Poles are becoming bored with holiday destinations whose only attractions are beautiful beaches, sea, comfortable hotels and numerous bars and restaurants. Some Polish tourists want to explore less known and more exciting and "raw" parts of Europe. One of the holiday spots which could be considered a "shocking place" to go a few years ago is right now Ukraine. I was there two years ago and I will try to convince you using the below arguments that going there is a unique experience which should not be missed.
My trip took about 10 days but I highly recommend spending at least 2 weeks in Ukraine to explore at least Crimea. The best idea is to start visiting Ukraine from Lviv, which is the closest city to the Polish border. Every little street of this city is filled with history. The sad thing is that all its beautiful architectural landmarks require renovation and the money are nowhere to be found. The cheapest way to get from Lviv to the most beautiful cities of Ukraine, i.e. Odessa, is a train journey. Odessa surprises with its wealth, cleanliness, good restaurants and beautiful architecture. However, prepare yourself that the prices are not low at all. It is relatively easy to find accommodation because as soon as you leave the train, you will notice crowds of people offering luxurious rooms for modest prices. Obviously, you have to be careful because these rooms are usually of mediocre standards or worse and far away from the city centre. I was lucky due to the fact that I ended up in the apartment being the replica of communist luxury (crystal vases, wallpapers and furniture wrapped in a plastic wrap not to get used too fast). The city is strongly influenced by its history as a sea port. What is an absolute must on your sightseeing list are synagogues and Orthodox churches. Certainly you have to try traditional cuisine but if you are already bored with regional dishes go to the best Italian restaurant in the Eastern Europe called Zara. I was taken aback by the fact that three years ago they had televisions in the restrooms. Do not miss the opportunity to visit this place, because they are a few such good restaurants in this part of Ukraine. (Very good chowder, sea food, pastas and pizzas). The other world famous attraction in Odessa are the stairs from the movie The Battleship Potemkin and the hotel situated next to the Black Sea with enormous aquariums filled with exotic fish.
It takes about 14 h to travel from Odessa to Yalta. However, this trip is a real adventure. First of all, windows in the train are closed during all the period of the travel, which is kind of a tough experience. The positive thing is that the train stops every 3 h and at each station there are people selling home made food, from cheese, cakes to smoke fish for pennies.
The most well known communist resort of Crimea is Yalta. In my opinion, this city is disappointing. However, it is the base camp if you want to see the numerous attractions in the neighborhood. The place of Yalta agreement- Swallows’ Nest, which looks like a deserted tower on the cliff. If you watched Adventures of Mr. Kleks when you were a kid, you certainly remember the famous castle where all the characters from fairy tales meet once a year. It was such a surprise for me to discover that is really exist (Khan Palace) and looks exactly like it was shown from a movie.
One of the most unforgettable Ukrainian experiences is Bakhchisarian region. The view of the monastery carved in the rocks is a breathtaking experience and the sound of the monks singing religious psalms makes the hair on your head raise. One of the best delights was a dinner that we had under the stars in the shadow of the mountains in a Tatarian restaurant. We were the only guests and we ordered almost all the dishes from the menu. We sat on the huge pillows on the special wooden platform. Due to religious restrictions the place did not serve alcohol but they let us buy our own wine and even opened the bottles for us. Praise be to their principles! We felt totally free of any problems that night, suspended in time and space.
I would strongly recommend visiting Ukraine and in particular Crimea because it is such a rewarding and surprising experience, which stays in the memory forever.
Anja
My trip took about 10 days but I highly recommend spending at least 2 weeks in Ukraine to explore at least Crimea. The best idea is to start visiting Ukraine from Lviv, which is the closest city to the Polish border. Every little street of this city is filled with history. The sad thing is that all its beautiful architectural landmarks require renovation and the money are nowhere to be found. The cheapest way to get from Lviv to the most beautiful cities of Ukraine, i.e. Odessa, is a train journey. Odessa surprises with its wealth, cleanliness, good restaurants and beautiful architecture. However, prepare yourself that the prices are not low at all. It is relatively easy to find accommodation because as soon as you leave the train, you will notice crowds of people offering luxurious rooms for modest prices. Obviously, you have to be careful because these rooms are usually of mediocre standards or worse and far away from the city centre. I was lucky due to the fact that I ended up in the apartment being the replica of communist luxury (crystal vases, wallpapers and furniture wrapped in a plastic wrap not to get used too fast). The city is strongly influenced by its history as a sea port. What is an absolute must on your sightseeing list are synagogues and Orthodox churches. Certainly you have to try traditional cuisine but if you are already bored with regional dishes go to the best Italian restaurant in the Eastern Europe called Zara. I was taken aback by the fact that three years ago they had televisions in the restrooms. Do not miss the opportunity to visit this place, because they are a few such good restaurants in this part of Ukraine. (Very good chowder, sea food, pastas and pizzas). The other world famous attraction in Odessa are the stairs from the movie The Battleship Potemkin and the hotel situated next to the Black Sea with enormous aquariums filled with exotic fish.
It takes about 14 h to travel from Odessa to Yalta. However, this trip is a real adventure. First of all, windows in the train are closed during all the period of the travel, which is kind of a tough experience. The positive thing is that the train stops every 3 h and at each station there are people selling home made food, from cheese, cakes to smoke fish for pennies.
The most well known communist resort of Crimea is Yalta. In my opinion, this city is disappointing. However, it is the base camp if you want to see the numerous attractions in the neighborhood. The place of Yalta agreement- Swallows’ Nest, which looks like a deserted tower on the cliff. If you watched Adventures of Mr. Kleks when you were a kid, you certainly remember the famous castle where all the characters from fairy tales meet once a year. It was such a surprise for me to discover that is really exist (Khan Palace) and looks exactly like it was shown from a movie.
One of the most unforgettable Ukrainian experiences is Bakhchisarian region. The view of the monastery carved in the rocks is a breathtaking experience and the sound of the monks singing religious psalms makes the hair on your head raise. One of the best delights was a dinner that we had under the stars in the shadow of the mountains in a Tatarian restaurant. We were the only guests and we ordered almost all the dishes from the menu. We sat on the huge pillows on the special wooden platform. Due to religious restrictions the place did not serve alcohol but they let us buy our own wine and even opened the bottles for us. Praise be to their principles! We felt totally free of any problems that night, suspended in time and space.
I would strongly recommend visiting Ukraine and in particular Crimea because it is such a rewarding and surprising experience, which stays in the memory forever.
Anja