Trips to Crimea from Kiev

Crimea is very popular destination for visitors of Ukraine.

Throughout its prolonged history, the Crimea had seen numerous rulers and still bears traces of various
cultures and civilizations. Its air itself seems to be saturated with legends of Olympic gods, amazons,
Cimmerians, Taurians and Scythians who came to the Crimea from Asia to remain here for almost a thousand
years. Nature has been extremely generous to the peninsula. Its gorgeous views could take your breath and
may challenge the most beautiful landscapes of the world, and its flora is very diverse and unique.
Yalta is Crimea’s most famous place. Its miraculous transformation from a fishermen’s settlement into a
fashionable high-end resort happened in 1838 due to continued concern of several generations of the Russian
royal family. Yalta is a combination of the beauty of the Black Sea shores, the exotics of the local mountains,
and the scent of Oriental antiquities. In summer, it becomes a centre of domestic cultural activity, hosting
theater and cinema festivals and pop music contests.

Tour of the South Crimea:
Livadia Palace
The summer residence of the last of the Russian Tsars, Nicholas II, and in February 1945 home to the Yalta
Conference, where Sir Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin met to re-draw the political
map of Europe at the end of World War II – the Livadia Palace breathes the history of the last 100 years.
The white building in the Italian Renaissance style became the last palace constructed for the Romanov
dynasty in the Russian Empire and the place where the family of Nicholas II enjoyed the last moments of the
unruffled happiness.
In 1945 the Big Three chose the Livadia Palace as the venue for their meeting which became known as the
Yalta Conference. They met for a week in the Livadia’s imposing White Hall.
The Yalta Declaration, issued on February 11, 1945, set the stage for the division of Germany into zones of
occupation, for the possession of Eastern Poland by the USSR, and the award of German territory in the north
and west to Poland in compensation. Along with the decision about Germany’s future and settlement of the
European matters, they decided on the creation of the United Nation Organization.
Tour ending in the Italian courtyard for a cocktail and photos with Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchil.
11.45 – 13.00 City tour in Yalta ( Yalta sea front, seaport, the galley “Argo”, coastal park, Alexander
Nevskiy Cathedral, St. John Chrysostom chapel)
Ukraine’s most glamorous seaside resort is often – and justly – compared to the French Riviera. Sheltered
from the cold northern winds by the Crimean Mountains, Yalta also has a gentle Mediterranean climate and
spectacular scenery – with abrupt green slopes edging into the sea and lush plants from oleanders and
cypress to Lebanese cedars and acacias.
The town exhales a distinct air of the past grandeur in the elegant colonnaded white mansions. The mansions
here are now used as hotels or holiday-resorts, but in the 19-th century Russian aristocrats had their summer
and winter seaside houses intended to rival those of Nice and Cannes.
Many famous artists, musicians and writers sojourned and gave recitals here in Yalta. Among them there were
Chekhov, Tolstoy, Gorky, Chaliapin, Rachmaninoff.
Yalta’s promenade could be compared to la Croisette of Cannes, bordered as it is with tropical greenery, hotels
and restaurants. That is a really attractive thoroughfare, called either Lenin Quay or the Embankment, with a
statue of Lenin in the main square.
The largest Orthodox Church in Yalta, St.Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, houses beautiful icons and prides itself
on the fine woodwork of its altar. It was constructed in the beginning of the 20-th century. Construction of the
cathedral was inextricably linked with the Russian imperial house, which is considered the patron saint
Alexander Nevsky.The cathedral was built in honor of Russian Emperor Alexander II.
13.40 Arrival to the hotel. Free time
Overnight stay at the hotel.

Tour to Bakhchisaray
From the 15th century until 1783, Bakhchisaray (Turkish for “garden palace”) was the seat of the Crimean
khans. Visit to the Khans’ Palace – remarkable monument of the Crimea Tatar architecture. The builders of
the Khan Palace reflected their imagination of the Paradise Garden in the palace architecture. The palace
complex included two Mosques, the cemetery, buildings where the khans and their servants lived, the Harem,
official halls, bathes, etc. A large garden park was laid out at the south part of the palace area. Palace is a
unique monument, including many valuable buildings & constructions.
Delicious Tatar-style lunch at the local restaurant.
Visit the Uspenski (Assumption) Cave Monastery and the ancient Chufut-Kale Fortress, located on the
mountaintop. Chufut-Kale (Ist-IVth cc.) is a cave town with fortified walls, cave casemates and other buildings,
which remind of the Khan and mysterious nation of Karaims who lived there in the IX-th – XV-th centuries.
Lunch at the restaurant “Khan Girey” (tatar’s cuisine)

Tour to Alupka with the photo stop at the Swallow’s Nest Castle panorama
Swallow’s Nest Castle
The Swallow’s Nest Castle, the symbol of the Southern Coast of the Crimea, is
perched on the edge of the 37-meter high cliff overlooking Cape Ai-Todor. Built
in 1912 by the German architect Sherwood for the Russian oil magnate Baron
von Steingel (German by origin), it is now called The Castle of Love, as
according to the legend he built it for a beautiful gipsy girl.
There is a cozy restaurant in the Swallow's Nest now.
It’s possible to take a boat ride to the castle enjoying the view of the coast on
the way. And if you are limited in time you can stop at the Swallow’s Nest
viewing platform on your way to one of the palaces of Yalta.
Alupka Palace
Alupka is a small resort town that placed in 18km to the west of Yalta. Its main attraction is the Alupka or
Vorontsov Palace, built in 1828-1848 for Count Mikhail Vorontsov as his summer residence. The design of the
palace was made by the famous English court architect Edward Blore who took part in designing of
Buckingham Palace in London and Sir Walter Scott’s castle in Scotland. The Palace is a brilliant successful
combination of the English and Moslem architectures, with a magnificent park and extensive lands.
This grandiose palatial ensemble embodies many typical features of the 16th century English Tudor-style
castle. Eastern influence is harmoniously included in the English Late-Gothic style of the palace. Guests will
marvel at the intricate details of the Southern portico of this graceful building, a wonderful example of Moorish style
architecture resembling the Alhambra in Grenada and a grand “Terrace of Lions” staircase leading down
to the sea.
The Alupka Palace is now Architecture and Art museum. It was here that the British delegation stayed during
the Yalta Conference in February 1945. During staying here W. Churchill experienced here “in distant Russia,
a feeling of the old England”. And Jawaharlal Nehru, after his visiting Alupka Palace, had the feeling of the
Great Moguls’ of India.

Tour Sevastopol, Khersones and Balaklava
Sevastopol
Sevastopol – the pearl of the Crimean peninsula. Located on an inlet of the Black Sea, the city is today a naval
base and seaport with a reach history that lists around 400 monuments and sites.
Visit to the ruins of Chersonesos, an ancient Greek colony founded approximately 2500 years ago in the
southwestern part of Crimea, known then as Taurica. It has been nicknamed the "Ukrainian Pompeii" and
"Russian Troy". It is today a popular tourist attraction, protected by the state as an archaeological park. The
buildings mix influences of Greek, Roman and Byzantine culture. The defensive wall is hundreds of meters
long. Buildings include Roman amphitheatre and a Greek temple.
Lunch at local restaurant.
For many with a particular interest in the Crimean campaign a highlight of the tour is likely to be the time spent
at the Panorama Museum. The Panorama “Defence of Sevastopol 1854-1855” is the well-known work of the
battle art and the monumental memorial to heroic defenders of Sevastopol in the Crimean (Eastern) War 1853-
1856. The museum’s collections amount to about 100 000 exhibits. The visitors attention is drawn to the arms
of the WW II period, the guns of the Crimean War time, decorations of the warriors of the first and second
Sevastopol defenses, war time letters, etc.
Soviet Submarine Base - The heights north of the small port of Balaklava were the scene of the famous
Charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War. Later, Balaklava was home to a secret Soviet submarine
base. Tour the base and explore the vast underground gallery and anchorage.
Primorsky Park - Stroll along this seaside promenade to view the ceremonial gate at Grafskaya Pier. The
pier and stone staircase were built for Count Voynovich, Commandant of the Sevastopol Squadron in 1846.
Continue to the Monument to Scuttled Ships, which stands just offshore. Topped with a bronze eagle, this
Corinthian column celebrates the vessels sunk to block the harbor from French and British attack in 1854.
Overnight stay at the hotel.

Tour to Nikitsky Botanical Garden:
Nikita Botanical Garden is one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world. Established in1812 by order of Tsar
Alexander I, the botanical gardens at Nikita are among the oldest in the country. Perched on a slope above the
sea, they are well worth a visit, beautifully but carefully laid out so as not to disturb some of the original
species. Here you can see a 1000 year old juniper and a 500 year old oak tree, both native to Crimea, as well
as many of almost 15,000 species collected from all quarters of the globe.

Tour to Massandra Palace and the wine factory “Massandra” with wine tasting:
Massandra Palace, originally built for Count Vorontsov, the wealthiest
man in 19th century Russia, the palace was acquired by Alexander III in
1889. Designed by Bouchart, Massandra Palace resembles one of the
classic Loire country chateaux. Explore the interior and its surrounding
park. Built for the imperial family, Massandra later became a summer
dacha for high officials of the USSR. Enjoy the beauty of the interior
decoration of the palace, which has no ceremonial halls. The well
preserved original furniture and a rich collection of arts enhance the
homely atmosphere of this palace.
The wine factory “Massandra”
Any mention to Ukrainians of the Southern Crimean coast automatically conjures up fond memories of
delicious dessert wines produced in this area, where there is an average of 290 sunny days each year. The
combination of this sunshine, the generally mild climate and the nutrient-rich soil on the hillsides produce
uniquely sweet grapes from which some very special wines have been made over the past 170 years. In the
hamlet of Nikita just outside Yalta, below the Nikita Botanical Gardens, there are a few dozen hectares of the
very best vineyards in Ukraine. Here is the birthplace of wine making in the former Russian Empire; here,
Duke Golytsyn and Count Vorontsov established the world famous Massandra and Magarach vineyards; and
here guests will have a unique opportunity to sample some of the finest dessert wines on earth.
The Massandra Winery Museum is a treasure trove of trivia delights: a bottle of 1775 Massandra Sherry de la
Fronterra certified by the Guinness Book of World Records to be the oldest Russian wine; and a certificate of
the Crimean Observatory of the Ukrainian Academy of Science showing that a newly-discovered asteroid is
now called Massandra. The museum houses a display showing the development of winemaking in history.
After visiting the museum, guests will enter the cellars, where rows of barrels contain wines being aged prior to
bottling.
When guests finally enter the spacious tasting hall with a splendid view of the vineyard and the Black Sea
beyond, they will be pleased to collapse into comfortable armchairs, awaiting the ritual introduction to ten
wonderful wines - from the semi-sweet Sherry to the full-bodied White Muscat

Tour to Ai-Petri Mountain:
Ai-Petri Mountain near Yalta. You could be forgiven for thinking there's snow up there, but in summer it's just
the brilliant white rocks of the mountain's `trident' peaks.
At 1,234m, Ai-Petri is not the highest mountain in Crimea - that honor belongs to Roman Kosh (1,545m)
between Gursuf and Alushta, north-east of Yalta. But it's certainly one of the most spectacular, with its
sparkling white limestone peak and its jagged `teeth'.
The peak is actually the weathered remains of a huge coral reef formed millions of years ago, when this area
was under the sea, and although the limestone here is exceptionally dense - hence its longevity - fossils have
been found in the rocks.
From the village of Miskhor near the Alupka Palace, you can take one of the longest cable-car rides in Europe
(3.5 km - in two legs) to get to the peak. The route takes you above vineyards and then forest, and finally up
the steep rocky side of the mountain, with spectacular views of the Black Sea coast as you goes up.
On the way down on the winding forest road that leads to the plateau behind the summit you will taking in
panoramic glimpses of Yalta and the sea, and then stop off at the Uchan-Su waterfall (98m) on the way. Or
you can do the climb on foot with a guide who knows the safe way up.
There's a tiny Tatar hamlet on the plateau, where the people make a living selling food and drink and offering
guided pony-rides further into the mountains. If you're lucky you might see a Tatar horseman galloping
bareback - as steady as if he was sitting in a saddle with stirrups.
From the summit a narrow road snakes across the plateau and then down to the Great Canyon. Up to 350m
deep and no more than 3m wide at its narrowest, the Canyon is thickly wooded and part of a series of
conservation areas covering most of the coastal range of mountains. You can walk along the floor of the
Canyon or along one of the higher paths along the sides. It's worth making a detour to the famous `Vanna
Molodosty' (Bath of Youth), named by the Tatar Khan who used to make regular trips to it because he claimed
it rejuvenated him. The `bath' is a 3m deep `kettle' in the rocks, fed by a clear mountain spring. After a hot hike
through the woods the water feels colder than it actually is (about 8 degrees C) but boy, is it refreshing!

Even Kiev is very attractive destination offering divers sights and activities, should you be on a journey to Ukraine, there is definitively a lot to see outside of Kyiv as well. Due to its central location and best travel connections, Kiev is the ideal base for trips to entire Ukraine.
The most popular tour from Kiev is by far visit of the infamous Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, but two-day trips can be organised to places like Odessa, Lviv, Carpathian mountains, Crimea and even Moscow.

• Testimonials on Tours from Kiev

  We would like to express our gratitude to Katja, who explained the history of Kyiv with an enthusiasm and passion, as well as introduced us to the contemporary life of it's people. Would certainly recommend to friends and every visitor to Kyiv.

  I would say that the Kiev nightlife and people are some of the best I have experienced.... and without our night guide Vika we would see just small fraction of it. Hope to be back soon.

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