In May 2022, Anastasia visited Simferopol. In this article, she will share her impressions of the city and tell you which places in Simferopol are a must-see for every tourist.
Simferopol is the second largest city on the territory of the Crimean Peninsula, it is located in the very center of Crimea. Most official sources indicate that the city was built in 1784. However, most historians believe that this date is not the correct year of the founding of Simferopol.
Simferopol is translated from ancient Greek as “gathering city.” This is logical, because at different times its inhabitants were engaged in growing delicious fruits and vegetables, making wine, and developing in the field of light and heavy industry. And the entire peninsula was supplied with products produced in Simferopol.
Simferopol still remains the largest production and transport hub in Crimea, and therefore many people think that it is not worth going to this city for a vacation. However, this is not so, because Simferopol has simply a huge number of interesting places and entertainment!
- The airport is located in Simferopol. If you have not yet decided how best to get to the city, compare both options - by plane or by train/bus.
- For those who will be traveling around Crimea, our guides to the nearest major cities - Bakhchisarai and Sevastopol.
Temples
Simferopol (Karaite) kenassa
The house of prayer, where one of the forms of Judaism, Karaimism, is practiced, was built at the end of the 19th century. It was at that time that the Karaite community in Crimea grew and parishioners organized construction. The majestic building was erected with a combination of Moorish, Byzantine and Gothic styles.
- Address: Karaimskaya street, building 6
- Official website: https://karai.crimea.ru/
Holy Trinity Convent
At the end of the 18th century, a wooden church was built, which gave rise to the Holy Trinity Convent. After 50 years, a decision was made to rebuild the church in stone; the work was carried out for more than 20 years and as a result, a magnificent temple built in the shape of a cross emerged.
With the beginning of religious repressions, the monastery only miraculously managed to survive - every time a decision was made to destroy it, events developed in such a way that the temple was able to be defended.
The status of the monastery was awarded in 2003. Many parishioners and pilgrims flock here; this is where the relics of Luke of Crimea and other Orthodox relics are located.
- Address: Odesskaya Street, building 12
- Opening hours: From 7.00 until the end of the evening service
- Official website: https://svtluka.org.ua/
Eski-Saray Mosque
One of the oldest mosques on the peninsula was built in the mid-14th century. It was at that time that Crimea was under the auspices of the Golden Horde. The mosque consists of two buildings united by one wall, but, alas, the small building has practically not survived to this day.
- Address: Pionerskoye village, Simferopol region
Kebir-Jami Mosque
The main mosque of the Crimean peninsula is also the oldest building in Simferopol. The building was erected without any special architectural refinements and was completely painted with white lime.
Despite the fact that the mosque survived and continued to operate with the advent of Soviet power after the Second World War, services in it still ceased. As a result, the building quickly fell into disrepair and by 1991, when restoration work began, only a couple of walls remained.
- Address: Kurchatova Street, building 4
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
The majestic snow-white cathedral rises in the center of the Crimean peninsula. Its strict and even features, high columns, and golden domes attract the eyes of tourists from all over the world.
The fate of the cathedral led through thorns - the foundation was laid under Catherine the Second, but construction dragged on for more than forty years. After this, the church was rebuilt and reconstructed several times, and at the time of the revolution it was completely destroyed by the Bolsheviks.
Construction of the cathedral began again only in 1999, and ten years later the domes and lower church were consecrated.
- Address: Alexander Nevsky Avenue, building 6
- Official website: https://alexandr-nevskiy.church.ua/
Peter and Paul Cathedral
The beautiful cathedral, built in a combination of ancient Russian and classical styles, is comfortably located on Proletarskaya Street in the capital of Crimea. The cathedral itself was built at the beginning of the 19th century, but was rebuilt several times. The era of the USSR did not spare it either; the Bolsheviks turned the cathedral into warehouses.
When the restoration of the church began in 1991, its condition was very deplorable. But immediately they began to hold services here.
In 2004, a miracle happened in the Peter and Paul Cathedral - the face of the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was imprinted on the protective glass.
- Address: Proletarskaya Street, building 5
- Official website: https://cspp.prihod.ru/
Temple of Constantine and Helena
A small and modest, but no less beautiful church, according to legend, the very first Christian church built on the peninsula. The temple was consecrated in honor of the Roman Emperor Constantine and his mother Helen.
During their lifetime, the saints equal to the apostles made a huge contribution to the development of the Christian religion. Particles of their relics are kept in this temple and are its main value.
- Address: Petropavlovskaya street, building 8 a
Temple of the Three Saints
The Three Saints Church was built at the beginning of the last century, and the Tauride Seminary was located nearby. In the times following the revolution, an archive and a design bureau were set up here.
In 1989, services began to be held in the temple again, and ten years later the seminary was revived.
- Address: Gogol Street, building 16
Neighborhood
Marble Cave
Opening hours : every day from 8 am to 8 pm Cost of excursions (on different routes): from 500 to 1500 rubles (depending on the type and duration of the route), children under 5 years old are admitted free of charge, children aged 5 to 12 years are given a discount on ticket 50%. Phone number (for booking excursions to the cave and Simferopol) Official website : https://onixtour.com.ua How to get there by bus :
- From Simferopol by bus to the village of Mramornoe or Krasnolesye, then walk 8 km.
- By bus to the village of Zarechnoye, then by another bus to the village of Mramornoe and also 8 km on foot.
If you book an excursion in advance, its price will most likely include a transfer to the cave and back.
If a Simferopol resident is asked to name the most unusual, mysterious and magical place in the city, with almost 100% probability he will remember the marble cave. And this is a truly extraordinary place that is definitely worth a visit during your visit to Simferopol. This is the largest mountain cave on the peninsula, here you can see rocks that were born many years ago, appreciate the full power of nature, which is capable of creating “forests” or columns from stone.
The Marble Cave is located at an altitude of 920 meters in the Chatyr-Dag mountain. It contains many stalactites, stalagmites and a large number of crystals of different types.
The Marble Cave was named because of the proximity of a marble deposit to it.
The main feature of the Marble Cave is that it has retained its original appearance, despite such a venerable age. This state of the natural object is maintained by a whole group of scientists who provide the cave with proper care.
The total length of the cave is 2 km. It has many rooms:
- Obvalny (there are stone structures that are more than a million years old);
- Palace;
- Clay;
- Tiger move;
- Vernadsky Hall;
- Chandelier;
- Hall of Hopes;
- Pink;
- Theatrical.
It is impossible to completely walk around the marble cave at once. Usually tourists are offered to choose up to 3 routes for 1 visit.
Please note that compared to the temperature outside, the inside of the cave is quite cold (up to 9 degrees) and humid. However, you can rent a jacket at the entrance; you don’t have to bring it with you.
Mount Chatyr-Dag
Address : Simferopol-Yalta highway How to get there by car : along M18 38 km from Simferopol Other route options :
- By trolleybus from Simferopol to the village of Dobroye, then walk 5 km to the bus stop in Krasnolesye (14 km ride). Then along the field road in the valley of the Tavelchuk River, through the forest to the western part of Mount Chatyr-Dag.
- Take the Simferopol-Perevalnoye trolleybus to the final stop (19 km), then across the river along the field road to the Ayak spring. If you follow this path, along the road you can find the Three-Eyes Cave.
Getting to Chatyr-Dag is quite problematic, but it’s worth it. This mountain is the fifth highest mountain in the main ridge of the Crimean Mountains. Of course, this place will appeal more to those tourists who like to walk a lot. It’s definitely not worth climbing Chatyr-Dag with children.
From here you have a breathtaking view of the mountains. What can you see on the territory of Chatyr-Dag, besides the mountain itself? There are several interesting caves here:
- Emine-Bair-Koba (aka Three-eyed and Nozdrya);
- Emine-Bair-Khosar (Mammoth);
- Marble.
Safari Park "Taigan"
Address : Belogorsk city, Lavandovaya street, 1 Opening hours :
- in summer: 8:00-20:00;
- winter: 8:00-16:00
Cost : children's ticket - 450 rubles, adult - 900 rubles Phone number Official website : https://park-taigan.ru How to get there : by any bus that goes from Simferopol towards Kerch or Feodosia (approximately 70 km).
You need to get off near the turn to the village of Aleksandrovka. The Taigan Safari Park is home to lions, large mammals, Scottish cows, bison, giraffes, roe deer, deer and other animals. They move freely throughout the park and can be observed from special platforms.
On the territory of the park there are attractions, cafes and even a hotel. If you stay in the safari park overnight, you can observe the animals' nighttime activities, when they behave more relaxed.
Bair-Khosar
Opening hours : 08.00 - 08.00 daily Ticket price : from 300 to 500 rubles (depending on the type and duration of the route) Phone number Official website : https://onixtour.com.ua How to get there: by any bus that goes to Mramornoe (distance from Simferopol - 21 km) or Krasnolesye (distance - 18 km). These are all buses that travel in the direction of Alushta and Yalta. After the bus you need to walk 9 km to the Mammoth Cave.
Bair-Khosar is a truly amazing place in Crimea. It is also called Mammoth Cave or “The well of the girl Emine on the mountainside.” Bair Khosar is a vertical ancient karst cave that was discovered in 1927.
The total length of the equipped trail is 700 meters; walking this route takes 1.5 hours. The lower parts of the Emine-Bair-Khosar cave are a natural mineralogical reserve of Crimea.
An excursion to Emine-Bair-Khosar can be booked in speleo.
Radio telescope TNA-400
How to get there : by car on the P25/P25 highway to Shkolnoye (drive 24 km from Simferopol)
This location is definitely worth a visit, even if you don’t have your own transport. You can easily get to the TNA-400 radio telescope by taxi. Here you can take cool photos or simply admire the majesty and scale of this structure.
The TNA-400 radio telescope is a high-precision telexop that was created to ensure safety during flights to the Moon and various planets. This device was actively used until the end of the 20th century. This telescope is primarily known for the fact that it was through it that the military first established good communication with the world's first artificial earth satellite.
Previously, there was a huge complex around the radio telescope, from where they monitored space expeditions and controlled various objects in space. Currently, all buildings have been destroyed by looters; only the TNA-400 radio telescope has survived.
Spring "Ladoshki"
Address : village of Perevalnoye How to get there by bus: first you need to get from Simferopol by regular bus to the village of Ivanovka or Perevalnoye. Then you should walk to the Mound of Glory “Star”. The total distance from Simferopol to the spring is approximately 17 km.
According to rumors, this spring supplied water to local partisans. Clean and cool water flowed from there, and the spring still functions to this day. Next to it is a monument to the partisans.
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Beaches
Simferopol reservoir
Simferopol is located in the depths of the peninsula, so it has no direct access to the sea. But this does not mean that there is no place for travelers and locals to enjoy a beach holiday.
A huge reservoir, on one side of which there are steep cliffs, and on the other side soft sandy shores, is called the Simferopol Sea.
This place is very popular among natives and tourists who rush here to cool off on a hot summer day.
- Address: Crimea, exit from the city of Simferopol.
Nikolaevka
The resort village of Nikolaevka is located 30 kilometers from Simferopol and is a real earthly paradise. A gentle beach, in some places covered with small pebbles, in others with soft warm sand, many hotels and cafes located right on the Black Sea coast.
Here you can relax as “savages” in tents, plunge headlong into fishing or lie quietly enjoying the gentle sun.
- Address: Crimea, Nikolaevka village
Ruins of Scythian Naples
The ruins of Scythian Naples are located at some distance from the center, so you will have to go to them separately. The main historical attraction of Simferopol is located in the open air and is accessible to tourists at any time of the year.
During the walk, special attention should be paid to examining the ancient defensive structures and the main tower. There are legends that countless treasures of the Scythians are still hidden underground. In the burial of King Skilur, which was discovered in this Scythian city, there was an incredible amount of jewelry.
Archaeologists work there every day, and the exhibition is constantly updated with new artifacts.
Monuments
Memorial "Concentration camp "Red"
The memorial is located in the village of Mirny, not far from Simferopol. The memorial center was opened for the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory.
The location was not chosen by chance - it was here that during the war the concentration camp and the mines into which the bodies of dead and living prisoners were thrown were located. During excavations carried out in the post-war years, the remains of 15 thousand people were discovered, but many remained unidentified, since the bodies were severely mutilated.
- Address: Crimea, Simferopol, Mirny village, Belova street
Dolgorukovsky Obelisk
The twenty-meter stele is one of the main attractions of the city, a kind of symbol of Crimea. In addition, this monument appeared in the city first, in the 50s of the 19th century. The grandson of Grand Duke Dolgoruky, the liberator of Crimea, immortalized his exploits on sculptural medallions at the base of the monument.
- Address: Simferopol city, Dolgorukovskaya street
Monument to Catherine II
The fate of the monument to the Great Empress Catherine II turned out to be difficult. Established in honor of the centenary of the annexation of Crimea to the Russian Empire, it was repeatedly demolished, desecrated, and dismantled.
In Soviet times, they tried to install various images on the empty pedestal, including Lenin, but none stood for long.
The final restoration was carried out only after the events of 2014, and now historical justice has reigned again.
- Address: Simferopol city, Lenin street
Tank monument
The legendary T-34, the same one on which in April 1944 Soviet troops broke into Simferopol occupied by Nazi Germany.
The idea to install this monument came to the minds of the crew members of this combat vehicle, and as a result, as soon as restoration work began in the city, the tank was raised on a pedestal in the park, which bears the name of the great Victory.
- Address: Simferopol, Victory Park
Monument to Suvorov
When the army led by Suvorov entered Crimea in 1777, it was necessary to create temporary fortifications. Earthen dugouts were built on one of the high banks of Salgir. It was on this spot that a monument to the great commander was erected in 1984.
- Address: Simferopol city, Rosa Luxemburg street, 7
Monument to Polite People
Near the parliament building, where the referendum on the annexation of Crimea to Russia took place in 2014, a monument dedicated to the “Polite People” peacekeeping movement was erected. The bronze sculpture depicts a military man being given flowers by a little girl, with a cat circling under their feet.
- Address: Simferopol, Serova street
Monument to A.S. Pushkin
Alexander Sergeevich was in Simferopol only once, while passing through, but this fact left an indelible mark on the lives of the townspeople. The monument to the beloved poet changed its location several times, but eventually took its place at the intersection of Pushkin and Gorky streets.
Interesting features of Simferopol
Simferopol is the religious capital of Crimea. In the center there is a large concentration of churches, temples and mosques. One day in our hotel we noticed a group of nuns (they looked like in the movies), who apparently had come to some event at a nearby temple. And we even caught one procession.- Simferopol is very reminiscent of Omsk in detail.
- There are many bridal salons and jewelry stores.
- Fashionable youth.
- Lots of beautiful and elegant girls.
- Not a single well-known taxi ordering application works (Yandex-taxi, Gett, Maxim, Uber)
In Simferopol you feel nostalgic for Soviet times.- Food prices are approximately the same as in Moscow +/-
- Many hotels, cafes and shops accept cards (Mir, Visa, Mastercard) for payment.
- Shops are small premises with the most necessary food basket for life. The chain stores Pyaterochka, Magnit or Perekrestok have never been found in the city center. Only on the outskirts did we see Metro.
- Hookahs are popular. Hookah bars are common; most shops sell coal and tobacco.
- Lots of beggars. If you sit in a cafe on the street, someone will definitely come up to you and ask for money.
Bad roads. Asphalt made of patches, holes and hummocks.- In Simferopol there is no humidity and the sea breeze is not felt. It's still a bit far from the sea.
- The air is different from Moscow for the better.
- There are shopping pavilions and active trade in the underground passages.
- There are often leaflet distributors in the city, this is how young people earn extra money in the summer.
- The river embankment is now in a deplorable state. There is some kind of sluggish construction going on, the water is almost dry, there are excavators standing by. It is especially sad to watch the ducks swimming in the drying brown slurry.
What to see in 1 day?
If you come to Simferopol for a short time, be sure to take a day and stroll through the main attractions of the city.
It is more convenient to start a walking tour from the central part of the city, from Peter and Paul Square. Peter and Paul Cathedral, Holy Trinity Monastery, Karaite Kenassa, Kebir-Jami Mosque, Staircase of Love, Catherine's Garden, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral - beautiful architecture, peace and tranquility will give you contemplation of these sights.
Then it is worth visiting the site of the ancient settlement, Scythian Naples, and ending your walk with a visit to Vorontsov’s estate.
Where to eat in Simferopol. Food prices
- There are a lot of decent cafes in the city center. Come to Gorky Street and you will definitely find an establishment to suit your taste. There are themed restaurants, fast food with burgers and pizza, coffee shops and very budget canteens.
- On the first evening we ate at the Dekanka cafe, which was recommended to us by the hotel. Ukrainian food. The bill for two for 2 simple dishes and a pot of tea was only 390 rubles. Another time we ate at the 7 Fridays cafe - the bill was 1300 rubles for 2 dishes and 2 drinks.
- Delicious coffee and cheesecakes at the Merry Berry coffee shop.
What to see in 3 days?
When time allows you to stay in Simferopol longer, then you should expand your excursion and learn more about this beautiful city.
On the first day, you can walk along the main route, which begins on the square near the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul and end the walk at Vorontsov’s house.
The second day can be spent visiting amusement parks, thematic and ethnographic museums. Visit the museum of chocolate sculptures, the museum of emoticons, learn more historical facts in the museum of the history of Simferopol.
You can spend the third day pleasantly by visiting the city zoo, safari park, circus, or see one of the performances in the famous Crimean Academic Theater named after M. Gorky.
“If you go to the left, you will go back to childhood”
If religious architecture attracts little, then you need to organize a trip to the Forged Sculpture Park. It is located in the park named after the 200th anniversary of Simferopol, adults will be able to walk along the alleys and admire nature. You and your children can explore the original sculptural compositions made of metal, including:
- Zodiac signs;
- representatives of flora and fauna;
- fairy tale characters.
The spectacle is so stunning that this park is often named first in response to the question of what to see in Simferopol in 1 day. By the way, depending on the participants of the walk, the further route can be laid either “to the left”, where the Children’s Square and the Zoo are located, or “to the right”, where the two largest museums are located.
Simferopol Children's Park is one of the most favorite places where you can go with your child. It appeared at the end of the 19th century as a private garden, and in 1958 it received its current name. In addition to a variety of trees and shrubs, an aquarium and a zoo corner, a track for aircraft modelers, and a clearing with characters from Russian fairy tales were created here. At the beginning of the 21st century, the park was modernized, a roller skating area was created, the Glade of Fairy Tales was updated, the zoo was expanded, attractions were installed, and a cafe was opened. Many events, celebrations, competitions, and animated performances are held here.
