Yalta has been the most popular tourist destination in Crimea for many years. It is not without reason that it is called the resort capital of the peninsula. It attracts guests not only with cozy beaches, but also with gorgeous landscapes and famous sights.
Amazing monuments of history and architecture, interesting museums and popular walking areas, breathtaking nature and healing sea air − all this is the south coastal city of Yalta. This destination has long been in great demand among tourists. It gives the guests positive emotions and a huge boost of energy for a long time.
The Yalta municipality − and this is more than 30 towns and villages − is simply impossible to explore in one day. But you can find the time to visit the main places of its "heart" − Yalta itself. We'll help you plan your itinerary.
Yalta's Sea Promenade
This is the most visited street in Yalta. A walk along the promenade, stretching along the coast, is a must. Palm alleys, beautiful architecture and seaside landscapes will help you to fully enjoy your vacation.
You can also see historical buildings and interesting sights there. For example, the chapel in honor of the Cathedral of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia, the plane tree of Isadora Duncan, the monument to Mikhail Púgovkin, the 'Chekhov and the Lady with the Doggie' sculpture and many others. And in this walking area there is a monument to Vladimir Lenin, after whom the promenade is named.
The Roffe baths are also an interesting tourist attraction. The merchant Roffe built this house in the yard of the France hotel in 1897. The main portal of the baths was made in the Moorish style with a white marble facade, and the hall was decorated with plaster moldings. The building housed baths with warm sea water, which, it was believed, had a health improving and healing effect. At various times, Anton Chekhov, Ivan Bunin, Fyodor Chaliapin and other famous people visited this place to get some relax.
Pushkin Street
The "bait" of this street is the alley of artists. A kind of open-air museum exists in the center of Yalta for many years. Here you can see the works of landscape painters, marine painters, portrait painters and other masters.
Walking along Pushkin Street, you can see the beauty created on canvas and watch the artists at work. If you wish, you can purchase any painting you like or order your portrait from the master.
Pushkin Street is easy to find − it adjoins the city sea promenade.
Alexander Nevskiy Cathedral
The main Orthodox church in Yalta was built in 1891-1902. It was erected in honor of the deceased Emperor Alexander II. The elegant cathedral attracts with its beauty, so it is impossible to simply pass it by.
The two-tier temple was built in the pseudo-Russian style. It is decorated with various architectural elements − pilasters, icon cases, hearts, hipped porches. And the interior decoration is made in the Byzantine style.
Armenian Church of Saint Hripsime
The temple was built at the beginning of the 20th century as a replica of the Church of St. Hripsime in the Armenian city of Etchmiadzin. The church is in a quiet place not far from the center of Yalta − on the Darsan hill. It is considered one of the masterpieces of Armenian architecture in Crimea.
The massive religious building impresses with its beautiful decoration. A staircase consisting of a hundred steps leads to the entrances, one of which is a decorative pseudo-entrance. The temple of St. Hripsime in Yalta has also a loggia with a six-columned belfry, a domed cross-shaped hall, a burial-vault and other rooms.
Chekhov House-Museum ("Byelaya Dacha")
The famous writer Anton Chekhov settled in Yalta in 1898. On the outskirts of the city, he bought a plot of land on which he built a house for his family. Here the stories 'The Lady with the Doggie' and 'The Bride', the plays 'Three Sisters' and 'The Cherry Orchard', the story 'In the Ravine' and other famous works of the writer were written.
Thanks to the color of the walls, the locals called the cozy Chekhov's house "Belaya (white) Dacha". Today this building is a museum that keeps the memory of the famous playwright and the spirit of his time. The decor of many rooms here has an almost original appearance, it is interesting and diverse. In the museum you can see materials related to the creative, charitable and social activities of Anton Chekhov, his photographs, personal belongings and much more. The literary archive of the writer is also kept here.
Glade of Fairy Tales − museum in the open air
This museum is popular not only with children, but also with adults. Indeed, in this place you can meet fairy-tale characters loved since childhood, as well as heroes of famous epics, myths and legends. These are Mowgli with Bagheera, Pinocchio with a Tortilla turtle, Baba Yaga witch, the Swan Princess, Ivan Tsarevich and many others. Sculptures − and there are more than 300 of them − are made of wood, clay, metal and concrete. Each composition is unique, made by hand and placed in the appropriate surroundings.
In addition to meeting fairy tale characters, there you can have fun in the Kingdom of Crooked Mirrors and see theatrical performances.
The Glade of Fairy Tales opened in 1960. It is located on the outskirts of Yalta, not far from the Uchan-Su waterfall and at the foot of the Stavri-Kaya rock.
These are not all the sights that can be visited in the resort capital of Crimea. There are many other monuments in the city, including monuments to Alexander Pushkin and Maxim Gorky, the founder of the Yalta film studio Alexander Khanzhonkov and the 32nd US President Franklin Roosevelt. Also here you can see the temple of St. John Chrysostom with a golden-haired bell tower, the house with caryatids, where the composer Alexander Spendiarov lived, and other interesting architectural landmarks. And if you wish, you can visit the Yalta Historical and Literary Museum, the house-museum of Nikolai Biryukov or other city museums.
If you want to enjoy the South Coast views from a bird's eye view, then do not deny yourself a trip on the Yalta-Gorka cable car. You can take it from the city sea promenade. The length of the route is 600 meters, the height is 120 meters. From the promenade you can also go on a sea voyage − on a motor ship or a pleasure boat.
So, going to Yalta for one day, think in advance what you want to see there and what you want to do. And be sure to take photos as a keepsake − against the backdrop of picturesque landscapes and recognizable sights.
