Evpatoria
Evpatoria is rightly called the sunniest city in Crimea. Even when clouds cover the rest of the peninsula, the sun often shines here. This resort attracts tourists with its soft, fine-sand beaches, clear azure sea, and steppe landscape dotted with healing salt lakes. People come here to improve their health: to treat joints with therapeutic mud, to settle digestion with mineral waters, and to support the respiratory system and boost immunity with the iodine-rich steppe air. Beyond its natural riches, the city preserves the ruins of ancient settlements and old religious landmarks.
Little Jerusalem: A Walking Tour of the Old Town
The compact quarter around Karaimskaya Street is the heart of historic Evpatoria. You can stroll around it unhurriedly in a couple of hours. The city is called “Little Jerusalem” because of the unique proximity of its religious monuments: within just a few metres of one another stand the Juma-Jami Mosque (16th century) and Saint Nicholas Cathedral.
The route also includes:
- The Karaite Kenassas — an active temple complex whose construction began in 1803.
- The Tekie of the Dervishes (15th–16th centuries) — the only monastery of wandering monks in Crimea with preserved cells.
- The Gezlev Gate and the Turkish baths, which round off the walk in style.
Tip: be sure to drop into the local cafés — fresh yantyks and chebureks make an excellent lunch after the tour.
Beaches, Moinaki, and the Legendary Tram
Evpatoria has rightfully earned the title of Crimea’s leading resort for children: the beach strip from Novy Plyazh to Zaozyornoye is famous for its fine sand and gentle entry into the water.
- When to go: August is peak season here (+30 °C during the day), all the water parks and dolphinariums are open, but prices reach their maximum. September is the “velvet” season: air temperatures stay around +25 °C, the sea remains warm (+23 °C), and the town grows quieter.
- Wellness: sanatoriums by Lake Moinaki have been using therapeutic mud since 1886. You can reach them by the unique narrow-gauge tram (routes No. 1 and No. 2). It has been running since 1914 and is itself a city landmark.
How to get there and where to stay
The nearest airport is in Simferopol (about 57 km away). Buses run from there to Evpatoria every 20–40 minutes, with a travel time of 1–1.5 hours.
Evpatoria offers more than 20 hotels on Moya Bron — from 1,825 ₽ at the Astra-Tsentr guest house to 11,000 ₽ at the Liana Hotel. You can find the full list on the Evpatoria hotels page.
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Frequently asked questions about Evpatoria
The best time to head to Evpatoria is the second half of June or the first half of September. By then the sea is already (or still) warmed up to +23…+25 °C, and the sun is not as fierce as at the height of August, when daytime temperatures reach +30 °C.
Evpatoria stands out for three things:
- long sandy beaches with a gently sloping shallow shore;
- a sanatorium tradition built on Moinaki mud (in place since 1886);
- an Old Town known as Little Jerusalem.
Evpatoria is 72 km from Simferopol — the route runs along the highway.
You can choose one of several options:
- Bus. Services from Simferopol bus station run frequently, with intervals of about 10–20 minutes during peak hours. Direct services from the airport are fewer — around 6 a day at intervals of 1.5–3 hours. The trip takes 1.5–2 hours.
- Suburban train. Travel time is from 1 hour 15 minutes.
- Taxi or transfer. The ride takes about an hour, and you can check the fixed fare at the desk in the airport.
Tram routes No. 1 and No. 2 run past the mud bath clinic, so you can pick any hotel along these lines.
The Tavria and Mechta sanatoriums are also within walking distance of the lake and operate year-round.
From Evpatoria you can take a day trip:
- to Saki — a neighbouring balneological resort famous for its muds;
- to Cape Tarkhankut — to admire the cliffs and coves of the western shore;
- along the coast — to the pink lakes.