You're reading: Spring weekends are for exploring

Thanks to the Labor and Victory Day holidays next month, many will get to enjoy two long holiday weekends. These are great chances to discover more of the country. The Kyiv Post points the way to some of Ukraine's faraway and nearby treasures. Most require a car. To rent one, visit www.sixt.com, www.avis.com.ua, or www.atlaschoice.com.

Uzhhorod – Mukacheve – Koson
Westernmost oblast Zakarpattya draws tourists with hospitality, renovated castles, blooming sakura trees, and homemade wine and spicy local cuisine.

It’s best to stay for a couple of days in the region’s quiet and cozy capital, Uzhhorod, along the Uzh river, close to the borders of Slovakia and Hungary. The local language in the area is mixed, due to the many centuries of Ukrainian-Hungarian family ties.

While in the city, be sure to check out the Uzhhorod Castle, an early 20th century synagogue that is now a concert hall, the longest lime tree alley in Europe along the river bank, and an outdoor museum of folk architecture.

The city of Mukacheve is only 45 kilometers away from Uzhhorod, and is worth a day visit. Founded along the Latorica River in the 9th century, Mukacheve is Uzhhorod’s main competitor, eager to claim the title of the region’s capital. The Palanok Castle, resting atop an extinct volcano in the suburbs, can easily be seen from 20 kilometers outside the city.

Next, pay a short visit to the village of Koson, located 40 kilometers away. It has several natural hot spring pools. Two hours in one of them costs Hr 150. On May 1-2, Koson will celebrate bohrach, the oldest festival in the region celebrating the much-loved spicy Hungarian soup with meat and vegetables.

How to get there: The most comfortable way is to take a train to Uzhhorod, and then rent a car to visit Mukacheve and Koson. Trains No. 099, No. 081, or No. 013 go take 15 hours to get from Kyiv to Uzhhorod and cost Hr 150-290. If going by car, take the Kyiv – Chop highway (M-06). The drive to Uzhhorod is about 10 hours.

Where to stay: In Uzhhorod, the Olymp Hotel (Hr 1,360 for the presidential suite) or the Egan Hostel (Hr 99 for a bed in a five-bed room)

Kamianets-Podilskyi – Khotyn- Bakota
Located near the Smotrych River Canyon, Kamianets-Podilsky is best known for its well-preserved 11th century castle. Guests are welcome to check out its 12 towers and castle’s museum for only Hr 20. Crossbow and bow shooting is on offer for guests, as well as other medieval fun and entertainments in the castle yard.

On May 15-17, Kamianets-Podilskyi will hold its annual festival of hot air balloons. A one-hour balloon trip above the city is Hr 2,000 per person. It also offers passengers a view of the fortress in the nearby town of Khotyn from a height of 500 meters.

Khotyn is located 28 kilometers away from Kamianets-Podilskyi. It was built in the 14th century as a fortress on the Dniester River. There is no museum inside, but it is still worth the visit, which only costs Hr 4. Afterwards, be sure to climb one of the neighboring hills to enjoy a view of the 40-meter-high fortress on the river bank.


Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle of 11th century in Khmelnytskyi Oblast as captured from hot air balloon on Oct. 2014. (UNIAN)

Another unique place, the flooded village of Bakota, is not on Google Maps, but any local can show the way to get there. Located 50 kilometers from Kamianets-Podilskyi, the village was flooded when the Dniester Hydroelectric Station was being built in 1981, leaving a beautiful river bay surrounded by rocks. Nearby, there are the remains of a cave monastery with ancient frescos.

How to get there: From Kyiv to Kamianets-Podilskyi, take train No.139 or No.117, costing Hr 104-215 and taking eight hours; or No.769, which costs Hr 110 and takes six hours.

When going by car, take the Kyiv – Chop highway (M-06) to Zhytomyr, then turn on to M-21, and then take E50 to Vinnytsia. From Vinnytsia, take highway H03 to Kamianets-Podilskyi. To get to Khotyn, take the H03 highway towards Chernivtsi. To find the sight of the flooded village of Bakota, drive T2317 to Kolodiivka, the nearest village.

Where to stay: In Kamianets-Podilskyi, the Reikartz Hotel (Hr 900 for a double room) or the Hetman Hotel (Hr 400 for a twin room)

Odesa –Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi –Vylkove
In low tourist season, when the Black Sea isn’t warm enough to swim in, Odesa attracts tourists who like to walk in the city, admire the statue of the Duc de Richelieu, drink coffee at outdoor cafes and attend a performance at the Odesa Opera Theater.

While staying in Odesa, take a one-day trip to Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, a city and a port near the Akkerman Fortress, some 85 kilometers out of Odesa. By the most common account, Akkerman was founded by people from Genoa, Italy, in the 13th century. Now the fortress hosts festivals and often serves as a filming location.

Drive another 140 kilometers through old villages with Moldavian and Romanian names from Akkerman to the south of the region to get to Vylkove. This small city is located in the Danube Delta marshlands, near the Romanian border. The city is popularly referred to as the Ukrainian Venice because of its many canals. In summer, it is a popular resort.

How to get there: Take the seven-hour intercity train No. 761 to Odesa for Hr 263-412. By car, take the Kyiv – Odesa highway (M05). The drive is about 5.5 hours.

Where to stay: In Odesa, the Bon Apart Hotel (Hr 1,800 for a one-bedroom apartment) and Loft Hostel (Hr 400 for an economy double room).

Kyiv Post staff writer Yuliana Romanyshyn can be reached at [email protected].