What to see in Crimea in winter: from the piece of Lapland to Japanese garden

Winter in Crimea is an ideal time for an active excursion program. Attractions work all year round, hotels and restaurants are always ready to offer accommodation and catering, and the mild climate allows not to stay in one place, but to travel actively. What is better to go to and what is definitely worth a look, you may ask? Hundreds of options! And today we will tell only about some of them.  

Blooming Botanical Garden 

The incredibly beautiful Nikitsky Botanical Garden in Big Yalta is good in any season. It is generously decorated with evergreens and blooms all year round, saturating the air with incredible aromas. So in Crimea you have an opportunity to find a real spring in winter. Do not miss it! Well, if you get here on one of the snowy days, rare for the South Coast, you will have a unique chance to take vivid photos with snow-covered palm trees and cactuses. 

Wine Cellars and Massandra Palace

Even the most rainy or frosty day can become better with a pleasant walk around the territory of the famous Massandra Palace − a real miracle of architectural art. Halls with fireplaces made of solid pieces of brown marble and handmade chandeliers preserved the atmosphere of imperial times, despite the fact that members of the great dynasty never stayed here overnight. Tourists from all over the world come to visit the palace every year, but there is no summer fuss in winter, and you can safely enjoy the immersion in the atmosphere of the imperial era. 

And after that you can continue acquaintance with the South Coast visiting the legendary Massandra winery. Even if you are not an avid wine tourist, the historical routes of the founding father of the winery Lev Golitsyn will surely be to your taste. Here guests are introduced to the stages of wine production, classical technologies, cellars, where drinks are aged in huge centuries-old oak wine casks, and, of course, everyone is offered to taste the best samples. 

Snow-covered slopes of Ai-Petri

This place does not need an introduction, because the "mountain ID card" of the South Coast is a real magnet for lovers of winter entertainment and outdoor activities, a kind of Crimean Lapland. From December to March, hundreds of ski, snowboarding, sledging and snowballing lovers are "confined" to the place. And though the Crimean tracks differ from the famous European ski resorts, such a combination of clean frosty air and amazing mountain and sea vistas in one place, perhaps is rare to find anywhere else. 

Yalta − a city of happiness

One of the most popular winter vacation places in Crimea is the "resort capital" of the peninsula. It is believed that Yalta, hidden by mountains from cold cyclones and warmed by the Crimean sun, boasts the mildest winter. This is true, because the air temperature in Yalta rarely drops below zero, which favors active walks along its picturesque streets and provides natural climatotherapy. Well, if you are freeze up and want to get warm, then at any time of the year you will be welcomed in dozens of snack-bars and cafés located right on the embankment and not far from it. 

1854-1855 Defense of Sevastopol Panorama and Primorskiy Boulevard 

Sevastopol is also a year-round tourist "magnet". Beautiful Hero-city, the cradle of the Russian Black Sea Navy… Hundreds of cultural landmarks are concentrated here, so at any time of the year you may walk and walk around. In the off-season we recommend you to take a walk along the famous Primorskiy (seaside) Boulevard, where you can breathe fresh sea air, view the roadstead, take vivid memorable photos, drink hot coffee and have a tasty snack. Well, after that, go to one of the main attractions of the State Museum of the Heroic Defense and Liberation of the City – "The 1854-1855 Defense of Sevastopol Panorama", the historical background of which was the 349-day defense of the city during the Eastern (Crimean) war. Impressions guaranteed! 

Aivazovsky Art Gallery in Theodosia 

If you plan to visit the eastern Crimea in winter, then be sure to visit Theodosia and its "heart" − an art gallery. At present the gallery hosts a collection of works by the outstanding sea scape romantic artist Ivan Aivazovsky − 416 paintings and graphic masterpieces are in store. Also there are the works of students and grandchildren of Aivazovsky, West European marine painters of the 17-19th centuries, and contemporary artists.  A truly unique place for art connoisseurs.  

Six Senses Japanese Garden 

Another point of attraction in Greater Yalta is an unusual garden which spreads over six hectares of picturesque coastal territory in the village of Opolznevoyeh. There you will find elements of traditional Japanese architecture and landscape forms: you will see bridges and waterfalls, ponds with golden carps and turtles, a rock garden and other original elements. The guides will not only tell you about the history of the garden, but also reveal the secret of the "six senses" and introduce visitors to the world of Eastern philosophy. Interesting? Then take a note. 

As you can see, Crimea is a unique combination of all types of tourist vacations. Of course, during winter months beach leisure should be excluded, but all other types of tourism are at your service all year round. So, as they say, do not put off until tomorrow what you can do today, and feel free to come to Crimea. The great history of our region and the abundance of attractions will not let you get bored!