The Pearl of the Black Sea is charming at any time of the year. This feature of Yalta was discovered by the upper strata of society of the Russian Empire at the end of the 19th century. In the city itself, holiday houses were built for the families of influential figures of the time, and in Livadia, a nearby suburb, a royal residence was founded.
Today Yalta is full of contrasts, a mix of history, both distant and not so distant, and modernity, a harmonious neighborhood of cozy narrow alleys of dilapidated houses and wide streets with luxurious restaurants and new buildings. Some iconic places have not yet been touched by the hand of the developer; such corners seem to have come straight out of Soviet postcards; you should hurry to see them with your own eyes.
This is a city with a soul and a special atmosphere, a real open-air museum. Therefore, it is not surprising that thousands of tourists come here every year - to touch long-gone eras, recharge themselves for the year ahead with the warmth of the sun, and breathe in the intoxicating air of pine and floral aromas.
Tourists with small children find a wonderful beach holiday at the resort and comprehensive treatment in large, long-established sanatoriums, and are immersed in an endless cycle of all kinds of entertainment.
Villa Park Chair 4*
One of the best hotels for families with children in Yalta with all-inclusive meals is located in Gaspra. The six-story villa stands on the territory of the modern Marat park hotel, surrounded by exotic trees and flowers. The center of Yalta is 11 km away, and the private pebble beach is 1 km away. Vacationers swim in the outdoor pool and ride to the sea by cable car. The villa has a playground and children's animation.
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The territory of the hotel "Villa Park Chair"
Yalta for children - interesting entertainment
Yalta can safely be called a suitable place for traveling with children. For an unforgettable holiday, there is everything you need: cozy hotels, a wide selection of entertainment for the whole family , many exciting excursions, play areas with swimming pools on local beaches and much more.
A detailed article on how to get to Yalta is here. And we talked about all the attractions of the main resort of Crimea here. Well, if you just need high-quality organized excursions around the city and Crimea, feel free to go here. Or here if you want to sunbathe and need information about the beaches of Yalta.
Dreamwood Amusement Park
The Dreamwood theme park on the territory of the Mriya Resort & SPA hotel is one of the best places for a family vacation. The territory of the park combines 4 elements of nature: the areas of Forest, Water, Mountains and Wind.
Various activities are available to guests: rope camp, attractions, quest rooms, mini-golf, water activities, and the “Forest of Miracles” playground for the little ones.
The entrance ticket costs from 1400 ₽ . The amount includes all activities and attractions. Additionally, quest rooms, the robotics class “League of Robots”, the “Gold Diggers” attraction, and the use of VR glasses on the “Jeep Ride” and “Mine 1771” attractions are paid for.
- Location: st. General Ostryakov, 9, Opolznevoe, Yalta.
Zoo "Fairy Tale"
The private Yalta zoo, founded by O. Zubkov, is considered one of the best on the peninsula . The spacious enclosures are home to cheetahs, lions, tigers, pumas, jaguars, wolves, foxes, bears, giraffes, crocodiles, monkeys, etc. Animals are allowed to be fed with special food (from 100 ₽).
The zoo operates:
- fish exhibition "Marine Aquarium",
- exotarium - the world of reptiles.
Price:
- Entrance tickets to the zoo are 400 RUR for children 3-10 years old, 800 RUR for adults.
- Visiting the exhibition of the Marine Aquarium “Underwater Grotto” - 150 ₽/300 ₽ , exotarium - 100 ₽/200 ₽ respectively.
- Location: st. Kirova, 159.
Glade of fairy tales
The unique museum of fabulous sculptures is located in the vicinity of Yalta, right in the open air . In the exhibition “Meadows of Fairy Tales”, created back in 1960 by folk craftsman P.P. Bezrukov, more than 300 sculptures made of different materials are presented.
Here you can see the heroes of your favorite fairy tales : Pinocchio, Vodyanoy, The Little Mermaid, Tortilla the turtle, Mowgli and Bagheera, Doctor Aibolit, Snow Maiden, the wolf and the three little pigs, the three bears and many others.
Animators in fairy-tale characters work in the park : Baba Yaga, Rapunzel, Masha and the Bear, Spider-Man, Chip and Dale, minions, etc.
- The cost of visiting is 200 ₽ for children, 350 ₽ for adults. Children under 6 years old have free admission.
- Location: st. Yauza, 28.
Water park "Atlantis"
- A large article about the best water parks in Crimea with current prices, descriptions and reviews at the link here.
A modern water park in Yalta was opened in 2015. Vacationers have access to a wave pool, a heated pool for the little ones, slides, and water cannons. The “Virage”, “Fast and Furious”, and “Extreme” roller coasters (suitable for children over 10 years old) are very popular among visitors.
Cost of visit:
- 1300 ₽ for adults for 3.5 hours,
- 1600 ₽ for adults full day,
- 750 ₽ for children height from 100 to 140 cm,
- Children under 100 cm tall and birthday boys have free admission.
There is a promotion “I'll be back” , which involves a second visit to the water park at a cost of 800 ₽ for adults, 400 ₽ for children; as well as a “Crimean Holidays” subscription for 3, 5 or 10 visits.
- Location: st. Kommunarov, 7a.
Crocodilarium
The Yalta Crocodilarium contains amazing representatives of the fauna - caimans, crocodiles, turtles, snakes and reptiles.
- The cost of visiting is 500 ₽ for children, 700 ₽ for adults.
- Location: st. Ignatenko, 1.
Theater of sea animals "Aquatoria"
"Aquatoria" is one of the leading dolphinariums on the Crimean peninsula. The open area of the theater hosts performances with the participation of Black Sea dolphins , sea lions, white whales and walruses.
The Aquatoria includes an Aquarium with a large collection of Black Sea fish, freshwater fish and shellfish, a turtle farm and a dolphin therapy center.
- The cost of visiting is from 500 ₽ for children, from 600 ₽ for adults.
- Swimming with dolphins (all year round) – 3000 ₽/5 minutes , 5000 ₽/10 minutes ,
- Photo session with dolphins – 1000 ₽.
Performances take place on Wednesdays at 15:00, Saturdays and Sundays at 11:00 and 15:00.
- Location: Livadia, village. Vinogradnoye, Bakhchisarai highway, 17a.
Spa-hotel Livadiysky 4*
A stylish hotel in Livadia is perfect for a holiday with children in Yalta in the summer of 2021. There is a clean pebble beach 30 meters from the buildings. The hotel has spacious rooms. If you arrive with a baby, a crib will be placed in your room free of charge. The child will have fun on the playground and in the children's room, and active animators will not let him get bored by the sea. Meals - buffet.
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Buffet at Livadia
Beaches
It is impossible to find a sandy beach in the area, mostly small or large pebbles, the only option, and then if you are lucky, are stones mixed with sand. This is the main advantage: the coastal waters are clean, transparent, some beaches have more than once won the Blue Flag status. You can get to almost any place on the coastline for free, because it belongs to the municipality. The exception is small islands rented by luxury hotels. Despite free access to the shore, you still have to pay - at least for the rental of sun loungers. Almost all beaches are equipped with toilets, changing rooms, and showers. Cozy cafes and cute restaurants are not uncommon; sometimes there are trading stalls with drinks, sweets and swimming accessories.
What is the difference between “all inclusive” and “ultra all inclusive” Explanation of food types: RO, BB, HB, BF, AI, UAI 5 tips on what to feed your child on vacation
Where is the private sector located?
The private sector of Yalta is concentrated in the areas:
- Chekhovo (includes the Avangard microdistrict)
- Vasilyevka
- Drazhinsky
- Embankment.
In Chekhovo (Avangard) private old houses have been preserved. Modern cottages and luxurious painted villas with jacuzzi are often built next to them.
In Vasilyevka, all the houses are old, so they are cheaper.
On Drazhinsky, cottages and large private houses predominate. The Naberezhnaya microdistrict consists of 70% private buildings. Huge mansions with many bedrooms have been built here.
- A selection of inexpensive cottages with good reviews
Old Town (Drazhinka) • on the map
The next most popular area of Yalta is the area of the old city (it is also called the “Massandra settlement”): Drazhinsky, Massandrovskaya, Tolstoy, Nizhne-, Sredne- and Verkhneslobodskie streets, the beginning of Sverdlova street, Matrossky lane and Polikurovskaya
This part of Yalta is characterized by dense, chaotic buildings and a continuous private sector. The old town is popular mostly in the high season, since within walking distance there is one of the best beaches in all of Big Yalta - Massandra, and within a 15-20 minute walk there is the Massandra park and the beach of the Yalta-Intourist hotel with a sea pier, an aquarium and night clubs.
Pros of the old city : walking distance to the sea and excellent beaches, close to the center and the embankment, there are a couple of canteens, a lot of cafes and restaurants, grocery and wine stores, shops with fresh fruit, and 20 minutes away the night club “Seagull on the Beach”.
Disadvantages of the old city : there is no public transport, all streets except Drazhinsky and Sverdlov are located on a hill with a decent slope, housing prices are above average, there is heavy traffic on Drazhinsky Street during the season.
It doesn’t hurt: renting a car in Crimea
Public transport : there is no public transport in the old city at all (the nearest stop “Veshchevoy Rynok” is a 10-15 minute walk), but during the season there are golf carts running along Drazhinka, which for 100-150 rubles take you to the beaches and to the Yalta-Intourist hotel "
Who is this area suitable for : beach lovers, party-goers and large groups who prefer to spend evenings with loved ones.
The best accommodation options in the old town of Yalta : the Yalta-Intourist complex, the Akter park hotel, the Coral mini-hotel, the Allegro park hotel, the Villa Tatyana hotel, the Loker club hotel right on the beach .
Apartments and private sector in the old town of Yalta
Where to go with children
Glade of Fairy Tales, Baba Yaga
Glade of fairy tales
In the afternoon, the whole family can go to the Glade of Fairy Tales for an experience. The small mountain valley is densely populated with characters from Russian, Ukrainian and world legends. Every bush and tree here is not accidental: all together they create the characteristic atmosphere of a particular popular magical story.
Little visitors enthusiastically greet the Three Little Pigs, Pinocchio on the Turtle, Snow White, the heroes, Boyan, Ilya Muromets and Ivan the Fool. The completely harmless Baba Yaga will talk to the children, leaving her log hut.
You can feed the animals at the Skazka Zoo
Zoo Skazka
Very close by is the Yalta private zoo “Fairy Tale” with tame pelicans and the opportunity to feed the animals by hand. The animals are well-groomed and in excellent spirits, the birds are bright and cheerful.
The collection of inhabitants is quite impressive and includes albino tigers and black swans. Little visitors literally fed the animals with food sold here by enterprising owners specifically for these purposes. In the end, everyone is happy.
View of the Swallow's Nest
bird home
It is impossible to visit Crimea and not show children the Swallow's Nest with its legends, especially since pleasure boats go there from Yalta. It is better to take a trip with an excursion, and then you will learn about everything that will be visible on the coast from board the ship. If you're lucky, dolphins will want to accompany your ship.
Sometimes they surround the boat, exposing their wet backs and even jumping out of the water to the delight of tourists. The castle itself makes a lasting impression on young visitors. Their imaginations populate the tiny palace on the rock with fairies, knights and princesses. Previously, there was a restaurant inside where tourists who were hungry after a boat trip could be fed.
Ai-Petri plateau in summer
Mount Ai-Petri
Another place that will bring a lot of pleasure and serve educational and entertainment purposes is the Ai-Petri plateau, where there are also many legends and tales. It is interesting to go there in a cable car cabin. While the trailer slowly takes travelers to the skies, the eyes cannot stop admiring the beauty of Yalta from a bird's eye view, the sea obscuring the horizon.
At the top you will find a horse ride, the world's most delicious Tatar cuisine from local cafes and a descent into an underground cave with stalactites growing from the ceiling and endless mysterious halls going into the mountain.
NBS Adventure Park
NBS
If you are accompanied by older children on your trip, be sure to visit the Nikitsky Botanical Garden with its vegetation. Depending on the time of year, you will see tulips, irises, roses or chrysanthemums in bloom. The guide will tell you a lot of interesting facts from the field of botany. An interesting task for a brave young explorer will be to find a way out of the “Green Maze,” and a girl will be curious to take a closer look at the living tropical butterflies, the exhibition of which is located here.
Livadia Palace
Spartak cinema area • on the map
The Spartak district includes the streets adjacent to the former cinema: Marshak, the beginning of Kirov, Togliatti, Krasnoarmeyskaya, Lomonosov, Bulevsky, Gogol and Biryukov streets
The Spartak cinema area is balanced in terms of price and tourist interests. It is located almost in the center of Yalta, the embankment and Primorsky beach are a 10-15 minute walk, within walking distance there is a market, a lot of shops and pharmacies, Pionersky Park, a city bathhouse and a lot of other infrastructure facilities. At the same time, Spartak is essentially the third most important transport hub of Yalta after the bus station and the Clothing Market.
Advantages of the Spartak cinema area : developed infrastructure, proximity to the center and the sea, reasonable prices for accommodation, excellent transport connections with other areas, practically no elevation changes, in the low season there are monthly payment options.
Disadvantages of the Spartak cinema area : one of the busiest places in Yalta, it is always crowded, hectic and noisy, during the season it is difficult to find parking and traffic is difficult.
Public transport : most trolleybus and minibus routes in Yalta pass through Spartak; you may not need a car.
Who is this area suitable for : those who want to get to know the city better, plan to take walks in the evenings, and are looking forward to a long stay.
The best housing options in the area of the Spartak cinema can be found on the website daily.
Bus station area • on the map
The bus station area includes the streets closest to the bus station and trolleybus station: Dzerzhinsky, Tsvetochnaya, Spendiarova, Krivoshty, Pobeda, Makarenko and nearby houses on Kyiv and Moskovskaya streets
This area is quite remote from the center and the embankment (20-30 minutes walk), but is also popular with tourists who come to Yalta not for a beach holiday. The fact is that from the bus station you can get to any attraction of the southern coast of Crimea within an hour, as well as any village in Greater Yalta or even to Alushta and Sevastopol. Housing options here are mainly represented by the private sector and high-rise buildings.
Useful information: our route through the main attractions of Yalta for 3 days
Advantages of the bus station area : high mobility (you can quickly get not only to any part of Yalta, but also to the whole of Crimea), low cost of living, developed infrastructure (lots of shops, pharmacies, hairdressers, etc.), you can even find options with monthly rent even in summer payment.
Disadvantages of the bus station area : distance from the beaches and the center, always crowded and noisy, no good restaurants and cafes.
Public transport : this area is the main transport hub of the entire southern coast of Crimea. If you stay in this area, you won't need a car.
Who is this area suitable for : those who prefer active recreation and plan to sightsee, visit palaces and museums, walk health paths, and also travel from Yalta, for example, to Livadia, Simeiz, Foros, Gurzuf, Alupka or Ai-Petri.
The best housing options in the area of the bus station can be found on the website daily.
