Yalta: “Swallow’s Nest”

Yalta is the largest resort administrative district of Southern Crimea. Every corner of this city attracts attention with its unique opportunities and coastal scenery. Over the past decade, the province has greatly developed the horticultural and landscape tourism industry. The resort has a favorable climate: it is reminiscent of the ancient amphitheater, located on the tops of the Crimean mountains, which provides a protective barrier against strong winds. The air here is special, the smell of wet cypress trees, the smell of lavender fields and the breath of the Black Sea. It has always been considered one of the best in the region.

Yalta, a European city with its nightlife, restaurants, bars, modern and stylish young people, is also the largest international holiday and health center in Crimea and even Ukraine. Here, there are health centers such as hotels and sanatoriums from the Soviet era.

Places to Visit in Yalta

Lenin Square and the Lenin Monument

Lenin Square is home to the Lenin Monument, one of the statues of Lenin from the Soviet Union era. You can hear the voices of young people skateboarding and listening to music all day long around the Lenin Monument, which is located right in the middle of the square, which is considered the most central point of the city. On one side of the square, there is a huge tree called the Ottoman Plane Tree.

Livadia Palace

Livadia Palace (White Palace / Yasna Polyana Sanatorium) is a palace park complex located on the coastal part of Mohabi Hill in Livadia, 3 km south of Yalta city centre. Russian Tsar II. The building, which was built as a Gothic style summer palace for Nikolay in 1911, is now used as a sanatorium for mothers and children. The palace, which has a special importance in terms of world political history, is the palace where the Yalta Conference was held, where Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt discussed the future of post-war Europe. Documents related to Yalta Conference in Livadia Palace, Tsar II. The belongings of Nikolay and his family, artifacts from the Tsarist period are exhibited. At the same time, there is a history museum, a picture gallery and a wine cellar belonging to the tsar in the palace. Livadia Palace visiting hours in winter (October-March) 10.00-17.00; summer term (April-September) 10.00-20.00. The palace is closed to visitors on Mondays. Livadia Palace entrance fee is 110RUB.

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral Alexander Nevski Cathedral is located on Kirov Street in the city center. The church, which is the first structure seen on the horizon when approaching the city from the sea, was built in the 18th century Neo-Byzantine style. The building, which fascinates with its icons and frescoes, domes and rich decorative ornaments, bears the signature of architects Krasnov and Shapovalov. The interior decoration of the building, whose full name is Alexander Nevski Russian Orthodox Cathedral, belongs to Italian painters and artists. There are Russian icons on the walls of the cathedral, whose walls were painted by Venetian masters. There are two separate churches with a capacity of 700 people on the lower floor of the cathedral and a capacity of 1,200 on the upper floor. Visiting hours of Alexander Nevski Cathedral are from 10:00 to 17:00. There is no entrance fee to the Alexander Nevski Cathedral. Visitors to the church are expected to make a small donation.

Vorontsov Palace and Vorontsov Park

Vorontsov Palace Vorontsov Palace and Vorontsov Park consists of a 19th-century palace and park covering a large part of the Alupka coast. Vorontsov Palace, one of the oldest and largest palaces of the Crimean Peninsula, was built as a summer palace for Prince Mikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov between 1828 and 1848. Carrying the signatures of British architect Edward Blore and his assistant William Hunt, the palace is decorated with an architectural approach in an east-west synthesis, and on its south façade, there is the palace park decorated with a famous arch reminiscent of the Indo-Muslim mosque entrances. The garden of the palace, also known as Vorontsov Park, is decorated with various plants brought from the Mediterranean, Asia, South and North America. Vorontsov, which serves as a museum today, has also been the subject of the novels of the writer Lev Tolstoy. Vorontsov Palace visiting hours are from 08:00 to 14:00 from 1 July to 30 August, and from 09.00 to 17.00 for the rest of the year. The palace is closed to visitors on Mondays. Vorontsov Palace entrance fee is 150RUB.

Swallow’s Nest

Swallow’s Nest (Lastivchyne Hnizdo/Lastochkino Gnezdo) is a haunted fairy tale castle, one of the most important symbols of Crimea. It is possible to reach the Swallow’s Nest in the Mishor Region, 10 km from Yalta, on the Cape Gaspira Ay Todor, by sea boats and road, departing from Yalta hourly. The castle, which was built on the Aurora Slope, 40 meters above sea level, between 1911 and 1912, was designed by the Russian architect Leonid Sherwood. The castle, which has a neogothic architectural understanding, is the most used visual icon in promotional materials about Yalta. The Swallow’s Nest, which is the most popular tourist spot in Crimea, is considered the symbol of the southern coast of Crimea. You can also see a historical Roman Fortress from the 1st and 3rd centuries, located next to the building, and the Ai Todorsky Lighthouse on Cape Ay Todor. Swallow’s Nest visiting hours are 09.00-19.00. The Swallow’s Nest is open to visitors 7 days a week. The Swallow’s Nest entrance fee is 150RUB.

Dulber Palace

Dulber Palas (Magnificent Palas) is a building built between 1895 and 1897 for the Grand Prince Piotr Nikolayevich in Qurayz. According to the Krasnov project, Dulber, which was built as an asymmetrical 2 to 4 storey building and consists of more than 100 buildings, is crowned with toothed railings and silver domes, with volumes of different heights. There are carved stones and mosaics on the white smooth walls of the palace. Most of the palace, and especially the entrance, was inspired by 15th century Arab Egyptian art. The palace, which has more than a hundred rooms, was used as a military garrison for a while after the 1917 revolution. There are many sculptures, lotus ponds and miniature botanical gardens in the garden of the palace, which is used as a sanatorium and has a magnificent garden today. Dulber Palace visiting hours are 10:00-17:00. The palace is closed to visitors on Mondays. Dulber Palace entrance fee is 150RUB.

Anton Chekhov House

Anton Chekhov House is the house where the famous Russian writer lived between 1899-1904, the last years of his life, which has been converted into a museum. In the house on Kirova Street, the author’s works, photographs, personal belongings, the author’s medical bag from that day and the piano played by Rahmaninov are exhibited. In the museum, the bed, living and study room of the famous writer have been preserved as they have been since 1904, the year of his death. Anton Chekhov House visiting hours are 10.00-18.00. The museum can be visited on Wednesdays between 10:00 and 20:00. The Anton Chekhov House entrance fee is 80RUB.

St. John’s Bell Tower

St. John’s Bell Tower (Temple of Joann Zlatoust), south of Yalta, was used to control the Black Sea in the early 1880s. The bell tower, which was located at the same spot in the past and belonged to a church built in the 17th century, was built in the II. It is the only structure that has survived from the church, which was badly damaged during World War II. Next to the bell tower, which is completely standing, there is an observation point where you can see the magnificent view of the city. st. John’s Bell Tower can be visited at any time of the day without any time limit. However, visitors are not allowed to enter the Bell Tower. The observation point next to the Bell Tower and you can enjoy the magnificent view.

Nikita State Botanical Park

Nikita State Botanical Park is located right next to the Magarac Wine Institute, 7 km from Yalta. Organized in 1812, the garden is the largest botanical garden of the Crimean Peninsula, with more than 1600 varieties of roses and 28,000 trees and plants brought from all over the world. There is also a nice restaurant in the park, where you can come by carriage from Yalta. Nikita State Botanical Park visiting hours are 09.00-17.30. The botanical park is open to visitors 7 days a week. Nikita State Botanical Park entrance fee is 90RUB.

Yalta Zoo

Yalta Zoo (Skazka) is one of the touristic attractions of the city, where you can see a large number of animals, although it is small. Home to white lions, one of the rare predators in the world, Skazka has the title of being the largest private zoo among the countries of the former Soviet Union. Located in the center of a lush natural beauty on an area of 2.5 hectares, the zoo has more than 120 animal species brought from different parts of the world, many of them in danger of extinction. Yalta Zoo visiting hours are 09.30-19.00. Yalta Zoo entrance fee adults 500RUB, children 300RUB.