Ukraine Travel Highlights - Trips & Tours

Ukraine

Beach relaxation
The beautiful Crimean coastline, rich in history, is also great for a relaxing beach break at the end of a busy trip. The area is also well known for it's beautiful national parks so if you do tire of sitting on a beach, there are ample opportunities to head out and explore some lovely countryside.
Beach relaxation
Cathedrals & churches
Ukraine’s onion domed churches and monasteries are the precursors of Russia’s and stretch even further back into history.
Cathedrals & churches
City life
Kiev, Odessa and Lviv offer three contrasting urban styles – Kiev having a mixture of ancient churches and imposing Stalinist architecture, Lviv having a style deriving from its roots as a city of the Austro-Hungarian empire, whilst Odessa, built in the 18th century has a grand, faded imperial style.
City life
Modern history
Ukraine has played host to some of recent history’s most pivotal events – from the WW2 Yalta conference between Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt, to the tragic Chernobyl accident, the attempted coup against Gorbachev during the Perestroika years to the more recent ‘Orange’ revolution.
Modern history
Train journeys
Being Europe's largest country, Ukraine is criss-crossed by a busy train network and offers great opportunities for scenic rail journeys. Overnight accommodation is simple but there is always a convivial atmosphere on board offering the opportunity to meet local people and share food, stories and the odd vodka!
Train journeys

China, Russia & Central Asia

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Highlights of Ukraine

Explore the UNESCO world heritage old town in Lviv
The UNESCO world heritage old town is perfect for strolling round, while taking in the view from High Castle Hill is a must. Lviv is a beautiful city, just waiting to be discovered.
Explore the UNESCO world heritage old town in Lviv
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24.02345181
Ukraine

See the Kyiv-Pecherska Lavra (Cave Monastery) in Kiev
Founded in the early 11th century by the Greek Orthodox monk Antony, this historic Orthodox Christian monastery in Kiev is the place of pilgrimage for Orthodox Christians and has been voted one of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine.
See the Kyiv-Pecherska Lavra (Cave Monastery) in Kiev
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30.5167
Ukraine

Soak up the atmosphere of the Livadia Palace
The Livadia Palace was built for Tsar Nicholas II (the last Tsar of Russia) as a summer retreat. Upstairs the rooms have been kept as they were when the family spent their summers here, with many personal possessions and photographs taken by Nicholas, giving an intimate view of the fated last Russian royal family.
Soak up the atmosphere of the Livadia Palace
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Ukraine

Visit the Potemkin steps in Odessa
Founded in the 18th century by Catherine the Great, the city has a grand, if slightly crumbling air to it, with wide boulevards, imposing architecture, and of course the famous Potemkin steps from the film The Battleship Potemkin.
Visit the Potemkin steps in Odessa
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30.73287964
Ukraine

Visit the Pyrohovo Open Air Museum
The museum is a great place to spend an entire day, sampling traditional Ukrainian dishes, like Borscht – beetroot soup, and Vareniki - dumplings, accompanied by Gorilka - Ukrainian home made vodka, with live Ukrainian music in the background.
Visit the Pyrohovo Open Air Museum
50.4333
30.5167
Ukraine

Our country specialists have travelled the length and breadth of Ukraine - here are a few of their favourite things to do

A borderland between East and West, Ukraine offers a fascinating combination of old and new, of a place steeped in history coming out from the shadow of Soviet domination to turn towards the commercial economies of the western world.

Ukraine’s bustling capital, Kiev, has a wealth of history far greater than its current importance would suggest. It is from here that the neighbouring countries of Russia and Belarus descended, and the significance of Kiev in the history of art, architecture and religion of these areas is clear in its beautiful old town and stunning churches. Lviv, hidden in the west far from the influence of Russia, offers a more Central European flavour in its gracious old town.

Exploring Odessa and the Crimean Peninsula

The southern city of Odessa on the Black Sea is also well worth a visit, offering museums, architecture and the grand spectacle of the Potemkin Steps, made famous in Eisenstein’s classic film ‘Battleship Potemkin’.

Head to the beaches of the Crimean peninsula for some relaxation and to see the atmospheric Livadia Palace - site of the famous Yalta conference between Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt.

Combining Ukraine with Russia

It is also possible to visit one or all of these destinations in combination with the fantastic cities of St Petersburg or Moscow, to explore the cultural and historic links of Russia with this area.