Simferopol Travel Gudie • Things to See and Do in Simferopol

Simferopol- 44°56'53"N 34°6'15"E

The Basic Facts:

Simferopol is the capital city of the Crimea, in the Ukraine. Crimea is a peninsula to the South of the mainland and is almost completely surrounded by water; Simferopol is located close to the center of the peninsula. Its total area is 107 km² (41.3 sq mil). Elevation is 350m or 1,148 ft ASL, and its population was 340,600 in 2006. Temperatures can range from highs of 30-35°C and lows of 0-11°C, depending on the month you visit. Simferopol is home to the largest collection of higher education institutions in Crimea including the largest national university and the most prominent medical school.

In a Word:

Dobry den'- used for hello and literally means good day.

Things to See and Do:

* Pushkina – the main pedestrian street in town is filled with restaurants, shops, bars and cafes for all to enjoy.

* Central Market (Centralny Rynok) – if you like to shop or people watch the market is great. You can buy food, clothes or just about anything else you can think of there, as well as spend hours just watching the local people.

* Scythian Neapolis – an archeological site on the outskirts of Simferopol that was populated from the end of the 3rd century BC to about the 3rd century AD. During that time it was the center of the Crimean tribes known as Scythian. About the 2nd century BC it became mixed with the Greek population and was ultimately destroyed by the Goths.

* Lenin Square – the main square of Simferopol where locals gather for concerts, to lodge a protest with the government (the Council of Ministers of Crimea is located here, too) and the main meeting place for loving couples. A great place to hear some live local music or just relax with a good book.

* Caves – about 17km out of Simferopol you can explore some caves, the Red Cave and Marble Cave are the most popular. You can get there by pubic transport or do a tour, which lasts about 80 minutes.

Nightlife:

There is no shortage of bars and clubs to drink, dance and enjoy, but some other interesting things to do include:
* Circus – located right down town, it offers a number of live performances such as musical arts, puppet shows, and other entertainers.
* Movie theater Simferopol – a prominent spot on the well-known Soviet Square, you can't miss this building. It runs Ukrainian and Russian movies and other types of local performances.

Food and Drink:

* Drink - make sure to try Crimean wine – best bought from the Massandra wine store. Also try Ukrainian vodka or horilka. The name comes from the word voda (water) and means "a wee drop". The brand Hortitsa is recommended.

* Eat – Plov is the #1 food to try in Simferopol. Known as a local version of the Indian Biryani or Spanish Paella, it is rich and delicious. The #2 must try food would be meat on a stick called shashlik by the locals and is usually served with lepeoshka (round bread). Also try the local noodle soup, called lagman.

Getting There and Away:

Being that Simferopol is the capital it's somewhat of a hub for transportation. You can get there by car, bus, train or plane.
* Car – all roads coming into Crimea lead to and through Simferopol.
* Train - Simferopol has a great train system that connects to many places in the Ukraine and Russia. The train station is a beautiful building as well so even if you don't take the train, stop by and see this lovely site.
* Plane – Simferopol has an international airport (the only airport in all of Crimea) with daily flights around the Ukraine and to international destinations as well.
* Trolleybus – connects with the black sea coast and is the longest trolleybus in the world at 86 Kilometers long.

Getting Around:

Once in Simferopol getting around is easy, there is public transport (buses, minivans and mini buses) and taxis. The most popular from of public transport is called 'marshutka'.

by Alex Shale

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