In the end of September 2019, we had our second Sochi-Crimea tour. As always, we were lucky to have great team of riders, there were 8 people in total, some of riders came with wives. And that was right decision, because it’s a great tour for join holidays/vacations.
We left Krasnaya Polyana (Sochi) under drizzling rain and rather cool temperature, the feeling was that summer has ended, trees were yellow and in the mountains on the peaks there was even first snow on the attitude of 2000 meters and more. But we have good karma and same day after lunch weather changed into right way, warm and sunny.
Fist day one of the main highlights was Shauman Pass, a 8 km gravel serpentine road with plenty of dust and turns. We instructed the group and successfully passed it without any problems. Same day in the evening in Krasnodar, the capital of the region, we went to the steak house, where Alex and Olesya, our back-office team, joined us, guys just came back from Vladivostok and were on their way to Sochi. It was very positive evening.
Next day we crossed newly constructed bridge 17 km length and reached Crimea. The Crimea Peninsula has always been an attractive place. Different countries/nations have always fought for this peninsula, over the past several thousand years Tauris, Greeks, Huns, Khazars, Byzantines, Genoese, Turks and many other people lived and ruled here.
Our first night in Crimea was in Feodosia, city founded by Genoese in the 6 century BC. At those times it was called Kafa, and since nowadays in the city you can find remaining of the Feodosia/Kafa Fortress.
Next day with secondary roads, sometimes entering sections of the highway, that is under heavy reconstruction now, it is planned road will be finished by the end of 2020, we headed to the most western part of the peninsula, to Olenevka village. Here, at the Tarkhankut cape we visited lighthouse built in 1816 year. The incredibly beautiful coastline of the western end of Crimea impresses with its scope and views that open from here.
Near the village there is a fishing artel, it is about 200 years old, Maltese fishermen used to work here, today they are replaced with locals. We bought fresh fish for dinner, and after an evening swim in the sea, spent the evening at the hotel near the fire with fish, wine and talks about life.
Next few days were rich with memories, here are some most remarkable:
- We visited Balaklava Bay, where we took a boat and went to sea. We were accompanied by dolphins and good warm weather. We sailed to Cape Ayia, where ancient relic juniper groves, unique plants that are famous for their beneficial properties, have been preserved
- In Sevastopol we visited Khersones, a city founded in the 5th century BC as an ancient Greek colony. In 988 year, Prince Vladimir baptized Russia here
- We passed by Foros city and famous Church of the Resurrection of Christ, uniquely located on a cliff with a fantastic view. The temple was built in 1892 in memory of the miraculous salvation of the imperial family on October 17, 1888 after the train crash
- Another iconic place of the tour was the Livadia Palace, the venue for the Yalta Conference and place of meeting of Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill. Members of the Imperial (Romanov) family loved to spend here time as well
- One more legendary place that we saw these days was the Swallow’s Nest - a mini palace on a rock, which since its construction has become the hallmark of the Crimea. It was built by one of the generals of the Russian army, later the court doctor of the imperial court lived here, today it is a museum
- In the New World, the Golitsyn trail and the champagne wine factory of the same name were waiting for us. Prince Golitsyn was one of the most active persons of his time, it was in the New World that he built his estate and created a champagne wine factory, which very quickly became the best in Russia. Champagne from the New World was always served at the imperial table during the time of Nicholas 2. In the personal collection of Golitsyn there were 50 thousand unique bottles of wine. His champagne wines received the highest awards at exhibitions in France, the USA, Russia and other countries
- From Sevastopol to Sudak we drove along the South Coast Road (SCR), a road along the southern coast of Crimea, one of the best roads for motorcycle riding in Russia
We can talk about Crimea and its places of interest for a long time, there was Bakhchisaray, Sudak, Kerch and many other places as well, but sooner or later all the good things come to an end. From the New World through Gelendzhik we returned to Sochi, where our journey ended.
Did our guests enjoy the tour – definitely!!! We received many excited feedback forms.
And how might you not like the tour, the route of which passes through such beautiful places, along the Black Sea, visiting palaces and ancient cities, with huge number of historical and cultural sights and rich variety of food, starting with barbecue and steaks, and ending with fish and seafood.
By the way, this is the only tour in Russia that runs along the coast of the sea, with serpentines, mountains, a great deal of historical and cultural attractions.
In past years, including this season, we did the Sochi-Crimea tour in the format of 8-9 days. But recently we decided to increase the duration of the tour and make it 12 days, primarily at the request of our guests, who said that more time was needed on such an interesting route. So, from 2020 the tour will be 12 days.
The dates for next year are already known, this
April 15 – 26, 2020
April 29 – May 10, 2020
September 30 – October 11, 2020
Our guides for these tours are Anton or Vlad, or possibly both at once. Whoever was with them in tours knows that these are excellent guides, so hurry up to sign in, there are only five months left until the April 2020 Sochi-Crimea tour.
Please see photos from latest tour below. If any questions you can always contact us at info@rusmototravel.com
