Trip to Saki
So. Where to begin??? ? I'll start with a greeting: Healthy bools! The review is about a trip to Ukraine or to Ukraine (I still haven’t figured out how to do it right).
My friend and I rested in the glorious city of Saki in the eponymous sanatorium "Saki".
The purpose of my trip was treatment and at the same time rest, while my friend went for the company.
Flight, transfer: We got to Moscow by train (saving on transport costs and creating a smooth transition from a working atmosphere to an atmosphere of relaxation and summer). We walked around the capital of our country and arrived at the airport quite early. It turns out that even at the airport you can start your holiday. In terminal E there is a restaurant "The Fifth Ocean" where you can drink a cocktail before the flight and look at the runway at the same time. The most beautiful sight. Next to the restaurant there is a budget dining room where you can eat for quite real money. Look for this place like this. We go to terminal "E", we rest against it, on the left there is an elevator, we go to the 4th floor and voila you have all 33 pleasures: inexpensive food (or expensive in a restaurant), an aperitif and a gorgeous view of the take-off.
Aeroflot planes flew from Moscow to Simferopol and back. The ticket price is quite communist 4500 rubles. one way. For comparison, the Moscow-Simferopol coupe costs almost the same. A couple of hours at the airport, a couple of hours in the air and we are there. Aeroflot planes are in excellent condition, they flew on an Airbus 321, soft takeoff and landing, well-trained flight attendants. What else do you need from a flight? Russian citizens fill out migration cards at the airport. They must be kept until the end of the trip (the second part) and presented upon departure.
The resort can arrange a transfer from the airport. It costs 250 hryvnia, i. e. 1000 rubles. We decided that this money would still be useful to us and went by bus. There is a bus stop 100 meters from the airport exit. We got on bus number 115, paid 2.75 UAH and reached the bus station in Simferopol. They bought a ticket for the Simferopol-Saki bus for 14.20 gr. and after 30 min. already went to the resort. On the road 50 min. Take a windbreaker or blouse on the bus. In buses departing from Simferopol, air-conditioners are always heavily plowed, you can catch a cold. The total cost of our transfer was 16.95 UAH (2.75+14.20), i. е. about 70 rubles. Whether it is worth paying taxi drivers 1000 is up to everyone to decide.
Further, if the legs are healthy, you can walk from the bus station to the sanatorium. About 15 min. move. If not, then we take a taxi. More than 25 gr. no need to pay! Taxi drivers are tidy, of course. For 20 gr. they don’t even want to smuggle 2 blocks.
If on foot, then when you stand with your back to the station, we go along the street to the right without turning anywhere (we pass by the Temple of St. Elijah, a large blue Temple, we cross the square) and go to the columns. This is the main entrance to the park. We don't need to go there! We turn right and walk down the street for another five minutes (past the Livadia cafe, the gate to Burdenko, the Tabako cafe), we reach a round building - the reception department. Us into it. This is our resort!
About the city of Saki
The city of Saki is located on the western coast of Crimea. The climate there is very different from the South Coast (the southern coast of Crimea, more familiar to Russian tourists). So the travel time must be calculated taking into account the cold steppe winds. In general, as I understand it, the season there is somewhat shorter than on the South Coast.
The city of Saki is not located on the coast of the sea, but 15 km. From him. There are sanatoriums both in the city itself (these are “Saki”, named after Pirogov, named after Burdenko), and on the coast (Yurmino, Northern Lights, recreation center Priboy, Comfort, Tengzher). There are also recreation centers on the coast that will not provide you with treatment and other sanatorium amenities.
In general, people go to the city of Saki mainly for treatment, well, and at the same time to relax. If your goal is a dizzying and vibrant holiday, then you need to consider other cities. Although we had a good break in Saki.
In the season, it is most likely better to stay by the sea, since in the case of accommodation in the city, you will have to get to the sea for at least half an hour. If you go at a time when you can not swim, then the city will be more fun.
On the sanatorium "Saki": accommodation, nourishment, treatment, maintenance.
Accommodation Sanatorium "Saki" is located, as I said, within the city and is located on the territory of a picturesque park. The abundance of trees creates a pleasant coolness, it is easy to breathe and the eye rejoices. The sanatorium consists of three buildings: the main five-story building, "Log" and "Left Wing". One building is currently closed for renovation. The main building has standard rooms and suites. The standard rooms are rather miserable, of the Soviet type, I have not been in the suite, but according to the words, the furniture, although expensive, is old, the atmosphere is dark. "Log cabin" and "Left wing" are approximately on the same level, normal 3-4 stars. Everything is there: TV, air conditioning, hair dryer, kettle, towels are provided: bath, medium, small. Furnishings are new, renovator is fresh. The "Left Wing" did not like the slight chemical smell (but this is for the especially sensitive), but there is a balcony, which, of course, is a big plus. We settled in the Sruba, which we did not regret. The first two nights we spent the night on the first floor, then we moved to the third. There is a serious drawback on the first and second floors: a common balcony, from which everyone enters their rooms. That is, a door and a window in one bottle. Accordingly, so that the neighbors passing into their rooms do not see you, you have to sit with a curtained window in artificial light. For me, it's very uncomfortable. Also, the room is not heated by sunlight at all. On the third floor there is an ordinary entrance and a window. After we moved there, everything was perfect for us with the accommodation. The housekeeping was very good and other buildings complained. But here you can’t guess where it’s better, since it all depends on the particular maid. But we had to ask for paper and soap
As for other buildings: medical, canteen, everything is located in different places. The canteen is closer, and five minutes to the treatment with an active step. People with musculoskeletal problems need to take this into account. I must say right away that wheelchair users are not allowed to go to this sanatorium. Apart from the ramp to the main building, nothing has been done. It will be impossible to move. The situation is different in Pirogov and, of course, in Burdenko. All buildings, except residential ones, are in a deplorable state, tune in right away so as not to be disappointed. This outrage is justified only by the extremely low price of tours. And there is also a Temple in the medical building, which cannot but please the Orthodox. You can pray at any time, put candles, order a prayer service. Services are held on Saturdays and Sundays.
Canteen: there are a variety of opinions on her account, but I will personally say my own. Of course, you won’t die of hunger, but I remember with a shudder. Everything was tasteless and not appetizing to me. Hot meals were often served cold. Meat in its pure form was two times in 15 days. I am an adherent of a “healthy” diet, in this regard, it was often really difficult to choose, since often the food was swimming in fat. Fruit - once a day, at lunch. If it is important to you how they will feed, then think twice.
It was not very important for us, since we missed half of the meals due to trips or just went to a cafe. But there is also a nice thing. For dinner they give kefir. Nice, right?
Service Staff in 90% of cases is really very good, as they say everywhere, well, there are always exceptions, you should not pay attention to this. I especially liked all the women in the bathroom department, they are really very good and do their job “with soul”. And Valentina Ivanovna, in general, is a golden person. The presence of such people is healing in itself.
Now about the main thing, about treatment. The sanatorium has two main areas: the musculoskeletal system and gynecology-urology. I had a doctor Mazur Valentina Aleksandrovna. I don't have any definite opinion about it. But, in general, more positive than negative. The doctor is definitely not an amateur, he knows his business. Doesn't steal money from patients. Offers, of course, to buy candles to improve health and raise the Ukrainian economy. But the thing is not very expensive. And, in general, if you don't want it, don't take it. I was appointed without any problems all the procedures except mud. She said that there are contraindications. I didn't believe it until she opened a thick book on mud and showed me my contraindication on a list. Then I had to calm down. The main procedure for me was brine iodine-bromine baths. I don’t know if this is the power of self-hypnosis or if they really are so strong, but I felt the effect from the first procedure. Not that I recovered, of course, but the feeling of an increase in health was the first time. Even my friends made fun of me: you need to talk to you only after a bath - you become so happy and peaceful
And more about dirt. She really has a lot of contraindications: heart problems, the postoperative period, any endocrine problems, a tendency to neoplasms and much more. My main advice: if you are going for a mud treatment, be sure to ask the sales department for the phone number of the attending physician (according to specialization) and be sure to consult with the doctor personally. Since the sales department tells everyone to go and is silent about contraindications (after all, it is beneficial for them that people go), and the doctors at home simply do not know the power of this dirt, and they tell everyone in a row that they can take it. And judging by the fact that people go there more than once and are sooo happy, it is really miraculous and truly powerful. Accordingly, it is not suitable for everyone!
As for other doctors, the situation is much worse than with Mazur. They do not want to appoint procedures without a bribe. But for 100 gr. will lick you from head to toe. Naturally, I didn’t personally check this, but the sanatorium is a village, everything is in full view, everyone knows everything and everyone is talking about endemic bribery. I decided on principle that I would not give a penny. It's not that I'm greedy, but I just don't want to tempt people once again. The people who came on social insurance vouchers from Ukraine were generally assigned a ridiculous number of procedures. Once a day or bath or massage or mud, well, some other garbage. At least I had a massage and a bath every day. So demand your legally paid. In the sales department, a piece of paper with the number of procedures that should be assigned to you hangs on the stand. So you can check.
A list of all available procedures is available on the sanatorium website.
Immediately tune in that upon arrival, registration and visiting doctors will take a lot of time. You will have to sit in queues and the first day, or maybe two, will be practically lost. It is better to tune in right away, otherwise I wasted a lot of nerves. Then there will be no more lines. It's only the first day or two.
Service in the sanatorium In the sanatorium Saki there is a great idea. Hammocks are hung in the park, where you can take a nap or lie with a book. What a thrill. Especially when there are trees around.
There is also a tennis table. Take rackets and a net from a fizruk. He can also keep you company for the game if you come alone. Cutie And he also plays in a brass band in Pushkin Square.
On Fridays, master classes of unusual creativity are held. Every other day there is karaoke and a disco. True, there are not many who want to dance, because. everyone is dancing in Pirogov.
There is also a library.
Interesting in Saki
The first and main entertainment in the south is what? Of course, this is swimming and sunbathing. If the season and the sea / lake is warm, then consider yourself lucky, because. you can go swimming in the sea. In the season, minibus No. 4 runs from Kurortnaya Street, on which all the sanatoriums are located, to the coast. We're a little unlucky. The season, according to the Saki authorities, ends in August and the minibus no longer runs. I had to go to the bus station, or rather even behind it (and another 200 m ahead), there is the final stop of bus number 3, which carries vacationers who dream of rest to the sea wave. It is better to go out at the recreation center Priboi. There is a wonderful huge beach with umbrellas and sun loungers, cafes, beer, souvenir shops, a market, a shooting gallery, slides and a trampoline. In general, you can enjoy life. Of course, after the procedures there is little time left for this, but still enough to remember this in the long winter
Tasty food is served on the territory of the base in the cafe "At Petrovich". Ask how to get there, everyone will tell you. Nearby in the store you can take a bottle of wine (Petrovich has no alcohol) and have a good dinner or lunch.
Lake. It's within reach of him. Sunbathe yourself and swim in the brine. Although doctors categorically forbid it. But it's up to you to decide. People smear themselves with mud and swim in brine. Naturally, all this must be done wisely. Never drink alcohol. Mud puts a tremendous strain on the heart. Deaths happen every year. But I believe that all this is from thoughtless self-treatment. The area of the heart cannot be smeared. And if you are going to self-medicate, first try not to smear yourself completely, look at the reaction of the body. After drying, the dirt must be immediately washed off, and the brine too. Dear parents, do not send your children to swim in the lake as in the sea. It's not just water. This is a concentrated salt-mineral solution. Try it yourself first. After drying, salt crystals remain on the skin. Do you understand how concentrated the solution is? Young mothers, standing on the shore in beautiful dresses, send their 2-5 year old children to swim, and they run out with a wild roar, as any cut or crack burns mercilessly from salt. Always take clean water with you to wash your face or rinse your mouth. Yes, and the neighboring children of negligent mothers will come in handy.
In general, the lake is a fairy tale. What air! What a beauty! And how pleasant it is to do exercises on the lake shore or walk along the water's edge in the early morning before breakfast! Eh....now it remains only to remember.
Temple The main attraction of the city and its symbol is the Temple of St. Elijah. Inside it is even more beautiful than outside. If you are Orthodox, go by all means. The temple is open every day. But the service, unfortunately, is only on Saturday and Sunday, starting at 7.30 and 17.00.
Judging by the map, there is also a mosque in the city.
DK In the house of culture, which is located on the central square, various visiting theaters and artists perform. We went to the rock opera "Juno and Avos" staged by the Simferopol Theater. Magnificent staging. I can’t even believe that the theater of such a small town is at such a high level. The DK hall itself leaves much to be desired, but the theater is magnificent. I watched this production both in the performance of the Lenkom troupe and in the production of the St. Petersburg theater and I can say that the level is worthy.
Cinema In Saki there is a 3D cinema on Kurortnaya Street (toward Pirogov)
Kara-tobe Not far from the city (on the way to the sea) there is a museum called Kara-tobe. These are excavations of the ancient city. Unfortunately, we didn't get there. There is a reason to return!
Cafes, restaurants, dances The most popular entertainment for the evening in Saki is a trip to a cafe and a restaurant, as well as a disco in Pirogov.
The best place in Saki is definitely the Charovniy Mlyn restaurant (sorry if I wrote it wrong). The restaurant is big, wonderful atmosphere. Everything is stylized as Ukrainian huts, a mill, bridges, waiters in national clothes. What a cuisine! Delicious. The prices are above average, they take a percentage for the service, but it's worth it. Definitely go. At least in order to taste Ukrainian cuisine (diet cried )))
Another good cafe is Petrikivka. Explore the rest of the "evil" places yourself. There are not so many of them, in a couple of weeks you can get around everything. We just had enough
There is also a tasting. This is a bar where you can taste wines and cognacs produced in the Crimea. Cozy environment. You'll like it.
Disco in Pirogov. After dinner, the resting people go to dances there. Of course, this is not a disco, in the usual sense, more like dancing, but after a couple of glasses it dances great there too. At the same time, look at how the wheelchairs are annealed. Admire and envy their willpower. Do not be afraid, they will not cause a feeling of pity, only respect and joy for their fortitude.
In Charming Mlyn, we saw how girls in wheelchairs perform such pirouettes while standing on their rear wheels, which took the people's breath away. Or when a guy in a wheelchair circled his healthy girlfriend in a dance. I will never forget it!
The entrance to Pirogov is illegal, so don’t go insolently, wait until the locals pass and then for 5 gr. the guard will let you through. Yes! Dancing from 20.00 to 22.00. It’s not enough, but in the morning everyone should get up for the procedures, because the treatment is first of all, we came for it.
Trips and excursions
The easiest way to relax without going far from Saki is a trip to Evpatoria. There really is something to see and where to walk. From the bus station Saki almost every half an hour there is a bus to Evpatoria. The trip costs 7 gr. We went twice, and both times were full of impressions. There are two promenades (or even three? ), where there is everything typical of a resort embankment: cafes, all kinds of entertainment, attractions, shooting galleries, boat trips, photos with monkeys, outfits and other game, etc. etc. Step up to glory.
In general, there is something to see in Evpatoria in cultural and historical terms. On the Tereshkova embankment (if memory serves) in close proximity to each other are the Greek Orthodox Church, a mosque and an Orthodox Temple. Also in Evpatoria there are recreated Keraim kenas (prayer institutions of the Keraim people who once lived on the territory of Crimea), the Muslim Tekie dervishes, preserved in their original form, are historical, religious and architectural monuments.
There is more to see, but it all takes time.
In the sanatorium "Saki" there is constantly an aunt who sells tours of the Khmel company. Near the square there are several more tour desks. We bought excursions in Khmel, because. somehow it was more convenient. I give the tour desk a 4 on a five-point scale. The advantage of this bureau is that they are nearby and that if you buy a trip from them, then when you leave early, they order an early breakfast at the sanatorium and you can have breakfast before departure. Minus-weak guides and a rabid driver with a Tatar name (I thought I wouldn’t get there alive)
With Khmel we went on two trips.
First: South Coast-Ai-Petri
The tour included the following:
- Nikitsky Botanical Garden,
- Yalta embankment (free time was given for a walk - about 40 minutes),
- Sea trip on a boat along the route Yalta embankment - Vorontsov Palace with an entrance to the Swallow's Nest (but without disembarkation),
-Vorontsovsky park, palace,
-ascent / descent to Mount Ai-Petri by cable car.
The cost of the tour was 390 hryvnia (of which 80 is the fare).
Just want to warn people with poor health, do not go, because. sooo much walking, the elderly complained all the way. Excursion tiring from 7.25 am until late evening. They promised to bring at 20.30, but in fact we arrived at 23.00. On the road in each direction about 3 hours.
And such a prick, if not rougher. The excursion program included the Livadia Palace and the Foros Church (to be honest, these two points of the excursion were of particular interest to us, because, for example, I had already been to all other places. And Livadia fascinated me so much on my last visit that I wanted to visit again) . But we did not visit these places. Foros was already passing in deep darkness, but even this sight was very impressive: the Temple floating in the air (it is on a high mountain, which is not visible at night, and the Temple is illuminated, so it feels like it is floating).
In Vorontsovsky Park, the tour was extremely concise - just galloping through Europe (the previous time I went on about the same tour from Alushta, they told in great detail in the palace and I didn’t have to run anywhere, there was enough time to take pictures. )
The most luxurious point of the program is the cable car and Ai-Petri. Tip - take warm clothes at any time of the year. This is a mountain and there is a wild wind and low temperature.
An incredible view of the Yalta Bay opens from the mountain. And they also cook amazingly delicious dishes there: shurpa, pilaf, lagman. I didn’t eat tastier in Ukraine (maybe we were just lucky with the cafe). We went to the first one we liked. You can also taste homemade wines, chacha. Well, let's just say the quality is so-so. Dessert wines, very sweet, not for everyone.
The second tour of Bakhchisarai
We visited the Khan's Palace, the cave city of Chufut-Kale, the Assumption Bakhchisaray Monastery, ate in a Tatar cafe with a tasting of teas and sweets.
The tour cost 225 hryvnia (70 of which is the fare). The tour took half a day.
The tour is also practically on foot, and on Chufut-Kale the rise is 4 km. uphill. On an equipped road, of course, but still not very easy
In the Khan's palace, we were very lucky with the guide. An amazing girl with a deep knowledge of history and acting talent. She mesmerized us with her story. We were in the palace for an hour, but this was very little. The place is worthy to spend at least 2 hours there, then you can safely consider the exposition. In addition to the interiors of the palace itself, household items, works of artisans, engravings, sketches, clothes of those years and much more are exhibited.
In general, you can and even need to go on such an excursion on your own. The road from Saki to Bakhchisarai lasts only an hour. From Saki, I suppose you can take a bus from the bus station. After the palace, it would be nice to take a walk around Bakhchisaray. Such a pronounced Muslim city that has retained the charm and spirit of the East.
But on Chufut-Kale, you must definitely climb with a guide. Very interesting. The landscapes are simply amazing. The abandoned cave city, where the rare Kerai people lived, is also interesting in historical terms.
Assumption Monastery is the last item in the program. After it, only dinner and tasting. Therefore, if those 20 minutes that are provided for visiting the Temple are not enough for you, you can linger and calmly catch up with your comrades in the cafe.
In general, I really liked the tour, but the accompanying guide from Khmel-Larisa got it with her flat jokes, and the driver was just kind of crazy. He drove along the Crimean potholes at such a speed that I thought some organs would fall out of me.
The third tour we arranged for ourselves. We went to Sevastopol. We walked around the most beautiful white city, visited the Panorama "Defense of Sevastopol in 1844-1855". By the way, there are few of them left on the territory of the Soviet Union. We were accompanied in Panorama by a magnificent guide, a lady of respectable years, who expounded very talentedly . . How nice it is when people know how to do their job and treat it with soul.
You can get to Sevastopol like this: from the bus station in Saki to the Severnaya station for 33 hryvnias. The road lasts about 1.5 hours. And then by boat about 5 minutes to the Kornilov embankment. If you go, leave early in the morning (as early as possible), you will have time to see more. And from Sevastopol, not far from Balaklava and Cape Fiolent - places worth visiting.
Well, that's probably all. I have tried to give as much information as I know. I really hope that someone will find it useful.
