To Crimea on your own: tips for planning an independent trip. To Crimea by car: travel tips

Where does a typical journey begin? Most vacationers choose an experienced tour operator, who arranges the desired vouchers for a guaranteed safe and enjoyable vacation.

But in the case of Crimea, this point can easily be omitted. After all, you can get more pleasure not from a strictly regulated tour package, but from visiting the peninsula on your own. In order for an unconstrained vacation to be successful and leave only pleasant memories, it is necessary to prepare for it in advance. Having answered the most important questions for yourself, this will not be difficult.

Travel that does not depend on a tour operator has a number of advantages, thanks to which such a “free” vacation is gaining more and more fans.

Why is it worth going to Crimea on your own?

The resorts of Crimea can be reached by personal or intercity transport;
Based on your tastes and interests, you can change your travel route, deciding which resorts to visit and what to see;
There are no language barriers;
Wide range of accommodation options, easy selection of accommodation.

Do you need a visa to Crimea?

After Crimea became part of Russia in March 2014, a visa is not required to visit the peninsula. It is enough just to have a passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation or a foreign passport for residents of other CIS countries.

How to get to Crimea?

All roads lead to Crimea. There are a lot of ways to get here.

Until recently, direct travel by train was the most popular, but due to recent political events, this method has become impossible. Since the end of the summer of 2014, traffic on the Moscow-Kazanskaya - Simferopol-Pass route was opened, trains of which entered the peninsula through the Kerch ferry, taking a ferry from the Kavkaz station to the port of Crimea. This move is long and exhausting, lasting up to 44-46 hours.

The easiest option for traveling to Crimea on your own is an air flight to Simferopol. From the airport to public transport It is easy to get to the railway station, and from there - from the Kurortnaya station, by bus - to all Crimean resort towns.

Not the most successful, but the most accessible way to travel is by bus followed by a ferry. The bus goes to the port "Kavkaz" crossings from resort cities Krasnodar region, where you transfer to the ferry to Kerch.

Most convenient way– travel by private car. It allows you not to depend on transport schedules, routes for exploring cities and attractions. But there is a significant amount of risk involved. How successful such a vacation will be depends entirely on the quality self-study to travel.

Especially romantic travelers can try to hitchhike to Crimea, saving money and gaining invaluable life experience. But even in this case, you cannot do without a crossing to Kerch, because The Kerch Gate remains today the only way to enter the land of the peninsula.

What to look for when choosing a resort?

Choosing from a variety magnificent resorts Crimea is the best for you, you need to consider several factors:

Purpose of the trip. People go to Crimea on vacation for various reasons. Some are attracted relaxing holiday near the surface of the sea, others are looking for thrills and intense emotions, others are attracted by the healing power of the climate of the peninsula, and some just want to have a good time with their family and show the sea to their children. And Crimea will joyfully welcome them all and fulfill the dream of an ideal vacation;
Composition of vacationers. It is unlikely that married couples with small children will appreciate a noisy resort with boiling water. nightlife, and active young people will enjoy walks along the shady alleys. On the peninsula there is a desirable vacation spot for every tourist, regardless of his age;
Financial opportunities. It’s much more pleasant to relax without worrying about whether you have enough money for everything. Luxury resort towns South Bank impressive, but also more budget holiday can become memorable.

So, for married couples with children under 3 years old, Evpatoria, Feodosia, shallow waters and sandy beaches coast Sea of Azov. Young people will remember their vacation on the South Coast, and adventure seekers - divers, kite surfers - will find them at Cape Tarkhankut in Olenevka and in the east, in Shchelkino. They can treat a tired body in Saki.

Connoisseurs of culinary delights will experience a range of flavors in Balaklava, the fish capital of Crimea, and enjoy enchanting wine in Massandra. Romantics and culture lovers will spend evenings filled with music and poetry in Koktebel. Yalta will hospitably welcome financially unconstrained vacationers. Read more about which Crimean resort to choose.

Where and how to find housing?

The choice of accommodation is influenced by: the presence of small children (some hotels do not accommodate families with a child under 5 years old), the level of comfort and distance from the sea, the price of accommodation.

Traditionally, the issue of residence in Crimea is resolved in two ways:

preliminary selection and reservation of a place in a hotel/hotel/private house,
searching for housing after directly arriving on the peninsula.

In the first case, it is advisable to use special accommodation booking services or similar search engines: Airbnb.ru, roomguru.ru. and others. In the second case, they will help you find a place to stay overnight local residents, these are the housing themselves and those who rent it out. Usually they meet visitors already at the station. You can find housing in Crimea social network VK, and if you are attracted by Sevastopol and the surrounding area, visit the “Real Estate” subforum on Sevastopol.tochka.info.

Another option is a “wild” holiday with tents in equipped campsites. You need to find out about their locations in advance on the Internet or using a local map. For example, on Sevastopol.info you can find not only the addresses of tent camps, but also prices, conditions, and reviews.

What are the prices in Crimea for food and other things?

The price level for food and all kinds of goods in Crimea varies depending on the location of the resort. Thus, Yalta, Sevastopol, Alushta and the cities of the Southern Coast in general are expensive holidays in all respects. Prices for housing, products on the market and dishes in cafes/restaurants here can be several times higher than the cost of similar things in less pretentious resorts of the East and West (Feodosia, Evpatoria, etc.). For comparison, a portion of borscht in a restaurant in Alushta can cost 400 rubles, and in a cafe in Feodosia - 40.

The fruits that vacationers come to pamper themselves with become unreasonably high during the season, but by the end of August they are again sold at reasonable price: apples, peaches, plums, figs and grapes can be bought within 40-120 rubles. Sweet cherries and cherries - up to 250 rubles, currants 400 rubles, raspberries 400 rubles, cucumbers 65 each, tomatoes 50-90.

Meat: pork from 250 rubles, beef from 300 rubles.

Prices for drinks, sweets, fast food are different and range from 15-250 rubles.
The above approximate cost of products is relevant for small markets, a must for any resort town. In restaurants, prepared dishes are many times more expensive, and you will have to pay for a portion of kebab as for a kilogram of good meat.

What to see in Crimea?

Palace "Swallow's Nest". One of the main symbols of the South Coast and its business card. Reminiscent knight's castle, this historical and architectural monument is located in the picturesque surroundings of Yalta on a high sheer cliff Cape Ai-Todor. Today the castle houses a museum, which you can visit while traveling around Crimea on your own, or with an organized excursion.
"Chersonese Tauride", historical and archaeological museum-reserve. A cult landmark of Sevastopol. Here you can see the ruins of an ancient ancient city Chersonese, in the vicinity of which Vladimir, Prince of Kiev, accepted the Christian faith.
"Marble" cave. Located in the lower tier of Chatyr-Dag, it fascinates with the mysterious splendor of stalactites and stalagmites, and amazes the imagination with an intricate system of halls and galleries. You can visit it with a paid excursion, where within an hour tourists will be told the history and the secrets of the most beautiful cave in the world will be revealed.
Mount Ai-Petri. A mountain of incredible beauty over a thousand meters high, to the top of which the safest cable car in Europe with a length of 1670 meters leads.
"Massandra Palace". Yalta imperial residence of Alexander III. Today it is part of the Alupka Palace and Park Museum-Reserve complex. Surrounded by a picturesque park, the palace welcomes guests on excursions through its halls.
Various festivals are also held in Crimea: “Jazz” - in Koktebel, historical and ethnic, with the reconstruction of medieval battles - in Sudak and many others.

There are so many amazing places, natural, historical and cultural monuments in Crimea that it is not possible to visit them all in one trip. That’s why I want to come back here, discovering something new every time.

What kind of transport is there in Crimea? Is it possible to travel without a car?

Possibility to use personal car makes life easier for the traveler, making his stay more comfortable. There is a chance to see all the sights of interest, visit the most picturesque places and at the same time not keeping track of the transport schedule or catching up with the departing bus. But if there is no car nearby, don’t be upset. The transport network of the peninsula is quite developed and allows you to independently travel around Crimea and visit many popular tourist sites.

Intercity Shuttle Buses They travel often and allow you to quickly get from one resort to another for little money. You can go to any point in Crimea from Simferopol, Evpatoria, Kerch and Sevastopol - these are the main transport hubs peninsula.

Intracity transport is also well developed and surprising low prices for travel. In a trolleybus you will have to pay around 10 rubles. Minibuses and buses are still 15 rubles.

A unique type of transport provides its services in Sevastopol. Local intercity boats ply between the shores of the bay, calling at Inkerman. Ticket prices are more than affordable for the 5-15 minute journey.

The most delicious national cuisine

About 80 nationalities and nations live on the peninsula: Russians, Crimean Tatars, Ukrainians, Greeks, Armenians and others. The best dishes of each of them became the basis of the amazing Crimean national cuisine, to which it is impossible to remain indifferent. It’s not for nothing that Crimea is listed in the top ten places that fans of gastronomic tourism must visit.

Appetizing meat dishes of the Crimean Tatars, Turkish sweets that melt in your mouth, traditions of Russian and Ukrainian pastries - all this can be tasted in numerous cafes and restaurants in the resorts of the peninsula.

Once in Crimea, you should definitely try locally prepared pilaf, lagman - a thick dish of meat, long noodles and vegetables, and sarma - cabbage rolls, the filling of which is wrapped not in cabbage leaves, but in grape leaves.

The traditional pastry of the inhabitants of the peninsula is kubete - a delicious juicy pie with various meat and vegetable fillings. Chir-chir is incredibly popular - tender Crimean cheburek and samsa baked in a tandoor.

Those with a sweet tooth will enjoy Crimean-Turkish delicacies - baklava with nuts and honey, Sheker kyyyk - a type of baklava and original jam made from delicate rose petals with a delicate aroma of flowers.

And, of course, what would Crimean cuisine be without wines? Dry and semi-sweet, red, white and rose, traditional and sparkling – gourmets will find something to choose from. In some resort towns There are excursions to wineries, where, among other things, tasting of the best vintage wines is provided, such as the Yalta Massandra plant.

Crimea - unique place For have a wonderful holiday. Arriving here on your own, the traveler will discover the fullness of its colors and feel the power of the attractive charms of the picturesque peninsula.

I want to tell you about the nuances of traveling to Crimea from the Russian hinterland.

What awaits you, what to pay attention to, what to avoid, where to visit. All this is here and now. I am writing this review on behalf of thrifty tourist, who never managed to save money..)

The ferry is large and roomy. Since we ended up at the crossing late at night, we didn’t see any special beauty, but we did see amazing prices in the buffet on the ferry. So, be well-fed, it will be more economical..) The crossing lasts 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes we finally found ourselves on the Crimean peninsula. And again it’s night and again nothing is visible.

The end point of our journey was Yalta city.

So. Morning of the first of 10 days in Yalta.

The first thing my husband and I did was go to the embankment of the pearl of Russia. Yalta greeted us with rain, which at first made us very sad, but already on the second day, when the sultry heat began, we were grateful for the coolness on the first day, when we walked through beautiful places without sweltering from the heat. The embankment is not a crowded place in the rain. What I would like to note regarding the embankment.

1. Sea. Beautiful expanse of water stretching into the distance. The view is stunning, especially on a cloudy day.

You can see jellyfish, crabs, and 5 species of fish right from the embankment.

2. Morning coffee. There is a great place where you can drink coffee "KoFishka". The drinks are varied, rich, tasty, the desserts are nice, the service is top notch. The cost is reasonable.

3. Nutrition. There are many cafes and canteens on the embankment, which is an important fact for the budget-conscious tourist. Choose a cafe with wi-fi, it’s not available everywhere (!). I can recommend Garry's burger shop.

4. Money down the drain. Pandas, squirrels, and bears are wandering around. People in suits who brazenly demand money for a photo with them after the photo is taken, that is, without specifying this fact in advance. Neither is good. Neither is it cheap. Be careful.

There is an amusement park like "Las Vegas in Yalta", right in the center of the embankment. You won't win anything. Just have fun and play on the attractions.

Aquarium. You can visit it for 150 rubles. per person you will see sea fish. Yes, there are many of them, they are different, some are even dead.

5. Communication. I immediately advise you to purchase an MTS SIM card on the peninsula. Megafon seems to be all over Russia, but, apparently, Crimea has not yet been taken into account in Megafon and incoming calls will cost you a pretty penny, not to mention outgoing ones.

6. Worthwhile entertainment. It is worth paying attention to the suspended rope park (to the right of the embankment, if you are facing the sea). Very interesting project. For 400 rub. per person you will have the opportunity to walk under the treetops along bridges, ropes and hanging paths.

This is exactly how the first day went. We explored the territory and got acquainted with the area and prices.

Second day. The weather has cleared. We are going to the outskirts of Yalta. I’ll say right away that traveling on your own will be much cheaper than purchasing vouchers and tours in tents on the same embankment (for example, a tour of three palaces costs from 2,400 rubles per person). There are buses running around with routes written on them. And if you purchase a map of Yalta and the surrounding area, then traveling as a savage will not be difficult at all.

Village "Krasnokamenka" or Skala. 15 km from the Yalta bus station. Located at 430 m above sea level. The view is worthwhile. It is from this village that you will have a view of Mount Bear. The rocks in Red Stone are steep and vertical. You can watch climbers, and also take a climbing course yourself. Here you can see fabulous mountain lakes with mirror-like water surface and collect mushrooms. You can get there either by car or from the Yalta bus station by bus 110.

Day three. Famous palaces Yalta.

Vorontsov Palace (Alupka), 21 km. from the Yalta bus station. The most majestic and delightful, fabulous. English style architecture mixed with high towers resembling the tops of mosque towers. Entrance to the palace park is free. Don’t forget to take swimsuits with you; from the palace grounds there is access to the seashore, where you can swim, get a mussel, or catch a hermit crustacean. I recommend taking an underwater mask with you, it’s incredible!
2. Massandra Palace, 11 km. from Yalta bus station . The palace-terem, not high, is located on a small territory. Not particularly impressed. Except that the palace has an interesting water supply system.
Again, regarding paid excursions. No one will forbid you to stand next to a group of tourists to whom the guide tells all sorts of interesting things. So you can learn absolutely the same thing for free if you are interested.
Day four. Bird home. It is better to get there by tourist boat from the Yalta embankment. A round-trip ticket costs 600 rubles. per person. The voyage lasts approximately 1 hour, during which time the guide will tell you about many interesting facts, about the buildings that you will see from the sea.
The Swallow's Nest castle itself is not big. The entrance there is usually closed, or some kind of third-party exhibition is located there (entrance for a separate fee); when we were there, there was a flax exhibition there. Bring a satin ribbon with you. On Swallow's Nest There is a wishing tree on which you will tie a ribbon.

At the top of the mountain, in addition to enjoying the view and beauty, you can also experience thrill. The cost of a walk along the rope bridge is 500 rubles. per person.

Geophysical cave. Cool, slippery, interesting. 150 rub. per person and an individual guide who will answer your questions. But, dress warmly.
You can descend from Mount Ai-Petri along cable car , the descent is windy (25-30 km/h), but don’t count on comfort (it will block your ears) and a beautiful view during the descent. There will be 20 people in the booth and if you didn’t have time to immediately break through to the window, then you won’t be able to see anything.. The cost of descent is 300 rubles. per person. After descending, you will arrive at Alupskoye Highway from which, by bus 102, you can get to Yalta Zoo "Fairy Tale".

My husband and I, two adults, walked around the zoo for 4 hours. A place that is undoubtedly worth a visit, it’s mega interesting (500 rubles per person). Tip: bus 102 should stop at the stop "Selpo" - the name of the supermarket, you will see it right away, quite high building. Go to this supermarket and buy: carrots, cucumbers, herbs, apples, juice with straws. Animals will ask you for food..) And on the territory of the zoo the prices are terrible. 1 banana-100r., 1 apple-100r.
Day six. Marble Cave. There is no way to get there by bus. We drove about 100 km by car. The place is amazing. Marble Cave is one of the five most beautiful equipped caves in the world. The cost of visiting is 500 rubles. per person. At the entrance you can rent warm jackets for 15 rubles) it is very cold in the cave. The excursion will last about 2 hours.

Crimea is very rich tourist sites peninsula. There was simply no time at sea. For 6 days we excitedly ran around all sorts of interesting places. And only the last days lay on pebble beach and sunbathed, enjoying the calm and purity of the sea air.
Where to swim in Yalta? We went to Massandra beach, this is a very long spit, located on the left side of the embankment (facing the sea). The beach is pebble. There is an opportunity to either lie on your own towel or rent a sunbed for 200 rubles. and a sun lounger with a canopy for 400 rubles. The water in July is moderately warm, sea, salty, and stings the skin.

This is roughly what our journey turned out to be. It was filled with emotion and admiration. I think that we are so short term, completed the program to the maximum. It’s simply physically impossible to cover more. I know one thing. We will definitely return to Crimea again. And we have already noted a couple of places that we will definitely visit on our next visit.

Without paying for housing (and our housing was free, friends live in Yalta) and travel there and back, in 10 days for two we spent about 35,000 rubles. The main expenses were still on food (taking into account the fact that I don’t drink alcohol at all, and my husband drank a maximum of a couple of glasses of beer a day), and the rest went on entrance tickets to tourist places.

I wish you a good next year! Make a wish about traveling and it will certainly come true. The main thing is to really want it!)

Your Nyushka.

Hello dear friends!

Agree that planning long-awaited trip When you go to Crimea, you always want to see as many sights as possible. Visit several resorts at once so that you have something to remember on long winter evenings.

To everyone who doubts that behind a short time vacation is possible , I declare - it has been verified, it is possible! And even more so if you are planning to go to Crimea for own car.

This route around Crimea by car was developed based on personal experience, which I will be happy to share with you.

After going through many options, I decided to settle on a fairly large section of the peninsula: Kerch - Tarkhankut. In my opinion, it will allow anyone to get acquainted with the beauties of Crimea in a fairly short period of time.

By the way, commit this trip You can also use a rented car. Read about car rental in Crimea in.

All stops, attractions and tips.

Unfortunately, Kerch does not attract as many tourists as Yalta. This is due to the low popularity of the resort, and the introduction of a bypass road past the city with Crimean bridge to Simferopol.

But, completely in vain:

firstly, it is one of the oldest cities in the world (and the hero city of the Second World War),
secondly, this is where they are located more than 50 mud volcanoes (Valley of Volcanoes, Bondarenkovo village, 8 km from the city).

Some of them are just small puddles with bubbling mud, others are entire fountains that reach a height of 15-20 meters. The mud of the Kerch volcanoes is very healthy; it is rich in iodine, borax, soda and other elements. So don’t be shy and get yourself dirty like kids))

Of course, the impressive and health-improving Valley of Volcanoes is not the only thing you can see in Kerch. More details about Kerch.

Ancient settlements, burials, monuments ancient architecture, Oluk Nature Reserve with his fantastic Opuk Serpent. As well as the sandy coast, restaurants, cafes and holiday homes can make a tourist get stuck in this city for a long time.

Attractive Feodosia

Feodosia is the second stop on our journey. The resort is popular among those who come on holiday with children. Although Kafa (that’s what the city was called in the Middle Ages) was founded in the 6th century BC, practically no ancient buildings have survived in it.

And here There are more than enough buildings from the Middle Ages : numerous towers (Thomas, Round, Dokovaya), remains of a Genoese fortress, Greek and Armenian temples, mosques, villas and cottages.

You can also visit there National Gallery named after Aivazovsky . And the sea... of course the sea!

Interested in Feodosia? Then you should go to this one.

Koktebel - the cradle of bohemia

Further along the highway is the next point on our route - Koktebel. This village has become popular since the end of the 19th century. According to tradition, poets, artists, people of culture and art came here from all over the country, so Koktebel acquired the glory of a bohemian place.

For those who are not in the know, gliding is well developed in Koktebel, and all thanks to the upward air currents on the Uzun-Syrt plateau, near Mount Klementyev.

The village itself is located at mountains of volcanic originKara-Dag, and next to it there is the famous Karadag Nature Reserve with rare species of plants and animals. You can only walk around the reserve with a guide.

What places are interesting in Koktebel? This With feces calledGolden Gate (they say it fulfills any desire), Quiet Bay and Cape Chameleon (it changes its color in the morning and evening), Fox Bay for hippies and nudists. More in mine.

Personally, I was interested in visiting the Vintage Wine Factory, on whose territory there is Europe's largest Madera venue(Madeira is a strong wine).

Along the Sun Valley to Sudak and the New World

As you depart from Koktebel to your next destination, you will pass through the colorful Sunny Valley. An abundance of vineyards growing on the steep slopes of quaint rocks, as well as mountain serpentine, literally make your head spin.

IN Sunny Valley There are practically no tourists - it’s calm and quiet place. The valley received its name due to the abundance of the warmest, clearest days of the year (about three hundred). Here you can stop and enjoy the silence, clean air and mountain scenery.

By the way, 3 km from the sea there is a village with the same name - this is one of the many winemaking centers in Crimea. There you can taste delicious wine from unique grape varieties growing only in this area.

A very interesting place in the valley is the so-called Ear of the earth. Karst cave, going 132 meters deep (local residents will tell you how to get to it).

Upon arrival in Sudak and New World you definitely won't get bored. These resorts are very rich in attractions, especially of natural origin.

New World: Tsarsky Beach, Golitsyn Trail, Cosmos Peak, Staircase of Taurus, etc.
Zander: Mount Ai-Georgiy, Cape Frenchwoman, Alchak, Genoese fortress.

Alushta

For me personally, Alushta is attractive for two things: Demerzhdi massif and . The bizarrely inverted rocks of Demerzhdi are very beautiful at dawn. In the haze they seem ghostly, almost like a mirage - it’s an amazing sight!

On southern slope The massif is overgrown with legends and myths, the Valley of Ghosts - a collection of stone pillars of various shapes. At sunset they seem to move from place to place.

If nature doesn't appeal to you, you can visit in Utes, Aluston fortress or just hang out on the local beach.

I described more attractions in.

Neighborhoods of Yalta

The next destination is the resort of Yalta, a large and noisy city with lots of entertainment. But its surroundings are no less interesting.

For example, along the Alushta-Yalta highway you can see a sign to . Next you will meet Massandra, where interesting , winery And Vorontsov Grotto .

Gaspra

Many people associate Gaspra with the famous and most beautiful castle- an unofficial symbol of Crimea.

But here you can see other, no less interesting sights:

Roman fortress Charax,
Taurus necropolises,
ascent to the Ai-Petrinsky meridian,
palace of princes Yusuov, etc.

Further passing...

If you have not decided to stop at any of the above places for the rest of your vacation, then I will briefly describe the continuation of the route:

Alupka: , with more than 200 species of plants, the Kuindzhi Apartment Museum, the Shaan-Kaya rock and the nearby lake.
Sevastopol: , Malakhov Kurgan, Tower of the Winds, Count's pier, Lyubimovka beach, Death Valley, cave monastery.
Bakhchisarai: ,

In 2016, we went to Crimea by car and rested there for two weeks. We tried to write down what we remember about it and what is useful to know before going there, point by point.

Why did we decide to go to Crimea by car?

A car allows you to enjoy the entire peninsula, and not just the hotel area. In 2014, we flew by plane, it’s fast and comfortable, but it firmly ties you to your vacation spot. Buses are at the level of the Stone Age, although inexpensive, but taxis in Crimea were and remain very expensive. Therefore, this year, without hesitation, we headed to Crimea by car.

By the way, we covered almost 4,000 km in Crimea, driving both on highways and off-road from Tarkhankut to Kerch, so we have a more or less objective idea of Crimea in terms of roads.

How we went to Crimea

Route there: Kazan - Saratov - Volgograd - Salsk - Kotelnikovo - Krasnodar - Slavyansk in the Kuban - Port Caucasus - Kerch - Feodosia - Simferopol - Saki - Evpatoria.

Return route: Evpatoria - Yalta - Alushta - Feodosia - Kerch - Port Kavkaz - Krasnodar - Rostov on Don (Aksai) - Kamensk-Shakhtinsky - Boguchar - Uryupinsk - Balashov - Volsk - Syzran - Ulyanovsk - Kazan

The total length of the route is 2,300 km, travel time is approximately 36 hours.

We left at night, stopped three times for a snack and a couple of times for rest (both times for 2 hours). The children were walking, the driver was sleeping.

We arrived at the ferry a day earlier than we were supposed to, but the ferries towards Crimea were free and they calmly let us through at the checkpoint, despite the date on the ticket.

Ferry crossing

The ferry service operates 24 hours a day. Several three-story sea ferries are constantly in operation; travel time by sea is approximately 25 minutes.

We highly recommend purchasing electronic tickets in advance (on the GOSPAROM.RU website), three, or better yet five, days in advance - then there is a chance to choose the time slot that suits you. There are separate queues for the ferry for those who are electronic ticket and who without it.

To pass the checkpoint, you must have the originals of all documents with you (passports, birth certificates for children), as well as, preferably, printed tickets from the GOSPAROM.RU website (but can also be shown on your mobile phone screen)

The crossing time in the evening time slot in August using an electronic ticket was about 3 hours (waiting time + crossing). The live line of “free riders” stood for all 6...

Roads and drivers

In Crimea, motorists need to be very careful.

Roads in Crimea leave much to be desired. As soon as you get from the Krasnodar Territory to the Kerch Peninsula, you will immediately feel the difference. There are many places near Kerch and in the city itself where you can be left without a wheel, but the situation is improving - in some places, it’s already an excellent canvas.

Shitty roads in Simferopol, and indeed along the Kerch-Evpatoria highway (that is, crossing almost the entire Crimea), you need to be careful, sometimes more careful than on the Russian mainland.

The situation is aggravated by the fact that there are practically no cameras or traffic police on the highways (they were seen only in the area major cities). The absence of traffic police is both a plus and a minus in today's Crimea. Local drivers refuse to drive according to the rules, constantly not noticing any signs or markings. Cars with regions 82, 92 and 777 are dangerous. And although Crimeans like to blame visitors for road accidents, they themselves have seen several accidents where only Crimean cars were involved.

Banks and ATMs in Crimea

This year, two banks were spotted in Crimea - Genbank and RNKB. Both are presented in the form of branches and ATMs, the number of which has increased noticeably compared to the turning point of 2014. Because we arrived at Crimea by car with a Tinkoff Bank card, no problems were found with interest-free cash withdrawals. We have no idea what the fees for other banks are (RNKB has no interest rates for Gazprobank)

Cashless payment

In Crimea, in some shops and cafes you can already pay by card, but so far there are very few such places. Among the more or less large players in the food market are the PUD and Vezunchik department stores. It is also worth noting the alcoholic beverage store “Vintage” (Sevastopol) and “Koktebel” (Feodosia). There was a working terminal in the Inkerman brand store in Sevastopol, but for some reason it didn’t work that day

Prices for fruits and products

Prices for food are about the same as everywhere else, but some are more expensive. We bought meat (pork tenderloin) for 350 per kilo, chicken fillet for 230, Yalta sausages for 250.

Fruits, despite the fact that this is the south and they grow there, are noticeably more expensive than in Taman Krasnodar region. The grapes are local, despite great amount vineyards, cost in season (August) on average 200 rubles per kilo (once we took 70 local Muscat from a private owner - very lucky). In the first ten days of August, watermelons were from 26 rubles per kilo (more expensive in the markets), peaches from 120 in the market and 70 on the Sevastopol-Evpatoria highway (they took very juicy and large ones). In general, for a southern tourist region, prices are high.

In Koktebel, prices are, for some reason, higher.

Petrol

The cost of gasoline in Crimea, grade AI-95, is approximately 41 rubles. This is about a ruble more expensive than on the Russian mainland. Modern gas stations operating throughout the peninsula - TES and ATAN. We refueled at both, excellent service, they accept payment cards (which is important).

All Lukoil gas stations were sold to locals, but retained very similar symbols. They have new owners and are on their own. According to Alekperov (Lukoil), “we sold them and are not responsible for providing them.” They have not been refueled and therefore I can’t say anything about them. We didn’t see Bashneft and Tatneft gas stations, but we saw their clones (

cellular

We highly recommend driving to Crimea with an MTS SIM card. The Russian operator WIN operating in Crimea provides MTS subscribers with essentially 3G roaming-free space (albeit with the letter R on the screen). All MTS tariffs there operate at home. The only caveat is that you need to enable data transfer while roaming on your smartphone, otherwise you will be left without the Internet ()

I can't say anything good about other providers.

Alcohol

Over the past two years, alcohol has risen in price, but not much. Of course, you can’t buy cognac for 150 rubles, but even for a little over 500 “Old Gurzuf”, for example, is very good.

Inkerman wines in branded stores have a price tag of 190 rubles (young) and 290 (classic, three-year-old).

Massandra is about the same. In ordinary grocery stores, prices vary upward within the limits of the store's imagination. Very good store alcohol of Crimea - Vintage (in 2017 and 2018 we did not find this store). There were only two stores - in Sevastopol and Feodosia, prices there were about 10% higher than in branded stores, which is very good, considering that all enterprises and private owners are represented.

According to the sellers of the same Vintage store, despite the fact that Crimea has its own vineyards, cognac spirits at some enterprises have lost quality. For example, the Koktebel cognac, which we tried back in 2014 (still with the Ukrainian excise tax) was very different in taste for the worse from the same cognac in 2016. I do not recommend it.

Crimean beer is not bad, however, as it seemed to me, all varieties taste the same :) Zhigulevskoe, Nakhimovskoe, and Yalta.. The cost of a draft mug is, on average, 75 rubles.

Clean Black Sea

If you decide to go to Crimea by your own car, then the difficulties of moving around Crimea are not for you. You can drive everywhere even in a passenger car. And, yes, you will see the clear Black Sea :)

For example, in Tarkhankut, Olenevka or in the New World. You should definitely visit there if you want to discover the new Black Sea. Tarkhankut is just north of Evpatoria, and Novy Svet is next to Sudak (follow the Galitsyn trail, it’s a tourist trail beautiful views). Fortunately, driving in Crimea is convenient and you can travel around everything :-)

Sandy beaches

Sand with clear sea you can only find in Evpatoria and Feodosia. Evpatoria is a definite thrill for children. We recommend the paid beach "Côte d'Azur", you won't be able to drag your children (and yourself) out of there.

Dining rooms

Food in canteens is acceptable, the average price per person is 150-200 rubles. In restaurants and cafes, 500 rubles. Quite expensive red mullet, but everyone should try it once :)

You can (and even need) to try Crimean chebureks. They are prepared right in front of you and are very different from those sold in our Tatar regions.

Very tender, juicy, prepared with beef, cheese and more. The average price tag that we came across was 60 rubles.

Excursions

Excursions in Crimea are very expensive (another plus for traveling by car); if you have your own transport, you can travel to most places yourself. The average price tag for an adult ticket for an excursion is 1,400 rubles, for a child - 1,300. Of course, driving your own car in Crimea is more profitable.

Often, if you are at least a little prepared for a trip to Crimea and are going to visit some sights, a guide will only be to your detriment. You will walk much further along the paths in the mountains and see more than with a guide, and they often talk complete nonsense, just to fill up the temporary and air space. .. these are places where, being in your own car, you can easily get by without extra costs.

Eski-Kermen

Ai-Petri

There are a lot of people in Crimea

Despite the propaganda on the Internet about empty beaches and a small number of vacationers, there are a lot of people here. Moreover, there were cars with Ukrainian license plates, so Ukrainian citizens continue to vacation in Crimea in cars, albeit in smaller numbers.

The beaches are full, both wild and paid. If this number of tourists is much less than it was before, then for now this is very good, since Crimea, with its backward infrastructure, simply cannot cope with the normal flow of tourists now. For example, there are terrible traffic jams near Ai-Petri with the cable car, and all along Yalta.

What you won't find in Crimea

You won’t find Ukrainian alcoholic drinks in Crimea, and unfortunately, it should be noted. I don’t mean wine (which, thank the gods, is made in Crimea), but moonshine, vodka, and pepper flakes. All the shelves are lined with Raseysky swill, and this is exactly how it looks in comparison with the creativity of the Ukrainians (I remember about 7 years ago I had the opportunity to compare Khortitsa vodka and Nemiroff pepper, produced in Ukraine with the same brands, only from factories already in Russia)

You won’t find (well, maybe only in isolated places, at least we didn’t) any delicious Ukrainian meat delicacies. And I know what delicious goodies my colleagues and comrades from Ukraine brought us. In general, all the shelves are filled with Ostankino, and, sometimes, very good Yalta sausage. It’s almost impossible to find any other producers of meat products.

If you hurry, you can still see and ride on the old SKODA trolleybuses that run around Yalta. Modern transport is becoming more and more common (well, this is for the better, of course)

Back to USSR

In Crimea, a lot remains from the times of the Soviet Union - in the 24 years that the republic was without the patronage of the USSR and the Russian Federation, obviously very little was invested in it. You can find unfinished hotels and abandoned sanatoriums right on the seashore.

In Evpatoria, next to the sanatoriums, you can see simply “hellish” landscapes, reminding us of the distant Soviet past

All this adds some “zest” to your vacation, of course, but apart from an excursion into the past, there is nothing useful in it.

We tried to briefly outline the situation that existed in Crimea in 2016. Maybe this will be useful for those who want to go there by car.

If you are interested in where you can stay in Crimea with a tent, then read our post

Crimea seems to be created for an exciting journey. Although most tourists come here for beach holiday, but the peninsula is so diverse in the architecture of cities, and in the features of the coast, and in the landscape and even the weather, that taking a ride around Crimea, you will bring back a lot of impressions and amazing photos from your vacation.

This idea is especially good for the off-season. For example, in spring or autumn, when you can’t swim, but the weather is just right for excursions, trips and walks.

The best way to travel around Crimea

We're talking about transport. There are several options. You can come to the peninsula by your own car. Use it to travel around the most interesting sights and cities.

Nobody forbids you to travel around the cities of Crimea by public transport. But I will say based on personal experience, this is extremely inconvenient. You will have to adapt to the bus schedule. During the season, buses run quite often, but popular destinations- always packed. In the off-season, the number of daily flights is significantly reduced, and in some directions - completely eliminated. So, traveling around Crimea on buses and routes is a kind of quest. I would never recommend it to anyone, especially if you are traveling with a child.

The best option is to fly to Crimea by plane, use car rental services in Simferopol and travel around the peninsula. By the way, you can start from the capital of Crimea. There are also a lot of interesting things in Simferopol - Scythian Naples, Museum of Taurida, Ethnographical museum, Museum of Human Anatomy, Viking Cinema Park, Denisovo Ostrich Farm. Choose something that interests you the most and set aside a day to explore, and you can move on.

If you arrive in Crimea by land, you can rent a car in Kerch. And from there, build a travel route around the peninsula.

Keep in mind when planning travel times and routes that the navigator is not always well acquainted with the traffic situation. From my own experience, I can say that traveling by car always takes more time than planned. Because, either the road is very bad and you have to drive slowly, or you even have to rebuild the entire original route, all because of the same quality of the roads. For the same reason, it is better to rent a car with enough high rise. The usual rental Lada Grant was enough for us, which never let us down, even in the most remote off-road areas of the Crimea.

Travel routes around Crimea

Firstly, I highly recommend downloading the maps.me application on your smartphone. On a trip along the Crimean coast, this application will be very useful to you. Works without the Internet, the maps are quite detailed. But don’t forget to download a map of the peninsula before your trip.

So, if you arrive to Crimea by plane, as already mentioned, you can start your trip from Simferopol. Depending on your interests, take a day or two to explore the most interesting places, relax quietly and move on.

From Simferopol you can go to the west of the peninsula if time allows you to travel around the entire coast. I recommend Tarkhankut. You can also visit Chernomorskoe, but in the village itself, the only most notable things are the museum and the ancient settlement of Kalos-Limen. So, if your vacation is limited in time, it’s better to go straight to Tarkhankut. This place is absolutely extraordinary - beautiful, picturesque, wild. It's better to stay in Olenevka. Give yourself a couple of days to relax and take a ride along the coast of the cape, admire Atlesh and Dzhangul, and stop by the Tarkhankut lighthouse. Maybe even scuba dive in an underwater museum.

"Wild" tourists on Tarkhankut

From Olenevka go to Yevpatoria. It is better to stay here for 3-4 days. Firstly, in Evpatoria itself there are sights that are worth seeing. And the surrounding area is interesting too.

Evpatoria

Further along the coast you can get by car to Sevastopol. This city is worth at least 3-4 days to explore. More is better. In Sevastopol itself there are a lot interesting places– 35th battery, Tauride Chersonese, panorama of the Defense of Sevastopol, museums, dolphinarium, etc. But it’s worth visiting Inkerman (Fine Wine Factory, Kalamita Fortress, Cave Monastery, Flooded Quarry) and Balaklava (Museum of Fortifications, Genoese Fortress).

Sevastopol

From Sevastopol it is worth going deep into the peninsula - to the ancient eastern city Bakhchisarai. It will take a whole day to examine it. Here is the Khan's Palace, a rock monastery, and a cave city.

Bakhchisaray

From Bakhchisarai you can go to Yalta through Foros with its most picturesque views, Simeiz with its suspension bridge over the sea, Alupka and Gaspra. It is better to stay in Yalta for a few days (cheaper - in the vicinity of Yalta - in

It might be useful to read: