The Golitsyna trail (New World) is not just a tourist route. This is an unusual and very attractive way to get acquainted with the Crimean nature. It was created more than a hundred years ago by the caring hand of Prince Lev Golitsyn.
New World, Crimea: Golitsyn trail and its history
On the slope of Mount Koba-Kaya in 1912, a unique walking route was laid. The creator of the trail was the famous Prince Lev Sergeyevich Golitsyn - the founder of the village of New World and Crimean winemaking. In this regard, the name "Golitsyna trail" was assigned to the tourist route.
The New World in 1912 was visited by Tsar Nicholas II. It was he who became the first visitor to the paved trail. The tsar really liked the walk, after which he was also treated to champagne from the Golitsyn cellars. “Now I see life in a new light,” said Nicholas II, draining the second bottle of a fabulous drink. Just after this phrase, the estate of Lev Sergeyevich got its modern name.
Golitsyna trail (Crimea): photo and description of the route
The total length of the tourist route is 5.5 kilometers. The path surrounds Mount Oryol, then passes along the Blue Bay, goes around the cape Kapchik and ends in the Blue Bay. The entire route can be completed in 1.5-2 hours. Take a small supply of food and water with you.
Beautiful and slightly mysterious East Crimea. It is here that the Golitsyn trail (New World) is located. How to get to this tourist site?
The route begins near the western edge of the embankment of the resort village (within the so-called Green Bay). There is a checkpoint where foresters are on duty. They charge a small fee for entering the trail and keep order on the route.
The Golitsyn trail at the very beginning is quite narrow. In this section, it is laid between a steep rock on one side and a steep cliff on the other. Here the route is equipped with concrete sides and railings for the safety of tourists.
First stop: Golitsyn Grotto
The first attraction on the trail is the Golitsyn Grotto (or Chaliapin, as it is also called). A narrow path leads directly to this object. In the grotto, Prince Golitsyn arranged wine cellars. Until today, niches (in the form of hollowed arches) have remained in the walls, in which exclusive bottles of wine lay. There is also a well in the grotto. Now it is dry, but at the time of Golitsyn there was water in it.
The grotto itself is a small cavity in the coastal cliff formed naturally (by the blows of sea waves). Its height does not exceed thirty meters, and the width is about 18 meters. Archaeologists have established that in the Middle Ages the cave Orthodox monastery was located here. Ancient wall paintings could be considered at the end of the XIX century. Later, Prince Golitsyn arranged his winery here.
The grotto is also often called Chaliapinsky. In the depths of the rocky cavity, you can really see an impromptu stone scene. According to some sources, the famous singer Fedor Chaliapin performed at that time. And from his powerful voice, as legend has it, even a glass of wine crashed. It is difficult to say that everything was just that, and that a talented performer generally visited the New World. Maybe this is just a legend. Nevertheless, musical concerts in the Chaliapin Grotto are sometimes held today. The acoustics of this cave are simply excellent!
Second stop: Cape Kapchik
After the Chaliapin Grotto, the Golitsyn trail, on the southern slope of Mount Koba-Kaya, leads the traveler to the shores of Blue Bay. She is also known as the Robber, since in ancient Greece pirate ships hid here. From the west, Blue Bay is bordered by Cape Kapchik, where the route goes further.
From the Turkic language, “kapchik” is an elongated small pouch worn on the belt. Kapchik is a cape that is connected to the land by a narrow isthmus. At the same time, it divides the Blue and Blue bays. Cape Kapchik is nothing more than an ancient coral reef. With its silhouette, it resembles a giant stone lizard.
The shape of the cape is very recognizable by many tourists. After all, Kapchik "starred" in a number of Soviet feature films. These are the "Pirates of the twentieth century", "Amphibian Man", "Treasure Island" and many others. There was also a camp of the protagonists of the popular film Sportloto-82.
Cape Kapchik offers beautiful views of the Royal Beach and Blue Bay - the next stop on the trail.
Third stop: Royal beach
Passing Cape Kapchik, the Golitsyn trail leads tourists to the beautiful Blue Bay. It is bounded by Mount Karaul-Oba on the one hand and the already mentioned cape on the other.
The main attraction of the bay is the so-called Royal Beach. It is called so for a reason: monarchs have chosen this section of the Crimean coast for a very long time. Today, the Royal Beach is territorially related to the New World Nature Reserve, therefore access to it is limited.
Further, the Golitsyn trail leads to the Juniper Grove, which is the final object on the route.
Finally...
Created at the beginning of the twentieth century, the Golitsyn trail is today one of the most popular tourist sites in Eastern Crimea. There are guided tours daily. This route allows guests of the peninsula to experience the diversity of the local nature and landscapes of the Crimean coast.
The total length of the trail is 5500 meters. On the way, tourists can see a lot of interesting things: the Chaliapin Grotto, Blue and Blue Bay, Cape Kapchik, Tsarsky Beach and other sightseeing sites.