Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Regions at a Glance
Crimea
Stunning Landscapes
A chain of plateaus with near-vertical slopes looms above the Black Sea, which is almost
always a stunning shade of sapphire. Looking like cream topping on a cake, their lime-
stone hats hide ancient cave cities and bizarrely eroded forms. Spring transforms them
into flower-filled Oriental tapestries.
Royal Retreats
Russian aristocrats squandered fortunes here on the whimsical creations of fin de siècle
architects. These monuments of imperial decadence dot the Crimean coast, surrounded
by lush parks and memories of the last Romanovs.
Crimean War
The Crimean War was fought on some of the world's most picturesque battlefields. After
checking out a landscape that remembers Florence Nightingale and the Charge of the
Light Brigade, plunge into a turquoise sea or discover that Balaklava is more about sea-
food than dodgy head gear.
