Ukraine

Understand

thumb|300px|The northern part of Czarnohora (Eastern Carpathians), the highest mountains in Ukraine. The highest peak in the picture is Howerla (2061 m)

Ukraine possesses fertile farmlands, a well-developed industrial base, and a well-developed educational system.

Get in

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thumb|300px|Castle in [[Kamianets-Podilskyi]] thumb|300px|Potemkin Stairs in [[Odesa which extend for 142 m. They were so well-designed that they create an optical illusion. A person looking down the stairs sees only the landings, and the steps are invisible, but a person looking up sees only steps, and the landings are invisible.]]

Get around

The quickest way to get around big cities is the so-called marshrutka: the minibuses which follow routes much like the regular buses do. You can generally flag them down or ask them to stop at places other than the specified bus stops. The fare is paid as soon as you get in (except in Odesa, where you pay upon exiting), and is fixed no matter how far you want to go. This is the same for the conventional buses, tram, trolley-buses and the Metro. Tell the driver that you want to get off when you are approaching the destination.

Each city has an intercity bus station from which you can go pretty much anywhere in Ukraine. Fares and quality of service vary widely.

Public transport timetables can be searched and tickets bought from tickets.ua service.

See

thumb|300px|The Kyiv Pechersk Lavra in [[Kyiv, Ukraine, built in 1051.]] thumb|300px|Pelicans in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve

Head to the historic city of Lviv, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site but still a bustling place and a true centre for learning and culture in the country. Its cobblestoned streets are packed with monuments going back to Medieval times, seemingly untouched by the destructive force of wars that have changed some of Ukraine's other cities so thoroughly. Even the extensive Soviet planning that has shaped many other places on the far east side of Europe have left only a minimal mark on the colourful mix of building styles. Highlights include the Korniakt Palace (right on the market square) and several beautiful churches. For an even more sophisticated taste of culture, try the fine collection of the Lviv National Art Gallery.

Then there's the must-sees of Kyiv, a colourful place where the golden roofs of the Unesco World Heritage sites Saint-Sophia Cathedral and Pechersk Lavra make for some excellent highlights. Take an afternoon stroll through Andriyivsky Uzviz, the Montmartre of Kyiv, where you'll find a bustling mix of artist and souvenir sellers. Follow in the footsteps of Apostle Andrew, who - according to legend - climbed the steep stairs of this bohemian neighbourhood two thousand years ago, to the top where you'll now find a church with his name. Don't miss the excellent Pyrohovo Museum of Folk Architecture. Last but not least, Kyiv is …

Do

Hike in Carpathian Mountains around Rakhiv Conquer 2,061-m Hoverla, part of the Chornohora mountain range Kayak down Dniester and admire Kamianets-Podilskyi and Khotyn castles Visit one of forty national parks (total area more than 10,000 km²) Listen to the bandura, Ukraine's official national musical instrument, consisting of 12 to 68 strings and performed in folk contexts.

Eat

Traditional Ukrainian cuisine is quite tasty, with some similarities to Polish and other Eastern European and Central European cuisines. It uses a lot of fat ingredients, especially in festive dishes. Traditional dishes include "salo" (salted lard) and soups like "solianka" (солянка in Ukrainian, meat soup) or "borshch" (борщ in Ukrainian) a soup made of red beets and typically garnished with some sour cream. Western Ukraine also has a green version of borshch, with greens and boiled eggs. The first, salo, is perhaps something you might not make yourself try - however is a delicious side dish, as for the soups being a must-have dish.

If you are outside a big city or in doubt about food, exercise caution and common sense about where you buy food. Try to buy groceries only in supermarkets or large grocery stores, check the expiration date if buying of a Mom and Pop shop, and never buy meat or dairy products on the street (you can buy them at the market but not near the market).

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You may also find nice places to eat not by maps, but just by the smoke of traditional wood fires. These are often places where they serve traditional Ukrainian food, including very tasty shashlyky (шашлики in Ukrainian). Restaurateurs are very friendly, and, more often than not, you will be one of their first foreign visitors. Next to the "borshch", you might also ask for "varenyky" (вареники in Ukrainian, dumplings filled with berries, vegetables, fruits or mushrooms), "deruny" (дерун…

Drink

thumb|300px|Different Ukrainian horilkas

The Ukrainian speciality is horilka (горілка, similar to vodka) with pepper. Other kinds of vodka are also quite popular - linden (tilia), honey, birch, wheat. Prices range for 1 L. Souvenir bottles are available for higher prices (some bottles reach upwards of for 0.5 L). There is a great choice of wine, both domestic and imported. The domestic wines mostly originate in the south, although wines from the Carpathian region of Uzhorod are also quite tasty. Ukraine is also famous for its red sparkling wines. Prices for local wine range per bottle of 0.75 L (avoid the cheapest wines, or less, as these are sometimes bottled as house wines but sold as local vintages), however, one can find genuine Italian, French, Australian wines from per bottle and more in big supermarkets and most restaurants. The price of imported wines dropped significantly over the last number of years and trends indicate further reductions in price.

There are a lot of other beverages too (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic). Ukrainian beer is of very good quality. Beer from barrels or kegs (more common in cafes) is often watered down. Canned beer is not very common in Ukraine and sometimes not of the same quality as the same variety sold in bottles. The best beers are brewed by Lvivske, Obolon and PPB (Persha Privatna Brovarnia). Imported beers are also widely available but more expensive – for instance, a bottle of Austrian Edelweiss can cost upwards of while averag…

Sleep

Hotels might be a traumatic experience for a westerner anywhere outside the biggest cities. The cheaper the hotel, the larger the chance of some quite unfortunate surprises, especially for those not familiar with the Soviet-style level of service which remains in many places.

Hostels are becoming more and more common in larger cities, especially the ones attracting many tourists. However, do not expect the usual clientèle as you would in countries where backpacking is more common. Hostels in Ukraine are often filled with single mums and kids, working people without an apartment in the city, and other ominous but generally unthreatening people, which make staying in a dorm an awkward experience.

There are many mid-range () options outside Kyiv. For instance in Ivano-Frankivsk (near the Carpathians), the going rate is approximately for a suite (bedroom and sitting room) in one such hotel. Many hotels have the choice between renovated rooms/suites ("western style") and not renovated rooms (East European style). The last choice is more than 50% cheaper and gives you a spacious old fashioned 2 room suite, basic but clean!

There are a number of 5-star hotels in Kyiv and other cities; See guides for those cities for listings. At one such hotel in Lviv, the going rate ranges from a night. Using booking.com is very common in Ukraine.

Another option is to rent an apartment on the internet before you leave your country. There are many to choose from in big cities.

What many people …

Stay healthy

thumb|300px|Pripyat next to the Chernobyl plant can actually be visited by tour

Respect

Although Ukraine has a close historical and cultural relationship with Russia, Ukrainians are not Russians; they're a separate ethnic group and would be deeply offended if you say otherwise. Even ethnic minorities (e.g. Russians, Hungarians, Romanians) within Ukraine usually identify as Ukrainian.

Do not say that the Ukrainian language is a dialect of Russian. Ukrainians proudly consider their language to be a separate language.

Do not call the country "the Ukraine;" Ukrainians consider the term incredibly disrespectful.

Women are traditionally treated with chivalry. Female travellers should not be surprised or alarmed if their male Ukrainian friends take the initiative to pay the bills at a restaurant, open every door in front of them, or help them carry their things. Male travellers should understand that these nuances will be expected by Ukrainian women, even if you're not in a romantic relationship.

Ukraine is by no means a conservative country with respect to clothing or behavior. However, stances on homosexuality range from conservative to outright hostile.

Ukrainians are generally reserved and take time to gradually open up to people. Don't be put off if people deliver brief, terse answers at first — this does not mean that people are uninterested in you.