Zhytomyr
Located in a 1.5-hour ride from Kyiv, Zhytomyr is a city where different eras of past meet — antique 19th-century churches like Transfiguration Cathedral and Church of St. John of Dukla coexist with the largest in Ukraine museum of cosmonautics. The latter is what often lures tourists in Zhytomyr.
Located in a quiet, far-away corner, Serhiy Pavlovych Korolyov Museum of Cosmonautics is hard to miss: two real rockets, R-12 and R-5V, are located right in its yard. The exhibition shows off artifacts that have been to space and back: Soyuz-27 spacecraft, autographed by cosmonauts Vladimir Dzhanibekov and Georgy Grechko, real flight, emergency and training suits, lunar soil and many others. Moreover, the exhibition has real-sized models of spacecraft designed by Korolyov: moon-rowers Luna-1 and Luna-9, unmanned orbiter Venera-15 and first manned spacecraft Vostok.
The museum works every day except Monday from 10 A.M. to 5.15 P.M, with a break from 1 to 2 P.M. Note that last Friday of each month is a cleaning day for the main Kosmos exhibition, and last Thursday — for Korolyov Memorial House. The admission ticket is UAH 20 for adults and UAH 10 for kids. Excursions in English are available in the museum upon pre-order.
Velyki Sorochyntsi
Poltava region with its magnificent views and strong freedom vibe influenced the famous writer Mykola Gogol. Apart from the famous Dynanka village, Velyki Sorochyntsi were planted in the history of literature as well with Gogol’s story ‘The Fair at Sorochyntsi', later adapted into an opera by Mussorgsky. During Gogol's lifetime, fairs weren't anything special in Ukraine – there were about 12 thousand fairs during the 1840s. Sorochyntsi, however, impressed the young writer so much that the event gained timeless fame. The fair stopped in the times of the Soviet Union with attempts of renewal in the 1960s. In 1999, it was given the status of a national fair, thus securing its present.
The traditional Sorochyntsi fair unveils the world of Ukrainian craftsmanship and arts: traditional handmade rugs, vyshyvankas, Opishnia ceramics, bread and other souvenirs to take home. Besides, the fair hasn’t lost its historical element of live music — this year, apart from traditional Ukrainian songs, visitors will have a chance to listen to the rising stars of the country like Kazka and Barahta. There are plenty of hotels located in the vicinity of the fair to stay for a couple of days. In 2018, the Sorochyntsi Fair will take place on August 21-26.
Pereislav-Khmelnytskyi
The first written mentioning of Pereislav-Khmelnytskyi dates back to 907 when Oleg the Seer signed an agreement with the Byzantine Empire. Ever since then, the city has become an important location in Ukrainian history from the ancient times during the reign of the Rurik dynasty to the Cossack state led by Bohdan Khmelnytskyi. Pereislav-Khmelnytskyi keeps the memories of the days gone in the numerous museums located in the city and suburbs. In fact, it is often referred to as the City of Museums, counting more than 20 venues with different exhibitions. The most well-known one, Museum of Folk Architecture and Rural Life, shows the livelihood of rural Ukrainian people in authentic buildings located in the picturesque area.
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The city’s most famous church, Ascension Convent, was built in 1700 and is one of the most important landmarks of the Cossack era. The building is a typical representative of Ukrainian Baroque that charmed Taras Shevchenko. Nowadays, the convent also hosts a museum-diorama depicting the 1943 Battle of Dnipro. One more religious landmark painted by Taras Shevchenko is St. Michael Monastery. Built in 1743, the monastery is one of the oldest existing buildings in Pereislav-Khmelnytskyi. Other popular museums in Pereislav-Khmelnytskyi include the Museum of National Attire of Middle Dnieper Region, Museum of Kobzars, Museum of History of Beekeeping, Museum of Bread and Museum of Sholem Aleichem.
Zhovkva
Zhovkva is a small yet historically significant town located in 30 kilometers from Lviv. The West Ukrainian People's Republic was proclaimed here on November 1, 1918. However, the beginning of the history of Zhovkva dates back way to 1597, when Stanislav Zholkevsky, a Polish Hetman, built a castle in an old village. Impressed by perfect towns of the Renaissance era, Zholkevsky decided to build his town according to this concept. The concept is a well-structured plan of the town, where each building has a strict location.
Apart from the unusual planning, Zhovkva also impresses tourists with numerous architectural landmarks. To name but a few, Vicheva square with a 1594 castle, 17th century Collegiate Church of St. Lawrence, Basilian Fathers Monastery and a Dominican monastery. Wooden Holy Trinity Church, included in the UNESCO World Heritage list, and a Renaissance style synagogue also belong to must-see places of Zhovkva.
Bakota
Bakota village is located not far from the famous Kamianets-Podilskyi with its magnificent castle. The small village of Podillia region is mostly known to locals who enjoy traditional summer vacations with swimming and letting hair down in a natural surrounding. Lying in the valley of the Dniester River in eastern Podilia, Bakota provides breathtaking vistas and a chance to swim in the non-crowded clear water.
Those who want to enjoy more than just lazy leisure can explore the historical side of the town. After all, Bakota was first mentioned in the Hypatian Chronicle in 1240. The small town has an ancient Orthodox St Michael's cave monastery located on a steep slope at the altitude of 130 meters. The monastery is filled with frescoes and paintings dating back to the 12th-14th centuries. Besides, there is a Paleolithic archeological site near Bakota for those who want to explore the ancient history.
Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi
Commonly known as Akkerman, Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi in Odesa region belongs to the then most ancient towns in the world along with Rome and Athens. The town is well-known for its magnificent fortress, which is, in fact, the biggest in the country. Akkerman fortress is a surviving monument of defensive architecture of the 13th-15th centuries. Despite its age and all historical events it has witnessed, the fortress managed to preserve its original structure. The fortress in Akkerman is considered to be the best-preserved medieval fortification in Ukraine.
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The history of the fortress in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi was founded on the ruins of the ancient town Tyr. For two centuries, the outpost served as good defense for its owners. In the late 15th century, after a prolonged siege, the fortress surrendered to the Ottomans. The well-known name Akkerman, which means the 'White Fortress', was given to the fortress by the Turks. They ruled the territory for over 300 years. Nowadays this impressive historical and architectural monument is protected by the state.
Kinburn sandspit
The almost secret spot is located in Mykolaiv oblast in Ochakiv region. Here tourists can enjoy the snow-white clean beaches, large pine forest and steppes with wild grasses. Kinburn sandspit is well-known for clear sand on the beach, spectacular vistas and a long swimming season. Biloberezhia Sviatoslava National Park is located on the territory of Kinburn spit, making it a perfect place for wildlife photography. The enthusiasts can visit exceptionally beautiful locations and spot flamingos, aigrettes and pelicans. Apart from the sea, there are also lots of lakes.
Many locals visit the mud lakes that have a healing effect, and unique pink-colored lakes, which gained their surprising color from special algae. Magnificent salt lakes located here are also worth visiting. Kinburn sandspit has completely wild beaches as well as beaches with a developed infrastructure. There is an opportunity to rent an apartment nearby or live in a tent to find harmony with nature.
Photo sources: wikiwand.com, Oleksii Chumachenko, Dmitry Kolchinski, Oleh Dubyna, Diana Kot, Ruslan Lytvyn, Inspired By Maps / shutterstock.com. All images belong to their rightful authors.
