Simferopol was founded in 1784 by Catherine the Great, but many people lived in the area prior to this. Located in the middle of the Crimean peninsula, on the banks of the Salgir river, Simferopol is the administrative, economic, scientific and cultural centre of the Crimea with a population of 340,000.

There are over two hundred historical, architectural and cultural sites of interest in the city and its vicinity, including for example: the oldest building in the city - the Kebir-Jami Mosque, built in 1508, and the Vorontsov House, built in 1827, but the main reason for going here is the landscape and its great location in the middle of Crimea, serving as a centre for nice weekend tours to the lovely small coast cities around the peninsula.