Travel Routes. 10 Small Towns of Ukraine

There are many amazing small towns in Ukraine worth seeing. When planning a one-day trip, a few hours are enough for inquisitive travellers to get acquainted with the notable landmarks and traditions of these wonderful places, which are increasingly included in popular tourist routes.

Zhovkva. Lviv region. Viche Square. A view from the clock tower of the Town Hall

Zhovkva. An ideal town in the Prykarpattia region

In little Zhovkva one feels the breath of the nobility and glory of an ideal town, the only one in Ukraine that has preserved its Renaissance layout of the XVII century. The status of an architectural monument is held by 55 objects, all of them concentrated in the historic core of medieval Zhovkva. The central place in the historical-architectural preserve is occupied by the residence of the royal court — the castle, laid down by the town's founder Stanislav Zholkevskyi at the turn of the XVI and XVII centuries.

Zhovkva. Lviv region. The Zholkevskyi Castle

The religious buildings deserve attention too, among them the Church of the Holy Trinity, built in 1720. This masterpiece of Galician wooden architecture is under the protection of UNESCO.

Zhovkva. Lviv region. The Church of the Holy Trinity. 1720.

The Zholkevskyi Castle, monasteries, a Roman Catholic church, a synagogue, wooden churches, defensive towers, historic buildings with arcades, and ancient little streets can be seen from a bird's-eye view, if you climb the observation deck of the Town Hall.

Zhovkva. Lviv region. A view from the clock tower of the Town Hall

Zhovkva can be reached from Lviv in 40 minutes by road transport or by the Lviv-Rava-Ruska suburban train.

Sambir. A princely town in the Lviv region

In Sambir tourists will find it interesting to climb the clock tower of the Town Hall to get acquainted with the princely town from a height of 40 metres.

Sambir. Lviv region. The Town Hall

The Church of St John the Baptist, built in 1530, is an architectural monument of national significance. Only in Sambir, the only town in Ukraine, in the Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God, are the relics of St Valentine kept, and people of various ages come to venerate them to ask for family happiness and well-being.

Sambir. Lviv region. The Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God. 1738.

One can learn about the traditions and history of the Boyko land in the 'Boykivshchyna' museum, located in one of the oldest buildings of this district centre of the Lviv region. In Sambir a park has been created with a Way of the Cross and sculptural compositions symbolising the ascent of Jesus Christ to Golgotha.

Sambir. Lviv region. The Way of the Cross

Cafes and fast-food outlets are open near the tourist locations. Sambir can be reached from Lviv and Stryi by suburban train and road transport.

Mukachevo. A bouquet of the Middle Ages and winemaking

Mukachevo attracts tourists with its medieval character, creative confectioneries, and European charm. The medieval fortress, surrounded by an impregnable wall, has been beautifully preserved to our days. Within the walls of this fortification a historical museum is housed.

Mukachevo. Zakarpattia region. The Palanok Castle

In Mukachevo popular festivals of 'green gold' are held, at which one is offered to taste the products of hereditary wine-makers. From the windows of the numerous coffee houses wafts the aroma of Zakarpattia coffee, and over dinner one can appreciate the national cuisine, tasting the hearty bograch and the nourishing tokan.

Mukachevo. Zakarpattia region. Cyril and Methodius Square

Mukachevo can be reached from Lviv along the M-06 (E50) road, from Kyiv, Lviv, Uzhhorod.

Berehove. Zakarpattia landscapes and national character

Yet another town in Zakarpattia that will surprise you with its inimitable atmosphere and unusual architecture. But the main feature of Berehove is that here all the signboards, inscriptions, and announcements are duplicated in the Hungarian language.

Berehove. The Ferenc Rakoczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian Institute

People come to Berehove to bathe in the open-air pool created on thermal springs with healing properties. Wasting no time, after their water treatments tourists enjoy Magyar coffee or a glass of young wine. In the cafes, homemade sausages, gomboc, and loci-pecsenye are popular, with which, according to legend, the Hungarian kings were treated.

Berehove. The Gyula Illyes Hungarian National Theatre

From Kyiv, Lviv, Berdychiv, Dubno, Uzhhorod one can reach Berehove by the Kyiv-Solotvyno train.

Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi. A white fortress over the estuary

Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi is known first of all for the Akkerman Fortress, the most powerful in Ukraine and Eastern Europe. To this day it is unknown who founded this citadel overhanging the Dniester estuary. The fortification took shape in the XIV century at the crossing of trade routes. Now museum expositions are open within the walls of this medieval monument.

Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi. Odesa region. The Akkerman Fortress

At the foot of the White Fortress archaeological excavations of the ancient Greek city of Tyras are being carried out. And on the bank of the estuary the fishermen have created a humorous exhibition of whimsical installations made from various objects washed ashore by the waves.

Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi. Odesa region. A humorous exposition on the bank of the estuary

Many historical monuments and ancient religious buildings have been preserved in the town.

Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi. The Greek Church of St John the Baptist. XIII century.

One can get acquainted with the history of this multinational land in the local history museum. Just ten kilometres from the town is located the Shabo Wine Culture Centre — a super-class winemaking complex with high-tech equipment, ancient wine cellars, a museum, and a tasting hall.

Shabo. Odesa region. The Shabo Culture Centre. The wine cellars

Next to the Centre is a cafe in a house styled as a Swiss chalet, where one can both dine and appreciate the products of Shabo. Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi and the village of Shabo are connected with Odesa by rail and road links.

Bila Tserkva. Natural and architectural landmarks in a town of the chronicles

One of the oldest cities of Ukraine is located 90 kilometres from the capital. Bila Tserkva was founded by Yaroslav the Wise. On Castle Hill, on the site of the destroyed historic St George's Church, a Church of St George the Victorious has been built and a monument to the Grand Prince of Kyiv erected.

Bila Tserkva. Kyiv region. The Church of St George the Victorious. A monument to Yaroslav the Wise

Travellers would do well to include in their route the House of Organ and Chamber Music, located in a Roman Catholic church built by Italian architects.

Bila Tserkva. Kyiv region. The House of Organ and Chamber Music

Many memorable places are connected with the landowners and patrons the Branicki family — the Transfiguration Cathedral, the BRUM trading rows, and the largest in Ukraine Oleksandriia Arboretum, which is famous for its splendour and rich collection of plants. In the park and BRUM cafes and restaurants are open.

Bila Tserkva. Kyiv region. The BRUM trading rows

Bila Tserkva can be reached from the Taras Shevchenko station and from Kyiv by electric train or by road transport.

Dubno. A castle, a fort, and other landmarks of a town of the chronicles

For those who like to stroll in castles and fortresses, as many as 2 historical objects await in Dubno. The Dubno Citadel — one of the most impregnable, richest, and most legendary European castles. The residence of the aristocrats was visited by emperors, hetmans, and kings. The defenders of the impregnable fortress repelled enemy raids, and the stronghold never once submitted to the Tatars, the Cossacks, or the Swedes.

Dubno. Rivne region. The castle

Now in the palace of the Ostrozkyi princes wonderful museum expositions have been created, and in its cellar a torture chamber with instruments for an agonising execution horrifies with its cunning.

Dubno. Rivne region. The castle. The Ostrozkyi Palace

Ten kilometres from the town is located the Tarakaniv Fort — one of the most mystical fortifications in Ukraine. It is not included in the routes of organised tourists, and you will not read about it in the catalogue-magazines for travellers. It is unlike other fortresses and castles, but in its history there are no fewer secrets and riddles than in the popular places of tourist pilgrimage.

Tarakaniv. Rivne region. The fort

Dubno is a transport hub; the town can be reached by rail and road transport. Tarakaniv is conveniently visited on the way from the direction of Lviv. Besides scheduled buses, private carriers and taxi drivers run from Dubno.

Berdychiv. A town of four cultures

To Berdychiv it is worth coming to see the fortress-monastery of the Discalced Carmelites, surrounded by a powerful wall with bastions and loopholes, in the past a strong outpost armed with cannon, and a religious centre that played a great role in the development of culture and education. In the former house of the priests a museum of the town's history is housed, where unique exhibits are kept.

Berdychiv. Zhytomyr region. The fortress-monastery of the Discalced Carmelites

Within the monastery walls, near the main entrance, is a museum of the English classic writer of Polish origin Joseph Conrad, a native of Berdychiv.

Berdychiv. Zhytomyr region. The fortress-monastery of the Discalced Carmelites

A very well-known historical monument of Berdychiv is the Church of St Barbara, dating from the XVIII century. It was here, in 1850, that the French classic Honore de Balzac was married to the beauty Eweline Hanska.

Berdychiv. Zhytomyr region. The Church of St Barbara

In the town there is a four-star hotel 'DejaVu' and several cafes in the town centre. To see these and other landmarks, one can come by suburban train from Kyiv in three hours. A bus from Zhytomyr will bring you in 40 minutes.

Nizhyn. A town of our history

Nizhyn — our ancient Nizhyn, known since the times of Kyivan Rus, unspoiled by tourist advertising, which has not become a tasty morsel for the pilgrimage of travellers. And in vain. Nizhyn is that town where one can not only touch the history of the state but also feel its atmosphere of calm and serenity. They say that Nizhyn is a town where the churches are crowded together.

Nizhyn. Chernihiv region. The Church of All Saints

If you look at the locality from a bird's-eye view, you can see that the arrangement of the shrines resembles a cross. According to the research of local historians, in times past the town numbered around 40 religious buildings at once, including Roman Catholic churches and synagogues.

Nizhyn. Chernihiv region. St Nicholas Cathedral

Nizhyn was called the Ukrainian capital of the Hellenes, and even now one can see houses built by the Greeks.

Nizhyn. Chernihiv region. A shop

Tourists learn about the development of the postal service in the museum of the XVIII-century Postal Station.

Nizhyn. Chernihiv region. The Postal Station Museum

From Kyiv and Chernihiv suburban trains and scheduled buses run to Nizhyn.

Brailiv. One of the wonders of the Vinnytsia region

The tourist sites of Brailiv are on the list of winners of the regional contest '7 Wonders of the Vinnytsia region', but the main landmark in this settlement in Vinnytsia region is the von Meck Palace.

Brailiv. Vinnytsia region. The von Meck Palace

The wife of the capitalist Karl von Meck, who built more than 14,000 kilometres of railway in Russia, was famed for her patronage of talents of modest means. This compassionate patroness corresponded for 14 years with P. I. Tchaikovsky; 1200 letters in all were written, and all of them are full of care and concern for the genius of music. So that the composer would not burden himself with teaching work but concentrate exclusively on creativity, this patroness of the arts invited him to her estate, created ideal conditions for living and creativity, and fulfilled all his wishes. In memory of the unusual friendship of Nadezhda von Meck and P. I. Tchaikovsky and of the composer's stay in Brailiv, a museum has been created by the teachers of the lyceum that occupies the greater part of the palace.

Brailiv. Vinnytsia region. The von Meck Palace. The P. I. Tchaikovsky Museum

In 1767, during the might of the monastic order of the Trinitarians, Polish magnates erected a majestic church in the baroque style. With the arrival in Podillia of the power of the Russian Empire, the cloister became Orthodox.

Brailiv. Vinnytsia region. The Holy Trinity Monastery

On Monastyrska Street there are other religious buildings, as well as preserved houses of the Jewish community.

Brailiv. Vinnytsia region. The Holy Trinity Church

Brailiv can be reached from Vinnytsia by the Koziatyn-Zhmerynka suburban train, which runs several times a day. A bus from Vinnytsia and back — at intervals of 1.5-2 hours — runs 7 times a day.

Izium. One of the oldest towns of Slobozhanshchyna

Izium is framed by masses of pine forests, the Oskil reservoir, and the blue ribbon of the Siverskyi Donets. The Izium pine woods, landscapes, and other highlights draw travellers to this district centre of the Kharkiv region. Thousands of pilgrims come here to venerate the shrines of the Izium area, the most ancient churches of Slobozhanshchyna, and to drink healing water from the holy spring Kyrychenkova Krynytsia.

Izium. Kharkiv region. The Transfiguration Cathedral. 1684.

Another revered place is considered to be the monument of history and nature Mount Kremenets with memorials and statues of Cuman warriors.

Izium. Kharkiv region. Mount Kremenets

Connoisseurs of architectural masterpieces may be interested in the cultural heritage of the former Cossack sloboda, the preserved monuments of civil architecture of the XIX-XX centuries.

Izium. Kharkiv region. The polyclinic. A former gymnasium

The staff of the local history museum are engaged in the rescue and preservation of cultural objects. In Izium passenger and suburban trains stop. Road transport runs along the M-03 (E-40) road, passing through the town from north to south and crossing the famous Mount Kremenets.

Sviatohirsk. An architectural, natural, and spiritual landmark of the Donetsk region

Sviatohirsk is called the pearl of the Donbas. For here one can see monuments of history and architecture, churches and monasteries, mountains, a river, and a national nature park.

Sviatohirsk. Donetsk region. The Siverskyi Donets and the Holy Dormition Lavra

The Holy Dormition Monastery was founded in 1624, and now it has the status of a lavra. The churches, the hotel, the refectory, the lavra museum — all are buildings of the XIX century.

Sviatohirsk. Donetsk region. The Holy Dormition Lavra

On the Holy Mountains an observation deck has been arranged, the views from which astound at any time of year. As far as the eye can take in the expanse — this is the Sviati Hory National Nature Park. Some plants have survived from the pre-glacial period. About 50 species are listed in the 'Red Book' of Ukraine. In Sviatohirsk everyone will find something for themselves: some are strengthened in spirit, some admire the landscapes, and for others a hike with an ascent up the mountain will be useful.

Sviatohirsk. Donetsk region. The Holy Dormition Lavra

Sviatohirsk can be reached by rail and road transport. Buses go to Izium, Kramatorsk, Pokrovsk, Volnovakha, Mariupol, and most often — to Sloviansk.