TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Lviv
• Odessa
• Kharkiv
• Dnipro City
• Chernihiv

Lviv is a city in the Western part of Ukraine founded in the 13th century and named in honor of Leo, the eldest son of Rus’ King Daniel of Galicia. There are more than four thousand lion sculptures in Lviv and therefore the city is also called the city of Lions. Each lion sculpture has its own history and symbolism.

In the Middle Ages, Lviv was the capital of Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia and a famous trading center. During the Eighteenth and Nineteenth centuries, the city was a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. After the Dissolution treaties in 1919-1920, it became a capital of the West Ukrainian People’s Republic. Lviv’s rich history is reflected in the rich architecture and authentic spirit of the city.

Lviv is a truly European city with winding cozy streets and a lot of places to visit. Get acquainted with the most interesting places in Lviv:

Due to numerous changes in regulations and borders in the Western part of Ukraine, local Ukrainian cuisine was flavored by classic Viennese, Polish and Hungarian (spices) cooking traditions. One of the most outstanding dishes is Banosh, prepared with corn flour and sour cream seasoned with bacon, mushrooms and farmer’s white cheese. It is worth trying local Borsch, Deruny, Kruchenyky, Golubtsi, Nalysnyky and many other Ukrainian dishes. There are many local breweries where you can try famous local beer. You will be pleasantly impressed by the great variety of choice and low prices in Lviv restaurants.

Lviv is the city of coffee. Numerous coffee shops and cafes offer this delicious beverage with hand-made chocolates and local sweets.

The touristic infrastructure is well-organized here: there are many hotels, cafes, restaurants, and free WI-Fi zones in the city center. Frequent festivals and cultural events, ancient architecture and unique atmosphere attract numerous Ukrainian and foreign tourists to Lviv every year.

Odessa is known as a city of humor and is in the list of top Ukrainian travel destinations. Located on the Black Sea coast, it combines dynamic city life, seaside resort, international business and trade point.

Odessa was founded in the fifth–third centuries BC as a large Greek settlement called Odyssos. In the middle of the nineteenth century, Odessa became a free port. Now it is a modern city and also a huge transportation hub on the northwest coast of the Black Sea with its own seaport.

Odessa is the city of Humor and Jokes. April 1st, April Fool’s Day is traditionally a day-off for citizens of Odessa. It is accompanied by carnivals that gather thousands of tourists here year after year. The humor of Odessa is famous all over Ukraine and probably most Ukrainian humorists come from Odessa! Many comedy shows are organized in the city throughout the year, the most famous of them is the Quartal 95.

Here are Odessa’s top 5 attractions:

Kharkiv is a big city in the north-east of Ukraine and lies in a large valley of 4 rivers – the Kharkiv, the Lopan, the Udy, and the Nemyshlya. The city has a large number of green parks with flowers, and old oak trees. Kharkiv’s streets and squares are spacious and green.
Kharkiv is also called the city of students because of its numerous universities. Lots of festivals and cultural events are organized in Kharkiv throughout the year.

Among the most popular attractions in Kharkiv:

Dnipro city (Formerly known as “Dnipropetrovsk” until May 19, 2016) is the fourth largest city in Ukraine with approximately one million residents. It began on the banks of the Dnipro River and as a result got such name. During the Russian Empire, the city was known as Ekaterinoslav and it was the Empire’s 3rd capital city, after Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Being one of the industrial centers of Soviet Ukraine, Dnipro was one of the key centers of the nuclear, arms and space industries for the Soviet Union. Because of its strong military industry, Dnipro was a closed city until the 1990’s.

At present, Dnipro is a major business and political center of Ukraine. It is a native city for many of the country’s important figures, such as Leonid Kuchma, Pavlo Lazarenko and Yuliya Tymoshenko whose careers started in Dnipro.

Old classical buildings, picturesque parks, and lots of high tech buildings represent the city nowadays. Top things to see and visit in Dnipro include:

Chernihiv is an ancient city in northern Ukraine, where it’s also the administrative center of the Chernihiv Oblast with population around 300,000 people. The history of Chernihiv starts in the VII-IX century from Eastern-Slavic tribes’ settlement. At the time of the Kievan Rus, Chernihiv was the second city of importance and wealth.

At present, Chernihiv’s architectural monuments reflect two the most outstanding historical periods in the city: the Kievan Rus period and the Cossack Hetmanate (late 17th and early 18th centuries). Top 5 landmarks of the city are the following: