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PLAN YOUR TRIP

17 Top Experiences ........ 4Welcome to Ukraine ....... 13Need to Know ................. 14If You Like ........................ 16Month by Month ............. 19Itineraries ........................ 22Regions at a Glance ....... 25

YOUR PLANNING TOOL KIT

Photos, itineraries, lists and suggestions

to help you put together your perfect trip

UNDERSTAND UKRAINE

Ukraine Today ................. 232History ............................. 234The People ...................... 245Food & Drink ................... 252Art & Architecture .......... 257Music & Literature.......... 260

waves here, and Yanukovych’s victory in the elections of 2010 was justthe latest to crash onto Ukraine’s troubled shores.

Ukraine Hit Hard Ukraine’s economy was hit harder than most in the world economicwoes of 2008, and ordinary people are still feeling the pinch. Thehryvnya, took a pummelling and has yet to recover. Reminders of thebad old days of the 1990s have appeared as locals retreat to the dollarand the euro for security, hoarding wedges of cash under the bed, safely out of the banking system. Though things have started to move againrecently, for a couple of years all building work ceased in the capital asunds dried up; new bridges ended mid-arch, cranes loitered idly on the

skyline and new high-rises froze mid-storey. At one point even the futureof the biggest sporting event in the country’s history looked in doubt.

Euro 2 12 The ne thin that unites Ukrainians is the fact that whatever theirdi erences whatever the economic and political weather the countr

» Population:45.7 million

» Official unemploymen8.8%

» Population below povertyline: 35%

» Internet users: 10.3 mlion (2008)

belief systems(% of population)

Ukrainian Orthodox(Kyiv Patriarchate)

50

Ukrainian Orthodox(Moscow Patriarchate)

26

Ukrainian Autocephalous

Orthodox

7

Greek Catholic

8

Others9

if Ukraine were100 people

77 would be Ukrainian17 would be Russian6 would be Others

16-ukraine-today-ukr3.indd 233 7/02/2011 2:12:05 PM

The People The National Psyche Having endured centuries of many di erent foreign rulers, Ukrainiansare a long-su ering people. They’re nothing if not survivors; histori-cally they’ve had to be, but after su ering a kind of identity theft duringcenturies of Russian rule in particular, this ancient nation that ‘sud-denly’ emerged some 20 years ago is starting to forge a new personality.

Traditionally, many patriots would unite behind a vague sense of free-spirited Cossack culture and the national poet Taras Shevchenko.This is a religious society, a superstitious society and one in whichtraditional gender roles, strong family and community ties still bind.It’s a culture where people are friendly and sometimes more gener-ous than they can really a ord to be. Paradoxically, it’s also one inwhich remnants of the Soviet mentality – of uno cial unhelpfulnessand suspicion of saying too much – remain. As in Russia, many peoplelead a kind of double life – snarling, elbowing homo sovieticus outsidethe house, but generous, kind and hospitable Europeans around theirkitchen tables.

However, as contemporary commentators love to point out, Ukraineis also a patchwork nation. City dwellers and farmers, east and west,young and old, Russian-speaking and Ukrainian-speaking, Hutsuland Tatar have very di erent attitudes. Broadly speaking, Russian-speaking easterners look right towards the former Soviet Union, whileUkrainian-speaking westerners look hopefully left towards a future inEurope. But for every rule, there’s an exception too.

Lifestyle Just as there is no one ‘typical’ Ukrainian, so there is no single averageifesty e. This is still a relatively poor, second-world country. However,

it’s fair to say that daily life has become marginally easier for mosthouseho s in the ast decade. Until 2008 the average nationa wage

In The Ukrain-ians: Unexpected Nation academic

Andrew Wilson examines Ukraine’s

founding myths, how its history

and culture have shaped its national identity

and what it all means for this

ancient but young nation.

DEN

TIT

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17 TOP EXPERIENCES

00-top-experiences-ukr3.indd 4 11/02/2011 11:46:31 AM

“All you’ve got to do is decide to go and the hardest part is over. So go!”TONY WHEELER, COFOUNDER – LONELY PLANET

PAGE

1

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231GET MORE FROM YOUR TRIP

Learn about the big picture, so you

can make sense of what you see

aries starting point for the triplifetime. Want more inspHead online to lonelyplacom/thorntree to chat witravellers

Two WeeksEssential Ukraine

The quintessential Ukrainian experience kicks o in Kyiv, the cradle of Slation. Three days are just enough to absorb the mix of gold-domed Orthodo

monumental Stalinist architecture, leafy parks and raucous nightlife. From Kyiv catch an overnight train to the former Habsburg city of Lv

Italianate buildings and Austrian-style cafes, it’s a cosy contrast to the colossa From there, it’s a simple ride south to Kolomyya, a great base from whic

the Carpathian Mountains and perhaps climb Mt Hoverla, Ukraine’s highshort ride from here brings you to stunning Kamyanets-Podilsky, where thOld T h t t ll k i th iddl f i l

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Mt Hoverla(2061m)

Bakhchysaray

Kolomyya

Kamyanets-Podilsky

Yalta

Lviv

Odesa

KYIV

Simferopol

05-itineraries-ukr3.indd 22 8/02/2011 4:33:59 PM

son

ling vy

ms

dation Crimea e

ty as for d their ages

Shoulder (May–Jun & Sep–Oct)

» Travel now to dodge the extreme temperatures of summer or winter

» Spring can be chilly, but it’s a pleasant time to be in blossoming Kyiv

» Visit Crimea in autumn and avoid the summer crowds

Low Season (Nov–Apr)

» Expect temperatures well below zero, heavy snowfalls and hard frosts

» The Carpathians skiing season runs November to March

» Book ahead for New Year and early January

to Go

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to hot summers, cold winters

KyivGO May-Jun, Sep

KharkivGO May-Jun, Sep

DonetskGO May-Jun, Sep

OdesaGO May-Sep

YaltaGO May-Jun, Sep

Your Daily Budget Budget less than

250uah » Travel on overnight

sleeper trains and cut accommodation costs

» Cafeteria-style meal: from 30uah

» Dorm beds: 100-150uah

Midrange

250-1000uah

» Double room with breakfast in a good hotel: 400-800uah

» Lunch and dinner in restaurants with waiters

» English guides and tours where available

Top end over

1000uah » Double room

in a comfortable, European standard hotel: from 800uah

» Taxis between cities: 2-3uah per kilometre

» English speaking guide and driver per day: 400-600uah

02-need-to-know-ukr3.indd 14 8/02/2011 1:12:34 PM

Top Events

Carnival Humorina, April

Sheshory (ArtPole) Festival, June

Ivan Kupala, July

Koktebel International Jazz Festival, September

New Year’s Eve, December

Month by Month

January Winter bites cold in January and you’ll have to wrap up pretty snugly to do any sightseeing. However, this is a great time to snap on skis or snowboard in the Carpathian Mountains.

�zOrthodox Christmas

Only revived in recent years, Ukrainians celebrate Ortho-dox Christmas according to the old Julian Calendar on 7 January. On Christmas Eve families gather for the 12-course meal of Svyata

into icy rivers to celebrate the arrival of Christianity in Kyivan Rus. Kyiv sees the biggest event with scores of men braving the numbing waters of the Dnipro.

March There’s usually little sign of spring in March, with temperatures hovering around zero and occasional snow falls. The Carpathian skiing season begins to wind up mid-month and hikers and bikers reclaim the peaks.

z I t ti l

those chunky Hutsul woollen socks. A pleasant time to visit Kyiv is the end of the month when thousands of chestnut trees are just beginning to bloom across the city.

z Carnival Humorina

Odesa’s biggest esta of the year takes the shape of a one-day street parade on 1 April. Floats, music, danc-ing and lots of food ood the streets to celebrate the city’s status as Ukrainian capital of humour.

�zOrthodox Easter

F lli t k ft

04-month-by-month-ukr3.indd 19 7/02/2011 3:39:40 PM

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STAY IN TOUCH lonelyplanet.com/contact

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Ukraine-3-cover.indd 2Ukraine-3-cover.indd 2 11/02/2011 4:44:58 PM11/02/2011 4:44:58 PM

THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY

Marc Di DucaLeonid Ragozin

#_

Lviv &WesternUkrainep86

TheCarpathians

p114

CentralUkrainep70

Odesa & SouthernUkrainep139

Crimeap159

Eastern Ukrainep205

Kyivp30

YOUR COMPLETE DESTINATION GUIDE

In-depth reviews, detailed listings

and insider tips

SURVIVAL GUIDE

Directory A-Z .................. 266Transport ........................ 278Language ........................ 289Index ................................ 300 Map Legend .................... 307

YOUR AT-A-GLANCE REFERENCE

How to get around, get a room,

stay safe, say hello

ON THE ROAD

0 double room no·mer na dvokhshared room mis·tsesingle room no·mer na o·dno·howindow vik·no

DIRECTIONSWhere is …?

…? de …What’s the address?

? ya·ka a·dre·saCould you write it down, please?

moh·lu b vy , za·py·sa·ty

? bud’ la·skaCan you show me (on the map)?

, vy mo·zhe·te po·ka·za·ty ( )? me·ni (na kar·ti)

Go straight ahead. . i·dit’ prya·mo

Turn left. . po·ver·nit’ li·vo·ruch

Turn right. . po·ver·nit’ pra·vo·ruch

at the corner na ro·ziat the tra c bi·lya lights svi·tlo·fo·ra

CYRILLIC ALPHABET

Cyrillic Sound, a as in ‘father’, b as in ‘but’ , v as in ‘van’ (bef

vowel); w as in ‘wood’ (b a consonant or the end of a sy

, h as in ‘hat’, g as in ‘good’, d as in ‘dog’ , e as in ‘end’, ye as in ‘yet’, zh as the ‘s’ in ‘me

, z as in ‘zoo’ , y as the ‘ir’ in ‘bi

but short, i as in ‘pit’ , yi as in ‘yip’ , y as in ‘yell’; usu

precedes or fo a vowel

, k as in ‘kind’ , l as in ‘lamp’, m as in ‘mad’ , n as in ‘not’, o as in ‘pot’ but w

jaws more clos and lips more p

, p as in ‘pig’ , r as in ‘rub’ (trill, s as in ‘sing’

25-language-ukr3.indd 290 11/02/2011 2:34:10 PM

PAGE

29

PAGE

265

NEXTPAGETOP EXPERIENCES MAP

On the Road

See the Index for a full list of destinations covered in this book.

KYIV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30AROUND KYIV . . . . . . . . . . . 67Pereyaslav-Khmelnytsky . . . 67Kaniv . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68Chornobyl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68

CENTRAL UKRAINE . . 70POLISSYA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71Zhytomyr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71Berdychiv . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73PODILLYA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74Uman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74Vinnytsya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76Around Vinnytsya . . . . . . . . . 77Khmelnytsky & Medzhybizh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78Kamyanets-Podilsky . . . . . . 79

LVIV & WESTERN UKRAINE . . . . . . . . . . . 86LVIV REGION . . . . . . . . . . . . 88Lviv . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88Zhovkva . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105Olesko . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106Drohobych . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106TERNOPIL REGION . . . . . . 106Ternopil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106Pochayiv . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108Kremenets . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109Ternopil Caves . . . . . . . . . . 110VOLYN & RIVNE REGIONS . . . . . . . . 110Lutsk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110Shatsky National Nature Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112Dubno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112Rivne. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

THE CARPATHIANS . 114Ivano-Frankivsk . . . . . . . . . 116CARPATHIAN NATIONAL NATURE PARK & AROUND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119Yaremche . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121Tatariv . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123Bukovel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123Vorokhta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124Kolomyya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124Kosiv . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127Sheshory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127Verkhovyna . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128Yasinya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128Rakhiv. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128BUKOVYNA . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131Chernivtsi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131Khotyn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134TRANSCARPATHIA . . . . . . 134Uzhhorod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135Mukacheve . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

ODESA & SOUTHERN UKRAINE . . . . . . . . . . 139Odesa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140Around Odesa . . . . . . . . . . . 153Mykolayiv . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154Kherson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154Askaniya Nova . . . . . . . . . . 155SOUTHERN BESSARABIA . . . . . . . . . . . 156Bilhorod-Dnistrovsky . . . . . 156Vylkovo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156Izmayil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

CRIMEA . . . . . . . . . . . 159CENTRAL & WESTERN CRIMEA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .161

Simferopol . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161Yevpatoriya . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165Bakhchysaray . . . . . . . . . . 167Mangup-Kale . . . . . . . . . . . . 171Sevastopol . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172Balaklava . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185SOUTHERN COAST . . . . . . 187Sevastopol to Yalta . . . . . . 187Yalta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187West of Yalta . . . . . . . . . . . . 192East of Yalta . . . . . . . . . . . . 194Gurzuf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195Alushta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195Around Alushta . . . . . . . . . . 196EASTERN CRIMEA . . . . . . . 196Sudak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196Novy Svit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197Kurortne. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199Kara-Dag Nature Reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199Koktebel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199Feodosiya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .201Kerch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203

EASTERN UKRAINE . . . . . . . . . .205Chernihiv . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206Novhorod-Siversky. . . . . . 208Poltava . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209Kharkiv . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213Donetsk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219Sviatohirsk . . . . . . . . . . . . .223Soledar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224Dnipropetrovsk . . . . . . . . . .225Zaporizhzhya . . . . . . . . . . .228

Itiner-aries

Whether you’ve got six days or 60, these itineraries provide a starting point for the trip of a lifetime. Want more inspiration? Head online to lonelyplanet.com/thorntree to chat with other travellers

Two WeeksEssential Ukraine

The quintessential Ukrainian experience kicks off in Kyiv, the cradle of Slavic civilisa-tion. Three days are just enough to absorb the mix of gold-domed Orthodox churches,

monumental Stalinist architecture, leafy parks and raucous nightlife. From Kyiv catch an overnight train to the former Habsburg city of Lviv. With its

Italianate buildings and Austrian-style cafes, it’s a cosy contrast to the colossal capital. From there, it’s a simple ride south to Kolomyya, a great base from which to explore

the Carpathian Mountains and perhaps climb Mt Hoverla, Ukraine’s highest peak. A short ride from here brings you to stunning Kamyanets-Podilsky, where the medieval Old Town perches atop a tall rock in the middle of a river loop.

Next stop, Odesa, famous for the Potemkin Steps and weekend clubbing at Arkadia Beach. Then take an overnight train to Simferopol, before heading to the Crimean Tatar capital of Bakhchysaray, with its captivating Khans’ Palace and cave city of Chufut Kale.

Then head south to kitschy Yalta, a handy base for exploring Crimea’s southern coast.

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Two WeeksBest of the West

Launch your loop around Ukraine’s far west in Lviv, an eastern outpost of central Eu-rope with a strong cafe culture and some gobsmacking architecture that make it one of Ukraine’s top stops for any visitor. Outside the city centre the Lychakivske Cemetery is

a must-see. The city also has some of the country’s wackiest restaurants, with the Masonic Restaurant and Dim Lehend topping a zany list.

If you can tear yourself away from Lviv’s European charms, hop on board a slow train south to low-key Mukacheve, where one of Ukraine’s most dramatic hilltop castles awaits. From here it’s into soothingly forested mountain country, the Carpathians to be exact. Ukraine’s section of the Carpathian arc is etched with long broad valleys, and a great place to start your exploration is Rakhiv. Here you can have your fi rst brush with Hutsul culture and head off into the hills for some exhilarating hiking and biking, before picking your way north along the A265 road linking resort villages, ski centres and hiking bases en route. Call a halt at quaint Kolomyya, a superb launch pad for more hikes. The town also has two intriguing museums including the famous Pysanky Museum housed in a giant Easter egg. It also boasts one of the best places to stay in all Ukraine in the shape of the On the Corner B&B.

Consider short stops at energetic Chernivtsi, to visit the psychedelic university build-ing, and the spectacular Khotyn fortress on the banks of the wide River Dnister, before you next unpack your bags in the show-stopping island town of Kamyanets-Podilsky. One of Ukraine’s must-see attractions, the town is as historically fascinating as it is dramatically situated in a loop of the river Smotrych.

A long haul by bus across giant fi elds of sunfl owers and sugar beet via off -the-beaten-track Ternopil delivers you to picturesque Kremenets, another town boasting a superb fortress as well as an eerie Cossack cemetery. From here it’s a short marshrutka (fi xed-price minibus) hop to the polished golden domes of Pochayiv, Ukraine’s second most im-portant monastery after Kyiv’s Pecherska Lavra. Lviv is a four-hour bus ride away.

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Ten DaysBest of the East

This venture into the less frequented east begins with a quick jump north from Kyiv to atmospheric Chernihiv, with its amazing Unesco-listed collection of monasteries and cathedrals. Most make this a day-trip from the capital but staying the night gives more

time to appreciate the wonderful collection of ancient church buildings. Unless you’re up for some slow and complicated train journeys, backtrack to the capital

and jump aboard an express train heading east – fi rst stop the spa town of Myrhorod. Gogol was born nearby, and the town and surrounding area feature in many of his tales. Get off the beaten track in these parts by spending a couple of days on the Gogol Circuit, which visits many sites associated with the author. Local guesthouses can put you up for a few hryvnya.

Reboard the express for the short trip to Poltava, a pleasant, park-dotted place and the scene of a key battle in Ukrainian history. Designed as a kind of mini–St Petersburg, this grand city contrasts with the surrounding bucolic scenery and is well worth half a day’s exploration. The fi nal stop of the express is Kharkiv, a huge student city of 1.5 million. Essential viewing here is the world’s second-largest city square, which is dominated by the mammoth, Stalinist-era Derzhprom building.

From Kharkiv it’s a smooth roll south to another of Ukraine’s eastern megacities – Dnipropetrovsk – still a major centre for Ukraine’s rocket and aviation industries (so be careful what you aim your camera at!). Take a stroll by the Dnipro River before continuing south to Zaporizhzhya, an ugly industrial city but also the location of Khortytsya Island, where the Ukrainian Cossacks once gathered at the sich (fort). This is the best place in the country to learn about the Cossacks, their way of life and their infl uence on the country’s history. From the banks of the Dnipro, catch a bus or train to Donetsk, the powerbase of the east. The main industry is still coalmining, but among the slag heaps you’ll also glimpse Eastern Europe’s most cutting-edge football stadium, a Euro 2012 venue. Donetsk is an overnight bus or train journey back to Kyiv.

POLAND

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RUSSIA

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OUR STORYA beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their fi rst travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born.

Today, Lonely Planet has offi ces in Melbourne, London and Oakland, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’.

Marc Di Duca Coordinating Author, Central Ukraine, Lviv & Western Ukraine, The Carpath-ians, Odesa & Southern Ukraine Driven by an urge to discover Eastern Europe’s wilder side, Marc fi rst hit Kyiv one dark, snow-fl ecked night in early 1998. Sev-eral prolonged stints, countless near misses with Kyiv’s metro doors and many bottles of horilka later, he still never misses a chance to fi ne-tune his Russian while exploring far-fl ung corners of this immense land. Overheated buses and

salo aside, he has an enthusiasm for everything Ukrainian, in particular his favourite region, Go-gol’s native Poltavshchina. An established travel author, Marc has written guides to Moscow and Lake Baikal, and has worked on Lonely Planet’s Trans-Siberian Railway and Russia books.

Leonid Ragozin Kyiv, Crimea, Eastern Ukraine Leonid Ragozin devoted himself to beach dynam-ics when he studied geology at Moscow State University. But for want of really nice beaches in Russia, he helped Australian gold prospectors in Siberia and sold InterRail tickets and Lonely Planet books to Russian backpackers before embarking on a journalistic career. After eight years with the BBC, he was poached by the Russian Newsweek and became their foreign correspondent.

In this capacity, he coerced his superiors into sending him as far as Bhutan, Ecuador and dozens of similarly unlikely destinations, and got away with it. While doing this guide, he returned to the BBC, where he is now discovering the wild and dangerous world of television.

Read more about Marc at:lonelyplanet.com/members/madidu

OUR WRITERS

Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reason-able care in preparing this book, we make no warranty about the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maxi-mum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use.

Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty LtdABN 36 005 607 9833rd edition – May 2011ISBN 978 1 74179 328 4© Lonely Planet 2011 Photographs © as indicated 201110 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 Printed in ChinaAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, and no part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher. Lonely Planet and the Lonely Planet logo are trademarks of Lonely Planet and are registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Lonely Planet does not allow its name or logo to be appropriated by commercial establishments, such as retailers, restaurants or hotels. Please let us know of any misuses: lonelyplanet.com/ip.