Travel to Crimea!

Simferopol, mini bus on Kirova street

Most travel guides send you straight through Simferopol to the Crimean coast, since its reputation is that of a transit town rather than a cultural hotspot. However, this summarised view doesn’t factor in the wealth of Soviet remnants and relics as well as other more locally specificities that can make this trip to Simferopol a sort of cultural experience to foreigners.

The reason for a perceived absence of cultural activities might also have to do with the lack of English language information on these activities (even in local languages one has to search), as well as the apparent dormancy during summer months due to the temporary emigration of locals to any of the numerous places the Crimean peninsula offers for rest. Weekend trips in Crimea are feasible thanks to the short distances (most places can be reached within 2-3hs travel maximum) and Simferopoleans take advantage of this, especially in the seasons of enjoyable weather – which in Crimea after all lasts more than half a year, from April to November!

Simferopol dwellers and those who dare visiting the town (as opposed to be rushing to the major tourist attraction spots on the Crimean seashore) can still choose from an eclectic range of leisure activities, including museums, theatres, exhibitions, art galleries, horse-riding, historic tours or cafes and restaurants (with diverse menus drawing on Tatar as well as Ukrainian or Russian specialities and traditions, many also offering shisha) and, as mentioned above, for Simferopol’s visitors with different cultural backgrounds, some locally common activities can offer scope for exotic experience (for instance shopping on the markets or going to the town’s entertainment parks that are meant to entertain kids but can be real fun for adult travellers, or witness local weddings whose guests enjoy audible car-rides before and after sort of piously honouring the town’s war memorials).

For the conventionally cultural appetite, there are some museums in Simferopol, such as the ethnic museum, presenting all nationalities that have inhabited and/or are living in the Crimea, or the railway museum, where one can learn about the history of Crimean railways (is situated actually on a former railway station from 1874) whose establishment reinvigorated the town’s life and influenced its course of history.

Simferopol’s art galleries usually show the works of Crimean artists, and are mostly offered for sale.

Moreover, there are a Russian, a Ukrainian and a Tatar theatre. The Russian Drama Theatre, located in the heart of town, offers modern performances of russophone classics, such as “Master and Margarita” by Mikhail Bulgakov, and all of them are very affordable. Particularly the elder population in Crimea is well-read and enjoys visiting theatres. The Simferopol Puppet Theatre has won lots of international prizes. With its songs (children rhymes) sung in the best tradition of Russian folklore it is equally attractive to those with interest in russophone culture, as well as to the local kindergarden, who either visits the theatre itself or enjoys the privilege of having the theatre troop performing in the kindergarden.

There is also the Ukrainian Music Theatre in Simferopol, situated on Lenin Square, where the main Christmas Tree of Simferopol is decorated.

Among pubs, cafes, restaurants, disco bars and cinemas there is some choice in Simferopol. Particularly interesting are the Celtic pub, with Celtic music, servants in skirts (though suspectedly cheating) and a fireplace in the middle of the pub; or ‘Suslic’  (ground-squirrel) pub – the owner is numismatist, so on the walls you can see lots of coins; also ‘Knyzha vtikha’ restaurant (Prince’s delight) offering a good range of Ukrainian dishes; ‘Divan’ a café with oriental interiour atmosphere and Tartar cuisine; then ‘Coffein bar’ offering the tastiest coffee in Simferopol; or the fashionable restaurant Chistie Prudi (Pure Ponds) in Gagarinski Park, which apart from hip local crowd has been chosen by the large numbers of swans and ducks that this year, instead of going to Turkey, stayed in Simferopol (due to a rather mild winter), which in turn attracts families who feed them there.

In Simferopol’s Detski Park (Children’s Park) there is also a Zoo, which is smaller than its more famous Yalta counterpart, but offers two children’s playgrounds and a huge pond in the middle of the Zoo. The birds are freely walking along the pond and one can feed them! Food (corns) for animals is also sold here, you would better take some from home: almost all animals like fresh cabbage, carrots, bananas, bread, apples.

Another nice place to spend your free time in Simferopol is Salgirka Park, whereas the Botanic Garden offers a wealth of flowers (hundreds of rare kinds of Crimean trees and flowers), photogenic opportunities and lush green hideaways. It is near the Crimean State University and was founded by German Academic P.Pallas. Students of Simferopol University enjoy walking in Salgirka Park.

There are 4 cinema theatres in Simferopol: “Simferopol”, “Spartak”, “Kosmos” and “Shevchenko”. In Kosmos from time to time there are film festivals, so for example, citizens may enjoy all-nighter thematic short movies ( e.g. francophone films or about love on St.Valentines Day). At daytime there are scientific or documentary films for pupils. Spartak and Shevchenko are very popular among young people and Spartak soon offers 3D film- technology, the first in Crimea, so from May Simferopol’s inhabitants can enjoy watching “Alisa in Wonderland”, “Avatar”, “Shreck” in 3D format.