Discovering the nature of Crimea for those who come here to rest is an unforgettable experience, because here, it seems, nature has created all the best, all the most beautiful and inspiring. Picturesque mountains, blue sea, endless steppes, forests with centuries-old trees — all this adds up to a stunning picture, for the sake of which tourists from all corners of the country and abroad come to ancient Taurica. And many of them seek, first of all, not to the beaches, but to the most interesting natural attractions of this fertile land. A great option for those who came to rest in Big Yalta and want to enjoy nature is a walk along the Tsar’s Path.
Tsarskaya (Sun) Trail — is a famous landmark of Big Yalta, it connects Gaspra and Livadia, making a path of 6711 meters through Kurpaty and Oreanda. This path refers to therapeutic paths-terrenkuram — walking along this route has a beneficial effect on the body and, with regularity, get rid of diseases or alleviate their course. And it is not surprising, because along the trail on a person affect almost all therapeutic factors present in the climatic resorts of the Crimea. But it is not only the desire for recovery that guides those who travel along the Tsar’s Trail.
The name of this attraction is not accidental — the fact is that the trail loved to walk the Romanovs, it was one of the favorite places of Nicholas II for walks on foot and on horseback.
Since 1843 there was already a walking trail along the coast of Big Yalta, it led from Cape Ai-Todor in Gaspra to Oreanda and passed over Lower Oreanda. It was extended to Livadia in 1861. Completely completed all the works on the arrangement were in 1901, and then the length of the trail reached the current 6.7 km. Leading in picturesque places along the mountainous terrain, it was arranged in such a way that there were no steep descents and ascents on it, and this made the trail unique, and the second name it received because of this feature — «horizontal». The ease of the path, laid through vineyards and mountain forests under overhanging rocks, unique views of the mountains and the sea — all this made the trail popular, it immediately became a favorite place for walks of many residents and guests of Big Yalta. It is also noteworthy that one of its ends — the eastern one — leads to the Suite building of Livadia Palace, and the second one — the western one — almost reaches another famous sight — Palace «Yasnaya Polyana» (S. Panina’s estate). At the same time on the way it introduces and other sights: the rock Stavri-Kaya, which preserved the ruins of medieval settlement, the mountain Ai-Nikola, and 150m away from it in the area of Gaspra are 3 Taurian burial grounds.
The Tsar’s Path is easy to travel, it is pleasant to breathe here, because the air is filled with medicinal wood aromas, and there are no sharp changes, steep ascents or descents. At any moment you can return «to civilization» — it often intersects with other paths, alleys and descents to beaches and sanatoriums, thanks to which, if desired, you can not continue the path, and get off the route and take a bus or rest on the beach.
During vacation in Livadia, Oreanda or Gaspra the Tsar’s Path is visited by many guests of Krym, and this walk leaves the most pleasant emotions on the soul, inspires, energizes from the contemplation of the beautiful and, of course, healing atmosphere.