You're reading: Where to go for winter getaways in Ukraine

With the winter holidays just around the corner, it’s time to draw up your holiday plans. The Kyiv Post offers some travel ideas for a winter vacation in Ukraine.

Thermal springs

Dipping into outdoor thermal springs in Berehove in Zakarpattya Oblast is said to improve your mood as well as your health. The minerals in the springs make the skin smooth and soft. The waters are also reputed to help in the treatment of nervous system disorders, as well as heart and musculoskeletal diseases. However, doctors do not recommend spending more than two hours a day in the springs.

The mineral-rich Berehove springs have an average water temperature of 36 degrees Celsius all year round. Similar natural hot springs exist only in Hungary, New Zealand, Iceland, and in Russia’s Kamchatka and Sakhalin.

Zhayvoronok spa complex (www.zhayvoronok.net). Hr 280 – 600 per night, Hr 20 – 120 per hour in the thermal pool
How to get there
Take a train from Kyiv to Mukacheve for Hr 128 – 215. Then take a bus from Mukacheve to Berehove for Hr 16.
Kosyno thermal waters entertainment and recreation complex (http://www.kosino.com.ua). Hr 100 – 250 for a three-hour stay in the thermal pool, Hr 4,500 – 11,000 per night in a hotel
How to get there
From Berehove take a minibus to the village of Koson village for Hr 12, or a taxi for Hr 120

Kamyanets-Podilsky

Flying on balloons in a cloudless winter sky over Kamyanets-Podilsky, the western Ukrainian medieval city, offers incredible views and gets you right into the festive spirit. Aeronautic company Spart Aero provides an opporopportunity to celebrate Orthodox Christmas in the sky on Jan. 6-9. As well as taking balloon flights, visitors to Kamyanets-Podilsky can visit the New Year fire show in the city’s Old Castle, try delicious dishes or take part in fun competitions. Those who prefer a more traditional Christmas celebration can sledge, visit a Christmas fair, or sing carols at the local grand cathedral.
Write to [email protected] or call 050-415-4114 or 096-024-3247 to book a balloon ride in advance.

Individual balloon fights for two people and a pilot cost Hr 6,000, or Hr 8,000 for a group of four people. The price per person in a group flight is Hr 2,000.How to get there
Take a mini bus from Kyiv bus station (3 Moskovska Sq.) to Kamyanets-Podilsky for Hr 237 or train for Hr 123-241.

Rustic holidays

Visiting the reindeer farm located near the village of Kolochava in Zakarpattya Oblast is a great way to get in gear for Christmas. Visitors are allowed to take pictures of the deer and hand-feed all 150 of the tame animals living on the farm. The village of Kolochava offers a range of winter entertainment, including sledding, fishing, scenic mountain walks, and sampling the mineral water from the local Borkut spring.

The entrance fee to the reindeer farm is Hr 20 for adults and Hr 10 for children. Open Mon. – Sat. from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. Rooms in the Azhio recreation complex (www.agio.com.ua) are available for Hr 550 – 1,000 per night.
How to get there
Take trains No. 99, 81 or 13 to Volovets for Hr 131 – 418. Then take a taxi from Volovets to Kolochava for Hr 300 or perhaps more.

Skiing in Carpathians

Spending time skiing in the Carpathian Mountains is the ideal way to relax and get in shape. With snowy peaks, cozy hotels, and Ukrainian cuisine, the country’s Carpathian ski resorts suit families with little kids, couples in love, or groups of friends. There are skiing slopes suitable for both advanced skiers and beginners.

Bukovel (www.bukovel.com)
A three-day ski-pass costs Hr 2,320. One day ski-rental is Hr 115 – 550.
How to get there
Take a train to Ivano-Frankivsk. From the Ivano-Frankivsk bus station take a bus for a two-hour ride to Polyanytsya for Hr 50.
Dragobrat (www.drago-brat.com)
Hr 260 – 420 per person at a hotel. Ski rent per day is Hr 20 – 60 for children, Hr 50 – 100 for adults.
How to get there
Take train 457/458 from Kyiv to Yasyn for Hr 180 – 631. From Yasyn, take taxi to Dragobrat for Hr 180 – 250.

Decorations factory

Visiting a Christmas decorations factory is a great idea if you want a quick one-day trip to boost your holiday spirit and entertain the children. The factory in Klavdiyevo-Tarasove is located some 40 kilometers west of Kyiv, and produces nearly 500,000 items of decoration a year. Handmade Christmas tree ornaments can be bought for Hr 35 – 120.

How to get there
1 Vatutina St., Klavdiyeve-Tarasove village, Kyiv Oblast. By car from Kyiv take the M03 highway west out of the city, before Myla take the turn to Vorzel, and then continue along the E373 to Klavdiyeve-Tarasove.

Kyiv Post staff writer Nataliya Trach can be reached at [email protected]