Ukraine is a destination on the crossroads between central and eastern Europe, between north and south.
It borders Russia and is not far from Turkey. It has mountain ranges – the Carpathian Mountains suitable for skiing, hiking, fishing and hunting.
The coastline on the Black Sea is a popular summer destination for vacationers. Ukraine has vineyards where they produce wines, ruins of ancient castles, historical parks, Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant churches as well some mosques and synagogues.
Kyiv, the country’s capital city has many unique structures such as Saint Sophia Cathedral and broad boulevards. There are other cities well known to tourists, such as the harbour city Odesa and the old city of Lviv in the west. Most of Western Ukraine, which used to be within the borders of the Republic of Poland before World War II, is a popular destination for Poles.
Tourism Ukraine has its certain advantages, including much lower costs than other European destinations, as well as visa-free access for most people from Europe, the former Soviet Union, and North America.
Here are the most popular touristic destinations in Ukraine.
Kyiv
Kyiv is the capital city of Ukraine, considered the best post-Soviet tourist destination in Eastern Europe. It is a city steeped in history, bursting with museums, art and culture.
Kyiv is an important industrial, scientific, educational and cultural center of Eastern Europe. It is home to many high-tech industries, higher education institutions, and historical landmarks.
The city has an extensive system of public transport and infrastructure, including the Kyiv Metro.
Kyiv has a warm-summer humid continental climate The warmest months are June, July, and August, with mean temperatures of 13.8 to 24.8 °C. The coldest are December, January, and February, with mean temperatures of −4.6 to −1.1 °C.
Kyiv was the historic cultural centre of the East Slavic civilization and a major cradle for the Christianization of Kyivan Rus. Kyiv retained through centuries its cultural importance and even at times of relative decay, it remained the centre of primary importance of Eastern Orthodox Christianity . Its sacred sites, which include the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra (the Monastery of the Caves) and the Saint Sophia Cathedral are probably the most famous, attracted pilgrims for centuries and now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site remain the primary religious centres as well as the major tourist attraction. The above-mentioned sites are also part of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine collection.
Lviv
Lviv is the largest city in western Ukraine and the seventh-largest city in the country overall, with a population of about 717,486.
Lviv is one of the main cultural centres of Ukraine.
It is known as a centre of art, literature, music and theatre. Nowadays, the evidence of the city’s cultural richness is the number of theatres, concert halls, and creative unions, and the high number of artistic activities (more than 100 festivals annually, 60 museums, 10 theatres).
Lviv’s historic centre has been on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage list since 1998.
Odessa
Odessa is the third most populous city of Ukraine and a major tourism center, seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern shore of the Black Sea.
The city’s location on the coast of the Black Sea has also helped to create a booming tourist industry in Odessa. The city’s Arkadia beach has long been a favourite place for relaxation, both for the city’s inhabitants and its visitors. This is a large sandy beach which is located to the south of the city centre.
Many of Odessa’s buildings have, rather uniquely for a Ukrainian city, been influenced by the Mediterranean style of classical architecture.
This is particularly noticeable in buildings built by architects such as the Italian Francesco Boffo, who in early 19th-century built a palace and colonnade for the Governor of Odessa, Prince Mikhail Vorontsov, the Potocki Palace and many other public buildings.
In 1887 one of the city’s most well known architectural monuments was completed – the theatre, which still hosts a range of performances to this day; it is widely regarded as one of the world’s finest opera houses.
Odessa’s most iconic symbol, the Potemkin Stairs, is a vast staircase that conjures an illusion so that those at the top only see a series of large steps, while at the bottom all the steps appear to merge into one pyramid-shaped mass.
Deribasivska Street, an attractive pedestrian avenue named after José de Ribas, the Spanish-born founder of Odessa and decorated Russian Navy Admiral from the Russo-Turkish War, is famous by its unique character and architecture.
During the summer it is common to find large crowds of people leisurely sitting and talking on the outdoor terraces of numerous cafés, bars and restaurants, or simply enjoying a walk along the cobblestone street, which is not open to vehicular traffic and is kept shaded by the linden trees which line its route.
A similar streetscape can also be found in that of Primorsky Bulvar, a grand thoroughfare which runs along the edge of the plateau upon which the city is situated, and where many of the city’s most imposing buildings can be found.
These are just a few the most famous places of Ukraine, known for their rich historical and cultural heritage, beauty of architecture, exceptional Ukrainian cuisine, parks, museums, theatres and restaurants.
To add to the mentioned cities there are much more places to visit and enjoy their uniqueness, among them Dnipro, Sumy, Kamyanets-Podilskiy, Kharkiv, Zaporizhia, Poltava and many others.
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