The Massandra Palace stands in beautiful parkland on the outskirts of Yalta. It was designed by French architect Bouchart to emulate the style of some of the castles of the Loire valley. Originally built for Prince C.M.Vorontsov, it was acquired by Tsar Alexander III as his summer palace in 1889.

After the 1917 revolution it was used as a holiday residence by high-ranking members of the Politburo - Stalin, Khrushchev and Brezhnev all stayed here at one time or another.

In the early nineties the palace was designated a museum and opened to the public. The interior has now been beautifully restored. It contains a significant collection of fine art and period furniture in rooms set out to reflect the grandeur of its original nineteenth century owners.