Николаевка

Nikolaevka is an urban-type settlement on the western coast of Crimea. Located in the Gulf of Kalamitsky, just 40 kilometers from Simferopol, this mini resort is attractive for its relaxing atmosphere, clean sea and affordability in terms of price. The steep banks of Nikolaevka pass into narrow clean beaches, to warm up on which are loved not only by tourists, but also Simferopol residents themselves.

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Video: Nikolaevka

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General Information

Nikolaevka is a pleasant alternative for all those who are tired of the crowded and rising prices of resorts on the South Coast of Crimea, but still adore Crimean beaches and the Black Sea. The temperature here is a little cooler than on the southern coast, but the difference is felt only at the very beginning of the bathing season. Already from mid-summer in the village reigns dry hot weather, which does not prevent the sea water to maintain perfect purity and transparency.

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The conditions offered by the resort are universal – in Nikolaevka will be comfortable and families with children, and lovers of bar sit-downs. At the disposal of adepts of minimalist rest and meditation in the lap of nature – wild beaches to the north of the village, where you can accommodate in complete privacy. Besides, there is always a chance to explore the coast on a budget. Every day through Nikolaevka pass intercity buses, on which you can rush to other resorts on the peninsula – from Evpatoria to Sevastopol.

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Weather. Best time for a trip

Nikolaevka is a favorable mix of steppe and maritime climate, responsible for hot arid summers and mild winters. The peak of summer heat falls on July-August, in the same months the water accumulates maximum solar energy, warming up to +24 ° C. The air temperature at the height of the season can stay at +30 … +35 ° C for weeks, so if the shock dose of ultraviolet you do not fit, try to come to Nikolaevka in September.

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Important feature: for the Gulf of Kalamitsky in general and the vicinity of Nikolaevka in particular is characterized by such a natural phenomenon, such as low. This means that periodically to the shore comes up a cold current that cools the warm water to uncomfortable temperature for swimming. However, there is a big plus – the current qualitatively cleans the sea, removing plankton and microalgae, multiplying in shallow water under the influence of heat.

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Velvet season offers milder weather conditions: the heat gradually recedes, and in its place come gentle sunny days, when resort thermometers show only +20…+25 ° C. Bathing in early fall also do not have to sacrifice: the accumulated heat of the sea gives away very slowly, so even in late September, the water continues to “keep” stable +20 ° C.

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In October, the vacation season in Nikolaevka exhausts its resources: delayed vacationers pack their bags, and local hotels and catering fall into forced “lethargy”. But already in early May the village is ready to welcome guests again – the last month of spring offers consistently clear weather, as well as warming sea, suitable for short refreshing swims.

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History of Nikolaevka

The founder of Nikolaevka is considered to be a retired sailor Andrew Bobyr. The participant of the heroic defense of Sevastopol and the holder of the cross of St. George received a free from Alexander II himself, as well as the right to own 8 decimals of land in any part of the country. At first, the former sailor was drawn to Sevastopol, but he could not stay there: the local authorities did not want to allocate a land plot to a representative of the lower class. Then the sailor was interested in a place on the shore of the Gulf of Kalamitsky, rumored to belong to no one.

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Having agreed with other retired sailors, Bobyr submitted a collective petition to the emperor, in which he and his comrades expressed a desire to obtain land in the unpopulated territory. The appeal of the hero in the tsar’s chancellery was considered and the request was satisfied, giving the sailor documents for the possession of a plot of land on the shore of the Black Sea. As a result, already in 1858 several dugouts and shanties appeared in the Kalamitsky Bay, where the first settlers settled. The dwellings were located not far from the spring Nikolov Klyuch, which gave its name to the future resort. As for the founder of the village, he lived in Nikolaevka until 1895 and was buried in the local cemetery, as evidenced by a recently opened monument.

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Attractions of the settlement

Nikolaevka is focused on providing beach and recreational pleasures, as there are no significant attractions within its boundaries. You can, of course, look at the old village cemetery to find a memorial monument on the grave of the first settlers – sailor Andrew Bobyr and his son, but such a walk will take no more than half an hour. So if you came on vacation not only for beach fun, take a chance and explore the surrounding attractions – in Nikolaevka excursions are offered everywhere.

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The cheapest options for trips to historical locations are recommended to look for private individuals – local motorists are not averse to work on this field and ride tourists to interesting places in the area. If you want a non-banal and maximally informative excursions, it is better to look for the organizers of author’s tours, offering acquaintance with the cave cities of Crimea, jeeping around the area, trips to Bakhchisarai, Yalta, Sevastopol, as well as climbing Ai-Petri.

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At the height of the tourist season in Nikolaevka works luna-park. Carousels are designed for children, but there are also a couple of adult “adrenaline” rides, allowing fun to pull off a full family composition. The entertainment complex opens in the evening. At the same time their clients are waiting for the village clubs and bars, where you can rock out in a pleasant company, having previously tried all the positions of the alcoholic map.

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Not far from the Luna Park is the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The building of the church is modern and at the same time very modest, so tourists come here not so much for pilgrimage purposes, but for the sake of collecting water from Nikolov’s key. The spring, near which the founder of the village Andrei Bobyr once camped, has the status of consecrated. Nearby there is a box for donations, so after you stock up on life-giving water, leave a small amount of money for the temple.

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Beach vacation in Nikolaevka

The length of Nikolaevka beaches is 8 kilometers. Formally, the resort owns the entire coastline from the boathouse cooperative “Anchor” to the village of Beregovoye, and this section includes both ennobled and wild areas, completely devoid of even minimal infrastructure. Entrance to the sea near Nikolaevka gentle, which is convenient for children and adults who like to splash in shallow water.

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The main covering of the coast is sand mixed with small pebbles and coquina. Occasionally there are impressive stones, so slippers for bathing can be considered a justified purchase. During a walk along the sea you can meet and completely sandy areas, rest on which will be much more pleasant if your beach arsenal is only a towel. A pleasant bonus for those who like to keep their distance: despite the fact that most beaches in Nikolaevka are very narrow, you will not have to fight for “a place under the sun”. Moreover, even in the high season here is never observed Babylonian pandemonium, inherent in the resorts of the south coast.

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Planning beach relaxation in Nikolaevka, it is worth being aware of the peculiarities of the local relief. For example, the coast at the boathouse cooperative, as well as on the side of the village Beregovoye is riddled with steep cliffs, which complicates the descent to the water. In addition, during storms, the soil is periodically washed up, which provokes sudden rock falls. It is not necessary to be frightened of such cataclysms, but it is better to avoid places with warning signs. On especially steep sections there are stairways that help to get to the sea. The most comfortable staircases belong to sanatoriums and resorts, while other structures have a shabby look, although they continue to be used for their intended purpose.

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The most suitable time for swimming and sunbathing in Nikolaevka is from morning until 15:00-16:00. At this time, the water is calm and has maximum transparency. Closer to the evening on the sea there are waves, lifting from the bottom of the sand, so swim, constantly fighting with the elements, is not so pleasant. The most accessible and crowded beach of the resort – “Central”, to which there is a descent from Lenina Street. Vacationers here are more than in other places, but kilometer-long queues to the main infrastructure (toilets, changing rooms) is not observed.

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With the municipal bathing area is neighboring beach recreation center “Skif”, which can freely pass, even without being a guesthouse. By the way, if you were looking for the best option for a vacation with children, this is it. The territory of the “Skiff” is regularly cleaned; here you can rent a deck chair. For representatives of the younger generation are equipped with trampolines, inflatable slides and other beach pleasures. Want a little more privacy? Go further south, to the beaches rented by private resorts. However, you can only get to them if you are already on the beach – the entrance from the village for persons who are not hotel guests will be blocked.

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If you go in a northerly direction from the central recreation area, you can find yourself on a wild beach, unofficially called “Under the precipice”. The coast here is really steep, periodically occur landslides. To get to the narrow pebble strip leading to the sea, use the stairs near Naberezhnaya Street, as well as on the territory of the cooperative “Dolphin”. The beach itself is quite deserted, about 1 km long, ideally meeting the needs of all seekers of seclusion.

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Next after “Under the precipice”, – the beach of the cooperative “Anchor”. The place is clean, cozy, but without the amenities that the inhabitants standing almost at the water are not too much and need. Behind “Anchor”, in the direction of the village Frunze, there are several more wild beaches, where you can escape from the hustle and bustle of the resort. Descents to them are extremely precipitous, so it is better to get off at the boathouse cooperative down in advance and continue the way to wild locations right along the shore.

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Restaurants and cafes

Nikolaev’s public catering keeps, first of all, on budget establishments like canteens and varenychnyh. By the number of positive reviews are leading canteens “Khatynka” and Green, where a three-course lunch will cost around 250-300 RUB per person. Pretentious gourmets should look into “Orange” – a restaurant with a summer veranda for 150 seats at the hotel of the same name. Here you will not just be fed, but also “charge” hookah for those who wish. A large selection of Crimean wines, high cuisine and complex dinners promises Ravenna Mare, also located on the territory of the hotel.

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For a change, you can sit in the cafe at the recreation center “Helios” to assess how well the local chef succeeds kebab and kebab. As for those who like to eat without leaving the beach, they will also have enough tempting offers – peddlers of all sorts of snacks walk with their goods along the shore from morning until the evening. The only nuance – no one can guarantee the freshness of home-made fast food, so the element of risk in such purchases is always present.

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Shopping

It is customary to leave Nikolaevka not with fashionable acquisitions, but with inexpensive souvenirs and natural products of local production. The richest on the “catch” places – the old and new markets. Here you can buy smoked fish and Black Sea rapans, tender farmer’s cheese, and in season – mind-bogglingly sweet peaches. There are stalls with fragrant home-pressed sunflower oil. Almost any store licensed to sell alcohol will have Crimean wines.

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Material reminder of the vacation in Nikolaevka will be inexpensive trinkets like shells with carved on them inscriptions, beads made of stones, magnets and other traditional resort paraphernalia. Cosmetic products of the peninsula also have their fans – the main consumer demand is for products with mud of Saksky Lake and creams with extract from maklura. Almost everywhere you can buy herbal collections and flower tea produced in Crimea.

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Where to stay

Nikolaevka has a reputation as one of the most inexpensive resorts on the West Coast of Crimea, so the choice of budget (and not so much) accommodation here is decent. There are no hotels offering a level of service higher than three stars in the village. They are replaced by family hotels, boarding houses, guesthouses and recreation centers. Since no one can predict the time of the arrival of nizovka, it is advisable to look for a mini-hotel with its own pool in advance, so as not to deprive yourself of water procedures.

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Accommodate in a three-star hotel in Nikolaevka can be for 2300-2800 RUB per day, and the price often includes breakfast. Staying in the well-publicized “Orange” in the peak of tourist influx will cost much more expensive – from 4800 RUB. Cozy rooms for two people in guest houses, distant from the beach no more than 500 meters away, are offered for 700-1600 RUB.

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Large companies dreaming of the sea “at the doorstep” and complete independence, usually settle down in the cooperative Anchor, where for 4000-5000 RUB per day you can rent a well-maintained boathouse with fresh repair, parking and a closed courtyard. In general, there is no need in early booking of accommodation: even in the middle of summer in Nikolaevka it is easy to rent a room in a boarding house or guest house. The only exception may be more hyped and, accordingly, expensive hotels like Ravenna Mare.

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Transportation

The size of the village makes it easy to get around on foot. If you don’t feel like hanging around in the sun, take a local cab. Fans of ultra-budget excursions better walk to the village bus station, which is on Lenina Street. On passing intercity buses from here you can escape to the beaches of Evpatoria, to Bakhchisarai and even Sevastopol. Bicycle rental services are provided by guest houses – “Castle”, “Priboy” and others. In some of them you can rent a scooter.

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How to get there

The fastest way to get to Nikolaevka is to first fly from Moscow to Simferopol. Look for direct flights in this direction from Aeroflot, Ural Airlines, S7 and other carriers. At the stop near the airport building you will need to change to bus number 49a or choose express trolleybus number 20. It is on them that you can get to the Simferopol bus station “Kurortnaya”, from which buses and shuttles to Nikolaevka depart regularly. The cost of a trolleybus ticket – 22 RUB, travel from Simferopol to Nikolaevka by minibus – 121 RUB.

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In the season between the airport of Simferopol and the village runs a direct bus, making about four trips a day. If the travel budget allows, you can also use the services of a cab or pre-ordered transfer from the hotel, which will take you to the desired point of Nikolaevka.

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Another way to get to Simferopol from Moscow without transfers is to buy a ticket for the train “Tavria”. The train departs from Kazansky station, travel time – 33 hours. Upon arrival, you just need to go to the bus station “Kurortnaya” (located within walking distance from the railway station) and buy a ticket in the desired direction.

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Tourists going on vacation by car, will have to keep the way across the Crimean bridge, then – on the highway “Tavrida”, bypassing Simferopol and turning off the highway on the road 35K-011 near the village of Dubki. You should drive in the direction of Kolchugino village until the final point of the highway – Nikolaevka.

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