Balaclava in Crimea: features and attractions

Balaklava Bay is located on the southwestern coast of the Crimea, 15 km from Sevastopol. It is beautiful, its embankment is a bit like a small, cozy Italy. Narrow streets with bends, ups and downs, small houses with wrought iron railings and flower pots ... Everything has to rest, travel to historical places and sea trips.

Balaklava district is one of the most beautiful areas of Sevastopol. The narrow winding strait and rocky shores on both sides of the bay, thanks to which the city cannot be seen from the sea, create a unique natural landscape.

Balaclava was first described by Homer in the poem Odyssey of the 8th century. BC er as the city of Lamos, in which live the Lestrigon.

Different people settled on these shores - Tatars, Greeks, Romans, Turks, and each of them had its own name of this bay.

The word "balaclava" in Tatar means "fish bag". This is explained by the fact that in the velvet season - from late August to early October - dolphins drive shoals of fish from the sea to the bay, the fish falls into a trap, is torn between mountain shores and dolphins. At this time, it is easy to catch. The local fishermen knew this, put the fishing gear correctly and provided themselves with fish for the long term.

The subsequent recollection of this area dates back to the 1st century AD. e., it describes the fishing village, where the brands were the main inhabitants. Thanks to them, the original name of the peninsula was Tavrida.

An ancient Roman writer who wrote a book on Natural History mentions the Greek cities of the Crimea — Chersonese and Syumbolon Lim, which means “the bay of symbols”. Therefore, when the Genoese colony was founded on this place, it received the name Chembalo, a distorted word from the former Greek name.

The very first building that the Genoese built near Chembalo was an Orthodox church of twelve apostles, which has not lost its beauty to the present day.

The Russian traveler Afanasy Nikitin visited the town in 1474, who mentioned it in his travel notes “Going beyond Three Seas”.

Soon a Turkish flotilla with 500 ships and an army of 30,000 men appeared near the coast of the Crimea. Fortress Chembalo fell without a fight. The “Turkish gap” of Balaclava reigns, it gets a different name - Balyklagi, which in Turkish means “fish place”.

In the summer of 1625, the Cossacks from Zaporozhye and Dona captured Balaclava, but not for long. The Turkish fleet was more numerous, the battle was lost.

Time passes, and in 1771 Prince Dolgorukov, the loyal subject of Catherine II, took Chembalo, without meeting resistance from the Turks.

Soon in June 1773, the first Russian-Turkish war begins. The sea battle of the Don Fleet in the amount of two newly built ships Coron and Taganrog with four ships of Turkey went near Balaklava. As a result, after a long six-hour battle, the Turkish squadron suffered multiple damage and retreated. The battle near Balaklava was the main success of the Russian flotilla on the Black Sea.

In the 18th century, Balaclava became the main refuge of the Russian fleet, which even before the formal connection with Russia was redeployed to the Crimean peninsula.

In April 1783Catherine II wrote an appeal about the connection of the Crimea and Russia.

In 1854–1855 in Crimea there was a war, Balaklava Bay was occupied by troops from England. For the transportation of ammunition and essential goods the British built a railway to Balaclava. Piers were erected on both sides of the harbor, living courtyards, shops were built.

The British are clearly not lucky on the Crimean peninsula. In the fall of 1854, the famous Balaclava battle took place - as a result of this battle, the invaders lost the main units of cavalry, which consisted of the heirs of highly intelligent clans in England. The war ended, the British left.

The tumultuous life in Balaclava begins at the end of the XIX century, now the city is developing as a resort

One of the first to evaluate the prospects of Balaklava as a resort was KA Skirmunt. In 1870, he entered the city and opened the doors of his house, presenting him as a boarding house. In addition, Skirmunt bought land in the Balaklava Valley, planted the best grapes from Hungary and the Rhine. A little later, mud baths open on the embankment.

After the defeat of the White Guards in 1920, a new Soviet government was established, Balaclava imperceptibly transferred from the resort to the industrial one.

In 1923, the legendary organization EPRON was born, which is engaged in expeditions for special purpose underwater work. This then EPRON will become an all-union organization for various diving works.

At the beginning of 1930, the development and production of fluxes by the Balaklavsky Mine Administration are carried out, the Proletarsky Luch fish canning factory operates.

1953–1963 - a plant is being built under the ground, in which they will repair and equip submarines, it becomes a secret object, and Balaclava is a secret territory until 1993.

Today, Balaclava is a town with a population of 22 thousand people, but during the holiday season, this figure is several times larger. Every year the international sailing regatta “Kaira” takes place near the bay. Diving enthusiasts discover the unique underwater world of these places.

In the south-west coast of the Crimea, between Cape Fiolent and Cape Aya, 15 kilometers from Sevastopol, is the oldest settlement.

Today Balaklava - a component of Sevastopol, is included in its composition, as Balaklava district.

Balaklava Bay is the coziest bay of the Black Sea for mooring yachts and ships. Its width varies from 200 to 400 meters, the depth at the entrance to the bay is 38 meters, and already in the bay itself it is 17 meters, the length is 1.5 km.

Looking at the bay on a detailed map, you can see that it is curved like the letter S. Because of this, the moorings are not visible from the sea and there are no storms in it.

The area of ​​Balaclava is 54.4 thousand hectares, it includes three mountains: Home, Inner and Outer.

In the south-east of Sevastopol is Balaklava Valley, which divides the Crimean Mountains into the Inner and Main Ridges.

You can get to the village only by car - there was a tram service before the war, but after the war it was not restored.

Embankments are located on both its sides. This is the main and most picturesque part of Balaclava. The sleeping areas are not far from the right side of the bay.

The main part of the population lives in individual houses, and in its western part there are small micro-districts of high-rise buildings built along two main streets. On the lower floors there is a large number of cafes, restaurants and shops.

Tourists can take advantage of different accommodation options: in the private sector, hotel, small hotel, which are several in the village.

The weather in the region is close to the Mediterranean, relatively warm and dry.In this place two climatic zones connect: subtropical and temperate. The climate of the city and its environs is unusually healthy. The sea warmed in the summer heats the coastal air, and, accordingly, in the summer, the sea that cooled over the winter softens hot days. There is almost no rain in the summer, mostly dry cloudy weather.

July and August are the hottest months, with daytime temperatures typically between 28 and 33 ° C. Autumn has always been considered a velvet season. The daytime air temperature is very comfortable - 25–27 ° C, and night-time 14–18 ° C. You can swim in the sea until mid-October.

In winter, the snow in the mountains lies for 4 months. January and February are the coldest for the locals, the air temperature is + 3–4 ° C.

May is warm and even hot, the air can warm up to 33 ° C.

The best time to rest in Balaclava is the middle of summer and the beginning of autumn.

We present to your attention a list of interesting places recommended to visit.

• St. George Monastery was first mentioned in the chronicles of 1578, but according to belief, the foundation dates back to 891, when Greek sailors were shipwrecked near the coast of Crimea. The building belongs to the Genoese style, built with one dome and a portico, which is supported by columns. Prince Golitsyn and General Witte are buried at the borders of the monastery. He was visited more than once by A. S. Pushkin, A. S. Griboyedov and members of the royal family.
• The naval museum complex, during the Soviet era, was an underground repair plant for maintaining submarines, carved directly into the rock and has access to the sea. To view the interesting exhibits that are located in the premises inside Mount Tavros, you will need to make a big walk on foot, sail on a boat through man-made canals, where the submarine base was.
• The fortress Chembalo, which was built in the middle of the XVI century by the Genoese, rises above the bay. The fortress wall and the towers are built of rubble stone so thoroughly that the fortress did not even collapse during the Crimean earthquake. The impregnable fortification during the Great Patriotic War suffered greatly.
• The temple of the holy 12 apostles is located on the central promenade of Balaclava. The church was built in 1357, and in 1794 and 1875 it was reconstructed, made repairs. Until 1941, the building of the temple was first the House of Pioneers, and then OSOAVIAHIM. At the beginning of the 90s, the premises were again handed over to the church.
• Balaclava's Tavricheskaya Embankment looks extraordinarily beautiful when you exit the naval museum. A little way in the direction of the open sea, a picturesque picture of the entrance to the harbor opens.
• The barrel of death, the so-called observation tower, was installed not far from the Chembalo fortress, on the near mountain. The defensive structure was built to control the sea and the portal of the bay, it made a gap in order to control the battle of firearms.
• The embankment of the name Nazukin is the visiting card of the city, it was built by the British during the Russian-Turkish war, which captured the bay. At first, it was paved with wooden flooring, and at the end of the 19th century, paving was laid. All sea travel begins from the Nazukin embankment, they rent boats for fishing, book sightseeing tours along the coast of Crimea.

Today, residents and city authorities of Balaklava are doing everything possible to make the rest comfortable and unforgettable. Previously, there were only two hotels in the bay, but today there are many of them and they are pleased with their relatively inexpensive prices. Everything depends on the location of the location - hotels, hotels, hostels, guest houses in the peak season and located on the seashore will be more expensive, so book your stay in the desired hotel in advance.

All hotels have wi-fi, TV (cable), air conditioning (split), refrigerators, free parking, cold / hot water.

There are small hotels in the private sector with a swimming pool that can replace the sea, cozy courtyards and summer houses.Here you can rent a room.

A brief description of hotels, hostels, may help you in choosing a decent accommodation for the holidays.

• Hotel "Dionis" - 4 "stars", located 2 km from the sea. Near the hotel there is a stop for public transport. The hotel has a large outdoor pool, sauna, billiards. Ready breakfast for all residents.
• Hotel "Homer" - 3 "stars", located 100 meters from the quays of Balaklava. The hotel rooms are decorated in a sophisticated style in bright colors with designer furniture. The hotel can provide rooms of categories from "standard" to "luxury". Morning breakfast included. There is a luggage room.
• Hotel "Dakkar" - 3 "stars", is located in a modern, separate building, near the main promenade of Balaclava. The hotel has 22 rooms of different categories. The advantage over other hotels - accommodation with pets. Lovely restaurant with free breakfasts. There is a scotch bar, a meeting room, car parking is free.
• Hotel "Rybatskaya Sloboda" is located directly on the Balaklava embankment. Nearby, in 7 minutes on foot, there is the Chembalo fortress. Comfortable rooms are made in a strict genre, equipped with TV and minibar, and have balconies. Rooms "suite" is for a different number of guests.
• Hostel "Sloboda" is located almost on the waterfront of Balaclava. The rooms have air conditioning, televisions with satellite channels. On the territory of the hostel - free wi-fi, registration at the reception around the clock. Near a large selection of restaurants and cafes where you can dine.
• Hotel KuprInn is located in the heart of Balaclava. The rooms are equipped with all the necessary amenities - ironing facilities, climate control systems, electrical appliances for making tea or coffee. There is a spa with hammam, Finnish sauna. Breakfast is served buffet style. Pine, juniper, cypress, lavender and Mexican agave grow around the guesthouse and on the territory. From the windows there is a beautiful view of the bay, the Chembalo fortress and the “Twelve Apostles” temple.
• Apartments "On the First Line" are located on the seafront of Balaclava. Presented in the form of two-bedroom apartments with all the necessary conditions for living. Pets allowed.

The town is surrounded by rocks from all sides, and the embankment is the center for the start of all tourist trips. The whole local flavor is focused on it, where all kinds of restaurants, cafes and coffee houses open their doors. The number of institutions in Balaclava, where it is allowed to eat and tasty, and inexpensive, very much.

• Restaurant "Egoist" can be found at the very beginning of the Nazukin embankment, offers a menu of European cuisine.
• Restaurant Prince is located on the ship, visitors are taken on three decks. A large assortment of meat, fish and seafood specialties, fresh pastries, a wine list and own prepared beverages.
• Fish restaurant "Tatyanin cape" is similar to the motor ship, which moves along the embankment. Fish menu for every taste, wine list, boat trips.
• Fish Restaurant "Fisherman's Hut" can be found at the end of the waterfront. Large selection of fish and seafood, only freshly caught fish. The design of the restaurant is made under the style of the restaurant.
• Restaurant "Balaklava" - fish, delicious fish and seafood. There are three rooms: Genoa, Scarlet Sails, Cabin-company and an open veranda with a unique view of the bay.
• Restaurant "Kefalo Vrisi" offers a large fish menu, a wine list. Interesting to visit with children.

Balaclava beaches, as a rule, are located in the most beautiful and inaccessible places, which can be reached only by sea. The best holiday on the Black Sea coast is difficult to imagine.

But the first beach that you see before you go to inspect others is the City Beach.It is located on the Nazukin embankment, but you will need to swim in the bay, and this is incomparable with the beach in the open sea. The beach is free, but the silence and solitude on it you will not find.

The next beach, located in the city - Marble, got its name because of the pebbles of a wonderful pink color. You can find it on the other side of the bay, where the Tavricheskaya Embankment ends, near the yacht club. The water on the beach is clear, as near the open sea. The beach is landscaped. Nearby there are cafes, restaurants.

From the Marmara Beach you can clearly see the Genoese fortress and Cape Aya. The Balaklava Bay looks remarkably beautiful from a viewing platform located above Marble Beach.

Then you can start your holiday with a walk on the sea, to see and decide which beach to choose for your holiday. They will be located in the direction of Sevastopol, to the right of the bay - the beaches of Cape Fiolent, and in the South direction, to the left of the bay - in the area of ​​Cape Aya.

Beaches Silver and Gold are outside the city, and to visit them, you need to rent a boat. The coastline of beaches with coarse sand or small pebbles. Sea water is the purest. The beach is landscaped with awnings. There are kiosks with water, ice cream.

Jasper Beach is very spacious, its length is more than 500 meters, the coastline is made of pebbles of medium size, clean water. The view of Cape Fiolent from the beach looks extraordinarily beautiful. You can get on it, if you walk on the famous stairs, consisting of 800 steps, or sail by boat, boat.

The “Lost World” beach is very secluded, you can visit it by renting a launch, and also with guides to local grottoes and caves.

Balaclava is one of the most popular Crimean resorts. Holidaymakers are attracted by a town with a long history, unforgettable beaches that are accessible only from the sea, picturesque depressions and caves near Cape Aya, as well as reasonable prices for accommodation and meals in restaurants and cafes. All this makes the holiday unforgettable and beautiful.

All vacationers are satisfied from visiting the beautiful resort in the Crimea. Most of the reviews about Balaclava are positive and enthusiastic. The bay itself, the embankment and, of course, the coastal beaches with azure clear water are causing a storm of emotions.