Looking as though it belongs in a fairy tale, the nearby Swallow’s Nest is perched at the top of a sheer cliff. A long path winds down and around and then up again to reach the castle, but the magnificent view is well worth the hike.

The Swallow’s Nest is a castle built by a German nobleman and used as a sanatorium for high-ranking military officers in Soviet times. Perched precariously on a mountain promontory, it is now a moderately priced Italian restaurant. But the food takes second place to a posh atmosphere and exotic setting that would make James Bond feel right at home.

Swallow’s Nest Location

Alupkins’ke Hwy, 4, Haspra, Crimea, Ukraine
Approximate Geographic Coordinates: 44.430599,34.128674
Use this map to get directions:

Swallow’s Nest Map

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Livadia Palace History

The Livadia Palace, constructed of white Crimean granite, was built in 1911 as a summer residence for Nicholas II, the last czar of Russia.

This palace was the site of the historic Yalta Conference of 1945, when Soviet leader Joseph Stalin hosted the British prime minister, Winston Churchill, and the U.S. President, Franklin Roosevelt, as these three world leaders decided the fate of Eastern Europe after World War II.

Livadia Palace Location

Address: Livadia Village, st. Baturin, Yalta district, Crimea region., Ukraine (пгт Ливадия, ул. Батурина, Ялтинский р-н, Крым обл., Ukraine). Get help with directions using this map:

Livadia Palace Map

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Vorontsov Palace History

The Alupka Palace, built during the first half of the 19th century, has beautiful gardens, including more than 1 million plants.

Paths wind between huge boulders that fell from cliffs ages ago. The Alupka Vorontsov Palace was completed in 1846 for Russian Anglophile Mikhail Vorontsov, once Imperial Ambassador to the Court of St. James.

Vorontsov Palace is a curious mix of an English castle and a Moorish fortress, which is considered one of the finest achievements of Russian architecture.

Clear, cold streams run through the rocks, spilling over in little waterfalls and forming ponds so pure and clear that the floating swans seem suspended in the air. It was here, at Alupka, where Winston Churchill was hosted by Stalin during the Yalta conference.

Alupka Palace Location

Address: Simeiz’ke Hwy, Alupka, Crimea, Ukraine, 98676
Approximate Geographic Coordinates: 44.419908,34.056413
Get directions using the map provided below:

Alupka Palace Map

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