The Crimea. Excursions
South Coast

Yalta

Yalta is situated on the south coast of the Crimea peninsula which is in the south of Ukraine.

In the south and west the Crimea peninsula is washed by the Black Sea, in the east – by the Kerchensky Channel, in the north-east – by the Asovsky Sea and the Sivash Gulf. In the south of the Crimea peninsula there are the Crimea mountains. They are a complex combination of mountain ranges, rocky crests and hollows.

Yalta is located in the same latitude as Italian cities Genoa and Ravenna, and this fact gives little information about its nature. The most important factor is a combination of the warm, non-freezing sea and the mountains.

An average annual temperature in Yalta is +13,1?C.

Bathing season in Yalta lasts from the end of May to October and is 149 days a year.

“A swallow’s nest”

“A swallow’s nest” is a wonderful historical architectural monument and a testimony of human bravery. The medieval knight’s castle like a continuation of the rock stretches up into the sky. From the horseshoe-shaped balcony of the tiny castle which hangs above the sea you can get a splendid fascinating view.

Livadiyski palace

Livadiyski architectural park complex was formerly a summer residence of the last Russian emperor Nikolay II.

The palace was built in the style of Italian Renaissance in accordance with the project by Yalta architect, academic N.P.Krasnov. The front part of the palace is decorated with exquisite marble carvings and the finest moulding. Original inside refinishing makes each room different (58 rooms).

There is a magnificent ancient park around the palace which was founded in 1830s.

Vorontsovski palace

Vorontsovski palace is situated in Alupkinski manor of count Vorontsov. In 1998 it celebrated its 150 anniversary. The palace represents an amazing harmony of eastern and western styles. The original architectural style and the sculptures of lions make it unique. Alupkinski park surrounding Vorontsovski palace by right is considered to be the most beautiful one on the South coast of the Crimea. Numerous ponds, cascades, springs, thickets, a heap of rocks, twisting avenues, extensive green meadows look like a fantasy of nature.

Nikitinski botanical garden

Nikitinski botanical garden which is a treasury of the Crimea subtropics is always green. The collection of the garden has more than 28 thousands kinds of various plants. Trees and bushes from different subtropical regions of the world are planted in the park in accordance with the decorative principle, that is why laurels and beautiful pine trees from Mediterranean, bamboos from Eastern Asia and gigantic Sequoiadendrons from California grow very close to each other. There are also aboriginals here such as a 500-year old oak, a 1000- year old juniper. A collection of roses has over 2 thousand kinds of flowers. A unique collection of cacti also attracts people’s attention.

Wine tasting

Massandra is a historical centre of the Crimea winemaking production. In the town there is a main winery of the production-agrarian “Massandra” association, producing branded sweet and strong wine, many of them won gold medals at the international exhibitions and contests.

In the underground galleries there in a unique museum – a collection of wines which has samples of winemaking from sherry de la Frontiera of the harvest of 1775, red port wine “Livadiya”1894. There are over one million bottles of collection wines of different brands and ages.

A cable car

The Ai-Petri Mountain (St.Peter’s mountain) which is 1233m high above the sea level stretches into the sky with its fancy picks above Yalta. Going to its top by cable car along the way which is more than 3 km long makes an unforgettable impression on you.

This unique road consists of two sections with an intermediate station, the second section with no additional supports is unique.

From the top of the mountain you get a grandiose view of the south coast of the Crimea from the Medved’ mountain to the Koshka mountain. They have steep rocks and precipices, majestic cliffs, wild gorges, the blue sea.

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