Where is it better to go on vacation in 2021 - to Turkey or Crimea? Pros and cons of rest here and on the Turkish coast.
I have been to Crimea and Turkey many times, and both directions are dear to my heart. However, judging objectively, where is it better to go to rest? Definitely to Turkey. At first glance, the resorts are similar, but Turkey wins by almost all criteria, and Crimea is still so far from it. Let's compare them in different ways.
Tour prices
You will be surprised, but a rest in a good hotel in Crimea is more expensive than in Turkey. At first glance, the prices for tours to hotels 3 *, 4 * and 5 * do not differ much. Only here in Crimea there is a high probability of getting unpleasant impressions from a 5-star hotel, and in Turkey - to relax in a good "three", almost like in a "five". When booking a tour, we advise you to carefully read the hotel reviews and not be seduced by beautiful photos! Find out how to buy a tour for less.
Look for tours at the best price on the websites Level.Travel and Travelata - these are convenient and reliable services, we buy tours only there.
We flew in the high season from Moscow to Kemer for 33,600 rubles. We lived for 7 days in a quiet and modest apart-hotel with a swimming pool, no meals. For such conditions, it is inexpensive, but there were tours for 21,000 rubles with meals in large hotel complexes.
In the table below, I have given the prices for tours to Crimea and Turkey for a week with a departure from Moscow in the summer of 2021. Through a slash - prices for "all inclusive".
| Category | Crimea | Turkey |
| 1 * (without *) | from 25000 / from 48000 | from 54000 / from 56000 |
| 2* | from 29000 / from 47000 | from 47000 / from 55000 |
| 3* | from 30,000 / from 53,000 | from 46000 / from 47000 |
| 4* | from 43000 / from 80000 | from 50,000 / from 50,000 |
| 5* | from 180,000 / from 185,000 | from 60,000 / from 60,000 |
Beach vacation
There are different beaches in Crimea and Turkey: sandy, pebble, sandy-pebble, rocky. Almost all are free - with rare exceptions. But in Turkey, the sea and beaches are certainly much better than the Crimean ones. It is cleaner and more beautiful there, and the public beaches are very comfortable and well thought out: changing rooms, showers, toilets, wooden paths, a bunch of sun loungers and umbrellas. No rusty beach bars or crumbling concrete breakwaters with obscene graffiti. There is everything for a beautiful and comfortable beach holiday! Plus the underwater world - the Black Sea loses a lot in this regard.
In terms of resort infrastructure, Crimea also loses - a scoop is visible almost everywhere, and somewhere it looks openly. One thing pleases - the peninsula is gradually being developed! Read our guide to the resorts of Crimea to find the right one.
Hotels
If the main thing for you on vacation is a good hotel with excellent service and animation, then you better go to Turkey, not Crimea.
In Crimea, there are still few good hotels, and those that exist are expensive. At the same time, the service still falls short of Turkish, tourists complain. Here we have just started to practice "all inclusive" with a buffet in 4 * and 5 * hotels. With sanatoriums and boarding houses, everything is sad - they often carry out only cosmetic repairs, and the price tag is high.
But Crimea has an advantage: unlike Turkey, on the first line there are not only 4 * and 5 * hotels, but also guest houses, villas, 3 * hotels and even the private sector. If the hotel's stardom and service are not important to you, then you can have a relatively inexpensive vacation by the sea!
In the case of Turkish hotels, in general, everything is fine, but choose younger complexes, double-check cheap rooms and carefully read negative reviews.
Useful services for self-booking accommodation:
- Booking is the world's most popular hotel booking service.
- Hotellook - comparison of prices for hotels and guest houses on different services.
- Daily rent of houses and apartments in Crimea from private traders.
Food
On this point, Turkey is also ahead of the Crimea - "all inclusive" with a wide range of dishes and alcohol has won the stomach of more than one Russian. For a lazy beach holiday, where tourists move mainly along the "room - restaurant - pool - bar" route, this is, of course, ideal.
Even if you like active rest and have chosen a hotel without meals, there will still be no problems with food in Turkish resorts - there are at least kebabs at every step! Plus, this way you will taste many national dishes. For example, we in Kemer just lived on a tour without food and did not suffer at all. Find out what food to try in Turkey.
But in Crimea there are few hotels with meals, but there are many canteens, cafes and restaurants. The cuisine is very different - from Crimean Tatar to Japanese. True, the quality of food and prices do not match, unlike in Turkey. It is not a problem to feed children, there are supermarkets where you can buy baby food.
Entertainment prices
Prices for holidays in Turkey and Crimea are almost the same. Water parks cost $ 25-30, and tickets to dolphinariums cost about $ 14-16. Up to $ 40 are yacht trips without diving, and at $ 60-70 per hour - with diving.
There are a wide variety of excursions in Turkey - from simple sightseeing tours to extreme tours. Prices start at $ 50. Boat trips are usually popular with tourists. There is no shortage of tours in Crimea either - there are a lot of barkers on the embankments.
Look at the example of Kemer, how much it costs to relax in the resorts of Turkey.
Nature and attractions
In my opinion, the nature of Crimea and coastal Turkey is very similar - so I don't even know where to go. In Crimea, I am amazed by the nature of the South Coast, Novy Svet and distant Tarkhankut. And in Turkey I really liked the surroundings of Kemer and the Princes' Islands, I also want to go to Cappadocia and Pamukkale. There are a lot of excursions, it is also not a problem to see everything on your own. We have an equally interesting time - exploring the surroundings by car or bike.
As for history and culture, all the sights of Crimea are covered only by Istanbul - be sure to go there! Moreover, it is quite inexpensive.
Where is it better - in Crimea or Turkey
If you want a lazy getaway and great service at a low price, head to Turkey. Families with children will also be comfortable there, especially if you take all-inclusive meals.
We advise you to go to Crimea on your own and actively explore the peninsula - there are so many beautiful and unusual places accumulated there! Another advantage of Crimea is the absence of a language barrier and the ability to get there by any transport. But going to the peninsula for a beautiful vacation in an expensive hotel is a dubious idea. Better to wait until the level of service grows.
Regarding where it is cheaper - in the Crimea or Turkey: a classic beach holiday in comfortable conditions in Turkey is cheaper. Both on tour and on your own. But if you are unpretentious in the conditions, then in the Crimea it will turn out to be more budgetary. Look how much we spend on vacation in Crimea.
