Among all the cave cities and fortresses of Crimea, Eski-Kermen can be distinguished as the most accessible and spectacular. Easy to get to, easy to climb, pleasant and spectacular trail, beautiful views. We were there twice with children, and once even my mother-in-law was with us. This indicates the easy accessibility of Eski-Kermen for small and adult tourists.
The Bakhchisarai region is rich not only in berries, fruits, poppy and lavender fields. It has many cave cities, fortresses and very ancient buildings.
Eski-Kermen is a medieval fortress town, located 14 km from Bakhchisaray. It was founded at the end of the 6th century as a Byzantine fortification and existed for a total of 800 years.
The name is translated from Crimean Tatar as “old fortress”. The city's territory occupied an area of 8.5 hectares, having 1040 meters in length and 170 in width.
How to get there
In our opinion, it is better to approach Eski-Kermen from the northern part (“Dozor” on the map). Firstly, on this side there is a cafe and a retail store where you can take water with you before the climb and have a snack after the walk. Secondly, the ticket office, which is located at the foot, is not open in the morning, so if you drive up from the northern part early in the morning, you are guaranteed to walk around Eski-Kermen for free 😋
Approaching Eski-Kermen
How we went:
Highway P-260 (section Sevastopol - Bakhchisarai) - Exit to Verkhnesadovoye - Pirogovka - Frontovoye - Kholmovka - northern entrance to Eski-Kermen.
After Kholmovka there is a bad country road with potholes. We got there, but it’s better to go like this:
Highway P-260 (section Sevastopol - Bakhchisaray) - exit to Verkhnesadovoye - Pirogovka - Frontovoye - Red Poppy - northern entrance to Eski-Kermen
(You can get to Kholmovka or Red Poppy by regular bus from Bakhchisarai)
The trail and surroundings of Eski-Kermen
We started our way from the northern part of the complex, went around the ring and returned there. First you will have to climb up a little, about 300 meters. The ascent is steep, but not long. You will meet a staircase - this place at one time served as a "gate" of the entrance through the northern gate. Through the narrow gap it was very convenient to repel an enemy attack.
This is what the stairs looked like in 2016
In 2018, the stairs on the path to the Northern Lookout Point were noticeably transformed
After going up the stairs, you will come to a fork - go right. In this case, you will gradually get acquainted with the beauty of Eski-Kermen. After going around the former settlement, at the end of the path you will return along the path on the left to the same stairs.
At the Northern Watch Point
Eski-Kerman. West Side. Don't walk on the plank, don't look at us :)
Lichen on rocks
Eski-Kermen has cliffs up to 30 meters high in its structure, so it is dangerous to approach the edges.
Hello! I continue to talk about one of the most interesting mountain routes in Crimea. A trip to the cave city of Eski-Kermen can take a whole day, but I covered it in two articles. (). In the first part, I talked about the northern and central parts of the excursion route, what to take with you to the cave city and what to pay special attention to.
It's time to look at the main street of the city, rock temples and a short overview video. At the end of my review I will tell you how to get to Eski-Kermen.
Southern slope of Eski-Kermen. (photo from the site sergeydolya.livejournal). This is what the main entrance to the cave city looks like. We climbed the plateau in the north and descended in the south, and vice versa.
Cave Church of the Assumption
We went to the cave-temple of the Assumption. To the right of the entrance there is a small altar and ancient frescoes, or rather what remains of them.
Near the other wall there is a tarapan - a special stone container for grapes. Such assumptions were made after archaeologists examined the details, holes for the lever and a reservoir for grape juice.
In the middle is a large recess - a water tank. But this design really reminded me of a trap; falling into it right from the doorway and getting injured costs nothing.
From the height of the cliff, well-groomed fields and gardens are visible.
South slope and main street
Since we tried to look into every cave, we reached the southern slope of the table mountain in about two hours. I can say with confidence that the central part of the settlement is the most interesting.
Coming out on the only surviving street of the cave city, you forget that you are high in the mountains. The whole atmosphere is more reminiscent of a movie set. A carved road for carts runs along the main street, the deep rut is especially impressive.
A track with a track leads from the main South Gate to the central city square, which is hidden in the thickets of the cave city.
Basilica ("Seat of Judgment")
Next to the former customs house, which "gives the go-ahead", is the most photogenic cave-temple, with a prayer book, cells - a basilica or "Court Court". Inside, stone benches, tombs, columns and the remains of a throne are clearly visible.
According to archaeologists, there was something similar to our administration here.
Walking through the numerous halls is incredibly interesting! You mentally return to the depths of centuries.
The fortress was plundered and destroyed by the Khazars, after which a densely populated city with entire neighborhoods arose in its place.
In front of you is the main gate to the Eski-Kermen fortress.
In the first part, I showed you the place where the episodes of the film "9th Company" were filmed, and here is another one.
Of course, the current state of the main gate to the city bears little resemblance to the previous one. By small details and cuttings in the stones, archaeologists determined exactly where the tower and fortress walls were located.
The fortress was finally destroyed during the Golden Horde, the plateau was overgrown with dense forest and only rock holes and galleries remind of the old times of the unique fortress.
Without exaggeration, I can say that Eski-Kermen is an amazing historical monument with breathtaking views and cave labyrinths.
Following the signs, when leaving the city, you need to turn left. Down the slope there is a path along which you can go down the mountain, and at the same time look into another interesting temple.
Temple of the Three Horsemen (XIII century)
On the southeastern slope of the mountain, in a small rock, there is an active temple of the Three Horsemen. We were a little late, the sun was already setting and the temple was closed. Through the lattice doors one could see all the decoration of the small temple.
The temple bears such a beautiful name thanks to the preserved fresco, which is located inside on the northern wall.
One horseman kills the serpent, it is clear that this is St. George the Victorious, but it is not known exactly who the other two horsemen are.
Notice how the column in the center has been preserved.
The Russian Orthodox Church recognizes the holy places of Eski-Kermen. Divine services, baptisms and weddings take place here.
Two people were waiting for us at the foot of the mountain... One of them kindly walked us all the way to the car and even tried to get into it. Funny and very kind donkey.
We went down the southern slope and along the path went to the northern one, where there was a parking lot. The slopes of the neighboring mountain Zangurma-Kobalar rose very close by.
Thanks to the coloring of the rocks, the Zangurma-Kobalar grottoes seem to be marble.
The most beautiful part of the rock. Click on the photo, who do you see on the left? In their reports, tourists call this rock “elephant”, and I see a hooded cobra...
There was not enough time to explore the no less beautiful Zangurma plateau, so we decided to continue our trip next time. For lovers of mountains, the cave city of Eski-Kermen and the grottoes of Zangurma-Kobalar are just heaven on earth! Fantastic landscapes!
My video about the cave city of Eski-Kermen.
The November day was quickly coming to an end, but the tradition must not be broken! When the whole company was assembled, we went on a picnic. A few kilometers from Eski-Kermen there is a reservoir, the people call it the "white wall".
Entrance to Eski-Kermen is paid.
Price (November 2014): adult ticket -80 rubles, children's ticket - 50 rubles.
How to get to Eski-Kermen:
From Bakhchisaray along the T0117 highway, through the village. Kholmovka. Distance - 24 km. Drive up to the northern part of the plateau.
From Sevastopol to Eski-Kermen along the H19 highway through the village. Ternovka. Distance - 34.5 km. Drive up to the southern part of the plateau.
If you are traveling in your own car, get ready to overcome the section of the "front" road. It is located at the entrance to Eski-Kermen from Bakhchisarai and the village. Tank. A car will pass, but a jeep will be more reliable. There are deep ditches, so be aware of weather conditions.
By public transport to the village. Kholmovka or village. Ternovka, and then on foot.
There is a good trail from the village. Zalesnoye, which will lead to the southern slope of Eski-Kermen.
The excursion to the cave city of Eski-Kermen has ended. Thank you for attention!
Address: Russia, Republic of Crimea, 14 km from the city of Bakhchisarai
Based: at the end of the 6th century
Coordinates: 44°36"31.6"N 33°44"25.3"E
The cave city of Eski-Kermen is located in the forest-steppe foothills in the southwest of the Inner Ridge of Crimea. The plateau, where in the 6th century a settlement with the Tatar name “old fortress” appeared, is a steep table mountain stretching from north to south for more than one kilometer. The territory of the settlement occupies 8.5 hectares, and on three sides it is protected by sheer cliffs up to 30 m high.
General view of Eski-Kermen
How Eski-Kermen was built
Despite its considerable age and rather large size, the cave city of Eski-Kermen still remains one of the least explored archaeological sites of Crimea. As historical chronicles testify, the construction of the fort began at the end of the 6th century. Around the 80s of the 8th century, the Khazars took possession of the settlement. However, historians know little about what happened on these lands over the next two centuries. In the 9th and 10th centuries, Eski-Kermen was a sparsely populated town, but from the second half of the 10th century it began to be actively developed.
After the attack on the peninsula by the Golden Horde Nogai (1299), the settlement fell into decay, and during Edigei’s raid it was completely destroyed. In 1578, diplomat and writer Martin Bronevsky arrived from Poland to the Eski-Kermen plateau to inspect it, but found only ruins here. According to him, they were so ancient that neither the Greeks, nor the Tatars, nor the Turks remembered the names of the temples and buildings that stood here earlier. Bronevsky noted that the name of the city of Eski-Kermen really suits him, since it looks like a very old fortress.
Casemate
In the 18th century, the local population of the peninsula no longer remembered the existence of the dead city, which had once been lively and prosperous. However, cave cities are of considerable scientific interest to modern researchers. The mysterious city on a mountain plateau is also attractive to tourists.
What the caves of the ancient city look like
In the Eski-Kermen settlement and in the adjacent territory there are more than 400 ancient cave structures. There are over 350 caves on the plateau itself. That is why Eski-Kermen is recognized as the “most cave” of all Crimean cave settlements. Moreover, most of the caves are located on the edges of cliffs in the southern part of the fortified city. According to archaeologists, the share of economic caves is 85% of their total number. All other structures were either defensive or religious. That is, the caves were used mainly not for housing, but to satisfy economic needs.
Casemates on the eastern slope
The population of the city was engaged in agriculture. In the fertile valleys, local residents planted orchards, vineyards and cultivated vegetable gardens. This is confirmed by berry presses and wild grape bushes found by archaeologists.
All cave structures are different in shape and size. The smallest of them occupy 6 square meters. m, and the area of the largest reaches 100 square meters. m. As for the shapes of the caves, in Eski-Kermen they are both oval and rectangular, but with rounded corners, and even irregular in shape. Stone rings and mangers were found inside the household caves, suggesting that livestock were kept here. Scientists noticed that some rooms for animals were carved into the rocks next to grain pits - storage facilities from the early Middle Ages.
Temple "Judgment"
Since the ancient city was built as a fortress, a siege well was provided in case of a prolonged siege by the enemy. You can find it by following the path along the cliff to the eastern part of the plateau. Here, above the steep cliffs, you can see a quadrangular hole, which serves as the entrance to the well. To get down, there is a steep staircase carved into the rock, which ends at a 10-meter gallery. Water leaked from its ceiling into the “heart” of the well. Archaeologists suspect that in this place a spring made its way through the rock, the water from which the ancient builders managed to intercept right in the limestone. According to approximate calculations by scientists, the siege well contained up to 75 cubic meters of water. This volume of liquid was quite enough to meet all the needs of the city under siege.
Temple of the Three Horsemen
Ancient temple dedicated to the Three Horsemen
The Temple of the Three Horsemen is located in a large piece of rock and has two passages. There are high benches along the walls between them. Sunlight enters the room through two small windows. On the right side of the south-eastern entrance there is a chapel with a niche, which is built over a small grave. There is another burial near the northern wall. Most likely, the deceased lying in both graves were revered by local residents. Here, for example, there is a niche with a cross and recesses carved in the stone for installing candlesticks.
The northern wall of the shrine, adjacent to the larger grave, is decorated with a fresco depicting three warriors on horseback. Their cloaks flutter in the wind, and the riders hold sharp spears in their hands. Although there are no signatures here, the middle horseman can be recognized immediately - this is St. George the Victorious, who struck a serpent writhing on the ground with a spear. Other horsemen hold their spears with their tips pointing upward. Next to the right rider on the horse, a boy is visible who is holding onto the pommel of the saddle.
Fresco in the Temple of the Three Horsemen
At the bottom of the unusual fresco is written a Greek saying that the holy martyrs are here to save human souls and forgive sins. The figures of the riders are surrounded by a muted blue background, but their halos are painted with eye-catching golden paint. The green field along which the horses walk is also striking. Historians date the painting of this memorial painting to the 12th – early 13th centuries. The temple was built during the same period, that is, on the eve of the invasion of Tatar troops on the Crimean peninsula.
The main gate is the entrance to the city
The main gate was located in the south of the plateau, at the very beginning of a rock cut that looked like a corridor. Today, only traces remain of the double-leaf structure that opened inward. It is noteworthy that they were locked from the inside using wooden beams. The defenders of the city brought them into the limestone walls only at the time of the siege. In this case, the upper beam entered the wall from the western side, and the lower one from the eastern side, into a special square nest carved from the stone.
Main entrance
The passage to the main gate to the city is cut through the limestone. It marked the beginning of the main street. In its western part you can see additional caves. From one of them it was possible to go up to the gate tower, where the gatekeeper's room was located. It is difficult for archaeologists to judge whether there were any gate buildings nearby, since only cuttings in limestone and fragments of stones have survived from them.
A temple with a baptismal font is a holy meeting place for believers
Inside the rock, next to the main gate, there is a temple with a place for baptism. Work on its construction dates back to the 6th – 7th centuries. The same period of time also saw the construction of various defensive structures. The cave temple was large in size and received parishioners through two entrances, separated by a window. They should be approached from the corridor leading to the main gate.
View of the entrance to the cave temple of the Assumption
As expected, an altar is installed opposite the entrance to the temple premises, and a bench runs along the semicircle of its niche. This is a syntron equipped with a chair for a bishop. The altar part is made as a separate section of the temple. It was separated by a barrier from the “royal gates” and was decorated with frescoes. In the center, on the ceiling, there was a ring for placing a lamp. A niche carved next to the altar was presumably used for prayer books. And to the left of the altar there was the baptismal font itself.
Church of the Assumption – old frescoes
The Cave Church of the Assumption is very unusual. Its small and cramped altar looks like an apse niche and occupies an unusual place in the corner. A miniature altar-table is attached to the wall and has a recess in which the relics were kept. If you look more closely at the design of the temple, you will notice that its premises were previously used for other, non-religious purposes. This can be understood by the hole in the ceiling, which is now covered with a slab.
Inside the cave temple of the Assumption
It appears that there was a granary pit and a large water tank. In the process of examining the temple premises, archaeologists concluded that the cistern was subsequently expanded and used as a winery. This guess is confirmed by the tarapan preserved here, that is, a press for grape berries.
The temple is decorated with paintings, which are only partially preserved. On the ceiling you can see images of biblical scenes of Christmas and Epiphany, and the altar niche is decorated with a figure of Christ covered with a purple cloak. The Son of God sits on a golden throne. On either side of him stand the Apostle and the Virgin Mary at full height. The paintings on the altar wall have not survived.
Hi all! I want to tell you about a mountain route that is very popular among tourists when visiting the Bakhchisarai region in Crimea. - an amazing natural and man-made monument that you can visit with the whole family. The main thing is to be safe!
From the article you will learn about the route itself, how to get to Eski-Kermen and a little about the history of the settlement. My review will be long, so I bring to your attention the first part.
This article is intended primarily for those holidaymakers who have not seen anything in Crimea except the Southern Coast and the Black Sea. Thanks to our directors. After watching the film “9th Company”, the Eski-Kermen settlement became more popular. Filming took place at 18 sites on the peninsula, one of which we will visit with you.
Our hike took place in mid-November. There were few tourists, which is why I appreciate this time of year. During the season, Eski-Kerman definitely cannot be called dead.
Eski-Kermen settlement on the map.
View Larger Map
Near the plateau there is free parking and horse riding. A drop-off tour has been created. groups by jeep along the routes: Eski-Kermen, Tepe-Kerien, Chufut-Kale. Without leaving the ticket office, you can order a tour guide. Climb to the cave city with an excursion group or on your own.
Here is a photo from a helicopter, I borrowed it from the website sergeydolya.livejournal. This is what Eski-Kermen looks like in summer. On the one hand, it is certainly more beautiful in the summer, but in November, thanks to the bare trees, all the surroundings are clearly visible.
Northern part of the plateau. The length is a little more than 1 km. Do you see a path leading deep into the forest? This is where our ascent began.
When taking a self-guided tour, carefully study the route! We met a company that got lost and didn’t know how to get down the mountain. We had friends with us who were our guides. As you can see, you can go up or down from the north side and from the south.
Northern sentinel complex
There are signs along the entire excursion route and short descriptions of the objects. Our hike began along the rather steep northern slope of the mountain. Turning back, I noticed the first casemates of the cave city.
We climbed to the plateau where the Northern Watch Complex is located. View of the neighboring mountain and the Zangurma-Kobalar grottoes. 
A boulder at the foot of the mountain caught my attention.
It was as if a giant took a knife and cut off one part of the overall pie. :)
After looking around, we continued on our way to the cave city. The path led through dense thickets.
A little history of the emergence of the city of Eski-Kermen
Presumably, the city of Eski-Kermen began its existence as a rock fortress in the sixth century, during the Byzantine Empire. In the southwestern part of the peninsula, nature created rocks of amazing shape that served people as protection from the enemy. The mountain itself, due to the steep slopes and plateaus on the surface, is called a table mountain. There are beams on both sides of Eski-Kermen.
Despite the rather large settlement, very little is known about the history of the rock fortress. There are no mentions of the ancient city in ancient chronicles. The local population called the cave city “old fortress” in Crimean Tatar Eski-Kermen.
As it is written on the sign, the city has about 500 caves and grottoes, some of which are natural, and some of which are carved out of limestone rocks. In almost every cave the results of physical labor are visible: niches, windows, doorways and entire halls with columns. Thanks to the soft rock, a fortress city was built from rock walls, with multi-story caves, streets, casemates and temples.
Food, weapons, and livestock were kept in numerous caves. The outer caves served as sentry posts. Combat casemates covered the approaches to the city and the most vulnerable areas of defense.
The population built their houses on the upper flat part of the rock. Impenetrable steep walls served as good protection for the population of the cave city.
Most of the cave structures of Eski-Kermen were built already in the 12th-13th centuries.
As for ethnicity, the versions differ. It would be more accurate to say that the population consisted of mixed Crimean peoples: Taurians, Scythians and Goths.
Siege Well
The siege well is one of the main attractions of Eski-Kermen, which is surrounded by legends. Many claim that it was because of him that the fortress fell. The building is quite interesting. A well with drinking water helped the inhabitants of the cave city withstand the siege.
My son and a friend tried to go down one flight of stairs. The descent is very steep and difficult. One can only guess how the water was raised up these steps.
According to the information on the signs, there are six such flights, and 84 steps lead down. Without a flashlight, there is no point in going down the well. At the very bottom there was a cave with water from a spring. Some water remains to this day. If you want to go down into the siege well, take a flashlight and rope with you.
The excursion trail passes at the very edge of the mountain; in the depths of the thickets there is another one, but the first one is much more interesting.
Caves of Eski-Kermen
The closer we were to the South Gate of Eski-Kermen, the more interesting the “facades” of the caves were.
Here is a two-story house; stone steps, hand-carved into the rock, lead to it.
The photographs turned out to be unimportant, but in general the “design” of the cave is clear.
Transition between the first and second floors.
As I already mentioned, the main dwellings of the townspeople were destroyed long ago. The caves that you see served as utility and guard rooms.
The long and narrow cave city can be compared to a liner and cabins of different classes. But instead of the sea, there are endless expanses and mountains of Crimea.
Each cave has ventilation holes, and upon closer inspection, prehistoric mollusk shells can be seen in the walls.
View from the window on the Zangurma-Bair plateau, pay attention to the thickness of the walls.
Multi-level home of the Flintstone neighbors. :)
Jump from rock to rock, and now we are in a new cave with a preserved column.
Stone figures of the cave city
It is difficult to say whether man or natural phenomena left behind the intricate figures in stone.
You can fantasize and see different images...
But the big-nosed guy in profile...see? :)
Through the labyrinth of passages we get to the surface and head to the place through which even more tourists learned about the ancient settlement.
In the footsteps of the film expedition
In front of you is the set of the film “9th Company”. According to the scenario, the Mujahideen jumped into the wells, but in reality they are granaries with an excellent ventilation system. Under such conditions, grain could be stored for 10-15 years. If necessary, the cut holes were covered with stone covers.
The inhabitants were engaged in winemaking, cattle breeding, and thanks to the numerous fields and agriculture.
Tour groups love to take pictures here.
And here, in fact, are stills from the film “9th Company”
Be very careful and supervise your children! By the way, my “baby” really made me worry….. And at that moment…. “My heart stopped soooo...then it caught my breath a little...and started again”, the son realized that it was better to go back.
Next time, the most beautiful part of the cave city of Eski-Kermen awaits you. .
- the most interesting phenomenon of the Crimean peninsula. Created by the joint efforts of man and nature, they left many mysteries to the distant descendants of their creators. Tourists often come here to try to solve at least some of them. Abandoned ancient fortresses serve as a backdrop for filming films and objects for the painstaking work of archaeologists, who alone can return soul and life to the stone. One of these fortifications is the cave city of Eski-Kermen in Crimea.
Where is the ancient settlement located in Crimea?
The cave city is located on a plateau 14 km south of. The closest place to it is the village of Krasny Mak. Zalesnoye is also located nearby. 4 km from the Eski-Kermen plateau there is another famous cave city -.
Eski-Kermen on the map of Crimea
History of appearance: Byzantine fortress
All information about its history was obtained by archaeologists. No mention of it has been found in written sources, although it was quite large, well fortified and carried out active trade. Its real name is also unknown. “Eski-Kermen” is a later Tatar name, it means “old fortress”.
Roughly, the cave city arose in the 6th century, during the rule of the Byzantines, and existed until the turn of the 13th-14th centuries, when it was destroyed by the Mongol-Tatar conquerors. Residents were engaged in agriculture and trade. In case of danger, it could provide shelter to the population of nearby unfortified settlements, since it was excellently protected - it was not easy to take it by storm. But nevertheless, it was destroyed precisely in the battle, which is proved by the study by archaeologists of the remains of two residential buildings. Both were burned; in one, the skeletons of a family were found: a man, a woman and a child. 
All were hacked to death with sabers, as evidenced by damage to the skull bones.
Nowadays Eski-Kermen is a protected historical and archaeological monument. You can visit it without restrictions, but overnight stays, lighting fires, any excavations (even simply violating the integrity of the soil) and especially tourist creativity from the “Vasya was here” series are prohibited on the territory of the city. In terms of popularity in Crimea, it is second only to.
Mountain screen tests in a cave city
The unusual appearance of the premises of this fort attracted the attention of filmmakers to it. Unfortunately, the popularity of cinema did not contribute to the demand for the monument - the area was passed off as some other region. Views from cave “windows” are often found in Soviet and Russian adventure films, and in F. Bondarchuk’s “9th Company” the Eski-Kermen plateau played the role of a mountain in Afghanistan.
General description of the fortress
The Eski-Kermen fortress at one time should have been considered a first-class stronghold. The sheer cliffs of the plateau themselves served as excellent protection. The city also had man-made fortifications - walls with a rock foundation, several gates. At the top of the plateau, the remains of a tower, almost traditionally called the maiden tower (Kyz-Kule), have been preserved. Scientists believe that there is a distortion here, 
and the name should be Kez-Kule, from the word “eye”, that is, “watchtower”.
It is probably precisely such distortions that led to the appearance of “maiden towers” in almost all Crimean medieval fortifications. There was also a siege well - a very deep shaft with a stone staircase, at the bottom of which a source formed a small lake. There is still water here.
Today the fortifications of Eski-Kermen cannot be seen. Presumably, they were demolished in the 8th century, after an unsuccessful uprising against the Khazars. However, stone stairs, foundations carved into the rocks and, of course, caves have survived. Partly they are of natural origin, in some places carved into limestone by human hands. Scientists believe that the townspeople did not live in such grottoes, but used them as outbuildings, defense structures, workshops, churches and tombs. They could also play the role of basements for above-ground dwellings.
What is interesting about Eski-Kermen?
Now you can see the “main street” of the city, from which underground casemates depart in different directions, go down into the siege well, visit the churches of the Assumption of Mary and the Three Horsemen (probably dedicated to George the Victorious, and got its name thanks to the preserved frescoes depicting horsemen).
You can also see numerous pits for storing grain (they were provided with ventilation; stocks in case of a siege could be stored here for several years), and on the slopes there are wild vines that were once cultivated by the townspeople. Now Crimean breeders are trying to restore the varieties.
For the convenience of tourists, posters with descriptions of the main objects are hung in different places. There is also a general map of the settlement. Access to Eski-Kermen is allowed both with and without a guide, but "independent" tourists should be especially careful, because you can get lost in the caves.
Photos of Eski-Kermen are very famous, but tourists prefer to take their own, which is allowed without restrictions, as well as shoot videos. The beauty of the view and the mystery of the ancient city are conducive to this, which is what all visiting travelers who decide to conquer the ancient beauties of Crimea use.
How to get to the cave city?
When planning an excursion, you should decide in advance how to get there. The cave city of Eski-Kermen is inaccessible for transport - anything on wheels is prohibited there. You will have to take a bus from Bakhchisarai to the village of Krasny Mak, and from there walk. Public transport also runs to this village from Sevastopol and Yalta.
Some excursion bureaus organize transportation of tourists to the very foot of the plateau, but further you still have to climb on foot. By car from Bakhchisarai you will have to cover this distance.
