Simferopol Travel Guide

Simferopol (Ru. Симферополь, Uk. Сімферополь) is a city located in the middle of the Crimean peninsula on the Salgir River (see map). The capital of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, it has a population of 350,000 inhabitants (2005), roughly the same size as Sevastopol which lies to the south-west.

Simferopol occupies the site of an ancient Scythian capital known as Neapolis (3rd century BC - 3rd century AD). Called Ak-Mechet under Crimean Tatar rule (15th–18th centuries), it was renamed Simferopol after its annexation to Russia in 1784. Today the archeological ruins of Neapolis can still be found on the outskirts of the city. Remnants of Ak-Mechet have also been retained in the old section of Simferopol where buildings maintain their distinctive Crimean Tatar appearance.

The political and administrative center of Crimea, Simferopоl is also conveniently located in the center of the entire region. The city's name is actually derived from the Greek word meaning "town collector". This perfectly suits Simferopol because all roads in Crimea seem to "collect" in the capital. The city is home to the peninsula's major train terminal and its international airport, so most tourists to Crimea end up here before catching a taxi or bus to their final destination. If you are traveling to Yalta you even have the option of taking the world's longest trolleybus route (over 90 km / 55 miles long).

Phoning Simferopol

+ 380 (Country Code) + 652 (City Code) + Telephone Number
For a complete list of Russia and CIS Dialing Codes, follow the link.

Additional Resources for Simferopol, Ukraine

• Wiki: Simferopol (eng)
• Wiki: Autonomous Republic of Crimea (eng)
• Sites below are in Russian and/or Ukrainian. In order to translate, click on Google Translate and enter the webpage address.
• Simferopol.org: Official site of the capital of Crimea
• SC Tavriya Simferopol: Official site of football club playing in Ukrainian Premier League