Our regions are characterized by a rather harsh climate - even we ourselves completely agree with this. Although our fellow citizens are accustomed to such conditions, all the same, at least on vacation, you want real warmth, sunshine and gentle sea waves. The ultimate dream for most is distant tropical resorts abroad, at least the same Turkey. However, even closer one can find conditions reminiscent of Turkish ones. One of the most popular summer vacation options in comparative proximity is the Crimean Peninsula.
Features:
The tourist potential of Crimea is impressive: there is almost everything you need for an unforgettable vacation. The southern coast has a subtropical climate close to the Mediterranean, so in the summer months tourists are invisible here. There are mountains nearby, open both for hiking for several days and for small excursions.
The rich ancient history of the peninsula remembers the Hellenes and Genoese, Venetians and Turks, so you can also see architectural monuments, but a significant part of the Tatar population still allows you to feel the flavor of local customs and cuisine.
It should be noted that the bulk of tourists, at least from afar, travel to Crimea for the sake of the sea. The local mountains are quite low (maximum - one and a half kilometers above sea level), therefore, it did not work out with ski resorts here, and lovers of serious mountain hikes choose larger and more dangerous ridges.
Local sights, although picturesque, are still not as attractive as Paris, Rome, or at least St. Petersburg and Moscow. Therefore, the rest here should be viewed from the beach point of view, not forgetting about the pleasant bonuses in the form of accessible mountain walks and interesting excursions to the ancient ruins.
Although the Crimean resort area does not have any specific specialization, the best hotels in Crimea usually provide all the opportunities for families with children. Many guests of the peninsula come here in search of a family vacation, so this location should be viewed primarily from this point of view.
Reviewing the best hotels and boarding houses in Crimea, we will abandon the traditional principles of rating, briefly reviewing all the main tourist centers and highlighting in each of them good places to stay with children.
At the same time, one should not think that everything is limited to the cities described, because almost the entire southern coast of Crimea is ready to receive guests, including those with kids.
At the same time, Crimea, being not the most expensive vacation spot, is not the cheapest, but the level of service often raises questions. The tourism infrastructure here is largely outdated, because those who have been to Turkey, for example, often write that with an approximately equal cost of hotels and services, the service on the Mediterranean coast is much better. According to their reviews, it is worth going here only in order to save money on paperwork and flights - in all other cases, it is advised to go abroad immediately.
Yalta
The undisputed pearl of the whole Crimea is Yalta - a charmingly beautiful city on the Black Sea coast with a population of almost 80 thousand people, although during the holiday season it can increase several times. In addition to the city itself, there is also the so-called Big Yalta, which includes numerous resort villages that are no less successful. These are, for example, Alupka, Gurzuf, Livadia, Massandra, Simeiz and Foros.
The advantages of resting here are primarily in the abundance of amenities and attractions. It is here that the main resort area is located, therefore there are all conditions for tourists, in particular, hotels operating on the "all inclusive" system: with meals included in the price of the voucher, children's animation, their own playgrounds and other bonuses. It is not difficult to get here, because it is one of the largest cities of the peninsula - you can even get from Simferopol by trolleybus.
In addition to the sea, it is worth going here for the sake of architecture, because the city was a noble resort even before the revolution, and is rightly considered one of the most beautiful in Eastern Europe: there are numerous palaces, including the famous "Swallow's Nest" and Livadia. Nearby is Mount Ai-Petri, where you can climb the cable car to view the city.
There are plenty of good hotels here, but we will highlight only a couple.
- Yalta Intourist 4 *. This is one of the best hotels for family holidays in the whole Crimea. It is located in a quiet area, far from the main mass of tourists, but right at the foot of Mount Ai-Petri. There is everything that children can wish for: a swimming pool with heated sea water and slides, a children's playground and club, a small zoo, and a private beach. As of May 2018, a double room can be booked here at a price of 8 thousand rubles. An extra bed is installed for children at an additional charge of 1-2 thousand rubles (depending on age).
- Eco-hotel "Levant" offers an ecological holiday: there is nothing here that could harm nature. The hotel is located near the famous Embankment with all its attractions, however, there are bonuses for children on the territory of the hotel: animation, babysitting services, a special children's menu and organized excursions throughout the city's children's infrastructure.
Alushta
This resort is much more modest than Yalta: there are fewer people here (30 thousand in the city itself and 55 thousand - together with the surrounding area), and there are not so many attractions (although medieval fortresses, Mount Chatyr-Dag and the Valley of Ghosts are worth highlighting). However, those who value beach holidays not for the infrastructure love Alushta: here the climate is healthier, because in the local mountains there are two passes at once, providing good ventilation and reducing the stuffiness. It is even easier to get here than to Yalta - the same trolleybus will do.
In addition, with the still subtropical climate, accommodation options here are relatively inexpensive - the impact of a smaller influx of tourists. The number can be found within 5 thousand rubles per night, however, many budget vacationers stay with local residents, which is much cheaper.
Park Hotel Porto Mare cares so much about the comfort of children that on its own small pebble beach it has equipped a special sand section just for the little ones. There is all the same animation and children's clubs for children of different ages, parents can use the services of hourly babysitting. In chilly weather, you can use the indoor pool or visit the private zoo.
Zander
This resort is not at all great: its population is some 16 thousand people. Although this is the southern coast of Crimea, the climate here is no longer considered subtropical due to insufficient protection from the northern winds by the mountains, which are already relatively low here. For this reason, the climate here is more continental: winter is characterized by increased severity, and in July-August the heat can seem simply unbearable.
It is recommended to go here for people with non-tuberculous respiratory diseases, functional diseases of the nervous system, cardiovascular diseases.
It is in Sudak that the swimming season is the longest in Crimea (138 days, from early June to mid-October), which attracts numerous tourists here during the velvet season.
An additional magnet is the rich history of the city, which was once a Genoese port.
Soldaya Grand Hotel opened in 2014 and resembles a medieval castle in architecture. Facilities for children are generally reminiscent of a standard family hotel, but there is an additional sandy area with several attractions on the pebble beach.
Feodosia
This city with nearby Koktebel is the northernmost resort on the southern coast of Crimea. It is not surprising that the climate of the 67,000th resort is somewhat closer to the climate of the non-resort Simferopol than to the subtropical one, but the proximity of the sea does not allow calling it a steppe. A feature of the city's tourism industry is the abundance of balneological opportunities for recovery: healing muds and mineral springs are presented here. Contrary to its very ancient history, Feodosia is comparatively not rich in outstanding architectural monuments.
It is worth noting the specific geographical location of the city: unlike all other resorts in Crimea, it is more convenient to go here not from Simferopol, but from Kerch, therefore, those arriving from Krasnodar Territory should choose this route.
“Scarlet Sails” 4 * is unusual in that the hotel has its own beach, but it is located ... 7 kilometers from the hotel. There is no need to be afraid - the institution provides its own transport, which brings vacationers there and back for free.
For those who want a beach immediately, the main city beach is located nearby. Standard entertainment services are offered for children. A family room here will cost at least 8 thousand rubles per night.
Sevastopol
People usually go to Sevastopol not for the sake of the sea (the proximity of a huge seaport affects), but in order to relax in a large (more than 380 thousand inhabitants) city with all the amenities.
The history of the city is not so long, but it is interesting: heroic defense took place here both in the Crimean War of the middle of the 19th century and during the Second World War a hundred years later. In Soviet times, Sevastopol was a closed city for decades, and it was impossible to get there without special permission.
Today, anyone can see all the delights of this city, including real warships and a submarine base in a huge cave. For those who are more interested in history, it will be interesting to visit the ruins of the ancient Chersonesos, located nearby.
Aquamarine Resort & SPA is a real five-star hotel. For those who do not dare to swim in the sea so close to the port, there are not only swimming pools, but also their own outdoor water park. Children will definitely like the animation and specially designated areas in the play and sports centers, adults - the gorgeous view from the windows of the historic part of the city. Prices, of course, are appropriate - from 11 thousand rubles and above.
Evpatoria
For those who are looking for inexpensive conditions for recreation in a relatively large city, Evpatoria is well suited: just over 100 thousand people live here, therefore all the infrastructure is present. This city does not belong to the southern coast of Crimea at all.
Adults can come here for balneological recovery (local mud and mineral water are very famous), but kids will like the fact that here is almost the only place in Crimea, where the seabed near the coast is made of sand, not pebbles. For this reason, guests of the city usually rest in sanatoriums, which own a significant part of all beaches.
The ancient history of the city is not very well disclosed for tourists - only a few sightseeing tours along the monuments of religious architecture are offered. Predictably, this is one of the centers of "wild" tourism.
The Imperia 3 * sanatorium and recreation complex is one of the best family establishments in the resort, which is not tailored for such requests. All it has is sandy beaches, children's kitchen and babysitting services, as well as a playground and heated pool.
About the best place to relax in Crimea this summer, see the next video.
