Crimea - Ukraine - page 337

- Zyndzhyrli (Chain) Medrese. The eponymous chain is hanging at the school's entrance,
placed here to ensure that even the khan humbly bows his head when entering the house
of god. To get here, bear left shortly after the parking lot on the way to Uspensky Monas-
tery.
Activities
Bakhchysaray is Crimea's best base for trekking, with beautiful mountains surrounding
you on all sides. Owners of many hotels listed here will happily assist with planning
routes and often accompany their guests on the treks. Maps of trekking routes are avail-
able at the tourist information centre. Rangers from Mountain Rescue Service ( Click
here ) are the most experienced guides in town, but you'll have to devise a way of over-
coming the language barrier.
If you are into cycling, hook up with the Hotel Koleso owners. They can deliver a
mountain bicycle to wherever you are in Bakhchysaray or you can join one of their cyc-
ling tours.
Sleeping
Thanks to Crimean Tatars' entrepreneurial skills, Bakhchysaray is now a great base for
budget travellers. However, guesthouses are rarely signposted and hard to find, so it's
better to call ahead and arrange a pickup. Otherwise, drop by the tourist information
centre and ask for directions. Budget travellers, watch out for a new hostel, which the
eminent owners of Villa Bakhitgul are planning to open at vul Lenina 100, near the
palace.
Villa Bakhitgul B&B$
OFFLINE MAP
( 050 174 3167; www.bahitgul.com.ua ; vul Krasnoflotskaya 20; r with/without bathroom 470/
310uah; ) People are absolutely raving about this stylish little place, which comes
with individually designed rooms, a pool and smashing views of the valley - the closest
to a boutique hotel you can find in Bakhchysaray. With a new menu each day, breakfast
is a definite highlight. The place is hard to find, so opt for free pickup from the train sta-
tion.
Dilara Hanum B&B$
OFFLINE MAP