For those who like to see the sights rather than relax, there are many opportunities to do so at a variety of attractions.
Promenade
Along the seafront promenade, which is lined by palm trees, visitors will find many restaurants, cafes and clubs as well as shops which sell clothes, jewellery and electronic goods. In the evenings street musicians, knife-jugglers, fire-eaters, caricaturists and artists can also be found here. Situated nearby is the city park, a relaxed green area - perfect for those wanting to escape the heat. As a tourist hotspot, this is one area of Yalta which should not be missed.
Beaches
There are three clean pebble beaches in Yalta, which tend to get very crowded in the high season. However, a pass is available to purchase which allows visitors onto sections of private beach where more space is available. With many beaches along the coast, it is also possible to combine sightseeing with visits to less crowded areas.
Livadia Palace
A summer retreat of the last Russian tsar, Nicholas II, this is where the famous Yalta conference was held. Today it houses a museum, and is occasionally used for international summits.
Designed by the artchitect Krasnov, the palace took 17 months to construct, and was inaugurated on the 11th of September, 1911. The palace also features extensive gardens, which overlook the sea and bay of Yalta.
Tsar's Path is a spectacular walking route along the Crimean mountains starting above the palace and finishing at Swallow's Nest in Gaspra.
White Dacha
This house was built by Anton Chekhov, after his success with The Seagull. It is now a museum. In it he wrote some of his greatest works including The Lady with the Dog, The Cherry Orchard, The Three Sisters and The Bishop. An asymmetrical, all white building with a tower and a glass veranda, it was repaired and renovated in 2010.
Yalta also has a zoo, and its own aquarium housing small dolphins. The mountains surrounding the city are visited often by picnickers, hikers and cyclists and it is possible to take a cable car to the Darsan hill, from which visitors can see Yalta's shoreline.