Kara-Dag Massif

Kara-Dag is an ancient extinct volcano on the southeastern coast of Crimea, between Koktebel and Kurortny. The massif worked tens of millions of years ago and since then it has frozen into a bizarre accumulation of rocks, bays and stone towers above the sea.

Its most famous business card is the Golden Gate rock-arch, which rises straight out of the water and long ago became the face of the entire Eastern Crimea. Volcanic origin also gave the massif semi-precious stones: carnelian, jasper, agates, for which people once came here specially.

This is a protected area, so it is not possible to wander freely on the slopes: most of the massif can only be seen from the ecological path or from the sea. However, even such a look makes a well-deserved impression.