Unknown Eastern Ukraine

 

 

Meeting at the airport. Transfer to the hotel. Walk in the city center. Overnight.

 

 

Arriving to Kyiv. Breakfast. Panoramic city tour in the capital of Ukraine and the cradle of Eastern Slavonic states. The tour includes Golden Gates and Vladimir’s hill, which is supposed to be the place of foundation of Kiev-city, Bogdan Khmelnitsky’s Monument, National Opera and Ballet Theater, St. Vladimir’s Cathedral – a splendid architectural pearl, with beautiful paintings of V. Vasnetsov and St. Michael’s Golden Domed Monastery founded in 1108, Kyiv Founders’ Monument, Khreschatik Avenue, Independence Square – the scene of many notable events in the capital city of Ukraine.

Visiting St. Sofia Cathedral – the world famous historical and architectural monument of the first half of the 11th century. The cathedral is famous for its mosaics and frescos by Byzantine masters. It is the first monument in Ukraine listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Free time for personal visiting and chopping along Andriivsky Descent – a street-museum, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Kyiv. Overnight.

 

 

Breakfast. Visiting The Holy Kyiv Pechersk Lavra - the Orthodox Christian monastery that is the holiest place of pilgrimage in Ukraine. It was founded in times of Yaroslav the Wise in XI century and is one of the most ancient monasteries in Old Rus. Trinity Church, the Assumption Cathedral (renovated in 2000), the Refectory Church and the labyrinth of the Near and Far Caves, with their relics of saints, are real masterpieces of world architecture.

Free time. Optional tour to Folk Architecture Museum Pirogovo - the biggest open air museum in Europe which offers a great collection of our national ethnographical heritage. There are approximately 300 unique objects of folk architecture, dating back to XVI−XX centuries from all the regions of Ukraine. During the visit you will see unique collections: windmills, watermills, forges, an old traditional sauna, village administration houses, a church school, a priest mansion, cafes named “shynok”, huts, barns, stalls, cellars etc. Overnight.

 

 

Breakfast. Departure to Poltava – 800 years old city at Vorskla river, the place of a famous battle (1709) when Russian army of Peter I beat Swedish army headed by Carl XII. Poltava city tour in the historical part of the city: Round square and the Glory Monument – one of the main sights of Poltava, White rotunda and monument of Poltavska Galushka. Also we visit a museum of the great Ukrainian writer Kotlyarevsky. His country estate remains the same as in early XIX century representing the typical Ukrainian lifestyle of that time.

Departure to Kharkiv. Overnight.

 

 

Breakfast. Kharkiv city tour including all major sights: Liberty Square, Opera House and Shevchenko park, Sumskaya Street, Pokrovsky, Uspensky and Blagovishensky Cathedrals, Gorky Park – the most popular place of relaxation of Kharkovites, Forrest-Park and Memorial complex devoted to perished in World War II.

Free time. Optional tours to one of Kharkiv's museums. Overnight.

 

 

Breakfast. Departure to Svyatogirsk. Svyatogorsk Lavra is incredibly marvellous architectural ensemble in the style of mature classicism. It is situated on the right bank of the river Siversky Donets on the Holy Mountains among beautiful hills, densely covered with forests. The main feature of the ensemble is Grand Cathedral of the Assumption and in the center there is Pokrovsky Chruch with bell tower and main entrance into the monastery. Its blue dome, decorated with golden stars, serves as a peculiar pharos for numerous pilgrims. Since old times churches and cells of the Lavra hid ascetics reliably. The quantity of the underground halls and cave structures amazes – 2.5thousand of square kilometers. With time passing the rock collapsed and three upper tiers disappeared. Remaining two lower tiers amaze the visitors not less. For a long time Cave Church of St. Nicholas carved in the depth of Cretaceous rock served as the main temple. Till our time 400-meter cave entrance into the rock part is preserved. Its width is only 60 meters. Svyatogorsk Holy Assumption Monastery became the fifth Lavra in the Orthodox world and one of the largest in Eastern Ukraine.

Return to Kharkiv. Overnight.

 

 

Breakfast. Departure to Kyiv. Transfer to the airport fro your flight to back home.

 

Program price in euro per person
	10+1 pax	15+1 pax	20+1 pax	25+1 pax	Additional payment for single room
Hotels 3*	699	615	543	515	198
Hotels 4*	758	670	598	567	212

  

- Accommodation in the 3* or 4* hotels: 3 nights in Kyiv and 3 nights in Kharkiv; standard double rooms;

- 6 breakfasts;

- Transport services according to the program;

- English guides service during the tour.

- Entrance fees according to the program;

- One free of charge for tour leader in single room.

 

- Meals: lunches and dinners;

- Services not mentioned above;

- Personal expenses.