Travel tips to European Countries: Ukraine 

About the county

Ukraine which is located in Eastern Europe is one of the largest country in that region of Europe bordering Russia in the northeast, Belarus in the north, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary in the west, Romania and Moldova in the southwest and also Black Sea and Sea of Azov in the south.

It is a popular tourist destination especially for tourists from Western Europe and North America. The main selling point is the rich historical character of the country with as many five hundred cities dating back as early as nine hundred years. Visitors are spellbound by the architectural beauty of Ukraine. Kiev is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine where most travelers begin their journey.

Best Time To Visit

April to June

Population & Languages

Ukraine has a population of roughly 46.7 million and the official language is Ukrainian. The other languages spoken here are Russian, Romanian, Polish and Hungarian.

Electricity

Voltage - 220 volts, Frequency - 50Hz. Standard European Round pin attachment plug

Geographic Location

Ukraine is located in Eastern Europe bordering Russia in the northeast, Belarus in the north, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary in the west, Romania and Moldova in the southwest and also Black Sea and Sea of Azov in the south. The strategic location of Ukraine between Asia and Europe made it a transportation hub in the region.

Local Customs

Ukrainians are warm hearted and welcoming people. Casual dressing is mostly worn here though it will be a good idea to wear smartly for theatres. Small gifts are appreciated. Tipping is not very common; service is usually included in fine restaurants and hotel bills.

Places to see

·    Seeing mummified monks by candlelight in the underground passages of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra (Caves Monastery) in Kjiv– These caves are as old as one millennium and dating back to 11^th century

·    Being dazzled by St Sophia Cathedral’s sparkling domes in the nation’s capital– As old as nine centuries, it is one of the architectural marvels of Ukraine.

·    Discovering Europe’s only virgin beech forest at the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve

·    Living like royalty in Lviv’s early 20^th century hotels: don’t miss a night at the opera

·    Enjoying a champagne picnic on Odesa beach (strictly Odesan champagne only)

·    Cutting a hole in the icy crust of the Black Sea in winter and catching your dinner

·    Great Patriotic War Museum

·    Statue of the Motherland, Kiev

Try local delicacies:

Bowls of soul-warming borsch, or the addictive varenyky (boiled dumplings served with cheese or meat

Drink vodka, a clear distillate of wheat, rye or sometimes potatoes.  The word comes from voda(water), and translates roughly as ‘a wee drop’

Further Pleasures:

To read: Everything is IIuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer which recounts this American author’s journey to find his family in the Ukraine

To listen: to the soaring notes of the all-male Ukrainian Bandura Chorus, a professional orchestra who perform tradition choral and bandura music

To watch:  Zemlia (the Earth), a1930 classic by Alexander Dovzhenko considered a milestone in cinematic achievement

Travel

By Air – The national airline of Ukraine is Ukrainian International Airlines. In collaboration with Aer Fi Group and Austrian Airlineit links Kyiv to Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Brussels, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Lisbon, London, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Rome, Rotterdam, Vienna and Zurich. There is one more airline in Ukraine called Air Ukraine which serves relatively less number of European cities. Lviv is also connected to New York, Warsaw and Washington. It is connected to Turkey through Simferopol and to UK through IvanoFrankivsk. The major airport is Boryspil State International Airport (KBP) which is located twenty five miles from Kiev.

By Sea – The primary ports of Ukraine are Izmail and Odessa which are situated on the River Danube. The ferry services connect Ukraine with Russia and Georgia. They also connect various cities on the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. Sevastopol is the port which connects Istanbul, Turkey.

By Rail – Ukraine has approximately 14,000 miles of railway tracks linking most towns and cities. Kyiv and Lviv are the main stations which connect with Moscow on a daily basis. Ukraine also has direct lines to Berlin (Germany), Budapest (Hungary), Warsaw (Poland) and Bucharest (Romania).

By Road – Ukraine has an extensive network of roads with approximately 107,000 mile of road network out of which nearly 18,000 mile is main or national roads.

Duty Free Items

1.    Up to 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 gm tobacco

2.    1 liter spirit over 22% or 2 liter wine or 32 liter beer

3.    Goods for personal use with a combined value of €200

Prohibited Items

Narcotics, firearms, ammunition, weapons, most meat and dairy products, eggs, plants, endangered species, fireworks and alcoholic beverages that contain more than sixty per cent alcohol.