Yablunytsia. Forest, Mountains, Landmarks, Fishing. A Great Place for Active Recreation and the Best Relaxation

Every Carpathian village has its own characteristic features and differs from its neighbours in microclimate, the availability of roads and infrastructure, and tourist appeal. The village of Yablunytsia in the Nadvirna district of Ivano-Frankivsk region lies in the protected zone of the Carpathian National Nature Park, and mighty green massifs surround the village like an emerald necklace, shielding it from winds and cold. The mountain peaks Mykulinka, Horishky, Shcherbaniv Verkh, Dovhyi Grun, Yablunytsia and other thousand-metre heights shaped the relief of this Hutsul village, which stretches for 9 kilometres along the valley of picturesque hills.

Yablunytsia. Ivano-Frankivsk region

Landscapes and scenery of incredible beauty, berry and mushroom picking, and moderate prices attract tourists like a magnet at any time of year.

 

Winter-sports enthusiasts have long grown fond of the slopes of the peaks in Yablunytsia and note the absence of queues, fuss, and haste on the ski runs and lifts.

Yablunytsia. Ski slopes and lifts

Climbing the Yablunytsia mountain peaks is within the power of travellers of all ages, and the hiking routes are memorable for the scenic view of the Chornohora ridge and the main peaks of the Ukrainian Carpathians - Hoverla and Petros.

 

Yablunytsia. View of Petros and Hoverla

Yablunytsia borders the Zakarpattia region, and the Yablunytsia Pass, located in the southern part of the village, once separated states.

 

On the hill, a recreation area has been created, with a memorial sign installed in honour of the Carpathian Sich soldiers who died on the pass, and a chapel built.

Yablunytsia. The chapel and the "Ivano-Frankivsk region" sign on the pass

The pass not only serves as a link between regions and provinces but also unites loving hearts.

Yablunytsia. A sculpture of Hutsuls

Near the cafe called "Yablunytsia Pass", an exhibition of stone artefacts and border posts has been created.

 

Yablunytsia. An exhibition of stone monuments on the pass

In the centre of the village are the village council, the school, the kindergarten, and a club with a library.

 

Yablunytsia. Heroiv Maidanu Street. The village centre

One of the oldest buildings in Yablunytsia can be considered the former barracks of the border guards who served on the pass at the beginning of the 20th century.

Yablunytsia. The border guards' barracks. 1920s. Drawing by Petro Hrytsiuk

 

Yablunytsia. The former border guards' barracks. 2022

The status of an architectural monument of local significance is held by the Church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God, built in the Hutsul style in 1895.

 

Yablunytsia. The Church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God. 1895. UGCC

Preserving the Hutsul traditions of folk construction, in 1992 a new Orthodox church was built in the centre of the village and consecrated in honour of St. Basil the Great.

 

Yablunytsia. The Church of St. Basil the Great. 1992. OCU

The numerous chapels and sculptures of the Mother of God on the mountains, homesteads, and crossroads are also a spiritual and cultural layer of this Carpathian village. The oldest small religious structure of all those I managed to see existed even before the outbreak of the First World War.

 

Yablunytsia. Chapels and a sculpture of the Mother of God

A notable landmark has towered over the popular tourist site "Polonyna Pertsiv" since 2019. This record-breaking trident, 15 metres high, has adorned the cultural space of Yablunytsia.

 

Yablunytsia. The trident

The village has grown thanks to new hotels, boarding houses, and guest houses, of which there are far more in Yablunytsia than private residential homes. Varying in level of comfort, design features, and location, the hotels, cottages, and dome-spheres grow on the slopes of the hills like mushrooms after rain.

 

Yablunytsia. Hotels and guesthouses

Shops with the usual range of groceries and kolyba cafes with a menu of national cuisine are on every plot, and the prices are no higher than in all our cities or at heavily promoted resorts.

Yablunytsia. Kolyba eateries and shops

Fishing at the private ponds, where the fish literally swim onto the hook by themselves, leaves unforgettable impressions.

 

Yablunytsia. Fried trout and country-style potatoes

There is no agricultural market in Yablunytsia; the unsuitability of the soil for gardening makes itself felt. However, a very popular spot is the souvenir market on the pass, which can be compared to a museum of Hutsul folk crafts.

 

Mushrooms, honey, forest-berry jam, tea from Carpathian herbs, as well as wooden items, ceramic dishware, woollen goods, embroidered shirts, toys, and much more, made by craftsmen and skilled artisans, are offered by the sellers to everyone passing through the Yablunytsia Pass.

Yablunytsia is the very place where people enjoy the panorama of the Carpathians, admire wonderful attractions, taste national dishes, and get to know the culture and history of the Hutsul land.

Yablunytsia. Ivano-Frankivsk region. Mount Horishky

Yablunytsia lies along the H09 highway, which connects the Ivano-Frankivsk and Zakarpattia regions. Buses running through the village include Ivano-Frankivsk-Rakhiv, Kolomyia-Mukachevo and others. The distance to the Tatariv railway station is 8 km.