Udachne. A Settlement and Its Railway Station

Sociologists have calculated that one village disappears in Ukraine every week. There is no work, the young leave, the birth rate falls, and investors are in no hurry to put money into developing dying settlements. The urban-type settlement of Udachne lies in the west of the Donetsk region, in the Pokrovsk district, on the border with the Mezhova district of the Dnipropetrovsk region. Like thousands of other small Ukrainian settlements, Udachne has come to a halt in its development, is degrading rapidly and is losing its people.

The settlement of Udachne. Pokrovsk district, Donetsk region

Cherkasy. The tourist potential and what to see in the city

Cherkasy is a regional city in the very centre of Ukraine, situated on the right bank of the Kremenchuk reservoir in the channel of the Dnipro. The settlement arose in the times of Kyivan Rus, when fortified settlements and defensive forts had to be built for protection against nomads. Neither the fortress nor other historical buildings have survived to our day, but in the youngest regional centre of Ukraine one can see many other landmarks, for which one or two days off are quite enough.

Cherkasy. Branch of Ukrsotsbank. The former "Slovianskyi" hotel. The city's architectural calling card

Wooden Churches of the Stryi District. Folk Building

Thanks to the wooded character of the terrain, in Prykarpattia places of worship have long been built of wood. Historians cannot yet establish the exact date of the appearance of these little shrines, but on the site of shrines destroyed over time, new churches were erected, many of which have survived, and services are now held in them. Examples of wooden sacred architecture have the status of architectural monuments, but are not always protected in a proper manner. Unique structures undergo radical changes during irresponsible repairs using modern materials, losing their authenticity. Let us examine, on the example of the churches of the Stryi area, the state of the wooden monuments in the villages of the Stryi district of Lviv region.

Strilkiv. Lviv region. The Saint Nicholas church. 1650. Architectural monument of national significance

Poltava. Young and Wonderful. A Walk Round the Landmarks

The convenient location of Poltava, surrounded by seven brothers — the capital and regional centres — allows one to broaden the geography of travel and reach the city on the Vorskla in 3-4 hours from Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Cherkasy, Kropyvnytskyi. A weekend in one of the oldest cities of Ukraine, with a thousand-year history, to admire the panorama of the city from Ivanova Hora, to taste the famous Poltava halushky and to see the other notable landmarks of the cultural centre of our country — this is interesting, convenient, tasty and instructive.

Poltava. Cathedral Square

Uzhhorod. 'Detsa u Notaria', the First Tavern of Its Kind

If you are in Uzhhorod for just an hour or two or for the whole day, then the restaurant-museum "Detsa u notaria" is the most positive place, where, together with dishes of the national cuisine, you can feel the Zakarpattia colour, taste a portion of folk humour, see a gallery of unconventional posters and signs, buy original souvenirs and charge yourself with a wonderful mood.

Uzhhorod. The tavern-museum "Detsa u notaria"

For Saint Valentine's Day. Romantic Travels in Ukraine

Saint Valentine's Day is one of the most popular holidays in Ukraine. The traditional gift among those in love is considered to be valentines, which symbolise love and devotion. The most creative gift, of course, is a journey, which will create the appropriate mood and give unforgettable impressions. In Ukraine, nature and man have created many wonderful corners for dreamy and amorous walks. So, 10 locations for a romantic journey.

The "Oleksandriia" Arboretum. Bila Tserkva, Kyiv region

Bila Tserkva. Kyiv region. The "Oleksandriia" Arboretum. The Chinese bridge

Town Halls of Western Ukraine. Tourist Locations

In the regional centres and small towns of Ukraine there are quite a few town halls in which the organs of state power are housed. Most of them are historical buildings and architectural monuments with inimitable sculptures and decor. In the buildings of the city administration unique museums are open, and the ascent of the clock towers has turned into popular tourist attractions, with a view of the panorama of the cities and an acquaintance with the landmarks. The most famous and prestigious town hall is in Lviv, located on Market Square, where there are always many guests of the museum-city.

Lviv. The Town Hall. City administration. Market Square, 1

Pryluky. A Walk Through a Storied Town

Pryluky is the administrative, industrial and cultural centre of the Chernihiv region. Many architectural monuments have survived in the town, and through them one can picture the chronicle of one of the oldest cities of Ukraine. In the first part I told of a walk through the squares of the historic centre, with an account of its churches, public gardens and memorial signs. Other notable landmarks located in the northern part of the town also draw the traveller's eye. Half a kilometre from the central core of Pryluky, where the squares run one after another in a chain, lies yet another small square — Teatralna (Theatre) Square.

Pryluky. Teatralna Square

Poltava. Holy St Nicholas Church. A Revival of History

In the historic centre of Poltava, on Pershomaiskyi Lane, which links Pershotravnevyi Avenue with Nebesnoi Sotni (Heavenly Hundred) Street, an unusual church draws the eye. This building, erected not in the canonical architectural style of Orthodox churches, houses the Holy St Nicholas Church, especially dear to and revered by the people of Poltava.

Holy St Nicholas Church. Pershotravnevyi Lane, 3.

Drohobych Astonishes. Lavish Villas, Palaces, Townhouses

Drohobych, the second-largest city in the Lviv region, increasingly attracts travellers. The Market Square and the ascent of the Town Hall clock tower, an excursion to the saltworks and the museums, and a look at the architecture of the wooden churches, one of which is entered in the UNESCO register of monuments, together with other sacred buildings, all form part of the one-day tourist routes. The streets of the homeland of Drohobych sausages and the capital of oil-rich Galicia are full of secrets and legends.

 Ivan Franko Street, 24. The I. Ya. Franko Pedagogical University