The best of Ukraine

 

 

Meeting at the airport. Transfer to hotel. Dinner. Overnight.

 

 

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 Kyiv-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.

Visiting Chernobyl Catastrophe Museum. This Museum tells the story of the world’s largest and worst radio-ecological disaster, a nuclear catastrophe at the Chernobyl Nuclear power station, the liquidation and consequences of the disaster and the post-Chernobyl ecological situation in Ukraine. More than 7,000 exhibits are displayed in 5 large halls containing once-secret documents, maps, photos, personal belongings, and housekeeping items from the rural life of the Chernobyl region.

Dinner. 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.

Visit the Museum of historical Treasures displaying the rich Scythian Gold collection that is up to 5,000 years old. The gem of the collection is the famous «Golden pectoral» (chest decoration of a Scythian king).

The museum of the Second World War – the complex combines the Museum building and the Motherland statue (62 meters high), a gallery of sculpture commemorating the heroes of the battlefields, the Glory Cup (16 m diameter), and an exhibition of arms from World War II.

Free time. Dinner. Overnight.

 

Breakfast. Departure to Lviv. On our way visit the Tunnel of Love in Klevan which is definitely one of the most romantic and outstanding places not just in Ukraine, but also in the whole Europe. An old mysterious narrow-gauge railway is still operating, so trains pass here few times a day, forming a really magical tunnel of leafy trees that grow alongside the way. Looking at the tunnel you may have an optical illusion that the Tunnel of Love is endless. At the same time, it is only 3 km long.

Arrival to Lviv. Dinner. Overnight.

 

Breakfast. Lviv is a very beautiful city with its narrow medieval streets paved with stones, architectural decoration done in different styles preserved in its original form. This is an ancient picturesque city founded by Prince Danylo Halystky in the middle of the 13th century. During the panoramic tour you will have an oportunity to admire St. George Cathedral (1765) in baroque-rococo style with unusual ornamental entry, National University Ivan Franco – one among the oldest in Europe founded in 1661, Lychakiv memorial cemetery – most beautiful necropolis in Ukraine, which is rather a sculpture garden or a museum under open air than just a cemetery; High Castle from where you can enjoy the whole panoramic view of the city and surroundings beyond.

Excursion in the ancient part of the town. You will walk through the cozy streets of Lviv where each building is an architectural masterpiece with a rich history. You will discover The Opera House (1900) – an architectural masterpiece with gorgeous paintings and sculptures in the interior; Taras Shevchenko’s monument; Rynok square (16th century) – the heart of the city listed by UNESCO World Heritage Site; Armenian quarter with a splendid Armenian Virgin Mary’s Dormition Church (1370), Dominican Cathedral (1798); an interesting Pharmacy Museum that is one of the oldest operating pharmacies in the world; Baroque style Jesuit Cahedral; the Latin Cathedral and the Transfiguration Church; Jewish quarter with the remains of the Golden Rose synagogue;  etc. Free time. Dinner. Overnight.

 

 

Breakfast. Transfer to Ivano-Frankivsk – the gateway to the Ukrainian Carpathians. Panoramic city tour including Market Square with the Town Hall, Egg Fountain, Holy-Pokrovsky Orthodox cathedral – former Armenian Church, Church of Virgin Mary, Church of the Holy Resurrection etc. Dinner. Overnight.

 

Breakfast. Transfer to Kolomyya – peculiar corner of Ukraine, who combined in himself the Austro-Hungarian character development and atmosphere of a European town.

Visiting Pysanka Museum – one of the most interesting museums in the whole Ukraine. And the aura of its building, unique 13,5 m high stone egg, fills everyone with joy and gladness. The funds of museum have an abundant collection of pysanky, over 12,000 examples of this unique art, from every region of Ukraine and abroad. Visiting the museum Hutsulshchyna and Pokuttia where collected the largest collection hutsul life and art.

Departure to Chernivtsi – wonderful city is spread out at the foot of Carpathian Mountains, on the picturesque hills of the Prut River. It fascinates with its eclectic architecture, rich cultural heritage and the spider-web like labyrinth of ancient European streets and squares. Accommodation in the hotel. Panoramic city tour including St. Nicolas Cathedral, Holy Virgin Nativity Church. Dinner. Overnight.

 

Breakfast. Visit to the Chernivtsi University – the former residence of Bukovinian metropolitans. Transfer to Khotyn – that was a trade hub in the Middle Ages, fortunately situated at the crossroads of trade routs. Visiting Khotyn Castle constructed in the 13-15th centuries.

Departure to Kamenets-Podilskyi – a town that has preserved the spirit of the Middle Ages. Its impressive fortress is a landmark in the history of construction of fortified places and strongholds.

Dinner. Overnight.

 

Breakfast. Excursion: «Flower on stone» – historic-architectural complex of the Old city and fortress (14-18th century). The town`s scenic beauty is enhanced by the Polish and Russian Gates, Armenian Bastions, Turkish Bridge (enigma of centuries), Dominican Roman-Catholic Church (14-17century), Trinitarian Roman-Catholic Church, Petropavlivska (Peter and Paul’s) Church, Mykolayivska Church (14th century), Polish and Armenian Market Squares and other ancient monuments.

Transfer to Medzhybizh. The town preserved the Large Castle dated back to XIV–XVI centuries and the Palace of XVI century on the territory of the castle.

Departure to Vinnytsia. Discover musical fontaines in the city center. Dinner. Overnight.

 

Breakfast. Departure to Odessa. Panoramic city tour including Primorsky boulevard, Shevchenko Boulevard, named after a famous Ukrainian poet, legendary Potemkin Steps – an entrance to the city from the sea, magnificent Opera and Ballet Theatre designed by 2 Viennese architects in a French rococo style, Duc de Richelieu’s Monument – a founder of Odessa, Alexander Pushkin’s Monument, Dormition Cathedral, Vorontsov’s Palace.

Free time on Deribasivska Street – the heart of the city. It is a must-visit place for all the tourists where you will find a great selection of cafés, restaurants and shops.

Dinner. Overnight.

 

     

 

Breakfast. Visiting Odessa Catacombs – a maze of underground tunnels that makes up a distance of approximately 2,500 kilometers. The catacomb is a large, mysterious labyrinth filled with hidden caves. You will uncover the fascinating history of Odessa’s Catacombs during a 500 meters walk (0.3 miles) through the underground tunnels.

Visit the Fine Arts Museum. This museum is located in the former private residence of Count Pototsky, which was purchased by the city and inaugurated in 1899. The 26 halls host a variety of intriguing exhibits – from ancient icons to modern art. Kiprensky, Topinin, Ayvazovsky, Vrubel, Roerich, Benua and Levitan are just some of masters whose art adorns the museum’s walls.

Dinner. Overnight.

 

Breakfast. Departure to Kyiv. On the way visit the park of Sophie, «Sofievka» – it is the park of 150 hectares of extraordinary beauty. Each detail of the park has an aesthetic and functional meaning: artificial caves, water jets and cascades, tops of hills, channels, and labyrinths crowned by fountains, houses, small temples, sculptures and marble statues of gods, goddesses, philosophers and poets.

Arrival to Kyiv. Dinner. Overnight.

 

Breakfast. Transfer 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.

Free time.

In the evening Folklore dinner in traditional Ukrainian restaurant with national dishes and music.

Dinner. Overnight.

 

Breakfast. Free time or optional visiting. Transfer to airport for your flight back home.