One of the very first and the bloodiest battles of the Crimean War of 1853 – 1856 took place at the mouth of the Alma River, not far from the modern village Vilino, in September, 1854. Today, the Alma Battlefield Memorial is situated there. It was created to commemorate the warriors who were killed in that large-scale and ambiguous battle. Historical military festivals and battle’s reenactments, w

Kachi Kalyon is a medieval cave monastery, situated in the picturesque Kachinskaya Valley in Bakhchysarai surroundings. It stands on the slope of the giant 140-meter-high ivy-covered rock mass, whose bizarre shape resembles a gigantic ship's nose, rushing down the river Kacha. It is often referred to as the Crusade Ship, because of the huge cross, ‘drawn’ on the face of the rock by nature. Natural

The ancient Eski Kermen is situated on the mountain tableland difficult of access. It is one of the oldest and the most picturesque cave towns in Bakhchysarai surroundings. Due to its imposing age and rare authenticity that allows feeling the atmosphere of antiquity in full, the medieval settlement, whose name means Old Fortress in Tatar, is reckoned among the most frequently visited archeological

The Khan's Palace situated at the very center of the Old Town is the Bakhchysarai's brightest sight and one of the few large monuments remained from the Crimean Khanate's times. The Khansarai served as family residence of the Girays dynasty - the rulers of the Crimean state - for two and a half centuries, and now it is the only sample of the Crimean Tatar palatial architecture in the world. Its co

Mangup Kale is the biggest cavern fortress on the Crimean peninsula. It is located at the top of Mangup Mountain that stands above three picturesque valleys. The plateau, located at the height of almost 600 meters (1,968 feet) above the sea level, has a peculiar form: from above, it looks like a palm with four capes acting as ‘fingers.’ Nature made this area impregnable: on three sides, the platea

The ‘cavern fortress’ Chufut Kale is one of the most shining and the best-preserved medieval landmarks of the peninsula. It is located near Bakhchisaray (around 3 km, or 2 miles) on a mountain plateau with precipices 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) above sea level. It may be said that nature created this fort, and people have only strengthened and improved its defenses. To be fair, it should be mentioned

Located in the Opukske Reserve, in the Kerch outskirts, Lake Koyashske is one of the inimitable wonders of Crimean Peninsula. There are several unique characteristics for which the lake stands out. Lake Koyashske is considered to be the saltiest in Crimea – a liter of its water contains 350 grams of salt. Therefore, the locals were used to extract this popular mineral here. But the lake’s main hig

The Literary and Memorial Museum of Alexander Grin – the prominent romanticist writer and great dreamer – is one of the most famous and the most visited museums in Feodosiya. It is situated in the one-storey light house, standing not far from the sea. Alexander Grin spent five years of his life in this house. The writer always called Feodosiya “the city of tender watercolors.” It is there that he

The Protected Atlesh Ravine is a fantastically beautiful area, situated on the small Tarkhankut peninsula at the Crimea’s western coast. It is one of the peninsula’s most picturesque corners that charms with its fabulous landscape. Two virtuoso architects, wind and sea, worked on this amazing fairy-tale world for centuries. It features secluded bays with crystal clear water, which once served as a