Yalta is the pearl of the Crimea, around which the most popular Crimean sights are located. The most beautiful park, the most famous wine, the longest cable car, the most famous royal residence - everything is here, on the southern coast of Crimea, surrounded by magnificent landscapes.
Top 10 attractions of Yalta
Three Chekhov museums
In 1898, at the insistence of doctors, the writer and playwright A. Chekhov moved to Crimea for treatment. He bought a plot in Yalta, built a house and spent the last years of his life in it with his sister Maria Pavlovna. Now in this house there is a museum dedicated to him - "Belaya Dacha".
A small, but surprisingly beautiful and cozy house was built in the Art Nouveau style; it does not have a single façade that is alike. Several rooms have been completely preserved as they were under Chekhov. There are memorial items here - for example, Maria Pavlovna's embroideries or furniture made according to her sketches. Around the house, a garden was laid out by Chekhov's hands - some trees remained from those times.
The second Chekhov museum in Yalta - memorial rooms at the Omyur dacha. Here Chekhov lived for about a year while his own house was being built.
And, finally, in Gurzuf there is another Chekhov's dacha - "secret", where he rested with Olga Knipper until she became his official wife. It also has a museum.
Addresses: "Belaya Dacha" - Yalta, st. Kirov, 112; "Omyur" - Yalta, st. Kirov, 32; cottage in Gurzuf - st. Chekhov, 22.
Two cable cars
Yalta is surrounded by mountains, so there are as many as two cable cars. One of them, 600 meters long, runs over the city itself - from the embankment to the Derbent hill. It opened in 1967. A feature of the road is that it runs quite low over the very houses and streets - some do not like it, but some are mesmerized. There is a war memorial on the hill where it leads, and offers a view of the city. The cabins are designed for two passengers.
The second road is located 20 kilometers from Yalta and leads from the village of Miskhor to Mount Ai-Petri. The road here takes about 15 minutes, and the height of the upper station on the mountain is more than a kilometer above sea level. There is also a middle station - "Sosnovy Bor", at an altitude of about 300 meters. This cable car is considered the longest unsupported cable car in Europe. The cabins here are quite large, for 8 passengers. Mount Ai-Petri itself is a natural landmark - from it you can see the entire southern coast, and on one of the slopes there is a waterfall.
Tsar's residence Livadia
Three kilometers from Yalta is the famous Crimean residence of the imperial family - Livadia. In 1861, it was acquired by Alexander II and from then until the beginning of the First World War the Romanovs rested here almost every summer. In 1945, the Yalta conference was held here, and in 1977 the film “Dog in the Manger” was filmed.
The main attraction is the Grand Palace, built for Nicholas II in 1909. There is an exposition dedicated to the Romanovs: preserved interiors, courtyards of the palace, memorial items, photographs and drawings. Memorial rooms of its participants - Roosevelt and Churchill - are dedicated to the Yalta conference.
The house church of the Romanovs - Vozdvizhenskaya has been preserved. It was in it in 1894 that the funeral service for Alexander III, who died in Livadia, was buried.
Around the palace under Alexander II, a park with a garden, fountains, gazebos and pergolas entwined with roses was laid out - it is worth walking along it, now it has been restored, and it is carefully looked after.
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
The main and most beautiful cathedral of Yalta was built in 1902 in memory of Emperor Alexander II the Liberator, who died at the hands of the People's Will. The temple was created in the neo-Russian style and in many ways resembles the famous St. Petersburg Savior on Spilled Blood. The authors of the project were two architects P. Terebenev and N. Krasnov. The mosaic icon of Alexander Nevsky on the facade is interesting - it was created by Italian masters.
This temple was the center of the Alexander Nevsky brotherhood, which was widely engaged in charity: there was a school, a shelter for tuberculosis patients, and in the First World War - a hospital. The entire royal family was present at the consecration of the temple. Fyodor Dostoevsky's wife, who died in the Crimea, was buried here. The cathedral was closed in 1938, reopened in 1941 during the occupation and was no longer closed.
Crocodilarium
Yalta has its own small zoo, but apart from the zoo there is a unique Crocodilarium with the largest collection of reptiles in Europe. It appeared in 2011.
Nine species of crocodiles can be seen here. Most of all Nile: in the Crocodilarium lives a crocodile who moved from the Alushta aquarium with her numerous offspring. There is the smartest crocodile - Cuban, the smallest crocodile - African blunt-nosed, the largest - combed, the most ancient - Gangetic gavial, etc. In addition to crocodiles, 17 species of turtles live here, both sea and land, pythons, iguanas and monitor lizards. Fish live in aquariums with marine life, frogs and newts live with freshwater ones.
In 2014, not far from the entrance to the Crocodilarium, a crocodile monument was stopped - one of the most positive and funny monuments in the city.
Nikitsky Botanical Garden
The most famous botanical garden in Russia, created in 1812. It was from here that seedlings of tropical plants adapted for our climate were delivered to all the gardens of southern Russia. Its second director, Gartvis, supplied plants to all the famous parks of the Crimea and the Caucasus.
Now it is a whole complex of parks, in which you can walk for more than one day. The upper park is occupied by an arboretum with exotic tree species, the lower one is occupied by fruit orchards. On the embankment there is a Seaside Park with attractions and children's areas, there are two theme parks: "Montedor", dedicated to the Crimean endemics, and "Paradise" with flowering shrubs. The same complex includes a small protected area - Cape Martyan.
The garden has its own museum, in addition, thematic exhibitions of blooming tulips, irises, peonies are regularly organized. Here is the largest rose garden of the southern coast, and the roses bred here bloom.
Massandra winery
In the village Massandra is home to a well-known winery throughout the country. Its history begins in 1828, when vineyards were first planted here at the Nikitsky Botanical Garden. Founded Massandra winemaking M. Vorontsov, and continued under Alexander III Lev Golitsyn. At the very end of the 19th century, huge new wine cellars were built here, and a new factory was launched. Wine production here was interrupted only in 1941, and then for a short time. In 1956, the production was reconstructed and restarted.
Now you can get here on a guided wine tasting tour. The main building, built in 1894 in the neo-Gothic style, has survived. It resembles a medieval castle and is a landmark in itself. With a guided tour you can get to the old cellars. The oldest bottle stored here is listed in the book of records - it was produced in 1836. The factory produces more than 250 types of wine and has a brand shop.
Massandra Palace and Park
The second attraction of Massandra is the palace and the park. Here was the estate of Count M. Vorontsov, who started wine production. Under him, a picturesque park was laid out on the seashore. Its foundation was laid by the famous Crimean gardener Karl Kebakh. Now this park is neatly groomed and put in order, a lot of Crimean roses grow here, alleys and paths are laid. The Lower Park is designed in a landscape style and is wilder, the Upper Park is regular, with fountains, gazebos and garden pavilions. Under M. Vorontsov's son, the construction of the palace began here, then it was bought by Emperor Alexander III.
The beautiful eclectic palace was used by both emperors, Alexander III and Nicholas II, as a "hunting lodge". They did not spend the night here, they came here to relax and watch the wine production nearby. Now there is a museum in the palace: the Art Nouveau interiors with extensive use of majolica have been preserved, and the exposition itself tells about Alexander III.
Vorontsov's residence in Alupka
Not far from Yalta, near Mount Ai-Petri, there is the most grandiose palace of Crimea - the Vorontsov residence in Alupka. The palace, built in 1851, combines Moorish and English styles and is truly amazing in its scope. It was built so solidly that it was practically not damaged during the 1927 earthquake. The palace has fully preserved the richest interiors of the ceremonial halls, and one of the largest and most interesting museum expositions in Crimea is located.
There is a park around the palace, which is considered the largest and most beautiful in the Crimea. It is divided into two parts - Upper and Lower, and in each of them there are many interesting buildings: fountains, gazebos, ponds, statues. The most beautiful place here is the lion's terrace: the main staircase to the palace, decorated with statues of lions.
bird home
The visiting card of Crimea is a small castle built at the beginning of the 19th century on a high rock. Many mysteries are associated with this miniature castle - neither the owner of the rock, under whom the building was built, nor its architect is known for sure - different sources call different names.
The castle is open for inspection and contains an exhibition hall. A staircase of 1200 steps leads to the sea. Boats go here from Yalta, so you don't have to go up to the observation deck, but just admire the castle from the sea.
