Alupka was first founded as a Greek settlement. The name originates from the Greek word for fox (Alopex). After the Greeks, Alupka came under control of the Byzantine Empire.

The first written mention of Alupka dates to 960 in a document about the Byzantine Emperor Romanos II. Later on, Alupka was controlled by the Crimean Tatars. After 1783 the city came into possession of Grigori Alexandrovich Potemkin, governor-general of the Novorossiya Krai. In 1798, the city had a population of 211, consisting mainly of farmers.

At the end of 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, Alupka was a famous resort. In the middle of 19th century it was even more popular than Yalta, mostly because of the work of the Governor of NovoRossia - Mikhail Vorontsov, who build here a Palace (or even better say, Castle).

Alupka is not only a resort town, but also an important tourist attraction. Major attractions in the city include:

• Vorontsov Palace
• Vorontsov's Park, located on the grounds of the Vorontsov Palace
• Ai-Petri Mountain

The main attraction of Alupka is the Scottish baronial and Neo-Moorish style Vorontsov's Palace, which was designed by the English architect Edward Blore built in 1828-1846 for prince Mikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov. During the Yalta Conference, the palace - spared by the Germans during World War II - served as the residence of Sir Winston Churchill and his English delegation.

A large English-style park was designed and built for prince Vorontsov on the territory of the Vorontsov's Palace. The park was constructed from December 1824 to April 1851, and was envisioned, designed, created, and maintained by Chief Botanist of the Southern Shore of the Crimea, Carolus Antonius Keebach. Plant material for the garden was supplied from the Nikita Botanic Garden by its director, Nicolai Anders von Hartwiss.

There is also a selection of various Hotels and restaurants. There are many things to do in central Alupka such as look at Ai Petri mountain and even take a cable car there.

Alupka is located at the foot of the 1234 meter Ai-Petri (St Peter) Mount of the Crimean Mountains chain. Since 1987, a three kilometer Gondola lift, one of the longest in Europe and split into two stages, carries passengers to and from the mountain, providing visitors with excellent views of the surrounding area and the Black Sea.