Rest in Crimea is not only sunbathing on numerous beaches and swimming in sea water. Here you can find amazing combinations of mountain slopes and flat landscapes, visit beautiful and amazing corners of nature, look at man-made sights. And the best way to get to know the peninsula is to travel around it by car. Having traveled the length and breadth of the roads in Crimea, the visitor will receive a lot of unforgettable impressions, see the most interesting nature reserves and, of course, will be able to relax at the most famous and popular resorts by the sea.
Roads in the mountainous and lowland Crimea
The northern and central parts of the peninsula are filled with endless steppe plains, movement along which is not difficult. But the southern Crimea is distinguished by a mountainous landscape, with constant descents and ascents, as well as winding roads. A trip along a mountain serpentine road is, of course, an unforgettable journey, but the driver must not be distracted and be extremely careful.
Many residents of Russia get to Crimea through the Kerch ferry. From here passes the highway of international importance (one of two in the Crimea). After Feodosia, the route goes north-west, crossing the entire peninsula to the Perekop isthmus. Well, most of the visitors from Feodosia go either to the center of Crimea, Simferopol (along the P23 highway), or along the coast directly to Alushta (P-29 road). You can also get from Simferopol to Alushta along the M-18 highway, which then goes to Yalta. So if the driver is not afraid of the peculiarities of mountain roads, you can safely arrange a trip along the mountain coast, stopping to rest in picturesque places.
In the future, it is planned to connect Kerch and Simferopol with the high-speed highway "Tavrida", which will bypass populated cities and towns. This will make it possible to get to the capital of Crimea as quickly as possible, but at the same time visitors will not be able to enjoy the local flavor in small settlements.
From Simferopol, along large busy highways, you can get to the second capital, Sevastopol, as well as to another popular resort, Evpatoria. The road to Sevastopol passes through Bakhchisarai, glorified by poets, and in many places it is a real mountain serpentine. The M-18 highway, leading to Alushta, also passes through the mountains, but here many sections are widened, and therefore more convenient for travel.
Features of local roads
As for the convenience of movement on local roads, so far, unfortunately, their quality leaves much to be desired. Many roads were built during the Soviet era and have since fallen into disrepair. Fortunately, active renovation work has recently begun. As usual, the result causes complaints from motorists, but driving on new roads has become much more convenient and easier.
It is worth noting the important disadvantages that should be taken into account by drivers traveling in Crimea:
- Gasoline is more expensive here, since for the most part it is imported, which cannot but affect its price.
- Quite a stupid situation with parking. Most of the paid parking is not available, and the car can be parked anywhere. However, it is possible to put a means of transportation near the sights only for money. The problem is that the owners of parking lots are the administrations of cultural monuments and museums, which set the rules and the cost of parking as they please. Only recently did the authorities of the peninsula try to somehow resolve this issue and demanded information about paid parking from the local authorities. The obtained data are posted on the website of the Ministry of Tourism of Crimea.
Also, drivers should be careful and take into account the difficult features of local roads. These include:
- winding mountain roads that require constant attention;
- numerous descents and ascents in the mountains, during which the engine runs in an unusual mode;
- in resort and sanatorium areas on the coast, you must remember about the large number of walking people, including children, so it is worthwhile to reduce the speed to safe in advance;
- the narrow streets of coastal cities can also be a challenge for inexperienced drivers.
However, all these difficulties are not insurmountable and will be fully redeemed by the unforgettable atmosphere and nature that can be enjoyed during the trip.
It is not difficult to rent a car in Crimea, but it is better to take care of it in advance:
