VISIT UKRAINE

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There is no shortage of amazing places to visit in Ukraine. Most of us that have traveled the country extensively know this. Unfortunately, not everyone has had the opportunity to visit Ukraine beyond Kyiv and Lviv and I think that they absolutely should! So, I asked a group of travelers where they want you to visit beyond the main two touristic cities in Ukraine and this post shows what we came up with. We are highly aware that there are many missing from this list. We hope that you can submit them into the comments section for others to see and add to their list! Without further ado, here are 18 AWESOME places to visit in Ukraine… that are not Kyiv or Lviv.

Kharkiv

We were in Ukraine in May and Kharkiv was an unexpected highlight. Kharkiv has been incredibly important in Ukrainian history – particularly under Soviet rule when it was an industrial and academic powerhouse. More recently, it’s noted as the closest major city to the ongoing war in the Donbass. Despite all this, the city feels optimistic, and there is a wealth of things to do.

Exploring the UNESCO-shortlisted Derzhprom building was a thrill, as it is such a foundational piece of the Soviet architecture vernacular. Another highlight was the city’s metro stations, each with captivating futuristic designs (or what futuristic was back in the mid-1970s, when it was first opened). Top off your day by riding the impossibly long cable car over Gorky Park, but maybe skip the food court at the amusement park adjacent to it. I’m no coffee expert like Megan, but one of our favorite things in the city where the trucks parked everywhere pouring fresh shots of coffee for around 50 cents a cup!

Despite being the second biggest city in Ukraine and a former capital of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Kharkiv is often overlooked by locals and tourists alike. Many people are quick to write off Kharkiv as ‘too Soviet,’ but the city has never struck me as gray or depressing. In fact, the Soviet architecture here isn’t afraid of a little flair – including the Soviet hammer and sickles that still adorn a few buildings. One of Kharkiv’s main draws is Gorky Park, complete with leafy canopy trees and a small amusement park. But the greatest ride is the old Soviet commuter cable car. The city has spruced it up in its transformation to a leisure attraction, though you still have to leap on and off as the cars swing around each end at full speed. Kharkiv is also a happening university city, with a strongly-caffeinated coffee scene. And for a different kind of buzz, Kharkiv’s cocktail game is one of the best in the country. One of the bartenders finally delivered a Negroni I enjoyed – turns out all it needed was a little bubbly prosecco.

Mukachevo

Mukachevo has many things to offer. I really liked that the city felt both really authentic and real but at the same time. It also had some of the picturesque elements that many tourists will enjoy such as beautiful old buildings and even a big castle on the top of a hill. The Carpathian mountains are just a stone’s throw away and through the city runs the charismatic Latorica River where people fish swim and even some wash clothes in. The size of the city is nice and people are warm and welcoming but don’t necessarily expect that they will be able to have long and advanced conversations with you in English. Great city to visit for adventures and to see everyday Ukrainian life unfold. I rented a house there spontaneously as I was passing through on a bike trip but there are also cheap hotels and hostels available.

Ivano-Frankivsk

Ivano-Frankivsk doesn’t seem like the most obvious destination for travelers visiting Ukraine. The city serves as a getaway to the beautiful Carpathian Mountains but not many people decide to actually stay there. Ivano-Frankivsk (formerly known under its Polish name “Stanisłów”)