Nikitsky Botanical Garden

What to Expect and Is It Worth Visiting

Nikitsky Botanical Garden is one of the most popular and significant attractions in Greater Yalta. It was founded in 1812, i.e. more than 200 years ago on the initiative of Duke Emmanuel Osipovich de Richelieu (military governor) and with the support of Count Mikhail Vorontsov and the chief inspector for sericulture in the south of Russia – the German botanist Bieberstein. The decree on the creation of the Botanical Garden was signed by Emperor Alexander I. Today there is a scientific center for fruit growing and botany, but the park areas are open for inspection by everyone for a fee.

The Botanical Garden includes several gardens and parks at once, so sometimes there is a little confusion with what to visit and see here. At the time of writing, the garden includes:

• Arboretum (Arboretum) - this is the main part of the park, where most often there are tourists. Consists of a lower and Upper Park. Here you can see all kinds of exotic plants, shrubs, a lot of flowers, there is a bamboo grove. The territory is equipped with paths, decorated with fountains and ponds. There is also a museum (for an additional fee). If you are not sure which of the parks to see, then head here. It is better to allocate 3-4 hours for a visit.
• Park "Montedor" (also includes a cactus greenhouse and Exposition "Garden of Eden"). The Montedor Park was restored and opened to the public only at the end of 2017, until that time it was possible to visit only the Cactus greenhouse and the Paradise Garden exposition. If you did not have enough impressions from visiting the lower and upper park, then you can go here. The plants here are even more exotic, the names of the Gardens Speak for themselves. You can see everything here in 1-2 hours.
• Seaside amusement park – another separate park, rather more suitable for walks with children. It is decorated with several stone statues, as well as figures created from plants. You can inspect it in 1 hour.
• Cape Martyan. On the territory of the Cape there is a reserve where you can see typical plants of the Crimea in their natural environment, and if you are lucky, then animals. A walking trail passes through the reserve, along which guided tours are conducted. The duration of the tour is 2-3 hours, the length of the trail is 6 kilometers.

You can visit a choice of any of the parks, but most of the impressions will be from a walk through the Arboretum (Arboretum). It is best to visit the garden with a season from June to August, it is at this time that it is most beautiful and well-groomed. At other times, it is not so well cared for, the fountains are turned off, and the colors of the plants fade. Nevertheless, even in winter there is something to see.