Beach babes should visit Novy Svit and enjoy a day bathing and an evening drinking the town's excellent and cheap champagne.

See the Russian playwright Chekhov's old dacha in Yalta and be struck with wonder at the cave city of Chufut Kale at Baschkhysaray - afterwards, get a taste of Tatar Ukraine at the old palace at Bachkhysaray.

Quick Tips:

Plan ahead! Opening hours are erratic, and you could be disappointed if you don't do your homework.

Best Way To Get Around:

Breakfast is included, and you have a choice of four menus. Each has a meat option, but veggies will find that there is so much on each menu that you'll not be hungry if you just out the meat to one side and eat the rest.

The hotel is a trolley bus ride from town, but there are no hotels close to Simferopol's centre. There is also car parking and the hotel is 2 minutes from the Central Bus Station for departures all over Ukraine, the Crimea, and Europe in general.

The hotel has a casino (a room with slot machines), a bar (some settees in reception and a sulky barmaid), a newsstand (Ukrainian and Russian titles only), a nightclub (watch your wallets, these girls aren't cheap), and a restaurant (serving Russian staples).

At £25 for a double en suite this is expensive for this part of the world, but you do get LOADS of free stuff: two pairs of Hotel Moskva slippers, toothbrushes, razors, shaving gel, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, comb, sewing kit, and even a chocolate on your pillow. The staff doesn't speak much English, but is friendly and tries its best.

We LOVED it!

The Swallows Nest is one of the most famous sights associated with the crime and features in endless books and brochures. This little mock-medieval castle is even smaller than you might think and these days houses only an Italian cafe/restaurant (over-priced).

You can get here by bus from Yalta, but better to come by ferry from Yalta and see the Swallows Nest from a unique angle as the ferry docks almost underneath it. Climb the stone steps to a gate where you will be asked to pay a couple of Hyrvnia to walk around the outside the the house. There are numerous hawkers peddling tacky souvenirs and people trying to persuade you to have your photograph taken with a monkey, an eagle or a peacock - tragic really. The House is undoubtedly cute and appealing but there's not really that much to warrant a visit. It's a bit of a hike for the disappointment at the end to be honest. All you can do is walk around the outside. Nice views but not enough.

Forgive my vague address details for the Livadia Place -it's just that I haven't ever been able to find a definitive address. The Livadia is situated about 15 minutes drive west of Ylata - several bus services pass the entrance to the Palace and Gardens - check which numbers at the main bus station in Yalta. You have to do the work yourself because the Ukrainians still suffer from the "organized tour mentality" and don't really believe people can do things without being part of a group. This is why, arriving at the ticket office at Livadia, you are largely ignored and have to try hard to get someones attention. Most people come a part of a group with a dedicated guide. We tagged on the back of one of these, paying the 15UAH price but getting the commentary thrown in free (well I translated from German for my partner!)

Downstairs are the state rooms where Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin decided the post-war structure of Europe at the Yalta Conference of 1945. You can also see the rooms which made up Rossevelt's apartments. Most impressive is the round table the delegates sat at and on the walls are the famous photographs of the three statesmen together. Upstairs is an exhibition thought the private suites of the ill-fated Romanovs The Russian royal family at the time of the revolution. Unfortunately only a few of the exhibits are captioned in English, then it tails off into Russian only. However, there are some moving photographs of the children in particular and some interesting personal effects. The rear rooms are the most amazing selection of souvenir shops I have ever seen! There are about ten, one leading into the next; all are huge and most sell the same things as the last room! Prices are cheaper than you might think and the stuff are surprisingly quite nice. If you are thinking about buying a set of Russian dolls you would do worse than looking here.

The grounds are wonderful and are free of charge, open from dawn until dusk daily. You can follow "Sunny Walk" which was created for Nicholas II when he was advised that the tuberculosis stricken Romanovs would benefit from more fresh air. It is a scenic stroll along the cliffs down to the sea. The Palace rooms are not that grand and exciting but there is a palpable feeling in the Livadia Palace of historic importance. I feel pleased that I was able to visit and would recommend this museum to adults with an interest in history.

Not easy to find (there are NO signs) this little treasure is well worth the trek out here. It's not far from town but my advice is to take a taxi because even if you get the bus this place is well hidden. Not only is this where the great playwright penned The Cherry Orchard but it is an amazing and beautiful little house in its own right with fantastic gardens designed by Chekhov himself.

Chekhov spent the last few years of his life in Yalta convinced that the air was beneficial against his tuberculosis; he designed the house himself and when it was complete he invited all sorts of famous people to enjoy it with him. There are photographs and other references all over the house to people like Rachmaninov and Tolstoy. There are some lovely and touching personal effects and simple yet exquisite furniture. Have a look at the exhibition in the purpose built visitor centre, you can also watch a film about Chekhov's work and time in Yalta. Just tell the assistant which language you wish to see it in.

You could sit for hours in the gorgeous gardens which have many interesting plants and trees, some quite unusual. There are both shaded and sunny spots and places that are so sheltered no one will find you! Entry is about 12UAH - it is a bargain. The staff are knowledgeable and enthusiastic. The lady who showed us around didn't speak English but we were able to understand exactly what she was telling us. She also gave us laminated cards (in several languages) to read as we went round the rooms. There are stairs to the upper floors but there is enough to see in the gardens, exhibition space and ground floor rooms to warrant a visit so wheelchair users need not be disappointed. If you do one cultural thing in Yalta, make it this!

If you think "Been there done it" when it comes to chairlifts air cable cars, think again! This contraption in Yalta terrorized me before I went up and had me wanting to go back when it was over. More a bucket-lift than a chair lift, the gaily colored cabs can be seen from the road and as they climb up the hillside they actually go over the main road (thankfully there is a net between you and the road).

The start point is not easy to find; the best way to do it is go to the main road, see the line and follow it towards the sea. You'll find the station one block from the seafront just behind Nab Lenina. As the next free bucket comes towards you walk towards it, and open the swing door and step in quickly slide into the seat going backwards and sit. By now your friend (if you have one with you) should be opening the door and climbing in. The second person makes the bucket jump a bit but it soon settles and you're on your way up over the road and then over the golden and gleaming domes of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral - this is the best way to see it. Its height and the angle at which you view it from the ground mean it's difficult to take in fully unless you're in the air.

Remember to close the catch in case you accidentally lean on it - you wouldn't want to fall out! Up further past some swanky hotels and houses (the swimming pools look so refreshing you almost want to open the door and jump out) and then you reach the station where you must alight and may NOT go around the tunnel at the very summit. From here climb a short flight of steps and you reach an overpriced cafe-bar. Back around the other side for your descent and take in everything you missed on the way up. A superb trip with magical views. It costs 10UAH for a round trip - if it was double the price I wouldn't have noticed. it's not everybody's cup of tea but if you like terror and fun combined this is the ride for you!