At a distance of about five kilometers from the city of Alushta is one of the most beautiful places of the Crimean coast - mount Castel, towering 440 feet above sea level. The mountain received its name from the fortress, which in ancient times was located on its top, now she is almost nothing left. An ancient legend says that the fortress served as the last refuge of the legendary ruler of ancient Suggie – Queen Theodora. When the Principality was captured by the Genoese, noble Theodore with loyal subjects took refuge in the Castel, where he died in battle, betrayed by his own brother.

Mount Castel is a truly unique monument of nature. Here you can find a variety of vegetation, ranging from rare species of snowdrops and herbs unique to the vines, which wrap the trunks of ancient trees, descending emerald falls from the treetops to the bottom. The mountain slopes are covered with evergreen shrub, Jasmine, Cistus, butcher's broom, and even on the mountain is growing a rare species of fern – an anagram tonality.

Although since the 30's goals last century archeologists knew about the existence of ancient remains of aqueducts and triple series wall fortifications, the Castel has never been excavated, and that probably helped to keep intact the unique population of small-fruited strawberry, which grows only on this mountain and is of great scientific value.

Castel and Ayu-Dag, are frustrated by volcanoes: earth here reared and formed a bowl-shaped depression, but the eruption never happened, it's just such a freak of nature. On the southern slope of the massif nature formed the original form of ribs, ridges, bastions, various slides and a chaotic arrangement of stone placers. Geologists find here a variety of minerals – calcite and pyrite, which are widely used in school collections for the study of rocks in geography.

Sea currents at the foot of mount attach large oval pebbles, this place is popular with tourists and is called "GRAYLINE Golovkinsky". From the top of Castel offers stunning views of the southern coast of the Crimea, from here you can see the Western part of the Ayu-Dag and almost the entire coast up to the Eastern side of the mountains of Sudak.

Mount Castel accessible by two routes: from Grape from the highway, or from azure along sea coasts. The second way is traditionally considered more difficult and dangerous, but the magnificent mountain scenery before astonished eyes, will not leave indifferent any tourist.