Travel Route: Sights of Sudak

The first settlement on the territory of Sudak was created in 212 by Alan tribes. In VIII and IX centuries, Sudak was a large trade city and a sea port. It carried on an extensive trade with Kievan Rus, countries of the Middle East and the Mediterranean.

The city was of such significance that even Arabs called the Black Sea as the “Sudak Sea.” To glimpse into the ancient history of this city, you should definitely take this beautiful trip to the past. We suggest you the key sights of Sudak.

The starting point of the trip is Sudak city located in the south-east of Crimea, in 104 km away from Simferopol.

How to get there by public transport: busses and shuttle-busses that start from the central bus station and railway station from Simferopol. The traveling time is two hours.

How to get there by car: road Simferopol-Kerch M17,0. Near Grushevka settlement you should turn to the road T01 15 and to go to Sudak.

What to visit: Sudak fortress, Aqua Park, sampling hall.

Sudak fortress

The excursion around Sudak starts from viewing the Sudak fortress.
Address: Genoese Fortress Street.

The Sudak Genoese fortress, built in XIV-XV, is the only well-preserved Genoese construction in Crimea. Back then, it was the place to which lead trading routes “from Varangians to Greek”, roads from Western European countries, Far and Middle East, Egypt, India, and Syria. So, Sudak was the center of world trading routes.

The Genoese fortress received its name because since 1371 to 1469 citizens of Italian Genoa built here a powerful fortification construction with two levels of defense. Almost unapproachable, it is situated on a strange cone shaped mountain, which used to be a coral reef, surrounded by miraculously beautiful nature. The area of the fortress together with the port part of the ancient city is 29,5 hectares, and the length of its walls is over 800 meters. Its walls and towers are wonderful specimens of the medieval European defense architecture. On many towers you can still see the dates when the towers were built and the names of the consuls who built them: Giovanni Marione tower (1388) or Lavani tower (1409). From the top of the tallest tower of the fortress you can get a wonderful view on modern Sudak, the Sun Valley – one of the centers of vinemaking, the Capsel Bay, and one of the most beautiful places of Crimea – the nature reserve “Novyi Svet” or “The New World”.

What deserves particular attention: entrance gates of the fortress with a barbican (entrance fortification), Consul’s Castle – the residence of Genoese consul.

Padishah-Jami Mosque. In the building of the mosque, which was constructed in XIV, there is the museum of Sudak Fortress. There you can see archeological findings, which were discovered during excavations on the territory of the fortress starting from the early Byzantine period. In XIV-XV centuries, Soldaia (Sudak) was a large center of fictility. Besides the works of local potters, the collection of the museum also includes a large number of “imported” ceramic objects, brought there from Byzantia, Kievan Rus, medieval Europe, and the Muslim East. The great number of these objects reflects broad trade connections of the city on different stages of its development.

Watch or Maiden Tower. There is a legend about the name of this tower. According to it, a daughter of the local ruler fell in love with a simple herdsman. When the girl’s father attempted to destroy the lovers’ happiness, the girl jumped from a rock into the sea.
Annually, Sudak hosts the festival of knight arts. Also, here you can see masterpieces of potters, weavers, and smiths, as well as exhibitions of knight armor and medieval clothes.

The entrance fee is 30 UAH (4 USD). The working hours: from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., in summer: from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. No days-off.

Aqua Park of Sudak

The second point of the excursion is the Aqua Park of Sudak. Location: Aqua Park “Vodnyi Mir” or “Water World”, Gagarina Street 29, 100 meters away from the city beach.

If you would like to get rid of negative emotions, you should visit the Aqua Park in Sudak. We guaranty that the park will fill you with joy, excitement, and positive emotions. The park is located at the Black-Sea coast near Alchak Mountain. It doesn’t matter whether you like to rest peacefully in a hot whirlpool or prefer storm, extreme sports and adrenaline. Everyone will get unforgettable impressions from visiting the Aqua Park.

The working time is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. the maximum fee is 220 UAH (28 USD).

The sampling hall of the vinery “Sudak”

Address: Feodosiyskoe Highway 4.
The working time: from Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. The hall is open from July 15 to September 15.

The gorgeous sampling hall is decorated in the antique style. Here you can see all samples of “Massandra” Union production. Moreover, on the territory of the vinery, there is the oldest vine cellar in Crimea, a part of the former Potemkin’s collection.

On the territory of the vinery (vine workshop no. 2 on the Feodosiyskoe Highway) there is a small museum of vine, where you can learn about the history of vinegrowing and vinemaking in Sudak.