The fate of the talented Russian writer Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin is closely linked to Balaklava, and many places in this city remind of his stay. Kuprin first visited Balaklava in September 1904, intrigued by the city after hearing stories from the Balaklava Greek G. Denaks, the owner of a small oyster shop in St. Petersburg. Together with his wife, he stayed at the Grand Hotel and wrote: "In Balaklava, the end of September is simply enchanting. The water in the bay has cooled, the days are clear and calm, with a wonderful freshness and strong sea scent in the mornings, with a blue cloudless sky stretching God knows how high, with gold and purple on the trees, with silent black nights." At that time, he was working on the novel "The Duel."

A year later, in August, after the release of "The Duel," Kuprin returned to his beloved Balaklava. Here he wrote the stories "Staff Captain Ryabnikov," "Dreams," "Toast," and began a series of essays "Listrigons." The city charmed Alexander Ivanovich so much that he bought a plot of land there and planned to build a dacha.

An interesting incident occurred with the writer due to his love for Balaklava. Once, having had a bit too much to drink, Kuprin sent a letter to Nicholas II, asking to grant Balaklava the status of a free republic. Surprisingly, the tsar replied, but the envelope was marked "to be delivered by hand." The postman searched for Kuprin throughout the city and finally found him in one of the restaurants. The writer, ordering champagne for everyone, opened the envelope saying: "and here the tsar writes to me." Nicholas II's response, consisting of just three words, caused loud laughter among the audience: "When you drink, have a snack." However, Kuprin did not manage to become a full-fledged resident of Balaklava. After the publication of his essay about the uprising on the cruiser "Ochakov," the local governor ordered him to leave the vicinity of Sevastopol.