All about the village of Koktebel in Crimea

If we compare Koktebel with other villages, where at least 3 thousand inhabitants are not recruited either, it turns out that for its scale it is simply incredibly famous. According to vacationers, he probably would not have entered the top 5 resorts of Crimea, but he was definitely one of the best among those who did not get there. At the same time, there will surely be some people who will say that it is here that they are most comfortable and they would be happy to return there.

Due to its modest size, this village is not yet on every map, but it will not be so difficult for an experienced tourist to find it. It is located in the southeastern part of the Crimean Peninsula. You should focus on Feodosia - it is to her that Koktebel is administratively subordinate. The village itself is located about 20 kilometers from it, if you move along the highway from Feodosia towards Sudak, Alushta and Yalta, therefore, the general direction is southwest.

If you think that such a small village should definitely be a corner of silence and comfort, you are very mistaken - it is not for nothing that tiny Koktebel is included in the extended top of the Crimean resorts. It cannot be called a typical youth resort, because couples often come here, just due to tourists this is not the same provincial town, as someone could imagine it. As a result, in terms of infrastructure, there is even something that is not in most regional centers, but more on that later.

It is known that Koktebel is an ancient settlement, but history does not know the answer to the question of when exactly it was founded.Somewhere here in ancient times, the settlement of Atheneon was located, but it is known about it only from books, and there are no real archaeological finds yet. Until about 900, a fairly large city inhabited by Christians, later destroyed by the Pechenegs, was located here.

For a good three hundred years after that there were only ruins, and then at the end of the XII century the Venetians came here - they founded a new village, on the maps of those times, signed as Posidima. A century and a half later, the village was handed over to the Genoese, and in 1475 the young Ottoman Empire conquered this territory.

For many centuries, the area around today's Koktebel was inhabited only periodically, and the cities and villages that stood here did not hold out for more than several centuries. The modern village arose only two hundred years ago and was alternately inhabited by Crimean Tatars, Bulgarians, and Russians, but until the end of the century before last, when it gradually began to become a popular resort, it almost never reached a population of even 100 people.

Part of the popularity of this place is due to the two people who are here. The surname of the first was Junge, he had an estate here, where he invited many workers of culture and science - writers, scientists, artists.

The tradition was developed and multiplied when Maximilian Voloshin, known for his poems and landscape drawings, also settled here. Thanks to him, a huge number of prominent literary figures of that time visited here and it is generally believed that even at the beginning of the twentieth century there was one of the centers of Russian pre-revolutionary nudism, which was then known only to bohemians.

In Soviet times, nudism was in deep decline, but due to the abundance of bohemia, the place began to be considered elite, and the local nature made it possible to turn the vicinity of Koktebel into a gliding center. In 1944, due to the deportation, the village lost not only the Tatar, but also the Bulgarian population, and a year later the Tatar name also fell under the knife - until 1992 on the map this place was listed on the map as Planerskoye.

To this day, Koktebel remains so popular largely because the bohemian tradition of gathering here has not gone anywhere - a huge number of festivals and creative gatherings are held here, which are attended only by the participants themselves, but also by numerous spectators.

The popularity of Koktebel, naturally, would not have been possible if there had not been a pleasant and mild climate. The main thing for which the local nature is valued is the special healing air, because on the one side there is the sea, on the other - the mountains covered with forests. For this reason, Koktebel is considered by many as a climatic health resort.

Despite the fact that the village is already closer to the eastern Crimea with its temperate climate, there are still enough descending Crimean mountains here to protect from the cold northern winds.

Even in January-February, the average temperature here is a comfortable 1-3 degrees Celsius, in July-August the figures correspond to 23-24 degrees. Water in the middle and late summer warms up steadily to 24-25 degrees. The main influx of tourists, who are also interested in beach holidays, is observed from May to October.

Most tourists who come to rest in small villages of the Crimea, expect that excursions and the rest of the entertainment program can be ordered for an additional fee, having got out to some neighboring town. With Koktebel, everything is not so - although he is small, even in itself he offers a lot of options for how to relax in an interesting and unforgettable way. You can find interesting entertainment for both adults and children.

Despite the fact that Koktebel itself is small, the sights here are not only natural, but also man-made. The compulsory program for those who are here for the first time, and regardless of hobbies, include the following points.

• Karadag nature reserve. Perhaps the main natural attraction of the Koktebel environs is the extinct volcano Karadag and the adjacent piece of virgin nature. The age of the cone is, according to scientists, over 140 million years old; there are placers of jasper and amethyst nearby. The species diversity here is very impressive - 15 local representatives of the animal world and 100 species of fish are considered rare and protected by law. All this also looks very picturesque, and the highlight of Karadag is the “Golden Gate” rock, close to which you can swim by boat.

• Cape Chameleon. Another very curious place created by nature itself. The name of the cape was given very aptly, because with a change in the position of the sun and changes in cloud cover, this geological structure is able to visually change its color. To capture all the beauty of this place, 5 minutes is hardly enough, but during the day its color can change up to two dozen times.

• House-Museum of Maximilian Voloshin. This personality was extraordinary, for a long time he lived here and is the most famous permanent resident of Koktebel in its entire history - it is not surprising that the locals created a whole museum in the building where the poet lived. First of all, the institution will be of interest to fans of Voloshin's talent, because many of his paintings, as well as manuscripts, documents and photographs of those times are collected here. The organizers also tried to recreate the original setting of a century ago.

• The eponymous factory of vintage wines and cognacs. Contrary to its name, it is located not in the village that gave it its name, but in neighboring Schebetovka, where, however, excursions are constantly organized. If a person is not a principled teetotaler, it is likely that he has tried the products of this plant at least once in his life, especially since it has been awarded many international awards over the decades of its existence.

The so-called Green's trail - the author of the famous "Scarlet Sails" walked along it from the neighboring Old Crimea to visit his friend Maximilian Voloshin... Not everyone can overcome this route, since its total duration is at least 15 kilometers, and even in mountainous terrain. However, this is exactly what attracts hikers, because along the way you can find a huge number of picturesque places.

If you need to entertain the little ones, take a look at the places below.

• Aquapark. For the majority of potential vacationers who have not yet been to Koktebel, there are two surprises. The first is that the three-thousand-strong village has its own water park, so there is no need to go anywhere - to entertain the kids by riding from water slides, you can visit the spa or jacuzzi right here. The second surprise can be considered a bonus to the first - in a small seaside village there is not just a seedy water park, but the largest in the whole Crimea, and this is already a big plus in favor of choosing this resort.

• Aquarium. A popular seaside resort village would be ashamed not to have its own land-based collection of living marine life. Here it is quite impressive, and the entrance ticket will cost about 300 rubles.

• Dolphinarium. And here is an object that is not available in many large cities, although getting to the dolphinarium is the dream of most children and a significant number of adults.Dolphins will show visitors a real show, and for a fee, they will be given the opportunity to swim and take pictures with these friendly representatives of the deep sea.

• Bird park, or dinotherium. This exhibition is in some way unique - there are few places where there are still expositions of live birds, dedicated mainly to parrots. There are several dozen of these bright birds, and they are happy to communicate with visitors, agreeing to sit on their hands. Some other birds are also represented in the collection. For those parents who brought the smallest visitors here, there is a bonus, because babies under five years old are admitted free.

If Koktebel itself is still not enough for you, there should be no problems with organizing excursion tours to other cities, like those of Feodosia and Sudak. The entire southern coast of Crimea is of interest both from the point of view of ancient architecture, preserved from ancient and medieval times, and due to the amazing natural wealth of these places.

As befits a seaside resort, Koktebel and its surroundings abound with beaches. They are presented here for every taste - for example, many of them do not imply an entrance fee and are available to everyone. There are quite unusual children's beaches - there it will be especially interesting for kids, but they will have to pay for them.

Of the top beaches with a well-developed paid infrastructure, they usually distinguish "Surf", "Blue Bay", "Sunrise", "Old Fortress" and Central.

Quite separately, it should be said about the nudist beach of Koktebel - it was founded, as is commonly believed, by Voloshin himself. Considering how long it has existed, today a whole subculture has formed around it, thanks to which lovers of sunbathing and swimming naked will not be forced to constantly look around, looking for judgmental glances. The local nudist beach is widely known in the post-Soviet space and boasts significant popularity.

As we already understood, Koktebel is too atypical settlement for its size, therefore it is not difficult to get to it. Even the fact that there is no airport nearby, and there is no railway in the village itself, will not interfere with a comfortable getting here.

Most tourists from outside the peninsula inevitably first come to Simferopol - there is a busy airport serving 70 destinations in Russia, and intercity buses usually go there. From here, you can even get to the former Planerskoye by direct buses - they leave both from the Kurortnaya bus station and directly from the airport. Depending on the carrier and its exact route, the travel time can be 2-2.5 hours, prices should be guided by 400-450 rubles per person.

If it is more convenient for you, a change can be made in Feodosia - it is located very close. The bus travels 20 kilometers, separating the starting and ending points, in a maximum of half an hour.

With the opening of the Crimean Bridge, more and more Russian citizens began to come to rest on the peninsula in their own cars, and this practice is quite typical for residents of the adjacent Krasnodar Territory. If this is your case, then Koktebel is also good for you because this resort is one of the closest to the Crimean bridge.

At first, the route is actually one, it leads to Simferopol and to all other regions of the peninsula, but at the right time you should turn left, to Feodosia, and then follow the highway to Sudak, Alushta and Yalta.

Considering that Koktebel has been focused on receiving guests for more than a century, one should not be surprised that problems with a settlement here, most likely, will not arise. Accommodation here is for every taste - from campgrounds and guest houses in the private sector to pensions and hotels of a decent level.

Most vacationers arriving here note that the best option in terms of a combination of price and quality is the settlement in the private sector... Local residents live off the arrivals, therefore they themselves are interested in renting out living space, and they had plenty of time to develop their business.

At the same time, all the fundamental modern conveniences are organized here, and the cost of such accommodation will be cheaper than in a hotel of a similar level of comfort.

Considering that the air here is not just healthy, but even useful, it is not surprising that there are a large number of health-improving institutions. - sanatoriums and boarding houses. A striking example of how comfortable living here can be is the Lazurny Koktebel boarding house, which offers rest of the highest level of organization. First of all, this is a closed area, where outsiders cannot get, and it itself is a self-sufficient town with entertainment for every taste.

A sports ground with exercise equipment and tennis tables will help you maintain your own health, and while adults are relaxing in any way they like, professional animators will work with the children.

Many hotels in Koktebel prefer to modestly call themselves guest houses, although in fact these are good hotels with a high level of service.

Consider a few of the most popular and well-known hotel establishments in the village.

• "Oriole". This guest house is located 6 minutes walk from the seashore and looks like a classic wooden manor, which looks very colorful in a town with ancient spa traditions. Despite the fact that this place is not located on the first line, it is often praised for its convenient location - it is only 3 minutes walk to the bus station of the village, and you can reach the center with all its infrastructure in 10 minutes. If the kitchen is shared here, then all other amenities are placed in the rooms, which is very convenient.

• "Yellow Hills". This guest house is somewhat reminiscent of the idea of ​​the above, but the implementation here is completely different - this is just a stone estate, one of the important advantages of which is a beautiful view of Karadag. A useful bonus of this place is that it offers rooms of completely different categories - you can live both in the main building and in individual houses.

• "White Griffin"... But this is already a full-fledged hotel, which presents all the amenities that a tourist can expect from such an establishment. We will not argue that this is definitely the best hotel in Koktebel, but its advantage lies in the fact that in many respects it is focused on the convenient organization of excursions for its guests - in a word, a good option for those vacationers who do not consider sitting on the beach a good vacation.

Despite the fact that Koktebel receives guests all year round, the majority of them arrive in the summer, while in the cold months most of the infrastructure simply does not work. If you have arrived here in winter for recreational or educational purposes, pay attention to the hotels "Meganom" and "Tepsen" - they work 12 months a year.

Many Crimean resorts are mercilessly criticized by modern tourists for the fact that the infrastructure there is outdated, the population is not so friendly, the prices are foreign, and the service is not even domestic, but Soviet. In this regard, Koktebel still stands out well for the better - apparently, the long-term presence of bohemia affects.

Numerous festivals further increase the percentage of intellectuals and creative people, which is why it is always interesting here.

However, Koktebel is such a village, once in which you forget about all the additional details, because on the scale of the Crimean peninsula, this is one of the most beautiful places, and even with healing air. After hard work, any rest has a restorative effect, but a vacation spent in Koktebel can give the most valuable thing - to make a person feel alive.

An overview of the beaches and hotels of Koktebel, see below.