UKRAINE CHORNOBYL 9 DAYS

Of course, Lviv has much more to offer. We will drive to the High Castle, from the top of which you will enjoy a marvelous look over the city. Today we also visit the main building of Lviv University building and go up to Jura Mountain to visit St. George’s Cathedral. Someone has once told that each society is worth exactly as much as it commemorates its dead. To prove it, we offer you to visit Lychakiv Necropolis – one of the oldest cemeteries in Europe. Here you will learn a lot about an outstanding personalities, who for centuries have been writing the history of Lviv.

The Olesko Castle, the oldest castle in the Galicia region, stands on a 50m high hill in the south-eastern part of Buska Gorge. Its history was closely connected with the political struggle among Poland, Lithuania and Hungary. Here you will learn not only the details of this struggle but also hear a legendary story about the birth of a Polish king in this castle. Our next destination point is castle in Pidhirtsi which definitely could be the brightest gem on the Halychyna crown if it was not in such a poor and neglected state. The castle was often housing various performances, festivities and other types of entertainment for the local nobles. In the evening, we make our way to Odessa.

On this day we visit the “white city” Bilhorod-Dnistrovsky (or earlier: Akkerman), one of the oldest cities in the world. In Akkerman we visit the biggest on the territory of Ukraine medieval fortress, which was built in the 14th -15th. The fortress will amaze you with its 3 to 5 meters thick walls and numerous towers. With a little luck you will be entertained at a historic festival or a disguised knight tournament. Then we pay a visit to Shabo village, the name of which has also a Turkish origin and can be translated as “Lower  Gardens”. Centuries have passed, but the village still remains true to its name. Viticulture here traces its roots to the Greeks and Genoese. This tradition continues in the present days, as here is situated the headquarter of one of the most famous wine producers in Ukraine. In the village, we will visit the wine museum, where you will be warmly invited to a wine tasting. In the evening, we come back to Odessa.

Today starts our acquaintance with an amazing pearl on the Black Sea – Odessa. We will visit its main attractions – Prymorsky Boulevard with the Richelieu Monument, which attracts every season not only tourists, but
also city residents, the Potemkin Stairs with its 192 steps which lead you to the port, the Opera House, which is one of the most magnificent opera houses in the whole Europe, Deribasivska street, the burgomaster’s residence, the Assumption Cathedral, the Greek Trinity Church, the Orthodox Cathedral of Christ Transfiguration. In the late afternoon we fly to Kyiv – the capital of Ukraine, the city you will fall in love with at once.

Situated on the banks of the Dnipro River, the city of Golden Domes is famous as one of the greenest cities in  the world. During our tour you will closely get acquainted with its history and contemporary life, get to know new people and feel the special atmosphere of the city which throughout its whole history has fought for its freedom. Today we will visit Saint Sophia Cathedral which was built in the early 11th and now is the part of UNESCO World Heritage. It is famous around the world as a masterpiece of architecture, fresco painting and mosaic art.  The  history of the capital of once the most powerful East European state, covers the period of 1500 years. Today you can still enjoy the view of the densely forested Dnipro banks. During our sightseeing tour you will visit Podil, one of the oldest neighborhoods of Kyiv, the place from which has originated city’s trade, commerce and which is actually the place, where centuries ago three brothers Kyi, Shchek and Khoryv laid a foundation stone of the city of   of Golden Domes; see the government quarter, explore numerous Kyiv churches and, of course, walk through Independence Square and Khreshchatyk – the main street of Kyiv, the witnesses of recent notorious events on Euromaidan.

On this day we take a trip to the notorious Chornobyl Nuclear Power Station during which you will visit ghost town Prypiat, Duga which is gigantic Soviet army radar station, see what is left from Red Forest – 10-square- kilometre area surrounding the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Station which owes its name to the ginger-brown colour  pine trees that died following the absorption of high radiation levels from the Chornobyl accident, explore forsaken Chornobyl Docks and, of course, approach mysterious Reactor Number 4. In the evening we come back to Kyiv.

Today  we visit  the absolute  highlight of Kyiv  sacral life – Kyiv  Pechersk Lavra, the part  of UNESCO World Heritage List,  which is also known as Kyiv Monastery  of the Caves. The monastery complex dates   back to 1051 and is preeminent center of the  Eastern Orthodox Christianity. On its territory is  situated museum of Scythian treasures where we will  get acquainted with traditions of tribes which lived  here centuries ago. In addition, we also touch upon the tragic part of the history of Ukraine. The memorial to the victims of Holodomor (Famine) in 1932-33 which is a tragic symbol of Soviet totalitarian regime will open to you one of the pages of   a tragic Ukrainian history. At the end of the day, weather permitting, we invite you to a river cruise along the Dnipro.

Well, our program comes to its end. You take with you unforgettable impressions and the great feeling of having experienced something special. You have spent your time in Ukraine eventfully and learned about its culture, and traditions. We hope that we have managed to persuade you to come here once more in the future. You are always welcome here!