Autumn is a great time to go to Crimea. From the end of August to the end of October, the sweltering heat subsides on the peninsula and the velvet season, beloved by the locals, begins. This is a great opportunity to taste honey apples and grapes straight from the branch, swim in the warm sea and enjoy a variety of activities.
How to get to Crimea
You can get to Simferopol from Moscow and a number of regions of Russia by direct flights of Aeroflot airline.
The peninsula is more convenient to explore by car. You can rent a car directly at the airport on OneTwoTrip for 3,100 rubles* per day. During the high season there are fewer tourists, therefore prices are lower and the choice of cars is greater.
Kayaking: see the peninsula from a different angle
This popular activity includes small kayaks (paddleboards) along the coast. One-day tours are suitable for beginners; those wishing to spend several days rowing can choose routes with overnight stays on the shore. In Balaklava there is a kayak center where you can rent equipment and get all the necessary instructions.
One of the most popular and affordable options: go from Balaklava towards Cape Fiolent. During this trip you will be able to admire the bizarre volcanic forms of rocks from the water, as well as walk through the arches of the grottoes. Another route runs along Lost World Nature Reserve to Cape Aya and Laspi Bay. Here you will have the opportunity to make stops at the Inzhir and Zolotoy beaches, as well as visit cozy coves with clear water.
Diving: touch the secrets of sunken ships
Diving into the mysterious depths and exploring the seabed is another must-do autumn adventure. During diving lessons you can get acquainted with the flora and fauna of the Black Sea: swim among unusual algae, iridescent schools of fish, watch the life of crabs, jellyfish and other underwater inhabitants. Feel like an explorer of ancient underwater caves and the remains of sunken ships.
And with the beginning of autumn, the water in the sea begins to phosphorus, so you should definitely watch this phenomenon at night. The sea surface glows brightest during the velvet season, because the sea has warmed up enough for marine life to reproduce. With the help of bright phosphorus, marine plants and animals repel predators and delight the eyes of connoisseurs of beauty.
I recommend going to Cape Tarkhankut: lovers of history and artifacts will definitely like it here. During a dive, you can stumble upon ancient remains of ship utensils: dishes, coins, weapons. Clean water allows you to examine even small objects and feel like a real treasure hunter. You will also find an unusual museum, or “Alley of Leaders”: at the bottom there are giant busts of Lenin, Tolstoy, Gagarin and other famous personalities.
Tarkhankut is safe, so this place is suitable for beginner divers. More confident divers can go to the Fiolent coastal strip, where there are many grottoes and caves, harbors and fjords. The area is characterized by strong currents, so special attention must be paid to safety rules.
Surfing: catching a wave on the Black Sea
Photo: Wonderful Nature/shutterstock.com
Surfing is a story not only about Bali and Morocco. You can ride a board on sea waves no worse than on ocean waves, if you’re lucky with the weather. And the best chance is at the beginning of autumn. Three locations are most popular for surfing:
— Olenevka. A village on Cape Tarkhankut in the western part of the peninsula. There is a school for training surfers here: you can rent equipment and take lessons from professional instructors. The sandy bottom makes skiing here safer, so beginners should pay attention to this place.
– Sevastopol. “Victory Park” beach, or as the locals call it, “home spot”. Surfers use the long pier to quickly get to the lineup (a safe place to wait for a wave), travel and return. This way they save energy on rowing and catch more waves. Here you can always ask advice from local athletes or find out where you can rent a board.
— Fun. The village near Sudak is one of the most beautiful places for surfing on the Black Sea. The lagoon is surrounded by mountains that protect it from the winds. From the water there are picturesque views of vineyards, rocks and Crimean yayls. The sea has clean and clear water, long waves, suitable for any level of skiing.
Paddle boarding: enjoy a leisurely boat ride
Supsurfing – controlling a board using a special paddle. This type of recreation opens up several ways to spend time on the water: leisurely walks, yoga, and even fishing. Suitable for the whole family.
For paddle boarding, head to Tsarskaya Bay. The place is famous for the fact that the film “Amphibian Man” was filmed here. The bay is located 7 km from Sudak, from the water there are picturesque views of harsh rocks, juniper thickets, trees intricately bent by the winds.
Swimming along Cape Meganom will give you views of the hilly distances, fragments of rocks, and a lighthouse nestled over a cliff. And it’s worth going to Fiolent to see the volcanic island, where the ruins of St. George’s Monastery.
Trekking: climb Chatyr-Dag and fall in love
When the heat subsides, it’s time to go to the mountains. An excellent choice would be a one-day hike to Chatyr-Dag – a mountain range not far from Alushta. There are two plateaus on Chatyr-Dag, with two peaks: Eklizi-Burun (1527 meters) and Angar-Burun (1453 meters). Trekking to the highest point of the plateau will be more memorable.
Next you should climb along the Angarsk pass to Angar-Burun, passing Beech Glade and follow the route “5–115”. This quite a popular path, so just in case, just in case, just install maps.me on your phone and then follow the beaten path.
Along the way, incredible juniper aromas, a sequoia grove, and bizarre scatterings of stones await you. And from the top there are views of Alushta, the Demerdzhi and Babugan-yayla massifs. I recommend taking marshmallows or marshmallows with you and roasting them on a fire overlooking the Crimean mountains.
Rock climbing: feel stronger
For many athletes Bakhchisaray became a kind of mecca for rock climbing. You can come here to stay at one of the campsites (where you can rent equipment) and spend days on end honing your skills in sectors of varying difficulty. Beginners can learn rock climbing under the guidance of instructors. In addition, in Bakhchisaray you should definitely try local chebureks and yantyki, visit the nearby cave cities of Chufut-Kale and Eski-Kermen, and also stroll along the narrow streets of the old city.
If you want to be closer to the sea for a swim after an active day, go to Simeiz. Low cliffs are located on the edge of the village, where it is easy to rent accommodation, among gardens of figs and pomegranates. In between training and swimming, you can explore nearby Yalta.
During the velvet season, it is especially pleasant to be at the sea in Crimea: the beaches are not as crowded as in summer, and all kinds of activities will help you find the ideal beach. Where it will be: at Cape Meganom, on Tarkhankut, or near Fiolent – it’s up to you to decide.
*Prices valid at time of publication
