Hello friends!
The summer season is approaching, and many of you are already actively looking for vacation options. In this article I want to tell you about one amazing city, which is easy to get to, pleasant to relax, and simply impossible to forget. This is Yalta. It’s not for nothing that it is called the pearl of Crimea. This city became a real discovery for me. It clearly stands out from other Crimean cities.
And today I want to tell you why this city is worth coming to if you want to see all the most interesting sights of Crimea in a short time.
Listen to organ music
How long have you listened to Bach's music in a good organ hall? But rain is an ideal time for this; go to an organ concert at the Livadia organ music center. In inclement weather, this music, coupled with the magnificent decoration of the hall, gives special pleasure:
The current concert poster and contact information can be found on the page of the organ hall. In Yalta, you can also listen to organ music in the Roman Catholic Church on Pushkinskaya Street.
What to bring from Yalta as a gift
Countless stalls with souvenirs are scattered everywhere here. There are a lot of them on the city embankment and at every tourist site, so you don’t have to worry about finding souvenirs. But what to choose from this variety of shells and trinkets is a big question. They bring to Yalta a typical “Crimean souvenir”: magnets, bracelets, headbands, crafts from shells, made not by Crimean, but rather by Chinese craftsmen. Therefore, other gifts from Crimea deserve attention.
These are wood products: pine needles, fir, cedar, from which they make jewelry, rosaries, and small figurines. These could be essential oils or natural Crimean cosmetics produced by a local enterprise. And also a traditional local “souvenir” - blue Yalta onion, which is usually braided and sold in such an interesting form.
Take a wine tasting tour
Bad weather is a great reason to visit the factory of the legendary Massandra wines. Here you will be told how and thanks to whom winemaking was born in Crimea, you will be shown the huge adits in the rock in which world-famous wine is produced and stored, and you will also have a wine tasting under the guidance of an experienced specialist. In conclusion, here you can purchase your favorite samples for yourself and friends.
By the way, if you settled in Alupka or Koreiz, keep in mind that the Massandra winery has a tasting room not far from the Vorontsov Palace
Palace of the Emir of Bukhara
The building of the Palace of the Emir of Bukhara, erected at the beginning of the 20th century, is recognized as one of the most significant historical and cultural monuments of Crimea. The palace is located above the Seaside Park, founded at the end of the 19th century on a plot acquired by the Emir of Bukhara from the city.
The two-story palace building, built of Kerch stone in the style of Moorish architecture for the summer residence of the emir, attracts attention with the combination of its asymmetrical parts of rectangular, faceted and semicircular geometric shapes. The presence of terraces, loggias, porticoes, balustrades and belvederes attract attention to the facade, causing involuntary admiration for its architecture.
Against the background of the delicate colors of the facades, columns with elegant capitals, framed arched windows and a jagged parapet add sophistication to the Moorish exterior. A marble staircase leads to the palace, guarded at the end by sculptures of lions. Nowadays, the palace of the Emir of Bukhara is occupied by one of the buildings of the Yalta sanatorium, and you can only see its interior design with a tour.
Visit museums
Let's be honest. The vast majority of Yalta's guests know only its resort side: hotels and sanatoriums, beaches and parks, canteens and cafes, bars and restaurants, the swallow's nest, Mount Ai-Petri and, perhaps, palaces. But Yalta has a rich and interesting cultural and historical background!
Our editorial team, whenever possible, takes part in popularizing the nature, history and culture of the South Coast, but still, nothing better than a well-equipped museum with real exhibits and trained guides has yet been invented.
We recommend: the Chekhov House-Museum, the Historical and Literary Museum, the Lesya Ukrainka Museum in a beautiful mansion not far from the embankment, the Pushkin Museum in Gurzuf, the Museum of Vintage Cars (at the same time, take a ride on the Yalta-Gorka cable car) and the Museum of Paleontology in Livadia.
Rest assured, museums are not boring!
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, rising in the city center near Darsan Hill, serves as the city's main operating Orthodox church. Already from a distance it attracts attention with its beauty, embodied in the architecture of the Moscow style of the 17th century, becoming the brightest attraction of the resort. Its facade, reminiscent of a tower from Russian fairy tales, is distinguished by lush traditional Russian decor.
Painting the facade in white and pink in combination with yellow visually gives the temple an airy feel. The mosaic on the façade, depicting Alexander Nevsky and made by a famous Venetian artist, is admirable. Despite its apparent lightness, the dimensions of the cathedral are quite large. It has 2 altars - the lower one for 700 people and the upper one for 1000 parishioners.
Going inside the temple, you will be amazed by its interior, decorated in Byzantine traditions with skillful paintings of saints and biblical scenes on the walls and vaults, and the beauty of the iconostasis made by masters of icon painting from the Vladimir region. Adjacent to the temple building is a bell tower, topped with an onion with a cross, delighting with the rich design of the facade and the ringing of the original bells.
Try Black Sea oysters
Bad weather is an ideal reason to treat yourself to delicious and healthy gifts from the Black Sea with a bottle of sparkling wine! We have already talked in detail about the places on the South Coast with the freshest oysters, mussels and sea fish.
helpful information
Where to go in Yalta with children
Romantic date
Yalta consistently leads among the places where tourists go in couples, so it would be fair to highlight interesting scenarios for Yalta evenings for lovers first.
It won’t hurt: what to bring from Yalta as souvenirs
We recommend starting the evening for two with a visit to an organ concert - sublime music will immediately put you in a romantic mood. At your service are the organ hall in Livadia and the Roman Catholic Church of Yalta.
Then you can take a ride in a double cable car over the center of Yalta or go on a boat trip from the embankment to the Swallow's Nest.
If your budget allows, you can rent a boat for 2-3 hours and admire the sunset while going out to the open sea
You can end your romantic evening in one of the restaurants with a beautiful view of the sea, for example, the “Fish Place” restaurant above the Primorsky Beach, the “Chaika”, “Espaniola”, “Geneva”, “Orange”, “Pizzaletto” restaurants on the embankment or the “ Gussi”, “Gallery of Taste”, “Crimea”, “Van Gogh” towards the Massandra beach.
We recommend : unusual excursions around Yalta
All this “works” at any time of the year. And during the high season, you can do the following: take a bottle of good wine (don’t forget a corkscrew or uncork the wine in advance), a couple of glasses and chocolate or fruit - and go to Gorono beach, Corsair or the beach of the Levant hotel. You can go to Massandra or Primorsky, but they are usually crowded and the security can be annoying because of the wine.
from the editor
The main attractions of Yalta in 3 days
Cultural leisure
To receive aesthetic and cultural pleasures, it is not at all necessary to limit yourself to concert halls, theaters and art galleries in Moscow and St. Petersburg. In Yalta, the cultural life is also quite good. For example, on the territory of the Villa Elena hotel there is an art gallery “Art-Boulevard”, in the Primorsky Park there is a gallery of Crimean painting “Art-South”, and in Gurzuf there is a gallery of contemporary art “White gallery”. You can view (and, if you wish, buy) the works you like.
In addition to art galleries, Yalta hosts year-round productions at the Chekhov Theater, and during the holiday season, concerts by stars of various sizes are held in the Yubileiny Concert Hall.
from the editor
How to spend an evening in Yalta
Stanislav Vasiliev
- Livadia Park
- Sunny path (suitable for people who prefer active recreation in Yalta).
Zipline attraction "Adrenorlin"
Entertainment exclusively for people who cannot imagine a vacation without a dose of good adrenaline. This is a unique outdoor attraction that has no analogues in Crimea. You sit in a double chair and at a speed of 60 km/h rise to a height of 30 meters. And then at the same speed you return to the Embankment. During the flight, you enjoy the beauty of the incredible Yalta views, a storm of new, vivid emotions. The attraction is 100% safe, but before the flight you should listen carefully to the instructor. Do not deviate from his recommendations.
Address: Lenin Embankment Phone: +7 978 071 1707. Website: adrenorlin.ru.
Yalta Theater named after. Chekhov
The building of the Chekhov Theater in Yalta is an architectural and cultural monument. There is no troupe of its own, and this is the main feature of this institution. But touring artists will delight you with the quality of their performances and repertoire. In principle, you can go to the theater with children. Children's performances, including puppet ones, are also often staged. And at the same time, it is considered more entertainment for adults. You can view the poster for upcoming events on the theater’s official website.
More information about the Chekhov Theater in Yalta Address: Ekaterininskaya street, 13 Phone: +7 365 4234247 Website: theatreyalta.com.
Livadia Organ Music Center
If you like special music, then this is just what you need. On the other hand, the center of organ music can be called a landmark not only of Yalta, but of the entire CIS. This is the only organization engaged in the production of organs, and even in a closed cycle. The company also independently restores and reconstructs almost all instruments of this kind in the CIS countries. The concert hall hosts various organ music festivals with the participation of the world's best musicians. Master classes are regularly organized for the younger generation.
Address: Baturina street, 4 Phone : +7 800 551 29 03 Website : organ-livadia.com.
Yalta Wind Music Theater
The Brass Music Theater in Yalta is in particular demand among a certain category of citizens. Not everyone loves wind instruments, but those who like them do not miss the opportunity to visit this place. The tetra regularly hosts festivals and competitions, including international ones. Such as: “Fanfare of Yalta” and “Fanfare of Yalta Junior”. From time to time, world stars of the corresponding genre give concerts in the theater building. This place is of particular interest to the musical intelligentsia.
Address: Rudanskogo, 8 Phone: +7 978 869 7720 Website: yaltaband.ru.
Museum of Automotive Art
The museum will appeal to everyone who considers a car to be more than just a means of transportation. The collection features cars of the 20th century, which many of you have only seen on TV, and then in the movies. There are also newcomers to the automotive world who cost incredible amounts of money. You can see retro copies, as well as exclusive models that starred in famous films, as well as cars produced in Crimea, the so-called “custom copies”. If you have sons, be sure to take them with you. I think they will definitely like this excursion.
Address: Voikova, 26 Phone: +7 978 888 2690 VK page: vk.com/avto_musey_yalta
Football Museum
Not long ago, a football museum opened in Yalta, initiated by the head of the city football club. Naturally, the exhibition will be of more interest to the stronger half of humanity. There are more than 5 thousand football themed items on display. Among them: cups, pennants, awards, medals. As well as rare relevant literature. Many exhibits are dedicated to the history of the development of Soviet football. You can also take children here to support dads who are interested in this activity. The organizers hope for the success of the venture.
Address: Biryukova, 2-A.
Club Yalta Beach
The beach club is special. Such a piece of Saint-Tropez in Yalta. The club operates during the day and at night, is located on the seashore and gives a lot of bright, incendiary impressions and emotions. Daytime “parties” are held to the music of DJs. In the evening there is live music. Getting here creates a feeling of constant celebration, fun, and carefree relaxation away from the real world. Hot dancers will delight the stronger half of humanity with their appearance, and ladies will simply enjoy a great mood, chic cocktails and views of the Black Sea coast.
Address: Drazhinsky, 50-A Phone: +7 978 222 2978 VK page: vk.com/club148381298.
Star Rhino
The nightclub is intended exclusively for complete men's relaxation. It is located on the ground floor of the famous Yalta-Intourist hotel. Rich decoration, a relaxed atmosphere, luxurious girls and a chic wine list contribute to complete relaxation, quality rest surrounded by excellent company. The strip club will give you an unforgettable experience, a lot of bright, unforgettable emotions. It is possible to order a private dance and get maximum pleasure from your vacation.
Address: st. Drazhinsky, 50 Phone: +7 978 059 8029.
I recommend: the beach of the Yalta-Intourist Hotel
"Matryoshka"
Another chic strip club in Yalta. The club perfectly combines the trends of world shows and Russian flavor. Beautiful girls in frankly seductive outfits will be happy to give you an unforgettable experience and a charge of positive emotions. A cozy atmosphere, light music, topless service, a wide selection of drinks, VIP areas - these are just a small part of what awaits you within the walls of the gentlemen's club. If necessary and desired, any holiday can be organized: bachelor party, birthday, and so on.
Address: Ignatenko street, 20 Phone: +7 978 100 8485 Official website: matreshki.vip.
7 winds
The billiard club “7 Winds” appeared in Yalta not so long ago, but has already become popular. There are three Russian billiard tables in the hall, one pool table. There is a small bar with a good list of alcoholic drinks. The main category of visitors is young people, but respectable “uncles” also stop by, treating this game with special trepidation. There is a Finnish sauna on site, but what would you do without it? And a billiards supply store. The place is interesting, you can play a game or two for a purely symbolic fee. Since the establishment is still relatively new, the majority of clients are local residents.
Address: Krasnoarmeyskaya street, 41 Phone: +7 978 776 5311.
Bad Place
Another night establishment for lovers of club life, located on the territory of the Yalta-Intourist hotel. On the 16th floor. The bar has a relaxed atmosphere and a huge selection of incendiary alcoholic drinks. Including unusual cocktails. The bright setting and excellent atmosphere will not let you get bored, but will provide you with the opportunity to have fun.
Address: Drazhinsky, 50.
South Cafe
The night club in Yalta, open from 19:00, will delight you with excellent cuisine: European, Italian, Russian, Japanese, American. Great drinks, original cocktails from the bartender, and a great atmosphere. High-quality music from DJs, fragrant hookahs and incredibly spectacular parties. The country's leading DJs periodically provide a great mood at the club. A feeling of celebration and good mood are guaranteed.
Address: Botkinskaya street, 2-v Telephone: +7 918 668 6883 VK page: vk.com/southcafe.
Karaoke bar "Ruta"
Do you like to sing yourself rather than listen to music? Then you should definitely visit the most popular karaoke bar in Yalta - “Ruta”. A relaxed atmosphere, modern equipment providing high-quality sound, and a luxurious music menu will give you a lot of pleasure. You can support this whole thing with original snacks and incendiary drinks. An unforgettable night with friends and a great mood are guaranteed.
Address: Embankment, 35-A Telephone for table reservations: +7 978 915 1511
I want it to feel like home!
If for some reason you are not satisfied with the options that we proposed above, in Yalta there is always the opportunity to wait out the bad weather in the usual ways. For example, go shopping and have fun at the Confetti shopping center (where, in addition to shops and boutiques, there is an ice arena, bowling, a playground for children, a fitness club and much more), go to a movie with IMAX technology, look at crocodiles, turtles and lizards at the Crocodile Farm, meet the inhabitants of the deep sea at the Oceanarium, or roll some balls in the billiard room.
By the way, have you seen our ideas on how to spend a birthday in Yalta?
Do you like to smoke hookah? In Yalta there are good options for this type of leisure, pay attention to the hookah bars “Pushka” and the hookah bar “SuperBar” on Ignatenko Street, “Hookah Place” on Krasnova Street, “Mint Lounge” in Pionersky Park or “Surf Hookah” near the sea terminal .
And a damp rainy evening can be spent in a good restaurant overlooking the sea, for example, in the Ai-Petri restaurant on the roof of the Yalta-Intourist hotel, the panoramic Chaika restaurant on the embankment, in the Verdi restaurant at the Opera apart-hotel Prima" or the beach cafe "Van Gogh" on Massandra beach.
Holidays in Yalta: who is this resort suitable for?
I would like to immediately appeal to lovers of economical beach holidays: guys, look for another resort for yourself. If you just want to lie on a sandy beach for 2 weeks, choose Sudak or Evpatoria. It will cost you much less. In Yalta you can and should enjoy other things.
Despite the fact that this city cannot boast of ancient and medieval antiquities, like Feodosia and Sevastopol, in the 19th century it was Yalta that became the center of resort life in Crimea. Its excellent climatic conditions and picturesque nature attracted many aristocrats and simply influential people here, who in a short period of time built an entire ensemble of cultural heritage sites on the Yalta coast, and thereby left their mark on the history of not only the city, but also the peninsula as a whole.
By the way, a few words should be said separately about the history of the city.
History of Yalta: from brands to a lady with a dog
It is believed that the name of the city comes from the Greek word "Yalos", which means "coast, coastal". An ancient legend says:
Many centuries ago, the Greeks set off in search of new lands. The Black Sea greeted them unkindly, with storms and fogs (that’s why they called it the Black Sea, again according to legend). The sailors wandered for many days, not knowing where they were sailing. The ship ran out of fresh water and food. The team lost heart and meekly awaited death. But one morning the fog cleared, and people saw the long-awaited coast and green-purple mountains.
- Yialos! Gialos! - they shouted. Here, on fertile land, the Greeks founded a new settlement.
But archaeologists have not yet been able to find traces of a Greek settlement dating back to antiquity. Tauri settlements were discovered . It was the Taurians who were the most ancient inhabitants of the Yalta Valley. Perhaps they were the indigenous inhabitants of Crimea, or perhaps they were representatives of tribes that retreated to Crimea from the Northern Black Sea region or from the Caucasus under the onslaught of the Scythians. However, the word “tauri” itself is Greek and was originally the name of a mountain range in Asia Minor, the continuation of which the Greeks considered both the Caucasus and Crimean mountains. Then the tribes there were also named by the same word. The Greeks called Crimea itself the “Taurian peninsula” - Tauris.
Then on these shores the Romans, Byzantines, Venetians, Genoese appear and disappear, replacing each other... In 1475, the Turks became the masters of the southern coast of Crimea. Yalta was part of a province that was in the personal possession of the Turkish Sultan.
In 1771, the first Russian troops arrived in Crimea under the command of A.V. Suvorov. They built a military fort in Yalta. By the time of the annexation of Crimea to Russia, Yalta was a tiny fishing settlement of 13 houses with a church and a mosque (just like that, 13 houses have both a church and a mosque!)
In 1823, Count M.S. Vorontsov became governor-general of the Novorossiysk region, which then included Crimea. In Yalta, he distributed 200 acres of land on the condition that the new owners would plant gardens and vineyards and actively engage in construction. An enterprising tsarist official, Vorontsov, created industrial wineries in Alupka and Massandra. At the direction of M.S. Vorontsov, roads were laid connecting the Southern Coast with Simferopol and through the Baydar Gate with Sevastopol, a seaport and a pier were built.
In 1838, Yalta received city status. However, over the next four decades, Yalta still remains a provincial backwater. All that the surrounding areas of Yalta consisted of in those days were tobacco and grape plantations.
Everything changed dramatically in 1866, when, on the advice of Professor Botkin, who was the first to appreciate the outstanding climatic features of the place, not far from Yalta, in Livadia, Empress Maria Alexandrovna began to rest in the autumn months. In the 70s of the 19th century, rapid construction began in the city. This was facilitated by the fact that the royal family acquired neighboring Livadia. In 1873, the construction of the railway connecting Crimea with both capitals of the empire was finally completed. After Livadia became the royal residence, Yalta quickly began to transform. Following the titled persons, wealthy industrialists and merchants rushed to Crimea. Yalta is becoming a fashionable resort with fashionable hotels, shops, restaurants, hospitals and dachas.
This is exactly how Yalta appears to us in A.P. Chekhov’s story “The Lady with the Dog.” Here, in Yalta, the last five years of A.P. Chekhov’s life passed. Consumption did not allow him to live in a damp and cold climate. According to the design of the architect L.N. Shapovalov, he built a two-story house with a mezzanine, which was called “Belaya Dacha.” The artist I. Levitan and the writer Bunin visited here, and the entire troupe of the Moscow Art Theater headed by Stanislavsky and V. Nemirovich-Danchenko came here. In Yalta, Chekhov wrote nine stories and two plays: Three Sisters and The Cherry Orchard.
Around Yalta, the new owners of the lands erected luxurious palaces, villas, mansions, laid out industrial gardens and vineyards, magnificent parks that still adorn the Crimean coast today: Massandra, Alupkinsky, Gurzufsky, Livadia and others.
In general, from this historical excursion, attentive readers have already understood: there is something to see in Yalta!
Crimea is not only Yalta
If the leisure options we have listed do not interest you for some reason, we will simply remind you that it is not at all necessary to wait out bad weather in Yalta. On the contrary, this is a great reason to see the rest of Crimea!
Look at our TOP routes where you can travel by car from Yalta in one day.
Any point in Crimea, even the most distant from Yalta, is a couple of hours away by car, which, if necessary, can be rented without leaving home:
Well, now rain in Yalta is not a problem for you and you know how to make good use of cloudy days here. Look at our poster so as not to miss interesting events and book a hotel in advance if you are just going to the city of happiness. See you!
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Excursion tours
Chrysanthemum Ball
Nikitsky Botanical Garden, located near Yalta, is a real open-air museum, one of the most unique attractions of southern Crimea. It is rightly called the “green treasure” of the peninsula: the vast territory of the garden contains unique plant species from all regions of the planet.
The park is known throughout the world primarily for its unique arboretum. On 40 hectares, trees and shrubs from different continents grow together, forming a unique collection of plants. Such diversity creates the illusion that, walking through the garden, you are traveling around the world. Two tourist favorites are the cactus greenhouse, which contains over a thousand rare species, and the rose collection, which numbers about 2,000 varieties and is one of the best in Southern Europe.
The garden consists of four unique parks: Upper, Lower, Primorsky and Cape Montedor Park. The Upper, or Central, park is famous for its picturesque alleys full of lavender, wisteria and honeysuckle. The main decoration of the Primorsky Park are exotic plants from China, Japan and the Mediterranean. Cape Montedor Park is famous for its relict coniferous trees. Here you will find the largest tree in the garden - the giant sequoia or the so-called "mammoth tree", which is almost 40 meters high. Every year thousands of tourists come to Yalta to see this century-old giant.
The Nikitsky Botanical Garden is intriguing because in its parks something blooms and bears fruit all year round. This means that the curious tourist can find something to admire in this wonderful part of Crimea at any time of the year.
In the second half of October - early November, the Nikitsky Botanical Garden traditionally hosts the famous Chrysanthemum Ball - a grandiose exhibition of magnificent graceful autumn flowers, characterized by a riot of colors. The most popular plant exhibition in Crimea, “Chrysanthemum Ball,” has been held in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden since 1953. An excursion tour to the Nikitsky Botanical Garden at this time will be absolutely unforgettable.
You can get here from the Yalta flea market by buses No. 34 and No. 45. It takes 20 minutes to get to the Lower Colonnade station.
