Crimean Adventures III: Playground of the Czars - Yalta and the Crimean Riviera
No visit to the Crimean Peninsula would be complete without witnessing the spectacular coastline of the Crimean Riviera near Yalta. Following the ancient exoticism of Crimean Khanites and the quixotic introduction to wars and their memorials in Sevastopol & Balaklava, we are now focusing on the true scenic beauty of the area by heading to the East Coast of Crimea to the area around Yalta. For long times the favorite vacation spot of Russian Czars and oligarchs alike, the area administratively belongs to Ukraine, but is culturally still deeply bound to Russia. Most visitors hail from Russia or the Middle East, making Yalta and surroundings still an exotic destination of many western visitors. In fact, the area feels a bit like the French Riviera, but 30 some years ago. It certainly offers the same idyllic scenery, mild climate and lush fauna and flora. Yet it is refreshingly devoid of overdevelopment, ostentatious display of wealth or its related pretentiousness. For that reason, any time spent in Yalta becomes an instant love affair with the area, and makes for many possible returns in the future.
And Highlights abound on the Crimean Riviera. As we drive along the coast from Sevastopol and Balaklava on Highway 18, our first stop is the scenic landmark of the Crimean Coast: the world-famous SWALLOW'S NEST. Built by Baltic German Oil Magnate Baron von Steingl in 1911 on a rock overlooking the Ai-Todor Cape of Crimea, this is one of the most photographed and scenic monuments on the Black Sea. No wonder, as it was inspired by Neuschwanstein castle in Bavaria and Babelsberg Palace in Prussia. A stop for coffee and cake at one of the idyllically located cafes overlooking the castle is highly recommended.
We then dive right back into Post-World War II and Cold War history with a visit to beautiful LIVADIA Palace, where the famous YALTA conference of the "BIG THREE", i.e., Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill, took place in February, 1945. Prior to the conference, however, Livadia, built of Crimean granite stone in Neo-Rennaissance style between 1909 and 1911, was one of the favorite vacation getaways of the last Russian Czar, Nicholas II and as such also boasts beautiful state rooms with ornate furnishings as well as neatly landscaped gardens outside. This ranks by far as one of our favorite sites both for its historic importance and scenic idyllic location. And tourism, albeit prosperous and unabated, feels mostly tamed down, and strangely devoid of the effects of mass tourism experienced in other beautiful venues in Europe. This makes a visit to Livadia an overall highly rewarding, culturally unique and spiritually uplifting experience.
Then of course the resort community of YALTA itself beckons - a sizzling and energetic summer resort with its population of 50000 easily doubling during the busy summer peak months. This is probably one of the few places in Europe where LENIN's statue exotically stands right next to McDonald's and where sunseekers mix with curative spa visitors and lovers of Crimean culture alike. Nearby we find the interesting Chekhov Museum dedicated to Russian playwright Anton Chekhov (1860-1904), who for health reasons spent the last years of his life in a beautiful villa just outside central Yalta. The villa and its estate now form a beautiful and informative museum complex dedicated to his life and literary legacy.
Last but not least the Crimean Riviera is also world-famous for its wineries, and a visit to the biggest and best known wine producer, MASSANDRA, is equally worthwhile - a wine-tasting of course included in the program. The impressive wine cellars of the Massandra estate easily put better-known wine labels in Western Europe to shame by their sheer size, proud history and long tradition of viticulture in the area. No better way to complete our stay in Crimea than to toast to a good glass of Massandra wine watching the sun set behind the Ai Petry mountain range - "Nasdrovia"!! We hope to be back very soon and then include the big electronic music festival of KAZANTIP in Popivka on the west coast of Crimea in our itinerary as well.
And Highlights abound on the Crimean Riviera. As we drive along the coast from Sevastopol and Balaklava on Highway 18, our first stop is the scenic landmark of the Crimean Coast: the world-famous SWALLOW'S NEST. Built by Baltic German Oil Magnate Baron von Steingl in 1911 on a rock overlooking the Ai-Todor Cape of Crimea, this is one of the most photographed and scenic monuments on the Black Sea. No wonder, as it was inspired by Neuschwanstein castle in Bavaria and Babelsberg Palace in Prussia. A stop for coffee and cake at one of the idyllically located cafes overlooking the castle is highly recommended.
We then dive right back into Post-World War II and Cold War history with a visit to beautiful LIVADIA Palace, where the famous YALTA conference of the "BIG THREE", i.e., Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill, took place in February, 1945. Prior to the conference, however, Livadia, built of Crimean granite stone in Neo-Rennaissance style between 1909 and 1911, was one of the favorite vacation getaways of the last Russian Czar, Nicholas II and as such also boasts beautiful state rooms with ornate furnishings as well as neatly landscaped gardens outside. This ranks by far as one of our favorite sites both for its historic importance and scenic idyllic location. And tourism, albeit prosperous and unabated, feels mostly tamed down, and strangely devoid of the effects of mass tourism experienced in other beautiful venues in Europe. This makes a visit to Livadia an overall highly rewarding, culturally unique and spiritually uplifting experience.
Then of course the resort community of YALTA itself beckons - a sizzling and energetic summer resort with its population of 50000 easily doubling during the busy summer peak months. This is probably one of the few places in Europe where LENIN's statue exotically stands right next to McDonald's and where sunseekers mix with curative spa visitors and lovers of Crimean culture alike. Nearby we find the interesting Chekhov Museum dedicated to Russian playwright Anton Chekhov (1860-1904), who for health reasons spent the last years of his life in a beautiful villa just outside central Yalta. The villa and its estate now form a beautiful and informative museum complex dedicated to his life and literary legacy.
Last but not least the Crimean Riviera is also world-famous for its wineries, and a visit to the biggest and best known wine producer, MASSANDRA, is equally worthwhile - a wine-tasting of course included in the program. The impressive wine cellars of the Massandra estate easily put better-known wine labels in Western Europe to shame by their sheer size, proud history and long tradition of viticulture in the area. No better way to complete our stay in Crimea than to toast to a good glass of Massandra wine watching the sun set behind the Ai Petry mountain range - "Nasdrovia"!! We hope to be back very soon and then include the big electronic music festival of KAZANTIP in Popivka on the west coast of Crimea in our itinerary as well.
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