The entry was published on February 17, 2022 by the author Daria Savelyeva in the category Finds for tourists with the tags Alushta, Crimea, travel, attractions, excursions, where to go.
Alushta, according to housing booking statistics on TVIL.RU, is among the top 5 best resorts where it is best to relax in Crimea and inexpensively. Accommodation in Alushta will cost tourists less than even in Feodosia, Evpatoria and Sudak. A hotel room or apartment in the private sector of Alushta can be booked for an average of 1,182 ₽ per day for the summer of 2021.
The popular resort on the southern coast of Crimea is located 47 kilometers from Simferopol airport. Alushta is the first major route point for travelers traveling from the airport along the E105 highway. Travel time is about an hour to the “resort of scientists”.
Photo: fr.sputniknews.com
The editors of the TVIL.RU service blog explored several dozen Alushta attractions that are worth visiting. Demerdzhi, Jur-Jur waterfall, Mount Kastel, lighthouse temple, Cheese Rock and others are located outside the city, but you can explore Alushta itself in one day.
We recommend leaving your acquaintance with the city museums to bad weather, because, you see, it’s much more pleasant to go to the museum with your children in the rain, visit the Aquarelle Dolphinarium and the Alushta Aquarium with crocodiles, and join a tour of Gagarina’s palace, Stakheev’s villa and Beketov’s house. And you can walk along the Alushta embankment every evening before going to bed, especially since this time of day is the most interesting and lively at the resort. We suggest, while the weather is sunny and dry, to go on excursions to the surrounding area on your own and see all the sights of Alushta.
In this review you will find out where to go from Alushta on your own to take beautiful pictures. We will also tell you what interesting attractions and entertainment Alushta has prepared for vacationers.
Beautiful sights of Alushta that are worth visiting
Mount Castel.
Photo: photo-kwi.ru We conducted a survey on social networks and determined where you can go from Alushta on your own. Tourists participating in the survey voted for the most beautiful sights of Alushta. The top 10 included:
- Crimean Nature Reserve, 20%
- Temple-lighthouse of St. Nicholas of Myra and the museum of underwater disasters, 17.14%
- Jur-Jur waterfall, 14.29%
- Demerdzhi (Valley of Ghosts), 11.43%
- Mount Chatyr-Dag, 8.57%
- Turquoise Lake, 8.57%
- Cheese Rock, 8.57%
- Mount Castel, 5.71%
- Villa “Otrada”, 2.86%
- Cosmo-Damianovsky Monastery, 2.86%
Dolphinarium "Watercolor"
The leading artists of the dolphinarium are the dolphins Gena, Hector and Neptune. In addition to acrobatic stunts, they play water basketball, sing and even draw. They are complemented by dances of fur seals.
Entrance to the Dolphinarium
This dolphinarium not only hosts performances with the participation of dolphins and fur seals, but also dolphin therapy sessions. Pre-registration is required to participate. You can also take photos with dolphins and feed them.
During the show
Address: st. Gorky, 7D. Opening hours: daily, except Monday. Sessions start at 12, 15 and 18 o'clock. Ticket price – 900–1000 rubles. Swimming with dolphins costs 3.5–6 thousand rubles. For a photo taken on your smartphone you need to pay 500 rubles, and for a professional photo – 600–1000 rubles. A full ten-day course of dolphin therapy costs 30–50 thousand rubles, and a one-day course costs 4–5.5 thousand.
How to get to the Crimean Nature Reserve on your own
“The first place on the pedestal” in the ranking of the most beautiful sights of Alushta was taken by the Crimean Nature Reserve. 20% of tourists, while vacationing in Alushta, go to explore numerous caves, holy springs, gorges and other corners of the “Crimean Wildlife Museum”. It is worth noting that the territory of the protected area stretches from Alushta to Yalta over 44,000 hectares. A popular route among travelers runs along the picturesque Romanovskoye Highway. Previously, the road was called Tsarskaya and was intended for travel by the Romanov couple. The road continued for more than 70 km through the Chuchelsky and Nikitsky passes at an altitude of 1450 meters.
Gazebo of the winds. Photo: way2day.com
Sights of Alushta that are worth visiting in the Crimean Nature Reserve:
- Trout farm on the left bank of the Alma.
- Kosmo-Damianovsky Monastery. By the way, it was also included in the top 10 most beautiful sights of Alushta, which 3% of travelers recommend visiting on their own.
- Source Savlukh-Su at an altitude of 700 meters above sea level.
- The Royal Gate and the Gazebo of the Winds.
- Dendrozoo and Museum of Nature
Source Savlukh-Su.
Photo: yaltaguide.ru Since this is a protected area, you will need a pass. The pass can be obtained from the administration of the reserve at Partizanskaya, 42. The cost of issuing a pass is 1,400 ₽ if you go along the route to “Red Stone”. The route to the burial grounds in the forest is a little more expensive - 1600 ₽ per person. The first route takes about five hours, the second – eight. Therefore, if you want to drive a large circle around the reserve, arrive at 8 am, otherwise you will not make it before dusk.
Important! Passes are checked at every checkpoint along the road; forest rangers also patrol the territory of the reserve and may ask you to present your pass. So, take care of the permit document in advance.
Temple-lighthouse of St. Nicholas of Myra. Photo: Sweetagram.com
Aquarium
Opposite the miniature park is the largest Crimean aquarium, which looks like a flying saucer. At its entrance, a crocodile smiles welcomingly at visitors.
Crocodile near the entrance to the Aquarium
The four halls of the aquarium are home to 250 species of fish, eight species of turtles, five species of crabs and three species of crocodiles. The first hall is stylized as a cave in which the “locals” live - the inhabitants of the Black and Azov Seas. In the second and third halls you can see freshwater animals. Among them are very dangerous creatures, a real meeting with which may well be the last. These are the aggressive Cuban crocodile, piranhas, moray eels and the most toothy of fish - hydrosinus vitattus.
The most colorful is the fourth hall with the marine fauna of the Red Sea and the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans. However, some handsome men are very dangerous. For example, the zebra lionfish hides very poisonous spines in its fins, with which it infects unwary prey.
In the fourth hall of the Aquarium
Since 2015, the Alushta Aquarium has expanded its profile by opening the “Jungle World” on the second floor. In it you can see monkeys, raccoons, noses, lizards, snakes and many birds.
Address: st. Gorky, 4. Opening hours: from 9 to 19–21 hours. An adult ticket costs 600 rubles, and a child ticket (3–13 years old) costs 400.
Two in one: both a temple and a museum
17% of respondents voted for the lighthouse temple of St. Nicholas of Mirliki in the village of Malorechenskoye. The lighthouse temple is located 26 km from the resort, about 36 minutes by car. Tourists from other cities of Crimea come to see this landmark of Alushta. In fact, this is not only a temple, but also a museum of underwater disasters, which is located in the basement. The interior of the museum is designed in the style of a sunken ship. More than 500 exhibits of the museum, 10 documentary videos tell about the tragic pages of navigation in the Pacific Ocean. Tickets to the museum cost 200 rubles per adult and 100 rubles per child. Vacationers in Alushta recommend admiring the panorama of Mount Ayu-Dag and the lighthouse temple from the observation deck located next to the museum of underwater disasters. You will not pass by the temple, as it rises 60 meters above the sea.
Jur-Jur waterfall. Photo: waterfal.ru
House of merchant Stakheev in Primorsky Park
This ancient mansion, built in the 19th century, is one of the most beautiful buildings in Alushta. Previously, it belonged to the wealthy merchant Stakheev, who did a lot for his beloved city: with his funds, the first theater was opened in Alushta and the embankment was landscaped, which today is a place of attraction for all vacationers. At one time, the house of the merchant Stakheev was visited by many famous cultural figures.
The seaside park which this mansion is located is a popular place for relaxation and leisurely walks along the shady alleys. There are many attractions here that will delight both children and adults.
Jur-Jur. Don't forget your swimsuits
The Jur-Jur waterfall is in no way inferior in beauty to the lighthouse temple and the Crimean nature reserve. The waterfall is located within the boundaries of the village of Generalskoye, by car it takes about 45 minutes from Alushta along a mountain serpentine road of 32 km. You gradually ascend to a height of 468 meters into the Hap Phap Gorge. In the village of Generalskoye you can leave your car in the parking lot and continue on foot to Dzhur-Dzhur. The second option is to rent a UAZ from the locals for about 1,500 rubles, which drives through the off-road mountains.
We recommend that travelers in good physical condition walk 1 km to the waterfall. Along the way, you will admire the wide trunks of beech trees, meet hornbeams, dogwoods, oaks, and see wooden sculptures, bridges, and stairs that were featured in popular Soviet films.
Photo: Uzmost.info
A pleasant reward for a tired traveler will be swimming in the “murmuring waters” of Jur-Jur. The water temperature is about 11°C. The water flow is very strong, so be careful when going under the waterfall. By the way, if you have time, you can walk further from Jur-Jura along the gorge and reach beautiful cascades that form comfortable baths for swimming. Curious tourists, who are not satisfied with the waterfall and cascades themselves, go even further - to the Jur-Jur cave. The depth of the cave is 22 m, the length is 770 meters.
The closest way to get to the waterfall is from the village of Malorechenskoye. You can stay for a holiday in one of the hotels by booking a room from 450 ₽ per day.
Alushta route for 1 day on the map
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Alushta: what to see and where to go on your own
Crimean Sphinx on Demerdzhi.
Photo: photocentra.ru We continue to travel and talk about Alushta, what to see and where to go on our own. It is not for nothing that the best scientists, writers, artists and other representatives of the Russian intelligentsia chose the resort for relaxation and work. 11% of travelers who come on vacation to the southern coast of Crimea often add Mount Demerdzhi to their list of attractions in Alushta. The entrance ticket to the reserve is 100 rubles per adult and 60 rubles per child if you want to follow the official routes through the South Gate. At the administration you can hire a local guide for 1,500 ₽, who will take you on a tour and tell you about the legends of Demerdzhi-yayla.
Mount Chatyr-Dag. Photo: vkrym.su
The beautiful Chatyr-Dag mountain range is in the top 5 attractions where you can go from Alushta on your own. The nearest settlement to Chatyr-Dag is the village of Mramornoe. You pass the turn to the village when driving from Simferopol airport to Alushta. Further 14 km and you are on the Lower Chatyr-Dag plateau. The mountain range has been known since the 19th century. 9% of tourists come to Chatyr-Dag for the cart caves. More than 200 caves are hidden on the Lower Plateau, which is home to many beech forests. The upper plateau is deserted and rocky. The most popular caves of Chatyr-Dag are Mramornaya, Emine-Bair-Khosar and Emine-Bair-Koba. The average temperature inside the caves is +13°C.
On the shore of Turquoise Lake. Photo: jptur.ru
“Photographers” set up their cameras in focus at Turquoise Lake, Cheese Rock and Mount Kastel. The sights and entertainment of Alushta mainly attract vacationers who are romantically inclined to relax in pristine “living” nature. If you are one of them, then consider the village of Partenit as a holiday destination. Here, 7.7 km away is the village of Zaprudnoye, from here in 10 minutes by car you will cover 2.6 km and get to Turquoise Lake.
There is an interesting legend about Blue Lake. Many romantically minded travelers specially come to these places so that the life-giving power of the lake will wash away the “crown of celibacy” and find family happiness. There are few people here. And if you decide to come to the lake, it is better to do it in the spring or early summer. During the high season, the reservoir becomes shallow.
Cheese rock. Photo: KartuNova
Another attraction where you can go in Alushta on your own is in the village of Malorechenskoye. We are talking about Cheese Rock. Many tourists’ Instagram accounts are full of photographs taken against the backdrop of “holes” in the rock. Cheese Rock is popular not only among photography lovers: people come here to go rock climbing and jump from 15 meters into the water. Tuzlukh, as the Crimean Tatars call the Cheese Rocks, are located on Parkovaya Street, look for the house at number 16. From the central beach of Malorechenskoye you walk along the shore in the opposite direction from the lighthouse temple (we talked about it above), then 250 meters you will notice the beautiful Cheese Rocks rocks.
Photo: kraevedenie.net
The sights of Alushta are not limited to natural objects. We left the Otrada villa on Perekopskaya street, building 1, for the case when the weather in Alushta worsens and it would be more pleasant to go on an excursion. The villa belonged to local philanthropist Nikolai Stakheev. At the end of the 19th century, Stakheev acquired land and built himself a dacha on the seashore. Ivan Shishkin once rested here. The architectural project was designed by the chief architect of Yalta, Nikolai Petrovich Krasnov. Today, Villa “Otrada” is equipped as a Children’s Creativity House. Vacationers often come to Perekopskaya Street to walk in the park among the plane trees planted back in Stakheev’s time.
Waterpark "Almond Grove"
What to visit in Alushta first if you are vacationing with children? Of course, a water park. It’s just a stone’s throw away, just walk along the embankment to the right of the rotunda to the end. This huge structure with many attractions and various slides was built in 2004.
You can spend the whole day riding the slides, swimming in the large pool and sunbathing in the warm southern sun on the sun loungers. And how happy the children will be, for whom there is a small paddling pool. The townspeople are very proud of this marvel of engineering, because the length of all the slides is about 1 km, there is a wave pool and a solarium, a jacuzzi and an entertainment pool. A particularly unforgettable sight is the waterfall flowing into the pool.
If you are still choosing where to go in Alushta, then be sure to go to the water park. Not only children will be happy and surprised. A sea of positive emotions is caused by many fountains, canals with currents, and tunnels. The complex is designed for 1,500 vacationers, but 14 slides, 6 large swimming pools and 4 Jacuzzis cope with the task perfectly.
You can take a break from water activities at the billiard table, playing bowling or snooker. In the evening, be sure to stay for the disco. If you wish, visit the Finnish sauna or Roman bath, trust the massage therapist, or spend active leisure time in the gym.
Palace of Princess Gagarina
Another beautiful creation of the architect Krasnov is located 14 km from Alushta, in the village of Utes.
Kutaisi military governor, Lieutenant General Alexander Gagarin, after the death of his first wife in 1951, married the Georgian noblewoman Taso (Anastasia) Orbeliani. Despite the large age difference of 24 years, the couple were happy, but not for long: Prince Gagarin died in Svaneti. After this, the inconsolable widow did not leave the house for a year, and then moved from Kutaisi to her husband’s modest Crimean estate, which he inherited from his first wife. During his lifetime, Alexander Gagarin planned to build a beautiful palace there to live together with Anastasia.
Having taken control of the estate into her own hands, the Dowager Princess spends most of her income on charity and caring for the sick in the hospital she founded. Having learned about the princess's dream to build a castle in memory of her beloved husband, her rich nephew gives his aunt a gift for her 70th birthday - funds for construction. In 1907, having realized her dream, the princess passed away. The palace, built in the village of Utes, became a monument to her beloved husband who had passed away.
After the death of the princess, the palace passed to her niece, and after the revolution it was nationalized and given over to a sanatorium.
Palace of Princess Gagarina
The palace looks like a fairytale castle with battlements, turrets, thin spiers with weather vanes, and window arches. At the entrance, which is guarded by two stone knights with shields, a sculpture of Anastasia Gagarina was installed to mark the 100th anniversary of her death.
Statue of Anastasia Gagarina
Now Gagarina's palace is occupied by a sanatorium, so it is only accessible for external inspection along with the surrounding park.
Address: pos. Utes, st. Gagarina, 5. Opening hours: 8–23. To enter the park you need to pay 250 rubles. Directions: by trolleybuses 52, 53 and 55 to the Kiparisnoye stop.
Funa Fortress
Another fortress is Funa, located on Mount Demerdzhi (“Blacksmith”). This fortress was built in 1423 to defend the Orthodox principality of Theodoro, which briefly owned these lands. Over the course of subsequent history, the fortress was repeatedly destroyed by natural disasters and wars, after which it was restored. The last time this happened was in 1927, due to the famous Yalta earthquake. Slow restoration of the fortress continues to this day.
Ruins of the Funa fortress
Opening hours: 9–18. A regular ticket costs 75 rubles, and an excursion ticket costs 100. From the entrance to Luchistoye, a paved road leads to the mountain, at the foot of which the Podkova equestrian club is based.
Stone mushrooms
In the valley of the Sotera River near Alushta there are stone formations in the shape of giant mushrooms, unusual for the Crimean nature. Their caps are made of hard rock, and the rest is made of crushed stone mixed with earth and clay. The proximity of heterogeneous rocks is a sign of glaciation that took place in ancient times. Over time, the aboveground part is subject to air and water erosion, forming a remnant similar to a mushroom stem.
Stone mushrooms
Until 1983, there were three large mushrooms in the valley, several meters high, but the tallest one, called the “Valley Guardian,” fell. It is possible that not without human intervention. Attempts to push or swing the frame of the mushroom, especially in wet weather, can destroy both the mushroom and the tourist. The formation of rock mushrooms continues today: at the turn of the century, three small mushrooms were discovered growing.
If you climb up from the valley of mushrooms, you can see the Geyser waterfall. The name is explained by the fact that the water flow, rushing down, hits the stone bowl with force, forming something like a geyser.
Stone mushrooms are located one and a half kilometers from the Alushta-Sudak highway. The most convenient option to get there is with an excursion from Alushta. When visiting on an independent basis, take a bus from Alushta heading to Sudak or the villages of Rybachye or Privetnoye, you need to get to the “16th kilometer” transport stop (landmarks - the overpass or the Vodaeda cafe). Opposite it is an old house, from which the road to the stone mushrooms begins, which will take about 20 minutes. Having risen to a wide clearing, you should go down to the river and walk along its bed along a well-trodden path, following the signs.
