Holidays in Crimea have always been popular, and not only among Russians and Ukrainians. If we look at the statistics, the most visited is the southern coast of the peninsula. It is here that the village of Zelenogorye that interests us is located.
Crimea (see the photo of the unique landscape in the article) is famous not only for the sea, but also for the mountains. Unfortunately, this locality is not very popular among tourists, but for those who want to spend their holidays in a quiet place, it will be ideal.
Briefly about the village
Between Alushta and Sudak there is a unique place where you can enjoy both sea air and mountain air. All nature here is preserved in its original form. The village of Zelenogorye (Crimea) is very small. Its area is almost 0.7 square meters. km. The permanent population is slightly more than 230 people. The main area of income is tourism. The name we now know was officially assigned only in 1945; before that the village was called Arpat. The history of the settlement goes back to the distant 2nd-3rd centuries, however exact date education is unknown.
Currently s. Zelenogorye (Crimea), which has only positive reviews, is a mountain resort, although not very famous, but quite comfortable. The infrastructure is developed here. There are hotels, shops, cafes.
Holiday home "Zelenogorye"
The holiday home is located in a secluded area. The building has a capacity of 30 beds, with a total of 15 rooms. Here you can rent both double and triple rooms. The interior is modern. There is a wardrobe, beds, nightstands. The bathroom is separate. There is a sauna on site. A secluded, relaxing holiday awaits tourists here. And for those who want to see wild, untamed nature, excursions to the mountains with visits to a waterfall and lake are offered. In the summer season, you can engage in sports such as sailing, windsurfing, water skiing, motorcycling, and boat trips.
Recreation center "Pearl of Arpata"
In the village of Zelenogorye (Crimea) there is a recreation center “Pearl of Arpata”. Wooden houses are provided for vacationers. All services and conditions correspond to luxury class. The cost is about 5,000 rubles per day. While relaxing here, it is recommended to visit the mountain plateau, which is located above the village itself. There, tourists will have a unique view of the sea and picturesque mountain landscapes. The guides will lead you along paths where you can plunge into an area untouched by civilization. This is where you understand what wild nature is.
For entertainment, there are water attractions and sports grounds. They also offer horseback riding and yacht rides. There is a pharmacy, a shop and a first-aid post 500 m away. Everyone who has already visited the “Pearl of Arpat” was satisfied.
Advantages
After studying the reviews of tourists, you can make a list of the advantages of the village. Zelenogorye (Crimea). First of all, as vacationers note, this is an ideal climate. A pleasant coolness comes from the mountains, and a warm, humid breeze comes from the sea. Many also note the cleanliness. The entire territory of the village is constantly cleaned; you won’t find empty bottles or ice cream wrappers here. As for accommodation, then all year round Various rooms and rooms of different price categories are offered.
Attractions
The village of Zelenogorye (Crimea) will surprise visitors with its attractions.
- Panagia tract. There are several waterfalls on the territory. The name of this area translates as “holy.” That is why there is such a belief that if you swim at the foot of a waterfall, you can find health, youth and even happiness. The small lakes that formed in the hollows are locally called the “bath of love” (has the shape of a heart), “bath of youth”, “bath of health”.
- Kuracha-Kaya is a mountain that invites romance. It has another name - Date Rock. She received this name due to her shape, which resembles two lovers.
- The waterfall on the Arpat River is considered the highest in the region. Water falls in powerful jets from a ten-meter cliff. The nature here is pristine, and human influence is nowhere to be seen.
It is also recommended to visit Mount Muezzin. Next to it there is an amazing lake. For those who want to get a thrilling experience, a bungee is stretched over a transparent water surface. The flight occurs at an altitude of about 10 meters.
Conclusion
To summarize, I would like to talk about how to get to these amazing places. Of course, routes will depend on your original location.
So, you decided to spend Zelenogorye (Crimea). How to get there public transport to this locality? When traveling from anywhere on the planet, it is better to first get to Simferopol. And already in this city you can use a regular bus that goes to Alushta or Sudak. From these settlements minibuses constantly travel towards the village. Zelenogorye. You can also get to the village. Sea, but buses run quite rarely.
The Arpat waterfall is located on the Arpat River - one of the most beautiful rivers in Crimea. This river flows through the Panyan-Uzen tract, which is located in the southeast of the peninsula. The nearest settlement to the Arpatsky Falls is the village of Zelenogorye, which is 35 kilometers from Sudak.
Geographic coordinates of the Arpat waterfall in Crimea - N 44 44.9139 E 34.7050
There are two ways to get to the Arpat waterfall. The first one is very simple - follow a path well equipped with bridges, stairs and benches. By the way, during the season there is an entrance fee to this trail. Its length is no more than one kilometer. At the very beginning of the journey, there is a natural bowl on the way, which is shaped very much like a heart. This bowl is called "Bath of Love". According to legend, all couples who swim in it will certainly get married and have a child. The next bowl is “Bath of Youth”. It is filled with pure spring water, which has a bluish tint. The water temperature in both baths is quite warm (which is unusual for mountain rivers), so swimming in them is not considered extreme. Further, the trail continues to stretch along the Panyan-Uzen tract. 
Its vegetation is quite poor - only at the top you can see a small forest strip. But it is interesting to observe the various stone figures and forms created under the influence natural phenomena. Along the course of the river there are a series of small waterfalls formed on its rapids. Then the excursion trail leads to the Panagia tract, where, in fact, the final point of the route is located - the Arpatsky waterfall. Its height is about ten meters. It belongs to low-water waterfalls, which can only be seen during the snowmelt period. In summer the waterfall dries up completely. 
But there is another way to the Arpat waterfall. It is no longer as safe as the first one. Here you will have to overcome obstacles created by nature itself. Fans of active recreation will definitely enjoy the second option of going to the waterfall. He even has his own unusual name"Amazon Trail" They say that here they tested the endurance of their future husbands: if a man was able to catch up with an Amazon running along this path, then he was considered worthy of her. There is also a lake of the same name in the Panagia gorge - a landmark of the area. A rope with a bungee is stretched through it, with the help of which you can fly over the surface of the water from one shore to the other. And just swimming in this lake is also a pleasure. Arpat waterfall is one of the most beautiful attractions
The Panagia tract is located in Crimea, approximately in the middle between Sudak and Alushta, in the village of Zelenogorye. Anyone who has visited this place notes the extraordinary beauty of the landscape. In the Panagia Tract, a mountain lake, Arpatian waterfalls, forests and mountains attract tourists. It is beautiful here all year round, and especially in spring and autumn.
Who lived in these places?
The Tauri were the first to settle in the Panagia tract, as evidenced by the name of the mountain river Arpat, which translated from Iranian means “ruin.” Historians believe that the name indicates the raids of the Scythians, this is confirmed by ancient finds of the Scythian period. Neither the Greeks, nor the Goths, nor the Khazars ever lived in this part of Crimea, and the settlement of Arpat, now renamed Zelenogorye, was inhabited Crimean Tatars during the period of Ottoman rule on the peninsula.
The Panagia tract in Crimea received its name from the lips of Catherine the Second herself, who always loved ancient history and culture. "Panagia" is translated from Greek language as “All-Holy”, it is believed that the patroness of this place was the Mother of God herself. However, the Tatars also deified the area - they called the tributary of the Arpat River Pananyan-Uzen, that is, “holy river,” explaining this by the magical properties of the river water. And in our time, the Panagia tract in Zelenogorye is considered a “place of power.”
Visit to the tract
Now the Panagia tract, a mountain lake in Zelenogorye in Crimea and the Arpat River with many waterfalls are protected as a nature reserve. Each of the local natural objects is interesting: the Arpat River consists of two small rivers - Pananyan-Uzen (Holy River) and Kushen-Uzen (Bird River). The first of them begins at the Gorucha pass, and the second - in the Kapsikhor yayla and flows through a mountain gorge near Mount Muezzin-Kaya.
To get to the Panagia tract, you need to get through the gorge where the Pananyan-Uzen River flows and forms a whole cascade of small waterfalls, which are called Arpatian waterfalls. Over the millennia, their water, falling down, knocked out depressions in the stones in the form of bathtubs of amazing shape, one of them is called the Bathtub of Love. Its shape resembles a heart, and therefore its legend is full of romance. They say that lovers who swim here will be able to get married and have a child. That is why the Arpat waterfalls of the Panagia tract and the Bath of Love in particular attract travelers to these places.
A little further upstream there are two more baths - Health and Youth, the stone bowls of which are covered with yellow tuffolite, so the water in them seems golden. It is credited with healing powers, and this makes sense, because the baths are replenished with water from underground springs. Some “natural Jacuzzis” have convenient descents into the water, so anyone can take a dip without any problems.
You need to walk no more than a kilometer, and a plain will open in front of you; this is the Panagia tract in Crimea. Here Pananyan-Uzen changes its course and connects with Kushen-Uzen, becoming the Arpat River. At the place where they merge, the Panagia waterfall was formed. It cannot be called rich in water; rather, it is smooth and sophisticated.
If you want to visit the Panagia tract and the Arpat waterfalls, be prepared that getting here is not easy, because the path, in addition to the trail, consists of aerial bridges and hanging stairs. But we hasten to reassure you - the entire path is absolutely safe, and the structures of the stairs and bridges are strong and modern. The legend of this place says that in ancient times the trail was a kind of measure of a man’s courage and dexterity. He had to catch up with his chosen one by walking this path, only then did he have the right to marry her. Nowadays, people come here not to compete, but to be alone with nature in order to cleanse their souls.
The Panagia tract is surrounded on all sides by mountains, which is why this area is called the Crimean Alps. By the way, these mountains are made of the most ancient rocks of the peninsula.
Lake Panagia
In the Panagia tract, a mountain lake in Zelenogorye in Crimea is located at an altitude of 209 m above sea level. No rivers flow into it, but it is fed by springs. It is most full of water in the spring; it is at this time that its waters acquire a bright turquoise hue, and frolicking colorful fish are clearly visible on the surface. By the end of summer, Panagia becomes so shallow that it exposes the shore by 5-10 meters.
You can go around the lake along a path, many people do this because they really want to get drunk tasty water gushing from a spring on the shore. Exotic lovers usually do not miss the opportunity to cross the lake by cable.
The mountain lake is not spared from mystical mysteries. Local residents say that at night you can see the Holy Face on the mountainside; this picture is created by the reflections of water on a moonlit night.
How to get there
The entire route to the Panagia tract will be divided into two parts: to the village of Morskoye and from there to Zelenogorye:
- You can get to Morskoye from Simferopol by bus in two hours. It is also convenient to get from Sudak, not only by direct flight, but also by flight to Alushta or Yalta.
- From Morskoye to Zelenogorye there are 12 kilometers, they can be covered by taxi or on foot.
Due to such a difficult way to get here, tourists often visit Panagia by tour bus with a guide. Trips to these places are offered by many travel companies in Crimea.
The most convenient way to get to the tract is by car: from Simferopol to Zelenogorye 115 kilometers, from Alushta - 65, from Sudak - only 30. The most convenient and safest route goes through Sudak. The second route is from Simferopol through Alushta, Malorechenskoye and Rybachye, however, you will have to go along a serpentine road. The third route in the Panagia tract passes through Belogorsk and Privetnoye to Zelenogorye, but this mountain road has poor coverage, so the route is only suitable for an SUV. Besides, this is also a serpentine road. There is a sign on the highway to Zelenogorye; an asphalt road leads to the village, but it is quite narrow. You can leave your car in the parking lot near the lake. There is also a cafe here, and they also offer horse riding.
It is rightfully considered one of the most amazing corners of the Crimean Peninsula. Thousands of tourists visit the tract every year and, nevertheless, this corner, even among local residents, not very well known.
Geographical location of the Panagia tract on the map of Crimea GPS N 44.883786, E 34.709042
Today the Panagia tract open to guests of the Crimean peninsula all year round. There is no entrance fee. As such, there is no operating mode. But, since part of the route passes along mountain paths and hanging bridges, a visit at night can be very dangerous. On average, the duration of the route along the Panagia tract is about one hour, but there are very extreme routes with a fairly high difficulty of passing. The passage time will depend on the preparation of the tourist.
Tourist route along the Panagia tract
Tourist route along the Panagia tract starts from the village of Zelenogorye, located along the Alushta-Sudak highway, between the villages of Privetnoye and Morskoye. On the very outskirts of the village of Zelenoe, there is a parking lot and the entrance to the tract begins from it. The tourist trail, although marked with markers, is practically impossible to stray from the route. There are quite a few branches and they are very narrow and little trampled, and people ply along the tract all the time, at any time of the year. In about five minutes, after moving towards the tract, iron stairs will begin, which will gradually lift you higher and higher into the mountains.
After the ascent, small waterfalls, baths and water cascades begin. In fact, you have found yourself in a real mountain canyon and it is called Arpatsky, from the name of the river. Along the route you will encounter the most famous baths of Youth and Health, but you will not confuse the Bath of Love with anything else. Nature has created a bath of Love in the shape of a heart, and to get to it you will need to try a little. The descent to the Bath of Love is quite difficult and slippery, and if you think it is dangerous, then literally in 3-5 minutes above the Bath of Love there will be a small pool with mountain water, which you should definitely plunge into if you visit the tract in the summer.
History of the Panagia Tract
It began to form several tens of thousands of years ago, from a small mountain river of a seasonal nature. Over the years, the river seeped through the stones and small baths formed, flooding the underground voids. Gradually, the river went so deep under the stones that it turned out to be a real canyon. The formation of the canyon continues to this day. The name of the tract has come to us since the times of the ancient Greeks, who settled the entire Eastern and Western coast of Crimea. Panagia, from Greek, is literally translated as Holy. The ancient Greeks believed that in such an arid and extremely unfavorable area, only under the patronage of the Holy Mother of God could this amazing canyon with mountain water, which is so lacking on the entire Central and Eastern coast of Crimea, appear.
How to get to the Panagia tract
Get to the Panagia Tract The easiest way is along the Alushta - Sudak highway. Between the villages of Privetnoye and Morskoye there will be a sign - the Panagia tract and the village of Zelenogorye. We drive through the village, along the main road, to a large parking lot. We leave the car there and follow the signs to the entrance to the tract. There is also another, quite interesting, option to get to the Urochishche. We are going to the Belogorsky region of Crimea, to the village of Povorotnoye. From the village of Povorotnoye we follow the signs on foot to the Kok-Asan canyon, pass through it and after 20 minutes we find ourselves in the Arpatsky canyon or the Panagia tract. The duration of this route is on average 3-5 hours.
If you decide to visit Crimean peninsula and love hiking, then you should definitely visit the Panagia tract. Of course, the most stunning route will be from the Kok-Asan canyon. But even if you go only from the village of Zelenogorye, your pleasure is 100% guaranteed. Also, when planning a trip, you should remember that along the route there is one of the most beautiful waterfalls Crimea - and the village New World, with him.
Panagia tract on the map of Crimea