Nikolaevka in Crimea: characteristics of the resort, attractions, travel and accommodation

When people talk about a vacation in Crimea, the first thing that comes to mind is the resorts of the southern coast of the peninsula: Yalta, Alushta, Sudak and others. However, the huge advantage of Crimea is that it is surrounded by the sea from almost all sides, and although the subtropical climate is only in the south, sometimes it makes no sense to chase after it. The sea and a little to the north will be the same warm, but the influx of tourists will not be so desperate, which means that you can count on less "biting" prices.

Considering that the size of the peninsula is not so large, you can get to any interesting places on an excursion quickly and without much effort, therefore, as a place of main stay, it is worth considering less popular cities and villages. Nikolaevka can be considered one of the most underestimated coastal villages.

Perhaps, Nikolaevka is a typical resort village, which has not yet been reached by the crazy money of investors that can turn it into a first-class resort, but tourists who prefer to relax at reasonable prices have already arrived. This is not to say that there is no infrastructure here at all - it exists and continues to develop, it just so happened that attention to Nikolaevka has been increasingly paid in recent years.

This is not surprising - after the Simferopol airport became insanely busy, and the Russians first became interested in the Crimean direction, many "old" resorts were packed and raised prices.Nikolaevka was not popular at that time, but it had the ability to receive an additional number of tourists, and it is also much closer to Simferopol than many other resorts.

Today it is a small urban-type settlement with a population of less than 3 thousand people, which has good prospects.... It beckons with sandy and pebble beaches and gentle sea, therefore, in recent years, young people are increasingly drawn here. There is every reason to believe that the already existing amusement park will not be limited - soon there will be a lot of other infrastructure that will turn Nikolaevka into a real resort. It makes sense to go here now, while prices have soared to the level of Yalta.

Perhaps the only thing in which Nikolaevka loses well to all the other popular resorts of the peninsula and cannot catch up with them in any way is history. Most of the modern cities on the southern coast of Crimea have ancient roots, but this did not affect Nikolaevka in any way - it was founded after the Crimean War, in 1858. However, even one and a half-century architectural monuments are not left here, because the village was founded by retired sailors, who at first lived here in ordinary dugouts.

Despite the fact that the settlement was growing rapidly, it remained just a village for too long, and received the status of an urban-type settlement only in 1988.

Most likely, if you come here, it means that you are not so interested in additional excursions, and you just want to lie on the beach. A feature of Nikolaevka is that all the beaches in its vicinity are composed of a mixture of sand and pebbles of various fractions, but this does not mean that they are all the same. They differ both in quality and in appearance: some of them are narrow, with an abundance of stones, and supported by high rocks, others are relatively wide.

If you are looking for the most popular beach, head to the one called The central - it is in great demand, since there are quite a lot of places here, and the entrance is free. Another thing is that the lack of entrance fees has a somewhat negative impact on the infrastructure - the beach is not very well maintained, although the typical beach attractions are located here.

There is also a beach that is located at the recreation center "Skif", - here the arrangement is already much better, for example, there are comfortable descents to the water, there are equipped changing rooms and a functioning shower. Of course, there are absolutely wild beaches - there is no infrastructure a priori, but there is no constant flow of people either. If you are looking for just such a vacation, go to the northern part of Nikolaevka - it is quiet and often deserted, but it is here that the beaches are narrow, and you need to go down to them along steep rocks.

At the bottom, sometimes there are large underwater boulders, because of which you can stumble, but in general it consists of the same mixture of pebbles and sand.

In good weather, the water near the coast of Nikolaevka looks very clean and transparent, but in fact, in the bottom structure, a significant part is made up of clayey rocks. Because of this, in the presence of waves of even medium size, the sea already seems much dirtier, and not everyone wants to climb into it.

The Crimean resorts are well promoted as subtropical - the northerners come here en masse to observe palm trees with their own eyes and bask in the rays of the southern sun. However, the described conditions apply only to the southern coast of Crimea, which is protected from the northern winds by the chain of the Crimean mountains, but this does not apply to Nikolaevka. Of course, this is still the south, and the summer is very hot here - even to a greater extent than in the neighboring subtropics, but the end of spring and the beginning of autumn here can no longer be called unequivocally a resort season.

Surrounded from the land side by the bare Crimean steppe, Nikolaevka is open to the inflow of sultry air masses throughout the summer. The air temperature in the second half of summer exceeds 25-27 degrees, and it is the average daily value that is meant, that is, during the day it will stably be above 30 degrees. Only a light breeze from the Black Sea can calm the heat a little, since this land is not spoiled by rains - however, for a beach holiday this is more a plus than a minus.

In summer, the water warms up to about 22-24 degrees. The coastal areas of the sea are rather shallow, which not only contributes to recreation with children, but also allows the sea to warm up faster. Throughout the summer, water, as vacationers like to say, is "fresh milk", however, something similar to the typical Crimean velvet season is no longer there.

If you are still not very afraid of cold water and are ready to come to the sea at the very beginning or end of the season to save some money, please note that It is better to visit Nikolaevka in early autumn, and not in late spring.

After summer, the heat stays here for a short time, the village and its surroundings "cool down", and you can use it, but even in May and partly June you can get into relatively cold weather. As for late autumn, winter and most of spring, there is no point in going to Nikolaevka for the sea - it turns out that this resort is too northern for such a vacation.

Due to its short history, Nikolaevka is devoid of special attractions, and the fact that it is located at some distance from the Crimean Mountains only aggravates the situation - after all, there are no Crimean scenic landscapes here either.

Almost the main attraction where you can go, since you are here, is aquarium "Black Sea"... Contrary to its name, it is able to show some underwater inhabitants that are not found in the waters of the Black Sea - for example, the same piranhas. The establishment is located in the basement, and you should not expect the level of the best oceanariums from the village aquarium, but you should not despise this place in advance - tanks with fish here are up to the ceiling, and the species diversity is quite good.

Since Nikolayevka, like many other places in Crimea, is inextricably linked with sailors, and for those, Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker is considered the patron, the main religious monument of the village is the temple of the same name.

For such a small village that does not have a long resort history, the very fact of having an amusement park is already a great achievement. Naturally, one should not expect any unique and outstanding attractions here, but since this amusement park has absolutely nothing to compete with, all guests of Nikolaevka come here without fail - especially those who come with children.

As in many other coastal settlements, Nikolaevka has its own embankment. Such places traditionally attract the attention of vacationers, since here the beaches are within walking distance, you can admire the sea, in addition, it is here that the main cafes and restaurants for vacationers are located.

Whatever one may say, it turns out that the beaches and the sea will be the most interesting "attractions" for adults within Nikolaevka. If you still want something more, you will have to get out of the village. The simplest option is to go and explore the surrounding area. Especially for such purposes, you can rent a bicycle, mini-ATV or horse, boats are also available for those who love sea trips. A little away from the village, local instructors will teach you all types of surfing.

Nevertheless, even these "bonuses" will not allow you to spend too long effectively and cheerfully in Nikolaevka - sooner or later it will simply get bored. Then the traditional approach of the majority of tourists vacationing in Crimea in small settlements comes to the rescue - field excursions... From what is located relatively close, it is worth paying attention to the Scythian settlement, to which it takes about an hour to get, and the rather famous Waterfall "Weeping Rock".

A good option can also be a trip to one of the neighboring large cities, where there may be attractions and resort infrastructure, which is much higher than the Nikolaev one. For example, 69 kilometers from Nikolayevka to Sevastopol, they can be overcome in a maximum of an hour and a half. Evpatoria is even closer - it is only 53 kilometers away, which is quite possible to drive even in a little over an hour.

Unfortunately, all other large (except for Simferopol) and interesting cities located on the South Bank are located at a noticeably greater distance. For example, 98 kilometers to Alushta, 135 kilometers to Yalta, and 146 kilometers to Sudak. Of course, you can go to them too, but then you need to expect that the road there and back will take at least four hours.

Truly chic restaurants in Nikolaevka have not yet appeared - establishments of this type will not be in demand here, however, this does not mean that there is nowhere to eat here. In the summer season, a significant part of local residents are closely involved in catering issues, opening numerous cafes. Any cuisine can be found here, but the local peculiarity is that many local catering establishments pay great attention to Ukrainian cuisine, which may turn out to be a wonder for guests from afar.

The main share of catering establishments is located along the embankment, and there you can choose according to your taste - we will only highlight a few establishments that are in significant demand from customers and collect mostly positive reviews.

• Cafe "Three friends"... This institution is located in the very center of the village, and will be of interest mainly to those guests who are used to eating varied, but familiar food. For a small village like Nikolaevka, having European and Eastern cuisine in one cafe, including grilled dishes and familiar sushi, is a very serious approach.

• Restaurant "Kolomiya". Anyone who wants real flavor should definitely look here. The institution is named after a relatively small town in the Carpathian region and is decorated from the inside in the style of an old Ukrainian hut with all the attributes, including embroidered towels and clay utensils. Naturally, Ukrainian cuisine is presented in a wide range of dishes, but the menu is not limited to them - for example, there is also Russian cuisine.

• Riviera cafe. This place is designed not so much for those people who are looking for outstanding service, but for hungry visitors who would like to have a tasty and satisfying meal without spending crazy money. The emphasis in the work of this institution is on a constant flow of visitors, therefore dishes are prepared quickly and in large quantities, and you can have a great lunch for just a few hundred rubles.

• Canteen of the Skif cooperative. Despite the prejudiced attitude of many vacationers to establishments called canteens, this place is organized quite well. If you look at the reviews, this place is praised for the fact that the local dishes are strikingly reminiscent of home cooking - perhaps there are no overseas dishes, but in childhood you literally feel like you came to your grandmother again.

• Dining room "Hatinka". Another catering establishment focusing on the Ukrainian flavor. By the way, this particular dining room is considered the largest in the village, and this is due not only to the favorable central position or the impressive size of the dining room, but also to the wide range of dishes offered.

The closest large city to Nikolaevka on the map is the Crimean capital Simferopol, and this, of course, has an extremely good effect on the tourist development of the village. The distance between the two points is only 42 kilometers, and in this sense, the seaside village is indeed, if not the closest, then one of the closest resorts on the sea coast.

The importance of Simferopol as a transfer point is due to the fact that it is not only the capital of the republic, but also remained the only air gateway to the peninsula. It is here that the final destination for most of the buses coming from both the continent and from different parts of the peninsula itself is located.

As for the airport, during the peak season it serves about 70 destinations, and although they connect Simferopol only with Russian cities, there is a state program on flights that allows low-income citizens to fly with discounts. In many ways, it is these passengers who rush to the relatively inexpensive Nikolaevka.

The bus service is regular - despite the small size of the village, in summer buses run here every half an hour to two hours throughout the day. In addition, local authorities understand the principle of direct connection of Nikolaevka not only with Simferopol, but also with its airport, therefore there are also buses that leave directly from the airport terminal, and not from the traditional Kurortnaya bus station.

The travel time is no more than an hour, but it is better to check the cost on the spot - the trip will cost approximately 120 rubles.

In addition, after the opening of the Crimean Bridge, many Russians prefer to come to Crimea by their own car - this is especially true for residents of the adjacent Krasnodar Territory. It should be noted here that Nikolaevka is not very convenient in this regard - it is far from the Crimean bridge much more than the bulk of the Crimean resorts. The distance from Kerch, located at the exit from it, to Nikolaevka is 253 kilometers, such a trip will take approximately 4.5-5 hours.

But you will hardly be able to get lost on the route - at first you follow the signs on which all the main cities of Crimea are written, until you reach Feodosia, after which you begin to orient yourself towards Simferopol. It is necessary to leave the capital of Crimea in the direction of Sevastopol, and there will be a right turn almost immediately outside the city.On the last stretch of the road, from Simferopol to Nikolaevka, there will be no big cities, the village itself is the end of the road, and although it is mostly straight, it is better to navigate by the tracker or check the route with local residents.

Despite the fact that "big" tourism in Nikolaevka has just begun to develop, local residents have already managed to catch a new trend, and therefore problems with settlement should not arise here. There are already all types of accommodation here: you can rent guest houses in the private sector, settle in a boarding house or in a recreation center with full board, choose an expensive hotel on the beach with a swimming pool or a romantic boathouse.

At the same time, a significant part of the choice falls on the private sector - the most inexpensive segment, where it is quite possible to accommodate literally for a few hundred rubles per person per night. The demand among visitors to this resort is often appropriate - they are looking for inexpensive housing that would match the amenities of Nikolaevka, and did not require large expenses.

In principle, a budget traveler should understand that with minimal expenses, the amenities will be appropriate - for example, rooms can be designed for a large number of people, and you either travel with a significant company, or pay for empty beds, or live with strangers like a hostel ... The same toilet and shower for each room is not provided in the cheapest options - according to the popular wording in this business, it is located “on the floor”. However, everything is not always so modest.

For example, some guest houses, which are uniquely classified as budget ones, may provide rooms of different classes and levels of comfort. Has gained a certain popularity mini-hotel "33 pleasures", located just five minutes walk from the beach - you can settle in literally half a thousand rubles in a room with the above conditions, or you can be generous and rent a room for about a thousand rubles - then the conditions will be completely different. With this budget planning, it turns out that your room has its own shower and toilet, and the best rooms are also equipped with air conditioning, which allows you to comfortably survive the hot steppe summer.

Since we have chosen this institution as an example of a budget holiday, we also need to discuss food issues - there is both a kitchen for self-cooking and cooks who can take care of your meals during the holidays for a fee.

To show the rest of a slightly different level, let's look at the middle price segment - another one will do as an example. guest house named "Fortuna"... If you are here, get ready for a huge range of prices for rooms - you can invest in a thousand rubles, or maybe 3 thousand will not be enough. The difference is that the rooms here are fundamentally different - you can live not just in a room, but in full-fledged apartments.

Differences in approach and organization are striking - for a fee, you can agree not only on three meals a day, but also on a transfer from Simferopol. You can even choose a transfer here - for 1.5 thousand rubles a relatively modest car will bring you, and for 2 thousand you can order something a little more interesting.

An interesting solution in the middle price segment is two-star hotel "Yakor", which offers boathouses as apartments to its guests. For people who do not have an impressive experience of recreation in the Crimea, the very concept of "boathouse" may seem unfamiliar - underneath there is a kind of garage for a boat, located in the immediate vicinity of the water.

On the peninsula, such buildings are massively converted into housing, and "Anchor" offers a decent level of comfort in them - for example, your bungalow will have air conditioning and satellite TV, you can use a toilet and a shower with hot water.You can cook your own food in the spacious kitchen, barbecue grills are provided, there are lounges upstairs.

Real high-class hotels in Nikolaevka are still in their infancy, but even the level of comfort (and prices) described above is not the limit for this village. A comparatively expensive vacation here is possible already now, and a good example of this might be three-star hotel "Orange". A vacation here in high season can cost 4 thousand rubles per day with all the conveniences traditional for this type of housing.

Sanatoriums and boarding houses represent a completely separate category of housing in the resort - then your vacation will be useful not only for unloading the brain, but also for the general healing of the body. The specificity of such a stay is that you are constantly improving your health: you are fed only wholesome food, all opportunities for sports in the fresh sea air are created, and the staff of the institution includes professional doctors and masseurs, thanks to whom you can attend basic procedures without leaving the territory ...

For rest in Nikolaevka, see the next video.