All about rest in Sudak (Crimea)

Sudak is the hottest resort center on the Black Sea coast of Crimea. There are 315 sunny days a year, which is a record among all Russian cities. The peak of the influx of tourists comes in July, but the swimming season opens in early June and ends in early October (in some small bays, the water warms up in the second half of May).

The history of the city dates back to 212, since the construction of the Sourozh fortification. In the XIV century on this place, the Genoese fortress was founded, it was its strong walls that limited the territory of Sudak on the map of the peninsula. The Alans are considered to be the founders of the city, afterwards each new conqueror changed the name of the fortress. The total area of ​​the fortifications was 30 hectares, to date, only a small part has been preserved. A total of 14 towers were built, a wall with fortifications inside and a drawbridge with chains on the land side.

Today, the city has almost 18 thousand inhabitants, the area of ​​the city is 23 square meters. km The city of Sudak received its present name from the conquerors from the Ottoman Empire, translated from the Turkic language means “mountains and water”: from three sides the Sudak valley is surrounded by mountains, securely closed from the winds and has access to the sea from the fourth side.

On the territory of the fortress there is a museum, 2 real cannons, as well as festivals, tournaments and various master classes are constantly held. The shore is a narrow strip with a beach of quartz sand (from 6 to 20 meters wide). The embankment was renovated, almost all the shops and cafes were moved to the Cypress Alley. In the city, the construction of guest houses, hotels, entertainment centers and cafes is underway.

The climate in Sudak is mild, Mediterranean, with little precipitation and they fall mostly in winter. The swimming season starts very early, as early as the beginning of June the water on the entire coast warms up to +22 degrees and remains warm until the end of September. Black quartz sand with healing properties attracts tourists to all the beaches of the city. Rest in different months of the year is attractive in its own way:

• May suitable for visiting excursions and medical procedures (the heat has not yet arrived and the road is tolerated easily, the minimum rainfall, the weather is favorable for people with cardiovascular diseases);
• June the bathing season opens, but there are still not very many holidaymakers, the sun begins to burn for lunch, this month is good for a beach holiday;
• July - a month of exhausting heat, the maximum influx of tourists, suitable for relaxing in hotels where you can sunbathe and swim on a private beach or in a pool with sea water, the ideal time for SPA-procedures and entertainment programs in the evenings;
• August pleases with a gradual decrease in heat, by the end of the month the influx of tourists decreases, a great season for families with children;
• September eliminates the midday heat: you no longer need to hide in the afternoon from the scorching sun and you can sunbathe from morning to evening, cool at night, the perfect month for all kinds of recreation.

October in Sudak is considered the velvet season, it is already cold to swim, but walks along the embankment and the healing air of the New World still attract tourists of all ages. From November to March in the city comes winter with a piercing wind from the sea and raging waves on the coast, the thermometer stops at +2, a good time for a spa treatment. In April, the Sudak valley blooms in full color, the air is filled with fascinating aromas of flowers and herbs.

Accommodation in Sudak can be rented at any time of the year, the peak of price increases is in July, the minimum rates for accommodation and meals are set in winter. The city has several sanatoriums, hotels, tourist camps and many guest houses for every taste and budget. Also locals rent rooms and houses (with meals and without). It is most advisable to book accommodation at the beginning of spring, always with payment upon arrival at the place.

The most expensive rental housing and food in the first line with access to a private beach and an all-inclusive system. Housing within walking distance (about 10 minutes walk from the sea) is already cheaper, but it will not be an easy task to walk - the sidewalks are narrow, the traffic is very busy. The best option is a walk along the Cypress Alley (if it is on the way from the accommodation to the seashore).

It’s cheaper to rent a room away from the sea, but then you have to take a taxi or public transport on a daily basis, although if half of the holidays are scheduled for excursions, this will not be a big problem.

You can rent a house, for example, in the Sunny Valley: there are few houses, a sandy beach, a small pebble seabed, crystal clear water, which is an excellent alternative to the crowded Sudak embankment. If you need a secluded rest, you should go in the second half of August to one of the bays: Novy Svet, Veselovskaya, etc. - the rest is much less, housing is cheaper than in Sudak itself, you can take a taxi to the city center in 20 minutes. If you are planning a trip with small children, you should carefully consider the choice of housing:

• clarify the presence of a children's menu, playgrounds, entertainment for children;
• ask where the night discos take place that can interfere with children's sleep, etc.

Worth mentioning separately multidisciplinary tourist and recreation complex "Sudak" with many years of experience and professional treatment (as well as accommodation and diet):

• baths with hydrogen sulfide water (beneficial effect on the circulatory and nervous system);
• halotherapy in the salt room (strengthens the upper respiratory tract, has an immunoregulatory effect);
• mineral sulfate-bicarbonate water (normalizes the work of the gastrointestinal tract);
• inhalation therapy (is the prevention of colds);
• pneumorepressing (improves blood circulation, promotes the elimination of toxins);
• underwater spinal traction, which is carried out strictly according to indications, on the basis of X-ray images and MRI results (which need to be done at the place of residence, vised with your doctor and take with you to the resort).

In Sudak there are beaches for every taste, it is difficult to name any one of them as the best, the assessment depends on personal preferences. In July, the thermometer rises to +38 degrees and all the beaches of the city are overflowing with tourists.The sea in the bays becomes warm already in the last days of May, at Tsarskoe Beach it is warm until mid-October.

Central Beach can be reached via Cypress Alley or Air Force Sanatorium (admission is free). In July, this beach is full, the water in the sea becomes muddy due to the influx of tourists. Semidik beach "Meganom" and the beach on the island "Krabiy" famous for its crystal clear water, great for diving throughout the entire swimming season.

The city also has free to visit parts of the coast with a well-kept area: "Millennium" and the beach sanatorium Air Force. In Sudak there are 2 paid beaches: "Mojito" (with the most ambitious parties) and at Cape Alchak, as well as three sanatorium beaches: "Horizon", "Falcon" and "Sudak" (entrance to them strictly by passes). In Fox Bay is a wild nudist beach, it is not recommended to visit it with children.

In Sudak there are a variety of excursion routes: walking, horse, sea, bus. It is advisable to take a bus tour for the whole day (subject to good road tolerance and normal well-being), with visits to several places of interest far from Sudak: waterfalls, caves, mountains and gorges.

One 12-hour trip for a vacation will be enough to change the situation and get new impressions.

The territory of the Sudak fortress is vast, there is a museum, you can shoot an archery in the fresh air, take pictures in stylized dresses and knightly armor, climb viewing platforms, admire the magnificent view of the sea, as well as the city lying at the foot of the fortress and make amazing photos. Every year in July and August in this architectural complex is held Knightly tournament "Genoa helmet" which lasts several days, impresses with its scope, colorful views and medieval flavor.

To visit the Genoese fortress is to provide a whole day.During the midday heat, it is recommended to visit the archaeological museum with unique exhibits, which is located in the building of the former mosque. It is better to eat and drink with you, so as not to waste time looking for a cafe.

It is worth remembering that it is quite easy to climb the mountain, but it’s very difficult to descend, so it’s better to use the beaten paths. The highest point of the complex is Watchtower: the ascent is very difficult, takes a lot of time and effort (there’s nothing to look at especially, as well as in the Nameless Tower, which is somewhat lower), it is better to climb to more accessible viewing platforms.

It is best to visit the Alchak Nature Reserve in spring, when everything around is full of flowers and the air is filled with incredible aromas. It is better to get to the tract on foot, across the path from the embankment, past a 300-year-old oak tree. On this route there are pistachio trees, cypress trees, wild rose, barberry, and at the end of the road there will be a juniper grove, where you get lost in touch with reality and immerse yourself in a fairytale world.

Scenic views change every 50 meters, for one such walk you can collect photographic material for an entire album. The “damn” bridge tickles your nerves (its length is only a couple of meters).

The cave monastery of Great Martyr George is located on the slopes of Mount Falcon in the vicinity of Sudak, near the settlement of Novy Svet. It was built by the Byzantine monks in the VIII century AD. Today it is an open-air museum where you can visit three fully preserved cells.

It is advisable to use the services of a guide or visit the monastery as part of the excursion group. On the territory of the city and in its surroundings there are also many Orthodox shrines: The Church of the Apostle Matthew, the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin, the Church of St. Praskeva, the Church of the Twelve Apostles, the Holy Protection Church, the chapel of the Archbishop of the Crimea Luke.

Karadag Reserve occupies a huge area mountain volcanic massif Kara-Dag (almost 3 thousand hectares, 2/3 of which are land, the rest is the sea area). The flora and fauna of this reserve is very diverse and includes several thousand species, many are listed in the Red Book. On the territory of the reserve there is a nature museum, a pedestrian and sea trail. Particularly impressive is the magnificent landscape of the reserve at sunset, in the orange rays of the sun disappearing into the sea.

Behind the Genoese fortress has its origin Golitsyn trail - It leads to the Tsar beach in the New World, which is a small bay with azure water and a narrow strip of sandy beach among the rocks. At the very beginning of the journey is the Chaliapin Grotto, once there was the famous opera bass Fyodor Chaliapin.

By the time the journey takes 1.5 hours in one direction, it is better to go out early in the morning, no later than 8 hours. The journey ends at Tsarskoe Beach. The entrance to the sea is shallow. This bay is a great place for diving: full of exotic fish. To get to this beach, you can also use the sea route.

It is worth noting that there is no infrastructure on the beach, so a long stay causes inconvenience: lack of toilets, changing rooms, cafes, corn and sweets traders, umbrellas and sun beds. The best time to visit is the beginning of September.

Cypress alley is considered the local "Broadway" (leading from the city to the central beach). It is littered with numerous cafes with a menu for every taste and various entertainment:

• Ferris wheel;

• children's rides and go-kart;

• contact zoo;

• water park (there are few slides, there are many visitors, so it is better to come to the opening at 10 am);

• dolphinarium;

• 24-hour kindergarten for vacationers with hourly rates (it is recommended to use its services only in case of emergency);

• fountain with beautiful night illumination;

• souvenir shops.

At any time of the day, local artists suggest painting portraits and caricatures; in the evenings, street musicians create a unique atmosphere. However, you need to be vigilant at any time and not fall for the tricks of fraudsters: you should never participate in lotteries, auctions and other dubious entertainment that look harmless, but can result in the loss of a large amount.

There are several wineries in the Sudak urban district, but only two left from the production of grapes:

• "New World";

• "Sunny Valley".

All other companies with the accession to Russia switched to “powder” wine. Tours include tasting products, so you should not take children with them for ethical reasons, it is also not recommended to visit wineries in the heat (alcohol in hot weather has an extremely negative effect on the cardiovascular system).

The famous Sudak embankment is located between the Genoese fortress and Alchak cape. The reconstruction, started in 2012, transformed the coast: a colorful playground, numerous benches, lanterns and beautiful flower gardens appeared. Great place for walking in the evenings.

In a trip to the Sudak resort you need to take a passport, for a minor child you need a birth certificate. For sanatorium treatment you will need an extract from the medical history. If you plan to treat a minor child - in the statement, you must specify the dates of vaccination and provide a certificate of health.

The nature in the vicinity of Sudak amazes with its magnificence, sunrises and sunsets fascinate and remain in memory for a long time. Fishing lovers should take a special tour to visit all the most fishy places. Independently on spinning in Sudak, you can fish on the pier or from a boat.

Lovers of shopping in Sudak will be bored: the stores are the same as in other Russian cities; in the high season, prices creep up, the main direction of trade is souvenir products. Restaurants in Sudak treat everyone with a variety of dishes from more than 15 cuisines of the world. Some venues have vegan, children’s and gluten-free menus, and free Wi-Fi is available almost everywhere.

From Sudak you can take a shuttle bus to Koktebel, there is worth a visit dolphinarium (where they give interesting performances with dolphins, killer whales, sea lions) and a bird park. The beach in Koktebel consists of large pebbles, on the coast a smoke screen from the neighboring barbeque and street cafes. Theodosia with the opening of the Crimean bridge became famous for its traffic jams, you should not go there in the swimming season, you can lose a whole day in vain.

In 2014, the Crimean peninsula became part of the Russian Federation, the way for trains through Ukraine was cut off, so you need to get to Krasnodar, and from Krasnodar by train to get to Simferopol. You can also use the “Single ticket” service from Russian Railways, while the path will lie through the Kavkaz-Crimea ferry. You can get to Sudak by plane, but air tickets are twice as expensive as rail tickets. The road lies through the Crimean Bridge, which since the end of May turns into one big traffic jam.

The closest railway station and airport to Sudak are in Simferopol, then you have to go by bus or taxi or pre-order accommodation with a transfer service (when guests are picked up by the hotel staff in a minibus). Transfer is the fastest way to get to a place of rest, but more expensive than public transport.

The distance between Simferopol and Sudak is 107 kilometers. The bus station is near the train station. The first bus goes to flight at 8:40 from the train station (at 6 am from the airport). Before choosing a flight, it is necessary to clarify the route of the bus, it is better if it is direct (without looping through all the surrounding settlements). The most expensive and far from the most comfortable way is a taxi, cars are often old and shabby, drivers exceed speed. By public transport to get about 2.5 hours, transfer and taxi much faster: about 1.5-2 hours.

Judging by the reviews, Sudak is a great place to relax with a developed infrastructure and plenty of entertainment within walking distance (including excursions).The maximum influx of tourists falls in July, then you can walk along the embankment only sideways, as at rush hour in the Moscow metro. In the remaining months: May, June, August and September, rest in this city is a real pleasure.

See a video tour of Sudak below.