Crimea

The Crimean Peninsula is Ukraine’s southernmost province, a wedge of geography dangling into the balmy Black Sea and barely attached to the mainland at all. This is a diverse destination in many ways; first there are limestone peaks and plateaus, subterranean cave cities, azure shingle-backed bays and thick sub-tropical forests. Add to that some blockbuster chunks of architecture such as Yalta’s Lividia Palace, exotic Bakhchysaray, the Greek ruins at Chersonesos and Genovese Sudak Fortress, throw in a multinational population of Russians, Ukrainians and Tatars and you have a heady mix of scenery, sights and culture to keep you intrigued on a ...

The Crimean Peninsula is Ukraine’s southernmost province, a wedge of geography dangling into the balmy Black Sea and barely attached to the mainland at all. This is a diverse destination in many ways; first there are limestone peaks and plateaus, subterranean cave cities, azure shingle-backed bays and thick sub-tropical forests. Add to that some blockbuster chunks of architecture such as Yalta’s Lividia Palace, exotic Bakhchysaray, the Greek ruins at Chersonesos and Genovese Sudak Fortress, throw in a multinational population of Russians, Ukrainians and Tatars and you have a heady mix of scenery, sights and culture to keep you intrigued on a tour of the peninsula. That said, the most popular activity on Crimea is lying on a beach doing nothing, as this is the Slavic Riviera, a string of resorts that sees an annual invasion of holidaymakers from across the former Soviet Union (often as far away as Siberia). Military history buffs might associate Crimea with another invasion – that of British and allied troops during the Crimean War. Relive the charge of the Light Brigade and imagine Florence Nightingale at work at locations around Balaklava. Other popular activities include hiking and caving, and Crimea boasts some of the best nightlife in the country, at least in the summer months.

About the Expert

Marc Di Duca has written and updated more than 40 guides, mainly for Lonely Planet but also for AA, Thomas Cook, Berlitz and Bradt. Having spent the last 20 years exploring the former communist world, his main field of expertise is Eastern Europe and Siberia.