Yalta is the center of the South Coast. It spreads over the valleys of the two mountain rivers and adjacent slopes. The boundless space of the sea imparts a particular charm to Yalta. The sea gave the name to the city. In remote times several ships set sail from Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire in search of new fertile lands. The voyage was not an easy one, the Pontos Euxenos - the Black Sea - met the seafarers with storms and gales. When the tempest had abated the impervious blanket of fog covered the sea.

                                            

The ships drifted at random for many days. The sailors ran out of fresh water and food, tired and exhausted they lost all hope and resignedly expected to die.

But once, early in the morning, a fresh breeze started blowing, the fog cleared out and right close by there appeared lilac-green mountains.
"Gialos! Gialos! Shore! Shore!" - shouted the look-out. The travelers heartened up and steered their ships to the inviting shore.

Here they founded a settlement and named it by a long-awaited word "gialos" (yalos) which is Greek for shore.

Some centuries Yalta was a small village and in 1838 it reserved the status of the city. In 1860 the emperor’s family purchased the lands in the South Coast and Yalta began to develop as a fashionable health-resort. The splendid palaces were built in Livadia, Massandra, Oreanda. Villas, summer houses were built in Yalta’s environs.

 

Yalta City is Yalta itself, but Greater Yalta is several small towns which situated between Bear Mountain (Gurzuf) and Cat Mountain (Simeiz).
At the beginning of the XX-th century Yalta became the first-class health-resort. Now to the cervices of the guests are more than 130 holiday homes and tourist centers.

Yalta City is surrounded by high mountains and that"s why it is always warm, the climate is like Mediterranean Climate. There is much activity in Yalta. It is "non stop" in Summer time and of course less in Winter.

 

There are many restaurants, cafes, bars and night clubs. The main promenade is always full of people walking forward and back, many artists, singers and performers. Many people do offer their service, souvenirs etc. etc. Many well-knows artists do their performance in Summer here. There is a big hall, a theater, and a cinema.

Yalta is a pretty expensive city - the average prices are close to Western standards. Many restaurants and shops accept credit cards (Visa and MasterCard), and ATM machines are also available.