Do you remember Black Sea from your school atlas? The Crimean Peninsula belongs to the Ukraine. Due to diverse cultural heritage Crimea has autonomy. You can fly there via Kiev to Simferopol - the capital city of the autonomous region. Or you can get there by train from Kiev or Odessa. Then there is a choice of bus from Simferopol to Sudak. The bus terminal is just in front of the railway station in Simferopol. The ride will cost you around 2 dollars...
For the traveller from Western Europe or America it can be exotic destination: Sudak is a little coastal town perched on the southern coast of Crimea. Not as famous as Yalta but still attractive Sudak offers remains of the huge fortress, beaches, mountain walks and beautiful landscape. On the picture you can see Sudak beach taken from the fortress.
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Magnificent fortress built in XVI/XV centuries by Italians from Genoa. They established here their colony. The fortress is located on the steep mountain overlooking the town and the sea. The huge walls are 2-metres thick and 6-metres high. You can climb to the the remains of Virgin's Tower at the top of the fortress for magnificent view of the castle and coastal mountains (it is officialy forbiden but nobody cares, beware of slippery). There are old cisterns and little museum to visit. They charge 4 hryvnas entry fee and 5 extra if you wish to take pictures inside. Video filming will cost you 15 hryvna extra.
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People - they are very hospitable and helpful. The only problem is to know proper language for communication. Very few people know English so bring with you your Russian phrasebook... Suprisely Russian language on the Crimea is more popular and useful than Ukrainian. You will meet friendly Crimeans on your first day in the crowded, junk buses (this is the main means of transport) - do not hesitate to ask where to get off - stops are poorly marked... Do you need Russian-spealiking guide to travel with you? Let me know!
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Novy Svet - 7 km west of Sudak, hourly bus- is a little resort located in the beautiful scenery of the Green Bay. Imposing coastal peak - Mt Sokol (see picture) is the main landmark here. It rises 474 m above sea level and can be climbed - it is about 1,5 hour sternous walk each way. Take plenty of water with you! The local name of the peak is Kush-Kaja - it means Bird Mountain. On the opposite side of the bay there is another picturesque mountain Koba-Kaja - much lower but accesible with the local guide only. Novy Svet is well known for its vinery established by prince Golitsyn - you can visit this place in the weekdays, but better do not taste their products before climbing...
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Budget traveller will easy find inexpensive private rooms to stay (from 15 hryvna per person per night). Ask people at the bus station on arrival - there is always somebody who has room (komnata) for rent. It will not be expensive (3 USD per night including clean sheets) but do not expect luxury... I recommend May to early June for travel to the Crimea. It is the best time - the spring, when the trees and flowers are in bloom and places are not crowded.
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Food is inexpensive for westerners: for your one dollar or euro your can buy here 5 loaves of bread. Basic meal like dumplings in the little restaurant will cost you around 10 hryvna, and the bottle of beer - 1,50 hryvna. 1 USD is worth 5,3 hryvna. People sell a lot of food just on the streets. Try home-made cheburieky or blyny paying just 1 hryvna for a piece. Crimea is famous for its vine. The bottle in the shop costs from 5 hryvna but in Novy Svet they distribute vine directly from wheeled tankers to your soft-drinks bottles: 3,50 hryvna per litre! - see picture...
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Golitsyn's Trail a must if you are in Sudak. It is a picturesque path which will guide you from Novy Svet at the bottom of the coastal mountain Koba-Kaya, around Robbers' Bay to the narrow Kapchik Peninsula. Under the peninsula there is interesting 77-m long grotto open to visit. From the top there are great views of the coast and sands and stones of Emperor's Beach. On the other side of the Robbers' Bay you will see wild Karaul-Oba Mountain (on the picture). From Emperor's Beach there is a comfortable shortcut back to Novy Svet... Whole walk takes about 3-hours. They charge 4 hryvna entry fee.
See more pictures from the Crimea on my private page:
http://www.kontynenty.tpi.pl/Krym03.htm
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Published on Friday May 23th, 2003 by wojtekd
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