Spring in Сrimea: your best leisure

The Travel Crimea Portal offers a selection of interesting facts and features related to the spring time peninsula for your inspiration.

The most varied flowering

In Crimea, the first flowers, snowdrops, begin to bloom as early as in January. And in early March you can see them, the fragrant “characters” of the Twelve Months fairy tale, throughout the South Coast. For example, in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden, on the slopes of Ayu-Dag and Ai-Petri, as well as in Simferopol, in the Bagrov Botanical Garden (Vernadsky Crimean Federal University).

In general, if you have a car and desire, you can go around all the key "floristic" places of Crimea. What and when blooms on the peninsula from March to May?

• Kuznetsov's Red Book cyclamen blooms in early spring. These flowers can be found in the Kubalach mountain ridge and the Botanical Reserve in the Bielogorsk district.
  
• In March, Sulange magnolia charms with its beauty (in particular, in Yalta and Sevastopol) and bloomimg almonds (can be found everywhere:  along highways, in the yards, in parks, botanical gardens − in the South Coast, in Sevastopol and the Sudak district).
  
• In April, many people rush to the Nikitsky Botanical Garden, where a large-scale parade of tulips traditionally takes place at this time, demonstrating tens of thousands of these beauties in a wide choice of varieties. Another tulip ballet takes place in Simferopol − in the Bagrov Botanical Garden.
  
• Also in April, a fantastic blossoming of peaches (in the Bakhchisaray district and the Sevastopol municipality) and blooming of the Red Book Schrenk tulips − the progenitors of the famous Dutch tulips (Opukskiy Reserve, Botkinskaya trail, Kara-Dag) begin.
  
• In April-May, lilies of the valley sparkle as scattered white pearls (they can be seen, in the Grand Canyon) and fiery red peonies open (Ai-Petri plateau and the White Rock).
  
• In late April − early May, irises (Noviy Svet) and lilacs (everywhere) bloom massively, the cascades of lilac inflorescences of wisteria delights as a living decor for house facades, densely wraps around cypresses and cedars (Yalta).
  
• At the end of May, whole rose plantations bloom (in the vicinity of Bakhchisaray) and purple poppy fields “light up” in the Bakhchisaray district and in the Sevastopol municipality.
  

The best time for photo shoots and "sky walks"

This point stems straight from the previous one. You can arrange independent photo session in the most beautiful flower locations or ask for professional help. The priority of spring shooting is peach and rose gardens, as well as poppy fields. By the way, some companies even organize special multi-day photo tours for those who want to learn how to beautifully photograph tender buds in the sun.

However, in spring each place turns into a work of art in Crimea. Photographers advise, for example:

• Ai-Petri plateau, where you can find snow even in May;
  
• White Rock with its stunning views;
  
• Boat trip from Balaklava or Yalta (passing by the Swallow's Nest);
  
• The most beautiful Cape Fiolent;
  
• Cape Kapchik in Noviy Svet;
• Starfall of Memories pavilion in Koktebel;
• And, of course, spring waterfalls.

The most full-flowing waterfalls

It is in the spring, when the sun melts the snow on the mountains, that the Crimean waterfalls are especially full-flowing and beautiful. The inspiring sounds of nature help to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, relax your eyes and soul. We recommend visiting:

•    Dzhur-Dzhur in the vicinity of Alushta, which does not dry out even in dry periods;
•    Uchan-Su near Yalta − the highest waterfall in Crimea;
•    Su-Uchkhan (Simferopol district), which esotericists call the place of power;
•    Cheremisovsky Emerald waterfalls in the Bielogorsk district;
•    Visor in the Baydarskaya Valley (a thin jet falling from 14 meters, closer to the surface of the earth it turns into water dust);
•    Silver Streams waterfall in the Bakhchisaray district;
•    Arpat waterfalls in Greater Alushta.

The pinkest lake

The guide Svetlana Zinkovskaya advises to include a visit to Lake Koyashskoyeh (on the Kerch Peninsula), which is part of the Opuksky Nature Reserve, in the must-have of your spring tour. Just in spring, it acquires an amazing pink color and gathers fans of unusual photography around it.

“Dunaliella algae blooms, like all flowers in nature, from mid-April to June. It developed at the bottom due to the volcanic origin of the reservoir. During the period of active blooming (end of April, May, beginning of June), this algae produces the beta-carotene, which makes water and salt crystals look pink. Moreover, Dunaliella not only blooms, but also spreads the smell of violets around," the guide explained, adding that before visiting this location, you must obtain permission from the reserve administration.

The healthiest season

After a cold winter, which for many is associated with low mobility, vitamin deficiencies and diseases, it is extremely important to "reboot" the body, to give it new strength. And spring is the perfect time for health improvement in Crimea.

Numerous health resorts, health centers, boarding houses, resort hotels and complexes perfectly cope with this task. But if the former specialize in narrowly focused treatment, the rest offer a variety of wellness programs.

They offer climatotherapy, landscape therapy, sea therapy, herbal and aromatherapy, balneotherapy (strengthening and healing the body with the help of mineral waters), mud procedures. In addition, almost every major hotel on the peninsula has a spa center where vacationers can visit the bath complex, swim in the pool, soak in the Jacuzzi, relax under the skillful hands of a massage therapist, etc. Health resorts and hotels also offer tourists to recuperate through special anti-Covid programs. We have published the full list here.

The most popular spring walks

First of all, these are hiking mountain trails. It is in spring, when there is still no heat, and nature wakes up after hibernation, the ideal time for health path walking. Where are the most popular eco-trails?

On the South Coast

•    Botkinskaya trail (begins in Yalta, runs along the left side of the Uchan-Su river valley to the Stavri-Kaya rock);
•    Tarakhtash trail (passes from Uchan-Su waterfall to Yalta Yayla);
•    The Tsar's or Solar Path (starts at the Livadia Palace and ends in Gaspra, at the Rosa Luxembourg health resort);
•    Koreïz trail (begins in the area of Koreïz, Miskhor cross-roads on the highway Yalta − Sevastopol);
•    Shaytan-Merdven (the shortest road connecting the South Coast and the Baydar Valley, begins on the Sevastopol Highway);
•    Biyuk-Isar (begins near the village of Opolznevoyeh on the Sevastopol Highway and leads to a mountain lake at the foot of the rock of the same name).

On the east coast

•    Golitsyn's trail (carved on the slope of Mount Koba-Kaya, located along the coastline to the south-west of Noviy Svet) town;
•    Grin's trail (this is a short way from Stary Krym to Koktebel).

In the Sevastopol municipality

•    Great Sevastopol trail (passes from Balaklava to Lyubimovka).

All trails have different lengths and degrees of difficulty. Therefore, when planning such a walk, consider your physical fitness. You will need comfortable shoes, drinking water and a pedometer to count steps in your smartphone or fitness bracelet.

The most suitable time for picnics, gastro tourism and collecting herbs

Everyone's favorite May Day holidays in Crimea coincide with the official opening of the holiday season. May in Crimea is almost summer. In May you can safely open the swimming season and sunbathe, so do not forget to pack your swimsuit, swimming trunks and body protective cream in your suitcase. And besides that…

Have a picnic

In spring Crimea offers hundreds of different places for outdoor snacks. These can be both beaches (still not quite crowded), and secluded lakes or picturesque forest glades. For example, the Panagia gorge near the village of Zelenogoryeh (between Sudak and Alushta) or the lakes hidden in dense greenery near the village of Nauchny, Bakhchisaray district. Do not forget a thermos with fragrant Crimean herbal tea.

Taste Crimea

Spring is the perfect time for gastronomic experiences, says tour guide Svetlana Golub. Moreover, she recommends not to be limited to traditional products, but to taste also very extravagant delicacies.

"There are a lot of cheese farms in Crimea (in a very picturesque mountainous area too), where you can taste both cheese and honey. This is the best, classic combination of flavors. I also know Crimean producers who offer guests very unusual tastings − dishes composed from seemingly incompatible products. For example, raspberry jelly grated with fennel and nuts, or tomato confiture with blueberries and orange peel, sprinkled with basil. And have you ever tried chili jam? − Svetlana Golub laughs − It doesn’t sound appetizing, but when you start eating, you feel: it’s finger liking good."

Collect herbs for tea

In addition, as the guide says, spring in Crimea is the best time to collect herbs. Of course, in small, only "tourist" volumes, because it is legally prohibited to collect wild plants on an industrial scale.

"In the spring, I prefer to take groups to the White Rock, to the area of the Belbek Canyon, to the lower plateau of Chatyr-Dag, where everyone can collect a small bunch of herbs with own hands. People even get excited when they, say, climb a slope − and here they find zheleznitsa (Crimean lemongrass), thyme, chamomile… − Svetlana Golub tells – And they collect herbs not so much for the sake of making tea later, but to inhale these spring aromas, rub this leaf in their fingers, feel the harmony of nature and simply escape from endless everyday life. Plus − a beautiful place, no rush, because this is not a hike in its classical sense. I think this year, after all the snows, there will be just enormous herbs variety."

May your spring trip to Crimea be beneficial and bring only joyful emotions!