Ukraine Travel Guide
Sightseeing and places to visit
This section talks about many of Ukraine's primary places of interest to travelers, focusing on large cities (Kiev, Odessa, Lviv), the Carpathians, and Crimea. There is also a special section on skiing in Ukraine and pages on visiting countries bordering (Russia, Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Moldova, and Transdnistria) or near Ukraine (Georgia). New areas will be added as they are visited and researched by the author, who travels extensively in the region.
Ukraine travel recommendations
Suppose you had just a week to spend in Ukraine. What should you see? I would recommend spending about three days in Kiev, two in Odessa, and two in Lviv. These cities are, in my opinion, the most colorful, culturally rich metropolises of Ukraine and are most liked by foreigners.
If you had a month to see Ukraine, I would definitely add to this list of sights the scenic Carpathian Mountains in western Ukraine and, of course, Crimea with its Black Sea resorts and countless historical attractions. Time permitting, I would add, say, a tour around the castles of western Ukraine and a visit to Kharkov or Donetsk in eastern Ukraine to round out one's impressions of the country.
Ukraine's main attractions
Very briefly, here's a list of the remarkable things tourists can see in Ukraine, and the best places to experience them (in the author's opinion):
- City life: Kiev, Odessa, Lviv
- Churches: Lviv, Kiev
- Monasteries: Kiev, scattered remote locations
- Soviet architecture and legacy: Kiev, Kharkov
- Nature: Crimea's South Shore, Carpathians
- Folk culture: villages of western Ukraine and Carpathians