Top 15 attractions in Gurzuf, Russia

Gurzuf is a small resort village located in one of the most picturesque places in Crimea - on the South Coast. This place is famous for its magnificent climate, Mediterranean vegetation, salubrious air and breathtaking landscapes. Many tourists consider Gurzuf the best place to relax in the Crimea, and for good reason - it is surrounded by natural attractions from all sides.

Despite its relatively small size, the town has everything you need for a complete vacation. These are beaches (one of the best on the peninsula), night bars, restaurants, a promenade, active entertainment and a huge number of opportunities for ecotourism. Gurzuf is the choice of travelers who prefer a quiet, but not boring vacation.

What to see and where to go in Gurzuf?

The most interesting and beautiful places for walking. Photos and a short description.

Mount Ayu-Dag

The summit is also known as Bear Mountain. It is located on the border of Big Yalta and Big Alushta. It reaches a height of 571 meters and is part of the massif of the same name, elongated in a northwestern direction for 2.5 km. From a geological point of view, Ayu-Dag is an unformed volcano (lacollite), which has not been able to grow for 150 million years. To date, the mountain is included in the protected area.

Embankment

Equipped area adjacent to the beach and adapted for walking. It is lined with white and pink marble tiles, which are shampooed to a shine. The place acquires a special charm in the evening, when the lanterns are lit and music sounds from the open terraces of summer cafes. Along the flowering alleys, among the quaint sculptures, there are always many tourists who make the obligatory vacation promenade.

Gurzuf beaches

Beaches occupy the entire coastline of Gurzuf, stretching far beyond its borders. Given the rocky terrain, it is impossible to walk along the coast, some can only be reached by boat. All more or less suitable places for swimming are covered with pebbles, stones or boulders - broken off pieces of rocks. It should be borne in mind that there are paid and free beaches in Gurzuf.

ICC "Artek"

At present, it is an international children's center, in the Soviet period it was a pioneer camp known throughout the Union, where, perhaps, every child dreamed of getting. Its history began in 1925 with a summer camp for children with tuberculosis. Museums, historical sites and natural attractions, as well as parks and memorials are located on the territory of the center.

Suuk-su Palace

The palace was erected at the beginning of the 20th century as part of the development of Gurzuf as a seaside resort. At the origins of its creation was the engineer V.I. Berezin and his wife, who did a lot to turn this area into an attractive area for summer holidays. Suuk-su is a white, three-story renaissance-style mansion. It is surrounded by a picturesque park. Today the palace is located within the "Artek".

Holy Dormition Cathedral

The Orthodox church of 2007 is the heir to the cathedral that was demolished in 1935. For a long time, a military sanatorium was located in its place. The building was built in a mixed Russian-Byzantine style with forms characteristic of this style, but without superfluous external decoration, which gives it a special, austere beauty. The temple stands surrounded by acacias and cypresses, decorating the surrounding landscape with its appearance.

Museum of A. S. Pushkin

The exposition dedicated to the great poet is housed in a historical building of the 19th century, which is often compared to a castle in the air due to the elegance of its forms. The museum opened in 1938 and reopened its doors in 1987 after a long period of neglect. The collection is dedicated to the trip (or rather, exile) of A. S. Pushkin to the Crimea in the 1820s. Here the writer found types for many of his works.

House-Museum of A.P. Chekhov

A.P. Chekhov moved to Yalta in 1899, but soon regretted it, as he suffered from excessive attention from a curious public. To hide from human eyes, he bought a house in Gurzuf with a plot of picturesque coastline in a small bay. In 1963, the dacha became the property of the Union of Artists of the USSR. The museum on its territory was opened in 1995 as a branch of the Yalta house-museum of A.P. Chekhov.

Gurzuf park

A picturesque landscape park founded at the beginning of the 19th century at the behest of the French aristocrat Richelieu, who was in the service of the Russian Empire. More than 100 species of ornamental plants grow on 12 hectares - both local and imported flowers, shrubs and trees. Sculptures and fountains are scattered among the greenery and alleys. There are two resorts in the park.

Fountain "Goddess of the Night"

The sculptural group of the fountain is the decoration of the Gurzuf park. It is a copy of the work of a German architect, which was accurately recreated by Russian masters according to a project bought at the World Exhibition in Vienna. The ensemble is made in the Baroque style, the composition is based on a plot from Greek mythology, in which there are the goddess of the night Nyukta, the gods Morpheus and Eros, as well as the Atlanteans and Caryatids.

Fountain "Rachel"

The Rachel Fountain is another work of art created by an unknown author at the expense of the industrialist P.I. Gubonin in 1890 and adorned Gurzuf. The composition was created on the basis of a biblical story that tells about the love of Jacob and Rachel. The fountain is a figure of a girl with a jug on her head, crowning a high pedestal with a column. Around is a stone bowl-reservoir.

Rock Red Stone

The Red Stone is a pink-yellow limestone rock formation that is considered a geological monument. It reaches a height of 430 meters. Around the rock lie vineyards and wooded slopes of the surrounding mountains. According to archaeological evidence, in the Middle Ages, there was a watchpoint on the top. Currently, the Red Stone is a popular climbing site.

Chaliapin Rock

When Fyodor Chaliapin visited Gurzuf, he was so amazed by the beauty of these places that he even bought a piece of land along with a rock protruding into the sea. There he dreamed of building himself a "Castle of Arts". But the idea remained at the project stage, since the Revolution that broke out in 1917 destroyed all plans. The dream was not destined to come true, but in memory of her, the rock in Gurzuf was named after the singer.

Adalary

Small rocky islands located about 250 meters from the coast of Gurzuf. In the distant past, these formations were part of the land, but gradually the sea washed away the bridge that connected them to the shore. Adalars are not only a symbol of Gurzuf - they are often associated with the entire southern coast of Crimea. At the beginning of the 20th century, there was a restaurant on one of the cliffs.

Arbor of the winds

The famous gazebo of the winds is located on the top of Mount Shagan-Kaya right on the edge of the cliff. The height above sea level in this place is about 1400 meters, from here a magnificent view of the mountain ranges extending below, the distant seashore and the endless water surface opens up. On a clear day, from the gazebo you can see the adalars and the beaches of Gurzuf. The building was built in the middle of the 20th century in preparation for the visit of N. S. Khrushchev.