Kerch Crimea Russia-Ukraine
Russia
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Crimea has been the subject of an international conflict since 2014 and international cruise lines have not called there since. This guide presents Kerch's heritage as a cultural reference, pending the region becoming accessible again.
On the strait linking the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov, at the eastern tip of Crimea. It is a crossroads between two seas, and from the summit of Mount Mithridates your eye passes from one continent to another.
A ceremonial stairway of several hundred steps, designed in the 1830s by the Italian architect Alexander Digby, climbing Mount Mithridates from the heart of the city. Stone griffins, landings and balustrades punctuate the ascent.
Yes, it is a sustained effort: several hundred steps with no shortcut. Bring water, good shoes and take a few breaks — which double as excuses to admire the view over the strait.
Mithridates VI, king of Pontus and sworn enemy of Rome, died here in 63 BC. The hill above the city carries his name, as does the staircase climbing it.
Remains of the acropolis surface on the hillside itself: column bases, sections of wall, paved streets. Excavations since the 19th century have yielded Scythian gold, ceramics and stelae, some displayed in the history and archaeology museum below.
A burial chamber from the 4th century BC, approached through an impressive corridor of dressed stone. It sits a little outside the centre and needs a short transfer, unlike the hill and the museum.
A church at the foot of the hill, alternating courses of pale stone and pink brick. Its core dates from the early Middle Ages, making it one of the oldest Christian places of worship in the entire Black Sea region.
Underground galleries on the edge of Kerch where soldiers and civilians held out in 1942. The memorial there is a striking and sombre visit — approach it as a place of remembrance, not a sightseeing stop.
Fish from the strait, herring and mullet above all, are the pride of local tables. One practical note for any season: the sea wind surprises people even in summer, so a windproof jacket is worth packing.
