Crimea © Jean & Nathalie

Located in the south of the country, the Crimean Peninsula contains the most popular holiday resorts in the Ukraine. The peninsula is flanked by the Black Sea and the Azov Sea, and is the traditional holiday destination of Russian royalty. Though a small connection with the Ukrainian mainland in the western end makes it officially a landbridge, the region is sometimes referred to as a 'microcontinent' because of the diverse array of landscapes and ecosystems it contains.

The coastal beach cities are packed in the summer months with tourists from Russia and other Eastern European countries, and is largely overlooked by Western tourists, meaning that there are real bargains to be had in accommodation and entertainment. Yalta is the most popular resort in the Ukraine, containing the former palace of the Russian Czars and other fascinating monuments; and Koktebel has good beaches and a carnival-like atmosphere.

Inland, the coastal mountains of the Crimea are made up of rugged and untamed landscapes with a number of secluded caves and lakes to explore, containing rewarding hikes for adventurous travellers who don't mind roughing it. The plains region has pretty farms and landscapes that are enjoyable to pass through by train.

A holiday in the Crimea is an undiscovered pleasure for most of the western world, but as the Ukraine increasingly interacts with the rest of Europe, more tourists will discover its charms.