 200 ₽ and will save you a lot of time.
Tarkhankut and Dzhangul
To get to Tarkhankut was my old dream. Probably, this is the most unusual and beautiful place in Crimea, and I strongly advise you to see it! It has retained its purity and solitude, although some call it wilderness. Here you feel like the last person on earth.
People come here mainly for diving - the water here is crystal clear. We come for unusually beautiful landscapes: steep snow-white cliffs, bizarre rocks, endless steppe.
There are several cool spots on Tarkhankut: sandy beach "Miami", Bolshoi Atlesh, Maliy Atlesh with the Chalice of Love, a lighthouse, a sunken cargo ship and Dzhangul landslide coast. I highly recommend taking a boat trip - you will see grottoes and caves. Find out more about rest on Tarkhankut.
Time for the route: Come to Olenevka for at least two nights to enjoy the scenery in peace.
How much is: everything is free, except for a boat trip.
How to get there: By bus from Evpatoria to the village of Olenevka.
Secret submarine base
How to visit an underground Cold War submarine base? Come to Balaklava. A very interesting museum awaits you there. However, this is not even a museum in our usual sense, but a mothballed secret naval base of nuclear submarines, which operated from 1957 to 1993. You will see secret devices and objects, thick cut-off doors that dampen the shock wave, the channel through which boats sailed, models, maps, parts of boats and much more. A very interesting place, I advise!
Time for the route: About one hour.
How much is: 300 rubles, only with a guided tour. You have to wait for the group to be typed.
How to get there: The museum is located in Balaklava. There is parking. From Sevastopol you can come by buses No. 17, 20, 26. Coordinates: 44.5009288, 33.5965361.
How to dress: It was cool inside, I put on a shirt and trousers.
Heritage of the Taurus, Kosmos and Golitsyn
Under the boring term "reserve" in the New World, there is a treasure trove for those who like to wander along the paths and fantasize about the disappeared peoples. I climbed in these places three times - it's time to launch fashionable author's tours :)
This is probably the most interesting and beautiful place in the mountainous Crimea! There are so many things: the Golitsyn trail with stunning views, grottoes, waves beating against the rocks, the intoxicating aroma of juniper in the hot air, wild beaches under the cliffs, the most picturesque Cape Chicken (Rhinoceros). And further - the valleys of Hell and Paradise, the staircase and the sanctuary of the Taurus, 2,500 years old, Adam's bed, a stone labyrinth. And the Cosmos peak is a very spiritual place where you want to sit and think about the eternal.
Time for the route: We spend about half a day at all points, but you can easily spend a whole day.
How much is: The entrance to the trail is 100 rubles, but there is never anyone behind the ticket office. Parking in the resort is paid.
How to get there: Come to Novy Svet by bus from Sudak or by your own car. Then follow the Golitsyn trail, and from there follow the sign to Karaul-Oba and Kosmos peak.
Details about the Golitsyn trail and the Kosmos peak.
Water Disaster Museum
This is the most touching museum I have been to. Well thought out and informative exposition. A special atmosphere of presence on the wrecked ship is created by music and attributes of holds and compartments: lifebuoys, spacesuits, rusty upholstery and ladders, anchors, nets, portholes. Goosebumps run and tears welling up when you read about how the disaster happened and how many people died.
Time for the route: 1-2 hours.
How much is: 250 rubles.
How to get there: We came by car. The museum is located in Malorechenskoye, right next to the highway, in the basement of the Church of St. Nicholas of Mirlikisky. Coordinates: 44.7566222, 34.5656056.
Ghost valley
The tract with such a romantic name is located in the Demerdzhi massif. The name is not just beautiful - it exactly matches! When fog covers the wonderful rocks, their silhouettes appear like ghosts. And the pillars also resemble people, animals, objects, faces. Just turn on your fantasy.
The route is simple and beautiful - on the way to the plateau, you will admire the views and bizarre rocks. They say it's great to see the sunrises in the valley!
Time for the route: It took us about 3-4 hours to reach the plateau with stops for constant photos and rest. We were in no hurry - we can climb faster.
How much is: is free.
How to get there: There is a bus from Alushta to the village of Luchistoye. From there - on foot to the mountains.
Vorontsov Palace
Vorontsov's palace and park once made a strong impression on me. I expected to see a boring building with a dull park, but instead ended up in a unique palace with remnants of former luxury, a lush manicured park and impressive sea views.
The interiors of the palace are well imprinted in my memory - very cozy and homely, not at all pompous. I think I'll be right if I call the palace one of the most beautiful man-made places in Crimea. It's worth seeing!
Read about our trip to the palace - there I talked about everything in detail.
Time for the route: About 1.5 hours in the palace + 1-2 hours for the park.
How much is: A single ticket costs from 650 to 1050 rubles. You can walk in the park for free.
How to get there: The palace is located in Alupka, Palace Highway, 18. From the Yalta bus station, buses No. 107 and No. 115 go. Then - walk for 10-15 minutes.
Places, looking at which you do not believe that they are on the Black Sea. And what's next - the ugly garden cooperatives of Sevastopol :)
In general, when I saw this color of water and steep cliffs, I simply could not believe my eyes. If you are in Sevastopol, be sure to drop by! It is quite possible to swim on the beaches, but the water is always cold and it is difficult to go down. Naturally, there is no infrastructure, so take all the trash with you. Find out where to rest in Crimea with a tent.
Time for the route: Descent to the beach "Bounty" under the cape Vinogradny is unequipped, so it took about 10 minutes. There are 800 steps leading to the Jasper beach near Fiolent, time was not timed.
How much is: is free.
How to get there: There is a bus to Fiolent from Sevastopol. We drove to Vinogradnoye by car.
