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RussiaOne of the most important and famous tourist symbols of the Crimea – the Swallow's Nest Palace is located in Gaspra, and this is a must-visit place on vacation. Also in the village there is the Charax Palace, the Church of St. Nina, the Romantic Alexandria Palace or Countess Panina, and the tourist walking "Sunny Path" begins here. This is where all the few sights of Gaspra end, but this does not mean that apart from the above, you will not be able to see anything else during your vacation in this village. So, on foot you can go to the neighboring village of Koreiz (Miskhor), where there are also several interesting places and one of the most popular attractions and entertainment of Yalta is the lower station of the cable car to Mount Ai-Petri. By bus, taxi or car, you can easily visit other interesting places within the Big Yalta during the day. Looks at this account of our separate guidebooks:
If you prefer to get acquainted with the sights not on your own, but in organized groups, then you can easily buy ready-made excursions in Gaspra. Of course, the choice and variety here is not as great as at major resorts, but you can visit all the most interesting places in Crimea from here. So, excursions to Bakhchisarai, Sevastopol, Balaklava, sightseeing tours of Yalta and Ai-Petri Mountain are offered. You can buy excursions on the streets and the embankment from distributors, or pick them up on these sites online:
- 📷 Search for excursions in Gaspra on Sputnik8.com
- 📷 Search for excursions in Gaspra (from Yalta) on Tripster.ru
And now we will tell you more about each of the attractions directly in Gaspra and how to visit them on your own:
Swallow's Nest
Castle "Swallow's Nest" is the most famous symbol of Crimea. His image can be found on advertising booklets, magnets, mugs, plates, and all sorts of other souvenirs. It was built in a very picturesque place, on top of a 40-meter cliff of Cape Ai-Todor. It is a monument of architecture and history.
However, objectively speaking, this place can be called a typical "tourist trap". You will spend no more than 5 minutes near the castle, and most of them near souvenir stands, or brushing off annoying offers to take pictures with animators. Our opinion (of the authors of the site) is that it's not worth going here on purpose, but if you drive by, or have nothing to do in Yalta at all, then you can take a look. Read more about the Swallow's Nest here.
🕐 Working hours: from May to October 09:00 – 19:00, seven days a week; from November to April 09:00 – 16:00, Monday is a day off.
💵 Entrance fee / tickets price: Previously, the entrance to the observation deck of the castle was free, as of 2023, a fee of 100 rubles is charged. Entrance to the castle: adults - 200 rubles; children, pensioners and students - 100 rubles; up to 7 years - free of charge.
🚶 How to get there: the swallow's nest is located on the seashore on the outskirts of the village (Swallow's Nest Castle on the map). From the residential areas of Yalta, it is most often visited as part of group excursions, but if you are vacationing in Gaspra itself, then it will be easy for you to get here on foot on your own.
Charax Palace and Park
This is one of the best preserved architectural landmarks in the village. Externally, the palace looks very modest and more like a three-story country house or villa surrounded by a large Harak Park. The palace complex also includes several objects – the Manager's House, the ruins of the Charax fortress and the ancient necropolis, the ruins of the ancient thermal baths and the I-Todor lighthouse, the church of St. Nina Equal-to-the-Apostles, an antique gazebo and a fountain.
This palace-villa was built at the beginning of the XX century for Prince Mikhail Nikolaevich Romanov, one of the sons of Emperor Nicholas I, and named after the Roman fortress Charax, which existed on this site in the I-III century, the remains of which can be seen in the park. Unfortunately, not everything here has been preserved in its original form, most of the interiors have been lost. Learn more about Charax Palace and park here.
🕐 Working hours: during daytime.
💵 Entrance fee / tickets price: free of charge.
🚶 How to get there: Charax Palace and park are located in the center of Gaspra, Alupkinskoe highway, 13 K. 1 (Charax Palace and Gaspra Park on the map). The entrance to the park is through the checkpoint of the Dnipro sanatorium from the side of the Alupka highway, the stops "Pearl" and "Dnipro Sanatorium". From any place in the village you can walk, and from Yalta you can take buses No. 102, 132; by intercity bus Simferopol-Simeiz. If you come here in your car, you will not be able to park it near the entrance, you will have to leave the car a little away from the checkpoint or at the store along the road. There is a paid parking for 200 rubles at the entrance through the checkpoint at the stop "Pearl".
St. Nina's Church
The Church of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina is the main Orthodox church in Gaspra and at the same time an architectural monument. It belongs to the Charax palace complex, despite the fact that it seems to be located away from it outside the park. A modest small building built in the style of Armenian churches and dedicated to St. Nina, the Enlightener of Georgia. In addition, the very idea of its construction echoes the name of Princess Nina, the daughter of Prince George Romanov, the owner of Charax. Previously, the entrance to the temple was made by a mosaic of the image of the Savior Not Made with Hands, there were mosaic panels on the walls, and a dome crowned the roof, unfortunately, all this has not survived to this day. Read more about the Church of St. Nina in Gaspra here.
🕐 Working hours: visiting is possible during the daytime.
💵 Entrance fee / tickets price: free of charge.
🚶 How to get there: the church is located in Gaspra on Alupkinskoe highway, 42 (Church of St. Nina in Gaspra on the map). Entrance from the Alupka highway, stop "Dnipro Sanatorium". You can get from Yalta by bus No. 102, 132; by intercity bus Simferopol-Simeiz.
Romantic Alexandria Palace or Countess Panina
Romantic Alexandria Palace (or Gaspra Palace, Golitsyn Palace, Alexandria, Countess Panina's Palace) is one of the historical and architectural places in Gaspra, which, unfortunately, is increasingly falling into disrepair today. This massive beautiful palace with two high crenellated towers on the sides, surrounded by a park complex, is located on the open-to-the-public territory of the Yasnaya Polyana sanatorium, subordinate to the Federal Customs Service. Unfortunately, today this place is increasingly losing its value and beauty. They are not engaged in the arrangement of the park and the palace, everything is in disrepair. The building is slowly being destroyed, and the park area is overgrown and losing traces of its former luxury. Read more about the Romantic Alexandria Palace here.
🕐 Working hours: during daytime.
💵 Entrance fee / tickets price: free of charge.
🚶 How to get there: The palace is located in Gaspra a little away from the tourist center on the territory of the sanatorium"Yasnaya Polyana" (Romantic Alexandria Palace in Gaspra on the map). The entrance is located from Sevastopol highway , bus stop "Sanatorium "Yasnaya Polyana". You can get from Yalta by buses No. 115, 122, and from any place in Gaspra itself it will not be difficult to walk here on foot.
Tourist route "Sunny path"
The sunny path, either Royal or Horizontal, is an interesting and easy hiking trail that runs through a shady forest with observation decks on the coast. Walking along this path-terrencourt during the day is a pleasant and healthy pastime. The trail was laid for the family of Emperor Nicholas II in 1901, hence its name "Tsarskaya". It started from the imperial palace and led to Cape Ai-Todor, which is located in Gaspra, where one of the estates of the royal family was located. The trail passes by the villages of Kurpaty, Oreanda and leads to Livadia, you can turn off the trail or start a tour in one of these villages. There are signs along the way informing about the way, there are places to relax. The route includes the following places: the remains of several dolmens, the Iron rock, the "Stone Head" face carved in stone, the Krestovaya Mountain with the remains of the ancient Oreanda-Isar fortress built in the XIII century, the Rotunda with a magnificent view of the sea. Learn more about the Sunny Path here.
🕐 Working hours: during daytime.
💵 Entrance fee / tickets price: free of charge.
🚶 How to get there: The sunny path stretches for more than 6 kilometers from the village of Gaspra to the village of Oreanda, where it ends at the Livadia Palace (entrance to the "Sunny Path" in Gaspra on the map). It is possible to pass it from any side, it does not matter in principle, andhere is the route itself on the map. You can reach the starting point in Gaspra on foot from anywhere in the village. For example, from the very tourist heart of Gaspra from the stop "Marat" here is one and a half kilometers or about 25 minutes on foot. After completing the route from Livadia from Livadia Palace you can return by bus# 132, 115, 112 or 102, or take a taxi for about 200 rubles. You can also first get to Livadia to the stop "City Hospital", and start hiking from that side. The latter option, in our opinion, is more convenient, since buses run more often in the morning.
Just in case, we remind you once again that the best way to get acquainted with interesting places in Yalta is excursions. And even better if they are held by local residents who know and love their city well. You can find and book group or individual excursions with reviews on these trusted sites: