Fascinating Places to Visit in Ukraine

Ukraine has many wonderful places to visit. I had a opportunity to visit Ukraine and I really loved the whole experience.

Ukraine is situated in eastern Europe. It's the 46th largest country in the World. It is bordered by Russia to the east, northeast, and south, Belarus to the northwest, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia to the west, Romania and Moldova to the southwest, and the Black sea and the sea of Azov to the south and southeast. Here people speak Ukrainian and Russian. It has a population of 42.5 million people approximately.

Places to see in Kyiv

Kiev is the capital city of Ukraine. It is divided into two by the river Dnieper. It's the 7th most populous city in Europe. In Kiev, there are a lot of tourist attractions and I am mentioning them below.

Kyiv Perchersk Lavra

It's an Orthodox Christian monastery that was built in 1051. This cave monastery is a residence of about 100 monks. It's one of the seven wonders of Ukraine and is considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

It's one of the first monasteries founded by the Kievan Rus. Today this monastery is the center of orthodoxy.

One of the main attractions is the museum which displays articles like chalices, crucifixes and textiles from 16th-19th centuries.

St.Sophia Cathedral

It was built in the 11th century by Yaroslav I the Wise. His body is buried in the cathedral. The architecture in this building involves the Byzantine and Baroque styles. It's also a World Heritage Site and one of the seven wonders of Ukraine.

The cathedral is named after the Hagia Sophia cathedral of Constantinople dedicated to the holy wisdom. The structure has 5 naves,5 apses, and 13 cupolas. What I really liked is the architecture inside. It still retains the mosaics and frescos from the 11th century.

St.Andrew Church

One of the most beautiful churches ever built. It was completed in 1767 and was designed by Bartolomeo Rastrelli. The church is situated on top of a hill.

The architectural design of the church is a rare example of Elizabethan baroque in Ukraine. Since 1968 this building is a museum. According to the chronicle The tale of Bygone Years, Saint Andrew came to the Dnipro river's slopes in the 1st century AD and erected a cross on the current location of the church. He prophesied that the sparsely inhabited area would become a great city.

Ukrainian Motherland Monument

This is a stainless steel statue that stands 62 m tall upon the museum's main building with the overall structure measuring 102 m including its base and weighing 560 tonnes.

Initially, the statue was drawn by the sculptor Yevgeny Vuchetich. After his death, the project was continued by Vasyl Borodai. The sculpture's right hand is holding a sword and on the left, there is a shield with a hammer and sickle emblem.

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This sculpture is a part of the national museum of the history of Ukraine in the second world war.

Pyrohiv

It's a village in the south of Kyiv which is now a museum of folk architecture. It's an open-air museum and many craftsmen show their skills to visitors.

It was founded in 1969, the museum contains over 300 pieces of folk architecture brought here from all parts of Ukraine and carefully reassembled. In the museum, you can also find plenty of items of household and traditional cultures such as costumes, old textiles, embroidery, carpets, ceramics, metal handicrafts, woodwork, and glassware as well as musical instruments, paintings, and houseware.

The oldest church is situated in Pyrohiv in Naddnipryanska, which was built in 1742.

Hydropark

It's an entertainment complex on the banks of river Dnieper. It has many beaches, boat rides, volleyball courts, restaurants, casinos, and discos. It is located on the Venetian and Dolobetsk islands; the Venetian bridge connects these islands.

It was opened in the year 1969.It's a great place to visit during the summer and to spend a great day with family and friends.

Maidan Nezalezhnasti(The Independance Square)

The central square in Kyiv. It's also called Independence square. Many political and non-political events take place here. It is located on street Khreshchatyk.

Some of the famous protest campaigns that took place there are the 1990 student Revolution on Granite, the 2001 Ukraine without Kuchma, the 2004 Orange Revolution, and the 2013–14 Euromaidan.

Christmas Fairs and New Year celebrations were moved to Sofiyivska Square after the 2014 protests.

The House of Chimeras

This is a monument with Art Nouveau architecture style. It's opposite the Presidential Administration building. It was designed by Wladyslaw Horodecki.

The building derives its popular name from the ornate decorations depicting exotic animals and hunting scenes, which were sculpted by Italian architect Emilio Sala.

The street in front of this building is closed because of its close proximity to the Presidential Administration building.

Kyiv Underground Tour

Tunnels under Kreschatyk street were built in the 19th century. It's necessary to go with tall boots and flashlights because some area of the tunnel has around 30 cm of water in depth. During the tour, the guide will talk about how it was constructed and the underground plumbing work.

Over 50 kilometers of underground passages and labyrinths, built in the XIX century and store many secrets. In these tunnels, stalactites, and stalagmites grow, walk along the channel of the city’s underground rivers and look into unique hydraulic structures.

Some other places that can be visited if you have time are the Ukrainian National Chernobyl Museum, Mezhyhirya Residence, Kiev Zoo, Water Museum, Kiev Funicular, Ukraine State Aviation Museum, Botanical Gardens, Feofaniya Park, Kyoto Park etc.

Video of the city Kyiv

Places to visit in Odessa

Odessa is a port city situated in southern Ukraine. It's known for its beaches and 19th-century architecture. Below I am mentioning the main tourist attractions.

1)Odessa Opera and Ballet Theatre

This building comprises of the Baroque architecture. It was opened in 1810 but was destroyed by fire in 1873. The most recent renovation was completed in 2007. The unique feature is the acoustics of the horseshoe shaped building which allows whisper from the stage to be heard in any part of the hall. This building was designed by Thomas de Thomon.

2)Odessa City Garden

It's the oldest park in Odessa. It was founded by Felix de Ribas in 1803.

3)Odessa Archeological Museum

One of the oldest archeological museum in Ukraine. It was completed in1883. It has a collection of more than 160,000 artifacts. The museum is famous for the collection of stone slabs, coins and medals.

4)Potemkin Stairs

It's the main symbol of Odessa. It's a giant stairway which is like a formal entrance from the sea into the city. It extends 142 meters. It's known for its optical illusion. A person looking down the stairs sees only the landings, and the steps are invisible, but a person looking up sees only steps, and the landings are invisible. It has 200 stairs in total.

5) Arcadia beach

It's a famous beach in Odessa. Its a popular health resort and nightspot during summer. It also has many nightclubs.

6) Vorontsov Lighthouse

It is named after Prince Mikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov and it's a red and white, 27.2 meters long building. This lighthouse was destroyed during World War 2 and rebuilt again.

7) Odessa Zoo

It's a natural reserve with around 1600 animals in the zoo. It was opened in 1922. It is spread over 15 acres of land.

There are other places apart from these which you can visit like the Lanzheron beach, Shevchenko park, the museum of western and eastern art, Dolphinarium "Nemo", Palais royal garden, witch house etc.

video of the city Odessa

Places to visit in Lviv

Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. Below I am listing the main attractions of this city.

1) The Market Square

It has retained all the charm of an old European city. The city hall which was built in the 19th century is situated here. It's a UNESCO World Heritage site. It has 4 fountains, one on each side named as Diana, Neptune, Adonis, and Amphitrite.

2) Lviv history museum

This place hosts over 300,000 artifacts mainly from 16-18th century. It's famous for its coffee shop and a pleasant yard. Enjoying your coffee and listening to some good music is one of the places anyone would love to spend some time.

3) Dzyga art gallery

If you are an art lover, it is a must go place for you and even if you're not an art lover its a must go place for you. These gallery hosts work by contemporary artists.

4) Chocolate Factory

Lviv chocolate factory is located in center of Lviv and is one of the tourist attractions.Once inside the factory you can see chocolate being molded into different shapes and sizes, you can buy them individually or in sets. You can also buy souvenirs at this place and on the ground floor, there is a coffee shop. All chocolates are handmade.

5) Lychakiv Cemetery

It is a heritage preserve and a historic museum which was founded in 1786. The oldest tombstone dates back to 1675. There are also beautiful shrines and chapels inside the cemetery.

6) Boim Chapel

It's a world heritage site, it was built from 1605-1615. It's a monument that was built during late Rennaissance. It belonged to the Boim family and 14 members of Boim family are buried in the chapel.

7) Lviv opera house

It was built in the early 19th century. The architecture of the building is a mix of different European styles of architecture. It was designed by Zygmunt Gorgolewski The interior is no less magnificent than the exterior.

8) Bernardine Monastery

This monument is a mix of renaissance and Baroque style of architecture. The history of this monastery dates back to 15th century but the present day building was built in the 17th century.

9)vLviv high castle

The ruins of the castle are located on top of a hill and its the highest point in Lviv, 413 meters above sea level.

10) Virmenska street

This street is influenced by the Armenian culture. Virmenska street is considered colorful because of the use of various type of architectural styles. The oldest Armenian cathedral stands on Virmenska street. The cathedral is around 653 years old.

Above I have mentioned the main tourist attractions, apart from this there are also other places to visit like the Potocki Palace, St. George cathedral, Museum of folk architecture and rural life, Lviv beer museum, Aqua park "plyazh", Prison at Lackiego, Dominican church, Lubomirski palace, Museum of glass, Black house and many more. How many places you can visit will depend on how many days you will live in the city.

Video of city Lviv

Tunnel of love in city of Rivenska.

Tunnel of love is a tunnel of trees that cover a section of railway tracks. This tunnel is popular with couples and newly weds. It's a romantic spot.The best time to visit is from May until first week of September. It's 3-5 metres long.

Bukovel ski resort in city of Ivano-Frankivsk

Bukovel is situated on the Carpathian mountain ranges and has one of the largest ski resorts in eastern Europe. In summer 2014, Ukraine's biggest artificial lake was opened in Bukovel. A lot of recreational activities take place in this resort and one can choose what they would like to do at the resort. If you like skiing the best time to visit is winter but you can also visit in summer and go for bike riding, rafting etc.

Ghost town Pripyat and Cherobyl city-city of nuclear disaster.

Pripyat is a radioactive ghost town. Once the flourishing city, it was abandoned following the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986. Till today it remains untouched. Around 50,000 people were evacuated from here. Every year many tourists take a tour to this place because of its post apocalypse look. You can be concerned about the radiation levels and if it is safe for you to visit this place. The zone of alienation is considered safe and many Ukrainian tour companies give guided tours to this area and its wise to take such tours than to go by yourself. There is a whole lot of guidelines that need to be followed when in Pripyat so that you don't have radioactive elements in your body when leaving the place and the tour guides will know better than you do.

Video on Holiday in Chernobyl

I hope now you can see now how amazing Ukraine is and how many places you can visit here in Ukraine. People here are warm and welcoming but always be careful and attentive because like in every place you can find con men here too. Having said that, Ukraine is a wonderful place and if you are on a budget then definitely Ukraine is one of the places you should visit.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2017 nicci

Comments

Doris James MizBejabbers from Beautiful South on July 23, 2019:

So many wonderful places to visit, so little time. I especially liked the multicolor facades in the market place photo. The U.S. is still a young country, and the powers that be are now just starting to appreciate brightly colored buildings and street art.

nicci (author) from ukraine on September 06, 2017:

Thank you Emily!

Emily Lantry from Tennessee on September 06, 2017:

I really enjoyed this article!

I love learning about new places, maybe I'll be able to travel one day. Ukraine looks like a beautiful place with some outstanding landmarks! Thank for sharing!