This is one of the most popular vacation spots on the South Coast. The village is conveniently located in the Gurzuf Valley, it is surrounded on all sides (except the sea) by mountains, so there are no cold winds here. You can walk around the entire village in a couple of hours, it’s so small.
The most picturesque is the old residential area of Gurzuf. Narrow winding streets, gates covered with grapes, bright houses - truly beautiful. Immediately above the old area is the new one, with all its high-rise buildings and modern buildings. Another completely independent area - camp Artek, it occupies a large territory right up to Ayu-Dag. And finally, the last part of our conditional division is the Gurzuf embankment with its restaurants, beaches and sanatoriums.
Like all other resorts on the South Coast, Gurzuf is located on terraces. So, the beach turns out to be the lowest point of the resort. On the other hand, compared to Alupka, Simeiz, Foros and Gaspra, Gurzuf more flat.
Secret from the locals: The biggest differences in elevation are on Nikitina and Proletarskaya streets, there are also several steep sections on Vinogradnaya and Krymskaya.
Infrastructure of Gurzuf
As befits one of the most popular resorts, Gurzuf has a huge selection of accommodation. In addition to inexpensive rooms in apartments and houses, there are relatively budget mini-hotels, boarding houses, sanatoriums, and decent hotels, of course. It all depends on the budget. Some good options include Villa Snegiri, and some excellent options include the Familia hotel complex.
You can find housing on the website, where advertisements from owners are published. A booking request can be submitted directly from the website or via the specified contacts.
There are no problems with shops (of course, there are no large chain hypermarkets here, or have they already appeared?), cafes, snack bars, coffee shops, restaurants, clubs, attractions and other entertainment. One way or another, Yalta is nearby - if you get bored, you can always go there.
What to see in Gurzuf
If your strength allows, go to Ayu-Dag or Bear Mountain - the visiting card of the village. The hike is not difficult, but the impressions will last a long time.
Be sure to set aside time for Chekhov Museum. It will be interesting, you will learn a lot about the writer’s life in Gurzuf, about his walks to Leo Tolstoy in Gaspra. The stunning view of Chekhov Bay, which opens from the museum’s territory, will help you to understand what you’ve heard.
Since the excursions to the museums have already begun, take a look at the Pushkino sanatorium, on its territory there is a museum A.S. Pushkin.
Fans of beautiful vacation photos should climb the mountain Balgatura, this is the highest point in the village. The view from here is unforgettable!
At the very beginning of the Gurzuf embankment there is Korovin's House of Creativity. Today it houses a recreation center for artists. The house itself is an architectural monument; K.A. Korovin lived and worked here.
If you go on vacation at the beginning of August, there is a chance to get to Summer New Year. This is Gurzuf’s own holiday with its own long-standing tradition.
Of course, in Gurzuf there is also a lot of active entertainment - fishing, diving, boat trips, etc.
This ad was published on the Rent-RealEstate website: Those who want to try diving to the depths of the sea and receive high-quality diving training in Gurzuf from experienced instructors, sign up for the group +7 978-556-35-18.
- We work from May 15 to October 15.
- Schedule: daily 2 groups from 10:00 and from 15:00. There are 8-12 people in a group.
- The total diving time is 3.5-4 hours, of which 2 dives last 25-35 minutes.
- Note: bring your passport and flash card with you.
The price includes: training; photographs; 2 dives; briefing; equipment; diving with an instructor.
The dive takes place both from a boat and from the shore. We have 5-7 dive routes. REGISTRATION IN A GROUP BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
Prices in Gurzuf
Prices are quite affordable compared to Yalta. And guests from Moscow even think that everything in Gurzuf is very cheap. Of course, the cost of a vacation largely depends on the season. There are budget canteens in the village with decent menus, and there are inexpensive accommodation options for budget tourists. In general, if you are a little strapped for money, you just need to set your priorities correctly, and you can fit into a modest budget.
Beaches of Gurzuf
The beaches in Gurzuf are pebbly, since the pebbles are imported and are a little uncomfortable for the feet. Better to take it with you special shoes. There are paid and free beaches. Basically, the coastline is quite narrow, so in high season the beach is crowded, to put it mildly.
At the beginning and end of the embankment there is the City Beach, it is free. In the middle is a paid beach. All are equipped, but you will have to pay for umbrellas and sunbeds.
The beach in Chekhov Bay is considered the cleanest. But it is not convenient, strictly speaking, and there is no beach here, just a pile of stones. Entrance is paid, since the beach is part of the territory of the Chekhov Museum. The bottom is deep - you can safely dive. Take a mask with you, this is, of course, not the Red Sea, but there are living creatures.
You can try to get to the beaches of sanatoriums. Officially, this is prohibited, but in fact, many people succeed. A very nice beach near the holiday home. Korovin, the small-pebble and flat beach of the White Sail is just as good. The beaches of the “Pearls of Crimea”, the “Gurzufsky” sanatorium and the “Ayu-Dag” holiday home are worthy of attention.
There are also several private paid beaches in Gurzuf. The beaches are clean, equipped and pleasant.
If we say that it is here that the once famous pioneer camp “Artek” is located, that here is the no less famous and even legendary (in the literal sense of the word - covered in legends) Bear Mountain, many will immediately understand that we are talking about about the Black Sea resort with the beautiful name Gurzuf.
Geographical position
It seems that in Gurzuf nature decided to prove once again that no matter how people build, it is still the best architect.
Everything is beautiful here - the spiky Mount Avunda, and the famous Ayu-Dag, like a big bear lounging by the sea, and the twin islands of Adalary... Rocks, grottoes, capes - Gurzuf landscapes are quite picturesque, and man-made parks and vineyards, the mysterious ruins of fortresses are only complement this beauty.
Located 11 kilometers east of Yalta, the village is surrounded by a semi-ring of mountains, which protect it from cold winds from the north (by the way, the air temperature here is usually a couple of degrees warmer than in Alushta or Yalta).
Webcams
- Panoramic
- Beach near the sanatorium "Ai Danil"
- Sanatorium "Ai Danil"
Transport connection
From the center of Crimea, Simferopol, you can get to Gurzuf by bus or trolleybus (one of the longest trolleybus routes runs here). Both routes, bus and trolleybus, ran from the airport through the Simferopol railway station, the distance from there was 75 kilometers.
Accommodation
Hotels
- Cost from 45 USD per person per day in season.
There are currently more than two dozen hotels in Gurzuf, most of them are small, one to three-star.
Vacationers were satisfied, for example, with the exquisite interiors and comfort of relaxation at the Balgatura villa, the excellent service attracts tourists, the picturesque territory, the hospitality of the owners and much more at the Snegiri hotel; travelers also speak well of the mini-hotel “Lanterns of Gurzuf”.
Sanatoriums
- Cost – from 80 USD per day per person in high season.
Having decided to relax in Gurzuf, you can also purchase a ticket to one of several sanatoriums of the resort - this way you will have the opportunity to combine a beach holiday, wellness and, if desired, an excursion program. The treatment base is mainly focused on the treatment of the cardiovascular, nervous system, as well as diseases of the upper respiratory tract. Treatment methods - massage, aromatherapy, manual therapy, reflexology, salt cave, balneotherapy, alpha capsules, mud therapy, etc. One of the best sanatoriums in Greater Yalta is the Gurzufsky sanatorium. In the very center of the resort village is the Pushkino sanatorium.
Private sector
- A bed will cost you from 5 USD per season, a room from 10 USD, a house from 50 USD.
Many people prefer to rent housing in the private sector during their vacation. There are a lot of houses for rent in Gurzuf, some are turnkey, sometimes you can rent a room in a house with the owners or in the courtyard of the owner’s house.
Review of the beach area
There are sixteen beaches in Gurzuf, they are separated by stone piers that protect the coast from the sea elements.
Some beaches belong to camps, some are recreational and therapeutic, and therefore closed (you can get to them with sanatorium books or special passes), several are publicly accessible. All of them are pebbled; at health resorts with larger pebbles, you can sometimes see wooden paths laid out for ease of walking.
The beaches are clean, well-groomed, you can use additional paid services - rent a sun lounger and an umbrella.
Some bays are perfect for snorkeling - for example, Chekhov Bay.
A marble-paved embankment stretches along the beaches for about two kilometers, where there are bars, cafes and souvenir shops.
Tourist infrastructure
The infrastructure in Gurzuf is well developed - there are all the necessary institutions for life support.
The embankment houses entertainment venues and entertainment centers. There are boat stations where you can rent a jet ski, bicycle or boat.
A pleasant memory of your holiday at the resort will be a visit to local attractions - Cape Suuk-Su with the Pushkin monument and the remains of the fortress, Adalary rocks, Cape Chaliapin, Pushkin Grotto. You can climb the highest point of the Crimean Mountains - Roman-Kosh - or visit the Chekhov or Pushkin museums.
However, even if you have already visited all the local memorials and historical places, and your soul asks for more, you can always visit the sights of Yalta and Partenit, Livadia and Nikita, Alupka and Alushta - all of them are literally half an hour’s drive from Gurzuf, or even less. You can also go to see the historical places of Bakhchisarai and Sevastopol - the road to these cities will take you about an hour and a half one way.
TOURISTS' ANSWERS:
When my family was planning a vacation at sea, a stop in Gurzuf was in question for a long time. Many people dissuaded us, assuring us that it would be very difficult at this resort with a small child. Despite all the arguments, we took a risk and have never regretted our decision.
At first glance, Gurzuf charmed us. A small village located in the Gurzuf valley between Ayu-Dag and Nikitskaya Yayla can be walked around in just a few hours. We were struck by the coastal part of the city. For the first time in Ukraine we saw an embankment paved with marble tiles and kept clean. I was impressed by the pomegranates blooming along the embankment and the winding old streets. True, you can’t find much of them; they rise quite steeply to the upper part of the city.
I liked the very unusual rocks. They resembled fairytale castles with bizarre silhouettes. Perhaps because of them, many people who are interested in painting still come to this resort.
The beaches of Gurzuf are covered with large pebbles, but clean and clear water compensates for this deficiency. Nature itself has created ideal conditions for diving. Despite my fear, I took a risk and swam with a mask. What I saw underwater impressed me.
The advantage of this resort is its flora and fauna. It’s not for nothing that the Artek World Children’s Recreation Center is located in this city. The entire city is surrounded by greenery, tropical and coniferous plants are adjacent to each other. There are inhabitants unusual for this region. Every morning we admired the squirrel who came to us for a treat.
Grape plantations and delicious wine confirm the correctness of visiting Gurzuf.
Is the answer helpful?
Gurzuf is a wonderful city in Crimea, its name means “Bear”, since not far from the city there is Ayu-Dag (bear-mountain). At the foot of this mountain is the well-known international children's center "Artek" (once a pioneer camp). But you can look at Artek only if you go on a tour of the museums located on its territory - the Cosmonautics Museum, the Navy Museum, the Local History Museum and the Artek History Museum. In principle, it’s quite interesting, so I advise you to go on a tour, and at the same time you’ll see Artek from the inside. :)
The vacation spot for especially gifted children was chosen for a reason - it is an unusually picturesque area with healing air and rich flora. The Crimean mountains protect the city from strong winds.
From the shore you will see two small rocks in the sea - Adalary. They rise about 50 meters above the sea surface. Such beauties attracted the world famous artist Aivazovsky to Gurzuf. He lived here for some time. Pushkin also visited here, he dedicated several of his poems to this place. The house where Pushkin once lived now houses his museum.
Gurzuf has an absolutely wonderful embankment. It is about a kilometer long and is all made of white marble. Walking along it is a real pleasure. The embankment is full of cafes and restaurants, all with views of the sea and Adalary (this is the main attraction of Gurzuf)
The beaches in Gurzuf are pebbly, sometimes there are quite large stones, so I would not recommend going here with kids. But for adults it’s just wonderful - the water in the sea is clear and clean. You can go to the mountains, climb Ayu-Dag.
Gurzuf is a prestigious place, and, of course, a holiday here is not cheap, but it is worth it. It’s a great place to relax both body and soul. As soon as you get on the train, you immediately begin to miss Gurzuf. :)
Even in Soviet times, colleagues and neighbors began to envy those who went (on vacation or on a trip) to Gurzuf. The vacation, reviews of which were heard later, was considered not just “beach”, but special. After all, Gurzuf was our Italy. In addition to the main elements of a successful vacation, sea and sun, there were also breathtaking views. The most beautiful nature (Bear Mountain alone is worth it), the proximity of Artek, winding streets, “Genoese” houses hanging over the water, Chekhov’s dacha, picturesque rocks - all this evoked enthusiastic sighs.
But does modern Gurzuf really promise relaxation? Review of him now - is he equally grateful? Let’s try to analyze it, especially since this village has remained just as attractive to tourists, especially “summer” ones, as in the old days. Firstly, the same Ayu-Dag and the twin rocks of Adalary remain here. And people who are no strangers to romance claim that you can admire them endlessly, because these natural formations even change their color depending on the weather and time of day. Secondly, all the same endless steps from the sea and to the sea. For some, this is a disadvantage, but active and athletic people, on the contrary, are only happy. And ancient houses with verandas, and the smell of coffee on the streets... Gurzuf provides a unique holiday for everyone.
Reviews from swimmers are usually positive. The beaches in Gurzuf, as in most resorts on the South Coast, are pebbly, but quite acceptable. And those who are not afraid to walk far can even swim on the beaches of Artek, where the pebbles are so smooth and “licked” by the sea that you can lie on them without any bedding. In the evenings there are promenades along the embankment, the moon over the sea, as in Kuindzhi’s paintings, restaurants, the famous ones (especially since they are grown right above the village, not far from the ancient capital of the Gothic principality of Teodoro). In general, there is somewhere to eat in Gurzuf, and it’s very good. Meat and fish kebabs are especially good. Restaurants on the beaches, if the wind blows from the sea, provide blankets for visitors, so that it becomes warm and cozy. This is how you can fall in love with Gurzuf for the rest of your life!
Vacations, reviews of which are left by many tourists, in these places have a certain nostalgic connotation. After all, these places were loved by poets, writers and artists. True, entering the territory of the Military Sanatorium to admire the two-hundred-year-old park and the “Night” fountain is also not very easy, just like in Soviet times. But it is possible. Many excursions are also organized from the village - to Yalta, to Ai-Petri, to Often these are boat trips, sometimes - bus excursions. It’s cheaper to buy them at the pier, rather than from barkers. Housing here is very expensive - this is Gurzuf! Vacation 2013 (accommodation prices) cost at least one and a half thousand rubles per room. This is if it's in season. The same can be said about food, so it’s more economical to cook at home if the owners allow it. However, if prices are not a problem for you, then in the village it is better to go to expensive old restaurants. From their quality it is immediately clear that this was an elite resort.
The clean sea and the wonderful climate, which almost does not require getting used to, are the main good things about which, even if they complain about the high cost, they still note the beauty and comfort of this resort, which has recently begun to provide not very expensive, convenient and comfortable private boarding houses. Unlike ordinary hotels and sanatoriums, there, as a rule, there is a kitchen with everything you need, Internet, modern household appliances, a swimming pool... So for those who have considered Gurzuf as their second home since childhood, there is a good prospect that it will eventually will become a real European resort.
Not far from Yalta, at a dizzying height from which a breathtaking view of the Black Sea opens, is the village of Gurzuf. This resort is a real find for people who value an “intelligent” holiday, the opportunity to plunge into a special atmosphere and touch ancient history.
Location and climate
Gurzuf is a small urban-type settlement, part of the Yalta district. The distance to Simferopol is 67 km, to Yalta - 18 km. The resort is surrounded on all sides by picturesque massifs, many of which have long become a kind of calling card of Crimea. For example, this is Mount Ayu-Dag, Nikitskaya Yaila and, of course, Babugan-Yayla with Mount Roman-Kosh, the highest on the peninsula. They form reliable protection from cold winds, thanks to which Gurzuf has warm winters and summers that are not hot or rainy.
In the warm season, the average temperature is +21 °C, and in winter it can drop to +9 °C.
The holiday season usually opens in May and lasts until October. Sea water temperature is + 20 °C and above.
History of the resort
Archaeological excavations that were carried out on the territory of the Gurzuf Valley showed that people appeared here a very long time ago. The Tauri left a significant mark, and the Byzantines built a fortress, the remains of which are still preserved on the top of the Dzhenevez-Kaya rock. Over time, the structure passed to the Khazars and Genoese, who began to call the settlement Gruzui.
During Turkish rule, the village lost its significance, becoming an ordinary garrison, in which many Greeks lived at that time. After 1778 they were replaced by the Tatars.
Until the annexation of Crimea to the Russian Empire, Gurzuf remained a small village. At the beginning of the 19th century. the new owner of the land, the Duke of Richelieu, began developing the village, building a stone house and laying out a park. Later, in 1820, it was in this residence that Pushkin stayed.
After some time, the estate began to belong to Prince Vorontsov, who began building roads. The next owner, the famous philanthropist I. I. Fundukley, developed viticulture. Gurzuf became famous as a resort by the end of the century, when the estate passed into the hands of P.I. Gubonin, who built the railway, many restaurants and hotels, put the park and embankment in order, installed electricity and telephone communications.
1925 was a landmark year for the development of the resort, when the legendary pioneer camp “Artek” was founded nearby.
Nowadays, there are also a lot of vacationers in Gurzuf. A wonderful climate, remoteness from large cities and at the same time developed infrastructure, comfortable beaches, clean sea water, intoxicating air and picturesque mountain landscapes - all this turns the village into a place that can easily compete with the best world resorts.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the rocks surrounding Gurzuf. First of all, these are Adalary, rising right in the middle of the sea, the legendary Bear Mountain, the Pushkinskaya and Shalyapin, Genoese and Genevez-Kaya rocks.
Part of the coastline belongs to the Artek children's camp. In addition to it, there are camps “Pearl Coast”, “Morskoy”, boarding houses “Molodezhny”, “Sea Breeze”, rest houses “Ayu-Dag”, “Coral” and others.
The sea is very clean, the beaches are pebbly. There is an opportunity to go scuba diving, take a catamaran or boat, ride a jet ski or paraglider. The center of resort life in Gurzuf is the Embankment, where you can find many restaurants, cafes, shops and attractions.
Climate therapy is also developed in Gurzuf. Its high efficiency is facilitated by the combination of sea breeze and clean mountain air, the presence of juniper forests and mild weather. Here they successfully cope with diseases of the respiratory system, musculoskeletal system, cardiovascular and nervous systems.
Entertainment and attractions
Despite the fact that Gurzuf is a small village, there is enough entertainment here, and from 2016 there will be even more of them, as the resort is actively developing. There is a concert hall, a cinema, several discos, museums and exhibitions, for example, the museums of A.S. Pushkin and A.P. Chekhov. It is interesting to visit the House of Artists' Creativity and see the sculptures of Chaliapin and Korovin.
You cannot pass by Pushkin Park, the same one that was founded by the Duke of Richelieu. Here are the most beautiful sculptures, fountains “Rachel”, “Night”, and many rare plantings.
After visiting Gurzuf, you should definitely climb to Cape Suuk-Su, on which the palace of the same name is located, relax in the Gazebo of the Winds on the ledge of the Crimean Mountains, and climb one of the picturesque rocks.
How to get there?
The easiest way to get from Simferopol to Gurzuf is by bus or trolleybus, which depart from the Kurortnaya bus station at the railway station. True, transport often goes to Yalta without stopping in the village itself, so you have to get off at the stop called “Pleasant Date” and then take a bus to the resort.
In addition, it is easy to take a taxi, which is especially convenient if you have to travel from the Simferopol airport.
There are direct buses from the Yalta bus station to the village, and you can also get to Gurzuf by regular boat.
