Greetings, friends!
It is quite easy to underestimate Old Crimea. Especially if you drive it tangentially while traveling around Crimea. I confess, for a long time I also sinned with this, passing by the town on Chapaev Street. But not everything is so simple.
Perhaps Old Crimea on the map of Crimea will not attract your attention as a substitute for the neighboring resorts of Feodosia, Sudak and Koktebel, but it will be able to diversify your vacation.
Especially if you know that:
- It was once called Solkhat and was the center of the Crimean ulus of the Golden Horde.
- A native of Old Crimea became Sultan Baybars, the ruler of Egypt, and a film was even made about him.
- And somewhere on the outskirts there is the grave of Mamai, who fled here after the defeat in the Battle of Kulikovo and was killed on the orders of Khan Takhtomysh.
Catherine II spent the night here in a palace specially built for her and left a fountain and a road sign of the same name in memory of herself.
Have I convinced you to come here at least for a day and scout out the situation? Then let's look at the holiday conditions and prepare the trip!
Where is
Old Crimea is located in the eastern part of the peninsula, in the direction Simferopol-Feodosia. Look at the Map of Crimean resorts.
On the northwestern side, the city is covered by the Agarmysh , and in the south by the mountain ranges of the Karasan-Oba . The Churuk-Su River passes through Old Crimea, but more like a stream, it completely dries up in the summer.
Before the construction of Tavrida, the route from Kerch to Simferopol passed directly through the city. Now it has remained a little to the side and is practically indistinguishable at a speed of 100 km/h.
Distances to main landmarks:
- Simferopol Airport – 120 km
- Crimean Bridge – 120 km
- Sudak – 35 km
- Feodosia – 28 km
- Alushta – 110 km
Geography
The city is located next to Mount Agarmysh, which is the extreme eastern part of the Crimean mountain range, a ridge of gently sloping Crimean mountains. Since 1975, it has been an officially declared natural monument. To the east, the mountain range decreases and becomes a plain. From this place, a chain of small ridges extends towards the sea, arranged like a fan, interspersed with valleys. This massif represents the Feodosia small mountains, the highest ridges are Biyuk-Yanyshar, Tepe-Oba and Uzun-Syrt.
How to navigate the city
The town, with a population of about 10,000 people, feels more like a countryside.
Along the long streets there are colorful low-rise houses of various colors and architectural forms, from “whitewashed huts” to cottages and mini-castles. The city's roads are completely broken in places.
2 central streets:
- st. Chapaeva - a bypass along which cars rush that do not enter the city, there is also a bus station
- st. Lenina is the central street of the city, along which all life passes
On the map below I have indicated the main directions, and circled the Bus Station, the market and the PUD store.
To understand the essence and the matter of what awaits you in Old Crimea, I suggest you look around a little in the center on Yandex Panorama . I chose the intersection of Lenin and Kalinin streets as my starting point. For me, this is the conditional center of the city.
All the attractions of the place are within walking distance, except for the Armenian monastery. Surb Khach is 5 km from the center.
Along the central street. Lenin has only one bus - . You can get to Feodosia by passing bus, and to Koktebel by taxi. Price 500-700 rub. one way. Here is one of the services - ug.taxi
PUUDgrocery store in Old Crimea
General information about Old Crimea
Old Crimea is also known under another name - Solkhat . Historians are of the opinion that the multinational settlement, which divided the city at that time into communities and neighborhoods, could have called it differently.
During the Golden Horde, Kyrym was a rich, beautiful city, a center of trade, and, as they also say, the residence of the Crimean khans. Numerous merchants and travelers staying here could not contain their admiration for the economic development and luxury.
Along with the Tatars, a lot of Armenians lived in the city of Solkhat, as evidenced by the numerous Armenian churches and four monasteries built in the surrounding area.
Since 1313, the state religion - Islam , mosques and Muslim schools have been built.
The city of Solkhat acquired a protective wall, and a wonderful, well-fed and rich life was in full swing inside. Towers and fountains, coffee shops and bath complexes, buildings for noble and ordinary citizens - this was the heyday and the best time for the residents.
But everything changes; the future fate of the city was influenced by the Turkish war and the endless change of authorities and masters.
In Soviet times, already in Old Crimea, sanatorium institutions, holiday cottages, and industrial establishments were built.
People honor and remember history, take care of attractions, receive tourists, and engage in agriculture and farming. Themed events, festivals and concerts often take place here. The most famous of which is “Greenland”.
Bulgarian settlement
The Bulgarian colony lived its life quite separately, people tried to provide themselves with everything they needed. Each house had a cattle shed, a cellar and a small barn. However, people did not avoid communicating with other townspeople. The entire Old Crimea gathered on Sundays for the Bulgarian fair, held in a small square near the church. Trade was brisk, new acquaintances were made, business connections were established. The personal life of the townspeople was no exception - mixed marriages happened quite often.
Climate and weather
Thanks to its unique location, Old Crimea retains a mild mountain climate. The city is protected from piercing winds, and the proximity of the forest and the sea softens the summer heat.
The area is famous for its healing climate and is excellent for people with pulmonary diseases. The average temperature in winter is +4.7 degrees, in summer + 26.8 degrees.
The most comfortable weather for sightseeing occurs in April-May and October-November. In summer it is quite hot here, and in winter there is frequent precipitation and zero temperatures.
Adventures from our tourist club in this direction
01.05 – 07.05 |
7 days Eastern Crimea
17.06 – 26.06 | 10 days
Mountain-coastal cycling tour in Crimea (accommodation in houses)
Mountain camp "Valley of Ghosts"
How to get there
Across the Crimean Bridge by car
The new Tavrida highway passes by Old Crimea, where one of the exits leads. A total of 120 km of travel awaits you and no more than 1.5 hours on the road. This same road leads to Sudak, so if time permits, it makes sense to stop by Old Crimea for reconnaissance.
- Kerch - intersection near the village of Sadovoe: 110 km and a little over 1 hour drive
- From the intersection to Stary Crimea through the village of Pervomaiskoye it is 10-12 km and up to 15 minutes by car.
Towards the railway don't even look at the roads. Any of your maneuvers will need to be performed through the railway. station in Feodosia. Read more about how to get there here.
- Route Moscow - Crimea in detail
- Routes around Crimea
- Autoguide for Crimea - will always help out
From Simferopol
If you arrive at Simferopol airport, then to get to Old Crimea you will need 2 bus stations at the airport itself and the Kurortnaya and Central bus stations in the city center. I wrote how to navigate between them in this article.
All routes to Feodosia are suitable for you. And quite a few of these depart per day:
- Up to 20 flights depart from the airport during the season from 5:10 to 18:40. 2 hours on the road and 350 rubles for travel
- In addition to flights from the airport, 20 more flights depart from Kurortnaya airport. The last one departs at 19:20. 1.5 hours on the road and 300 rubles for the journey
- The latest flight departs from the Central Bus Station of Simferopol at 20:30. During the day, both passing and private buses leave for Old Crimea. The ride takes 1.5 hours, tickets cost up to 300 rubles.
useful links
- Buses around Crimea - website for purchasing tickets
- A/c "Old Crimea" - official website
- Bus schedule through Old Crimea
If you don’t want to bother with transfers and squeeze together on the bus, it’s simple - order a transfer for your arrival or rent a car. The distance from the airport to the city is 110 km.
We trusted and liked Myrentacar . Here is our latest car rental experience with them.
Historical sketch: area of special attention
Only part of the Agarmysh forest is protected - these are its squares located in the Sycheva Balka tract (local colloquial name - Pritechka). They are interesting because they are located near the steppe areas - further to the east, continuous steppes begin. The reduction of its area forced the forest to be taken under protection - quarry work was and is being carried out on Agarmysh, and direct felling was also carried out.
As a result, in order to preserve unique tree complexes, primarily the beech grove, in 1964 part of the natural attraction of Crimea was declared a protected area. In 1975, the reserve was given the status of “monument of republican significance.” Nowadays the Agarmysh forest is a specially protected natural area. It is necessary to take care of obtaining permission if you want to visit these places.
Hotels and accommodation
The most important institution in the city is the “Old Crimea” sanatorium, which has been operating since 1916. Both Alexander Green and Osip Mandelstamp were patients here. surgeon and scientist, N. M. Amosov, worked here . The memorial plaque tells about the merits, work and life of the scientist.
If you don’t get treatment here, then at least come and look at this incredible Stalinist Empire architecture.
Tourists can rent a room in a private house or a separate apartment during their vacation. Since housing here is not in great demand, prices are reasonable: 1000 - 1500 rubles per day.
If you want civilization with parking and well-groomed territory, then here you can find several hotel complexes. For example, Villa Crimea with very decent rooms right in the center at a price of 2500 rubles/day.
Please note that it is better to book accommodation in advance and contact the hosts directly to confirm your reservation. 99% that you will be asked to make an advance payment.
- How to rent housing in Crimea today
- Apartments, apartments and rooms for daily rent
- Houses and guest houses for rent
Shops and restaurants
There are plenty of shops, shopping centers, and pharmacies in the city. There is a market with food and mixed goods, and not far from it there is a cheap supermarket “ PUD ”. They are both indicated by red circles on the map above.
But there are not many catering establishments here and, naturally, most of them are located along the highway on Chapaeva Street.
If you are supporters of Tatar cuisine (there is practically no other cuisine here), then pay attention to 2 cafes in the area of the bus station “ Aile ” and Zengin . There are people who come here specifically to eat. You should like it. A little further there is another good cafe Halal .
If in the center, then the best cafe can be called “Gunesh” . It is considered a fast food cafe, so it is open until 21:00.
From Myths and Legends: Milady's Last Refuge
The Agarmysh forest in Crimea has repeatedly attracted the attention of creative people. F. Bondarchuk chose location here for the filming of “The Inhabited Island.” But most of all, the fantasy is aroused by the story of Jeanne de La Motte, whose biography is quite reminiscent of the story of Milady from “The Three Musketeers” by A. Dumas, although this lady lived a century later.
The daughter of poor parents who were proud of their collateral relationship with King Henry II, a beautiful and intelligent girl, Jeanne married successfully and made a brilliant career as a maid of honor at the court of Marie Antoinette - the very one whose head was later cut off. The queen was an inventive woman, and Jeanne helped her mistress to the best of her ability. In particular, she became a participant in a grandiose scam involving the acquisition of a priceless diamond necklace through third parties. But the cunning maid of honor did not give the jewel to the mistress,
but wisely sent it abroad for her own needs.
For this, Jeanne was arrested (the queen shouldn’t be imprisoned, really), but soon, just like Milady, she charmed the jailer and with his help fled to England. There she lived, telling in her memoirs without hesitation juicy details about the morals of the French court. The publicized scandals largely paved the way for the French Revolution. When France agreed with England on her extradition, Jeanne, according to rumors, faked her own death and went to Russia. She lived in Crimea, and in the Agarmysh area there are many caves that have already been explored, and there are probably also unknown ones.
So local followers of Dumas say that Jeanne de la Motte hid a lot of diamonds from the queen’s stolen necklace in one of them, and then died peacefully, and did not tell anyone where the treasure was. But you should still look for it carefully - the foresters of the reserve, and especially the cave cavities, are not to be trifled with.
What to see in Old Crimea
First of all, in my opinion, it is necessary to honor the preserved ancient buildings with your visit.
- Mosque of Khan Uzbek . A tall minaret, tombstones, inscriptions in Arabic, carved oriental patterns - all this in the very center of the city.
- Baybars Mosque . Almost ruins of a once great building. Despite this, excavations are still taking place there.
- Armenian monastery Surb-Khach . The only survivor of 4 temples, and restored in the 80s.
- Source and chapel of St. Panteleimon . Rebuilt in 2001, the chapel is still in use today and services are held here.
You can also visit the sites of once great buildings, but which have become ruins by our time: the ruins of the Caravanserai, the ruins of the Surb Stepanos monastery, the Catherine Fountain, the remains of the Kurshum-Jami mosque.
More about the sights of Old Crimea in this article.
The first capital of the peninsula has great potential, but in reality there are more problems
Old Crimea is an amazing city. Having a long history, it is the only one included in the district without the status of a center. Just as many centuries ago, so now, the main Crimean highway passes through it - from the east to the west of the peninsula, to the mainland. How do the residents of this mysterious town live and what do they do? What is its future? Gazeta talked about this with the head of the administration of Old Crimea, Grigory Balabanov.
– Grigory Shotovich, what are the city’s prospects? How is one of the main problems solved, without which the development of any region is impossible - its water supply?
– When drawing up a program for the socio-economic development of the city, all options for its water supply were considered: Starokrymsky reservoir, Krinichansky water intake, Subashsky water intake. The reservoir usually dries up in June-July. Water, which is already supplied hourly, is generally delivered in the summer. The Krinichansky water intake does not meet drinking water standards and does not have the volume that the entire city can provide even through an emergency situation. The Subash water intake, which supplies 13 thousand cubic meters per day, remains the only way out for now. We want to take three thousand cubic meters from there every day for the drinking needs of local residents. The republic’s funds have also been earmarked for the design of a well and the Subash – Krinichki – Stary Krym highway.
Among other things, the city has a gallery water supply all year round. These are water flows from Agarmysh. But this system is only 25% functioning, and people use it for drinking. At the same time, there is a project (and some continue to defend it) to locate a cemetery at the source of the gallery water supply: its authors do not understand that this threatens the loss of sources!
– But there is a reservoir in the city?
– The dam of the Starokrymsky reservoir is in a deplorable state: treatment facilities and drains do not work, there is a lot of silt on it. If the reservoir is filled to two million cubic meters, it could burst, flooding nearby villages within a radius of three kilometers. Everyone knows about this - in the Ministry of Housing and Communal Services, in the capital construction service of Crimea, in the region and at the Water of Crimea enterprise, but no one wants to take on emergency facilities. We have allocated one million two hundred thousand rubles from the local budget for the repair of the dam and the production of technical documentation. To completely solve the problems with water in Old Crimea, about 462 million rubles are needed.
– Residents of Old Crimea contacted Gazeta with complaints about the dug-up streets after gasification of the city by contract...
– Indeed, today the contracting organization Prometheus is gasifying the city according to old agreements with local residents. The organization carries out work without the coordination of many aspects with the city. I repeatedly approached them with this complaint, but received only promises, and then they completely refused to restore the roads. Since people still need gas, I decided to let this organization put its documents in order and only then continue its work. By the way, half of the three thousand households have already been gasified.
– Now the population of old Crimea has gas and broken streets. Does the city program provide for their repair?
– We did not include road repairs in the draft program and did not request money for this from the district and the republic, because the reconstruction of distribution networks and sewerage systems was planned, and, accordingly, excavation work was planned. It wouldn’t be a good idea to lay down asphalt and then open it up to put a water pipe there.
– The holiday season has begun. How can your ancient city interest tourists today?
– In Old Crimea there is a mosque of Khan Uzbek, museums of writers Konstantin Paustovsky and Alexander Green. Not only Green is buried here, but also such famous cultural figures as poetess Yulia Drunina and film playwright Alexei Kapler. The plans include the creation of an archeology museum. Once upon a time, we had an archaeologist named Kramarovsky who collected many valuable specimens that we want to place in this museum. And so, privately, local residents are preparing to rent out housing to holidaymakers. It’s ten kilometers from us to Koktebel, twenty kilometers to Feodosia and Sudak. In addition, the city has a favorable climate for the treatment of chronic lung diseases. It’s not for nothing that the anti-tuberculosis sanatorium “Old Crimea” is located here.
- By the way, what condition is he in now? On the Internet they speak unflatteringly about it: “ruin due to negligence”, “dirty” and “enough to last a lifetime”...
– Today the sanatorium operates at 2-3% of its capacity, it needs a competent manager. But this sanatorium is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health, so it’s up to him to decide. I think that the rest of the anti-tuberculosis sanatoriums in Crimea are at the same level: Ukraine did not care about its health resorts. Now the “Old Crimea” sanatorium, along with others, is included in the Russian Federation’s healthcare development program and is under special control.
– How can Old Crimea interest its young and healthy residents so that they do not leave their hometown?
– We plan to attract investors so that they create jobs here. The priority is the development of the resort business and the construction of hotel bases. We are currently negotiating with Moscow investors about creating sports facilities for training camps for athletes from all over Russia. A preliminary design of a new sports complex is also being prepared. The city invested one hundred thousand rubles in its development, and the district – a million.
In general, the city, in my opinion, is just beginning to live. When I first arrived eight months ago, only thirteen people came to the holiday - City Day, and it was a shame. About a hundred people have already come to celebrate the New Year, six hundred to Maslenitsa, and almost 3.5 thousand to Victory Day. I can say with confidence that the city is experiencing a cultural upsurge that has not happened for a long time.
Entertainment and leisure
In such a small town several museums are collected at once:
- House-Museum of A. Green . It is also called a nature reserve. It is from here that the “Green’s path” leads to Koktebel, along which he walked on foot to his friend M. Voloshin. A. Green lived here until his death; a monument “Running on the Waves” was erected on his grave.
- House-museum of K. Paustovsky . The writer often visited here, was a fan of Greene, and dedicated several works to him.
thematic museums in Old Crimea
- Literary and Art Museum;
- Historical and local history;
- Ethnographic;
- Museum of the Old Crimean Sanatorium.
You can also organize a walking exploration of the surrounding area yourself or take a walk all the way to Koktebel.
If you need more structured emotions, then take advantage of one of the sightseeing tours made from Feodosia.
Kozya Balka safari park in the neighboring village of Izyumovka. Antelopes, fallow deer, roe deer, deer, ponies, as well as various types of birds live here: from African ostriches to predatory eagles and falcons. More details here: kozia-balka.com
Along the Green Path and more
A popular walking route is the so-called Greene's Trail. It begins in Old Crimea and ends in Koktebel. The route appeared thanks to the romantic writer Alexander Green, who lived here for two years before his death in 1932. The writer often walked along the zemstvo paved road to visit the poet Voloshin, who settled on the seashore in Koktebel. In one of his letters to his friend, Green emotionally described this road. There was no need to even come up with a tourist walking route - it was already ready.
Greene's Trail
The old road appeared in a guidebook published in 1901. Then it was listed as a carriage pass. And even earlier, in 1825, diplomat and writer Alexander Griboedov passed through it. At the beginning of the 20th century, the road turned into a path. It was used by many famous writers and poets. Surely these walks were reflected in their work.
The modern Trail begins at the Paratroopers' Glade in Old Crimea and goes along the Osmanov Yar gully. From here you can see the mountains Kozyu, Sarytlyk, Skalki and Kara-Burun. In the Armatluk Valley there is a salt marsh on the way. Rare varieties of orchids are considered a real rarity here. From here the trail leads to Kara-Dag and goes to the road from Shchebetovka to Koktebel.
The route is crossed by small rivers Martyg-Dere, Baka-Tash and Churuk-Su. Behind the highway there is a large karst spring, which is nicknamed “Frog”. The total length of the route is 15 kilometers. There is also the New Greene Trail. From the Armatluk valley it goes to the left of the old zemstvo road.
Tourists willingly visit Mount Agarmysh. In these places, archaeologists found a site of primitive people who lived here 70 thousand years ago! But this is not the main reason for the pilgrimage of tourists. There are about two dozen karst caves in the mountain range. The “Bottomless Well” cave is a vertical shaft 42 meters deep. And in the Dragon Hole cave, archaeologists discovered an ancient sanctuary. Tourists also visit Monastyrskaya Balka, where there are waterfalls.
Of interest is the layout and architecture of Old Crimea as an example of an ancient multinational and multi-religious settlement. It’s worth taking a leisurely stroll through its ancient streets and visiting different areas. Here you can observe how the city changed from antiquity to the Middle Ages and then to modernity. Russian buildings of the 19th century are represented on the main street. In the eastern part there are ruins of a mint and a caravanserai.
I. Aivazovsky. Old Crimea
Tatars traditionally settled in the northeastern regions. Small houses usually had two rooms with clay floors, separated by a kitchen. The walls were made of adobe. In the southeast lived the Greeks, who built two-story houses from Akmonai stone. The Armenian population was dispersed throughout the city, but gravitated towards the central part. Old Crimea is a real Babylon.
There were dachas on the western outskirts. Artists and poets lived here. Dachas were built in the Art Nouveau and Classicist styles, as well as in the pseudo-Moorish style. Old Crimea is famous not only for its ancient buildings, but also for... Red Square. True, instead of a monument to Minin and Pozharsky, there is a figure of Alexander Nevsky on it.
Reviews from tourists
Some may think that the town of Old Crimea is too quiet and unremarkable, but most tourist reviews paint a positive picture.
Holidays here are unique, more for enthusiastic and versatile people who are fascinated by the secrets of the historical past and the beauty of natural landscapes. The curly greenery and expanses of the steppe are simply breathtaking!
Moreover, there is a convenient transport interchange, so you can go to another city at any time. Local cafes warmly welcome visitors, feed them for slaughter, offering the best dishes of national cuisine. In addition, prices here are lower than on the coast.
Climatic characteristics of the area
The climate of Old Crimea is truly unique. Thanks to the surrounding mountains, which are covered with forest, the air here is clean, mixed with the steppe smell of herbs, and the close distance to both the Black and Azov Seas makes it also saturated with sea salts and iodine. The mountains are located in such a way that they protect the city from cold winds, so there is no strong wind here.
Precipitation falls very rarely, mainly in the form of fog.
July temperatures are not as high as on the southern coast of Crimea, but the level above 20°C remains stable in the town.
Winter is already heading towards sub-zero temperatures, but rarely goes below -4-5°C. As a result, the average January temperature is 1.3°C. During this period of the year there is snow on average for 50 days, longer on the peaks.
The number of days when the sun shines over Old Crimea is equal to neighboring Feodosia. All this makes the city an excellent place for the prevention and treatment of many common respiratory diseases and simply an irreplaceable place for recreation for heart patients.
Old Crimea is considered a city of long-livers precisely because of its unique climate.
