Vyhoda. The Carpathian Tram Through the Boyko Land

If you want to see the beauty of the Carpathians while expending a minimum of physical effort, take a ride on the Carpathian Tram through the picturesque corners of the Boyko land. Boarding begins in the village of Vyhoda, in the Dolyna district of Ivano-Frankivsk region, by the monument to this environmentally clean form of transport.

Bolekhiv. Heritage of a Town in the Boyko Land

The town of Bolekhiv, in Ivano-Frankivsk region, with a population of only 12 thousand people, has been known since 1370. There are no other such towns in Ukraine. The Lviv — Chernivtsi highway divides it into two parts. An endless column of international buses and huge lorries, of course, breaks the quiet and spoils the environment. And the bridge over the river Sukil is simply not designed for such a flow of traffic. If you want to learn more about the town, you need to go to the museum. That is just what I did, having come to Bolekhiv with a friend from Morshyn to take a walk and spend some free time.

Pavlovo and Ploske. Zakarpattia's Velyka Pynia Valley

The day before, I had been in Yakivske of the Svaliava district, and the next day I set off for the neighbouring Pavlovo and Ploske, which I had also seen from the mountain, laid out before me as if on the palm of my hand.

Yakivske. A Mountain Village in Zakarpattia

The small mountain villages of Zakarpattia are notable for lying in the valleys between the hills, along the rivers, often having a single street that stretches for several kilometres and runs down like a little brook from the mountain, while along its banks stand handsome houses with wonderful flowers in their front gardens. Yakivske, in the Svaliava district, is just such a village.

Uklyn. A Mountain Village with a Rare Landmark

I had long known that in the village of Uklyn, in the Svaliava district, there is a small wooden church of Saints Peter and Paul. While holidaying in Zakarpattia, I decided to go and see it.

Lysiatychi. Landmarks of a Village in the Stryi Area

I ended up in Lysiatychi, in the Stryi district, quite by chance.
Driving through the village, by the monument to T. H. Shevchenko, I recalled a brief conversation at the market in Morshyn with an old woman who was selling apples and prunes.
As I bought her fragrant gifts of autumn from her, I asked, "Where does such wonderful fruit grow?" "In Lysiatychi," — and so the seller of fruit from her own orchard revealed to me yet another place name of the Lviv region.
"And what do you have in your village? Are there monuments to Shevchenko or Franko?" I asked. Her answer simply astonished me and stayed with me for a long time: "Every village has a monument either to Shevchenko or to Franko, child!" — the woman of Lysiatychi replied, with pride and with surprise that I did not know this. In barely 30 seconds I learned so much about village landmarks and the fruitful orchards of the Subcarpathian region. And always, when I see monuments to our people's poets beside village schools and houses of culture, I remember the lesson taught by that seller of vitamin-rich produce.
Later I learned that the greatest number of monuments in Ukraine to the Kobzar (Shevchenko) and the Kameniar (Franko) have been raised in the Ivano-Frankivsk and Lviv regions.

Stankiv. The Holy Trinity Church and Other Places of Worship

Driving along the road Stryi — Ivano-Frankivsk near the village of Stankiv, in the Stryi district of the Lviv region, it is impossible not to notice the wooden Holy Trinity Church.

Svaliava. St Michael's on Bystre, an Old Wooden Church

While holidaying in the Svaliava district of the Zakarpattia region, I gladly set out to see the wooden Church of St Michael, which stands in the suburb of Svaliava.

Zaderevach. The Church and Landmarks of a Stryi Village

On the beautiful days of golden autumn, one longs to break away into the far distance, to enjoy the grace of nature and to see something new. I set off for the village of Zaderevach, in the Stryi district of the Lviv region, to see the wooden Church of St John the Baptist, built in 1808.

Velyki Didushychi. Churches of a Subcarpathian Village

The Indian summer delights us with wonderful weather every day. How can one not dash off on yet another trip for a few hours? This time I took the bus to the village of Velyki Didushychi, in the Stryi district of the Lviv region. The village was founded in the 17th century and is now home to about 2,000 people. It is known for its wooden church, which is more than 200 years old.