Holidays in Alupka - how to get there, what to see, where to stay

General information, holidays in Alupka

Alupka is a small village and one of the resort areas Greater Yalta 20 kilometers from the center of Yalta on the southern Black Sea coast of Crimea (Alupka on the map of Crimea). It is the southernmost resort town of the peninsula and one of the most popular holiday destinations in Yalta. You can come to Alupka for a day from the center of Yalta as one of the distant beaches to swim in the purest water on local beaches. And also it is quite an independent and self-sufficient place for a long rest for the whole time of your vacation.

Alupka is a quiet, peaceful resort, and the rest is appropriate here. There are no noisy parties and nightclubs, there is no walking area and embankments with entertainment, the atmosphere is almost like in the village, and life on vacation flows slowly and calmly. It is worth going here if you first of all need a clean sea, healing air, and the absence of fuss as in urban resorts. The resort is suitable for all categories of holidaymakers, but first of all it is a family holiday with children and for the elderly.

However, do not think that this is a complete "hole" and a village. Yes, the resort has problems with the arrangement and layout, but all this is the result of chaotic development in previous years and difficult mountainous terrain, and almost nothing can be done about it. Of course, in some places maintenance and repair are clearly required, but this Alupka is not much different from other resort villages of Greater Yalta, and indeed the entire southern coast of Crimea.

Here are the pros and cons of Alupka, which we hope will help you objectively decide whether to choose it as a place for your vacation:

Beaches in Alupka

Alupka is described in many guidebooks as a first-class beach resort with magnificent beaches and a huge amount of entertainment, but the reality is different from these advertising descriptions. We will tell you about what beaches in Alupka really are, and what to expect from them so as not to be disappointed during your vacation.

In general, the beaches of Alupka cannot be called well-developed. They are just more likely to appeal to those who prefer semi-wild places of rest. The usual water activities are presented here at a minimum. Sometimes they offer banana rides on the City and Alupka beaches, there is a rental of catamarans and SUP-surfers, and this is where all the variety of entertainment ends.

Amenities are also developed to a minimum, and in some places they are not at all. On the main beaches you can find changing cabins and, as a maximum, toilets, rental of sun loungers. But even deck chairs are not everywhere, and they are not always enough for everyone. Therefore, we advise you to take care of the availability of a comfortable bedding or rug, a portable beach umbrella, a thermo bag for cool drinks and snacks. Beach slippers with aqua shoes, in which you can safely go into the water on hot and sharp stones and pebbles, will not interfere at all here. By the way, all this at good prices can be bought right here at the market near the bus station.

In total, a couple of dozen beaches can be counted in Alupka, all of them are pebbly. Here are the most popular of them, which have a common name and are more or less equipped for recreation:

• A frying pan or the Cote d'Azur
• Sanatorium "Mountain Sun"
• Alupka or Black Hillock
• Beyond the Green Cape
• Boathouse beaches
• The Frog
• City or Vorontsov baths
• Children's

But that's not all, because there are still small secluded coves and wild beaches on rocks and rocks. To learn more about all the beaches of Alupka and choose the right one, read our review of the beaches of Alupka here.

Infrastructure

Although Alupka is officially considered a city, to call it a developed infrastructure and corresponding to the city, the hand does not rise above the keyboard. Everything here is very, very modest, like in a village or a developed village.

The most developed part of the resort was formed around the Alupka bus station. There are several barbecue cafes, a couple of canteens, a pharmacy, mini markets and a mini market, a travel agency and the sale of excursions. The second center of the town is located a little away from the bus station on Frunze-Kalinin Street. There is the only chain supermarket in the city "Pud", there is a large market and many mini-shops. In general, this is the main trading platform of the city, but all this is a little away from the tourist area and beaches. Although this is not a problem at all, you can walk here in just 10-15 minutes, although you will have to walk along a narrow road even without sidewalks. But there are no shopping centers here at all, you will have to go to Yalta for normal shopping.

The tourist infrastructure is well developed, although most of it works informally. Accommodation for vacationers is offered in private guest houses and mini-hotels operating without signage, and excursions and tourist transfers are often organized by private individuals without insurance and documents.

You can pay with a bank card only in the only supermarket "Pud", some shops, expensive restaurants and cafes. Many places accept only cash or transfer from card to card. Therefore, always have a stock of cash with you, otherwise you may suddenly find yourself in debt after ordering a barbecue or drinks. Cash can be withdrawn at one of the ATMs next to the "Pood". Including there is one round-the-clock ATM.

Hotels and accommodation in Alupka, where to stay

Alupka is a popular place for vacationers, and here you can easily find accommodation for every taste and budget. However, if you want to relax in a hotel with a large number of stars and an all-inclusive system, then you'd better look for another place, such as the center of Yalta, or even better go to another region of the Russian Federation or abroad. There is a single four–star hotel and several "threes", but basically the accommodation fund here is unassuming options in mini-hotels and guest houses with no stars at all, or private housing. In addition, hotels that have been assigned a "star rating" in search and booking systems actually assign these stars to themselves, and do not receive them based on qualifications. So be sure to read the reviews before booking, and then it will become clear whether the hotel is worth its stars.

However, most of the holidaymakers in Alupka prefer budget accommodation, yet objectively it is an economy resort. And there are plenty of such options here. For a couple you can find inexpensive rooms in guest houses and mini-hotels, for a family you can rent an apartment or a whole house, and the most economical travelers will be able to rent a room in the private sector. All this is here and is available for booking via the Internet.

Search and book hotels, apartments or apartments in Alupka safely on these sites or through the search form from Ostrovok.ru:

• 🛌 Search for hotels on Ostrovok.ru
• 🛌 Search for affordable housing in Alupka on Sutochno.ru (we recommend it, the bonus system works)
• 🛌 Search for hotels in Alupka on Yandex.travel

As for the choice of accommodation in the village, then, of course, at a beach resort, first of all, you should focus on the proximity and accessibility of beaches. In this regard, we advise you to read our full review of the beaches of Alupka, and here are some of our recommendations on choosing a place for a hotel or accommodation in Alupka:

• If you really want to be on the first line, then look for options in the boathouses or settle in one of the few hotels with its beach on the first line:

  • Hotel Dream by the sea ⭐⭐⭐
  • Hotel Mountain Sun ⭐⭐
  • Guest House Cote d'Azur

• If you are traveling by car, then the ideal option is boathouses, because there is parking there and it is on the first line.

• If you are ready and like to walk, including up and down stairs, you can stay absolutely anywhere in the village, and in any case you can get to any beach in 10-30 minutes on foot.

• If you want to be not too far from the beach, but are not ready to pay for accommodation on the first line, then choose an object not just by map, but also read reviews in booking systems, because due to the territories of hotels and fences it is not always possible to get to the beach the shortest way.

Hotels in Alupka on the map

Weather and tourist seasons in Alupka, when is the best time to go

• The tourist season in Alupka begins in May, the first tourists begin to come here already on May holidays. But you need to understand that usually this month you can only sunbathe here. Although there are desperate tourists who climb into the water already in early May, in fact the water is still too cold for comfortable bathing.
• A full-fledged bathing season, when the water warms up and hot weather sets in, begins in mid-June. Well, the peak of the season, when it is very hot, and there is pleasant warm water in the sea, takes place from July and August.
• September is a velvet season and a great time for those who want to relax and at the same time save a little. The air temperature is gradually decreasing, but the sea is still warm and suitable for swimming, and under the sun you can sunbathe perfectly. But prices are falling at this time, and the number of vacationers is greatly reduced. You can stay on vacation even until the first half of October, but it already depends specifically on the weather that will be established during this period.

Current weather in Alupka and forecast

How to get to Alupka

Alupka is one of the resort villages Big Yalta, located 20 kilometers from the city center (Alupka on the map of Crimea). You can get here directly only by taxi or your own transport, and there are also rare bus services from Simferopol railway station and from the airport. If you need to get from other cities and districts, then most often you will have to make a transfer in Yalta. Therefore, in addition to this instruction, we also advise you to read our detailed article, how and how to get to Yalta on your own.

But before planning an independent trip to Alupka, we advise you to check the prices for ready-made tours. If you buy such a tour in advance or "catch" hot prices, then you can relax with a tour with a flight and transfer in a good hotel at the price of a regular flight. You can find and book a vacation in Alupka at no extra charge directly from tour operators on these Russian tour search and booking sites:

• ✈ Tours to Alupka on Onlinetours.ru
• ✈ Tours to Alupka on Travelata.ru (🎁 here are the promo codes for a discount when buying)
• ✈ Tours to Alupka on Level.Travel

If you still decide to get there yourself, then this infographic will help you first understand a little about the intricacies of routes to Alupka, and read more about all the ways how to get to Alupka here.

Attractions and entertainment in Alupka

Although Alupka cannot be called a place full of tourist attractions and entertainment, you will not be particularly bored to rest here. The resort is conveniently located not very far from the center of Yalta, so if you wish, you can get access to all the interesting places and entertainment of Greater Yalta. It is enough just to take the suburban bus number 107 or 115, and in 20-30 minutes and for 36 rubles you will be in the city center.

In Alupka itself, there are also several attractions worth visiting. So, it is in Alupka that one of the most beautiful and large–scale historical palaces of Yalta is located - Vorontsov Palace. You can also visit the museum of the hero of the Great Patriotic War, the famous pilot Amet Khan Sultan, or walk to the cable car on Ai-Petri Mountain. See the full list of attractions in Alupka and its immediate surroundings here.

As for entertainment, everything is very modest with them here, too. At the City and Alupka beaches in high season it is offered to ride a banana, rent a SUP-surf or catamaran for walks on the water. From the pier on the Alupka beach, pleasure boats depart along the coast to the Swallow's Nest Palace. And that's pretty much it. If you want to get other tourist entertainment, you need to go to the center of Yalta or to the neighboring village of Simeiz, where there is a good water park "Simeiz" with sea water. For adults and young people, there is also not much to turn around with entertainment: in the evening, except in one of the kebab cafes, there is nowhere to go, there is not even a walking area and a normal promenade.

But the greatest opportunities for exploring the sights in Alupka are provided by organized excursions that can be purchased at hotels and from distributors at the resort. Their choice here is almost as large as in the center of Yalta, so if you wish, you can go on a one-day or multi-day trip even to the most remote corners of the Crimea. You can also pick up more interesting adventures on the search sites for unique excursions from local residents:

• 📷 Search for excursions in Alupka on Sputnik8.com
• 📷 Search for excursions in Alupka on Tripster.ru