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Tucked away in a picturesque valley of the Carpathian foothills in the Lviv Oblast of Ukraine, the town of Truskavets is famous for its mineral springs that are reputed to have a wide range of therapeutic benefits. Although many of the more than 200,000 visitors to Truskavets each year are from Ukraine or neighboring Russia, the reputation of this mineral rich area also draws visitors from other parts of the world as people seek relief from their ailments and a better quality of life – or maybe the elixir of youth!
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Along the southern coast of Crimea, nestled between Alushta and Yalta, lies the quaint and beautiful town of Partenit. Known for its landscapes that are always covered in rich shades of green, the breathtaking Au-Dag Mountains (Bears Mountain) and a valley where legends and tales of old can be discovered. It is a part of Ukraine that is nothing short of spectacular and the over the years, this earlier settlement known as Frunze, has grown into a town that is steeped in history and offers city dwellers tranquil surroundings to escape to.
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Across the road from the ordinary presidential administration offices in Kiev, Ukraine, stands a house that is spellbinding and very unusual. It quietly looms from its location on a hill in Bankovaya Street, and has been the source of many legends and folklores; some that are buried in grief and loss and others that make the hair on your neck stand up. The building itself has an air of mystery and uncertainty about it, and even though most visitors compare it to a castle, the house and its extraordinary decorations inspire visitors to conjure up their own tales of ghosts and goblins.
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Ukrainian Easter eggs, or psanky, to Ukrainians are an established part of worldwide popular culture. The intricacy of designs revealed with microscopic precision by dying and waxing the egg before pealing away the wax are now manufactured without all the patience necessary to create these mini pieces of art.
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Pagan traditions to celebrate the return of spring and the abolition of another winter may have faded into the pages of Christianity, but Ukrainians, whether recognizing the rites of spring or the resurrection of Christ, ancient customs survive on a shoestring in rural Ukraine, particularly in the country’s western region.
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A routine, but largely unnecessary safety test caused the world’s worst nuclear disaster on April 25, 1986. Technicians working at reactor Number 4 at the electricity-producing Chornobyl power plant planned to shut down the system for regular maintenance. The decision was made to see if the grid would continue to power the system in the event of a shutdown. This decision cost 31 people their lives and set in motion a rain of radioactive material that stretched to the borders of Sweden.
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The 21st century may be bombarding everyday lives around the world with technological gadgets that promise salvation through “connection”. Books may soon be obsolete and libraries may lose their status as institutions of learning in favor of becoming “gentle read” facilities. Still, with all the efforts to move into the future at all costs, people hunger to understand their past. How else can one explain the genealogical research craze or reenactment festivals that woo tourists around the globe each summer?
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Researching a travel destination, especially one as eclectic and inspiring as Ukraine, can set an imagination ablaze, but what about practical travel tips for this emerging travel destination? Sometimes, a set of practical tips are just as useful as a map or a travel website. Take a look at our Top Ten Practical Tips for Traveling in Ukraine.
