Tours to Ukraine Best and West Tour: KIEV - LVIV


Photo1. Market Square, Lviv.	Photo2. Dominican Cathedral, Lviv.	Photo3. Dominican Cathedral, interiors, Lviv.

	Day 1 - Kiev
	Meeting at the airport. Transfer to hotel. Check-in. Dinner
	Day 2 - Kiev
	Kiev City tour - St. Sophia’s Cathedral - Welcome Party with Folk Show
	City tour including a cable car ride: St. Vladimir’s Cathedral, Shevchenko’ boulevard, Tereshchenko’s mansion, Fromet’s mansion, Victory Square, monument to Shchors, railway station, the University Botanical Garden, the first Kiev high school, Kiev National University, Vladimirskaya Street, Katchala’s mansion, the former KGB headquarters, Beretti’s mansion, Shevchenko’s Park, Moroz’s House, Bolshaya Vasilkovskaya street, Slinko’s mansion, Arena City, Bessarabsky market, monument to Lenin, Shevchenko’s Museum, Premier Palace Hotel, Kreshchatyk, Opera House, monument to Lysenko, Theater named after Lesia Ukrainka, Galagan’s Collegium, Teachers’ House, Presidium of the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, monument to Grushevsky, Golden Gate, monument to Pantyusha, the cat; Baron Steingel’s mansion, kenassa, the most beautiful house in Kiev, monument to" Hedgehog in the Fog ", Golden Gate fountain, monument to Khmelnitsky, St. Sophia’s Cathedral, St. Sofia’s belltower, former governmental offices, St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral, Monument to Princess Olga, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, St. Andrew's Church, souvenir market, St. Andrew's Descent, monument to Pronya Prokopovna and Svirid Golokhvastov, Old Kiev Hill, Maidan (Independence Square), monument to lampposts in love, "Glory to Ukraine" obelisk , Musical Academy of Ukraine, the European Square, Ukrainian House, Philharmonic Hall, Dynamo stadium, Grushevsky’s Street, Cabinet of Ministers Building, Parliament of Ukraine Building, Halperin’s, Zaitsev’s, Polyakov’s mansions, Mariinsky park, monument to the "Arsenal" plant workers, garrison barracks, the Kyiv-Pechersk fortress, monument to Pushkin, the Park of Glory, the memorial to the victims of Holodomor, Kiev-Pechersk Lavra cave monastery, monument to soldiers fallen in Afghanistan, the memorial complex of World War II, Soviet Motherland Statue, City Botanic Garden, Dnepr River embankment, monument to the founders of Kiev, Vladimir’s Hill, monument to Grand Prince Vladimir, Podol (Lower Town), Nativity Church, Arch of Friendship, River Port Terminal, Postal Square, cable car, Sahaidachny’s Street, Balabukha’s mansion, Guest Yard, Kontraktovaya Square, monument to Sahaidachny, Kiev-Mohyla Academy, monument to Skovoroda, Contract House, Pyrogoscha church, Samson’s fountain. Kiev cable car The funicular (or a cable car) is one of the symbols of Kiev. It is a rather exotic and rare type of public transportation. At the same time it is the monument of Kiev nineteenth century architecture. Kiev funicular was opened on May 7, 1905. It was the first cable car opened in the Russian Empire. The length of its route is 238 meters. The difference in height along the route of the funicular is 75 meters. One way trip lasts 3 minutes. St. Sophia’s Cathedral St. Sophia’s Cathedral and the former monastery area is a national reserve, historical and cultural monument of global importance. In 1990 it was included in the World Heritage List. St. Sophia’s Cathedral is the most ancient architectural monument of Kievan Rus. It is one of the biggest Christian churches in ancient times. The Cathedral was built by the Byzantine masters in honor of Yaroslav’s the Wise victory over nomadic tribe of pechenegs. In the 17th century it was rebuilt in the Ukrainian baroque style. The visitors can be amazed with 3 000 sq. m of original 11th century frescoes and 260 sq. m of 11th century original mosaics in the cathedral. This is the largest collection of the 11th century mosaics all over the world. Welcome Party with Folk Show Ukraine has always been famous for its national cuisine. Borshch, various farinaceous food (buns, pampushka, palyanitsa, dumplings, galushka, pancakes, etc.), meaty food (roast beef, sausage, pork, game, poultry, etc.), vegetable and milk products (fermented baked milk called ryazhenka, cheese cakes), fruits and honey drinks are well known all over the world.
	Day 3 - Kiev
	Kiev-Pechersk cave monastery - Chernobyl Museum – Opera or Ballet Show
	Kiev-Pechersk cave monastery including the caves Kiev-Pechersk Lavra is a unique monastery complex included in the World Heritage List of UNESCO. More than a million tourists and pilgrims from all over the world visit the Monastery every year. The above-ground part (There are monastery buildings such as the Assumption Cathedral, the Great Lavra Bell Tower, the Refectory Church and the Refectory, the Holy Trinity Gate Church, the All Saints Church, the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin, the Ann’s Church, the Exaltation of the Cross Church, the Resurrection Church, the Life-bearing Spring Church) and the underground part (the caves) are included in the monastery complex. There are several interesting museums on the territory of the Kiev-Pechersk Cultural Preserve. Museum of Historical Treasures of Ukraine There are masterpieces of jewelry made of platinum, gold, silver and decorated with diamonds, rubies, emeralds and other precious stones in the museum. The gem of museum collection is Scythian gold especially the golden pectoral proclaimed the archeological discovery of the 20th century. There are Kievan Rus golden decorations, the masterpieces of Russian, Polish and German jewelers, precious church utensils and a nice set of Judaica. *Exhibition of Nikolay Syadristy’s microminiatures* Nikolay Syadristy has been creating his microminiatures more than 40 years. Among his works There are such amazing things as a shod flea, the smallest electric engine in the world, a caravan of camels in the needle eye, portrait of Yuri Gagarin carved out of blackthorn stone; balalaika in a poppy-seed as well as the smallest book in the world. Therefore Syadristy’s masterpieces can be seen only with a microscope. *Kiev-Pechersk Lavra Caves* Kiev-Pechersk Lavra Caves is the ancient system of underground corridors. The Monastery Caves consist of Near-By Caves and Far-Off Caves. The caves were mentioned for the first time in old chronicles in 1051. The very first monks lived in caves. Later the caves were used as burial grounds. Local Christians are attracted there by the possibility of praying at the remains of Nestor the Chronicler, the author of "The Tale of Bygone Years", of Ilya of Murom, the epic hero, and at the imperishable Lavra saints’ bodies. *Chernobyl Museum* It was the biggest man-made disaster in the history of mankind, which occurred April 26, 1986 at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine. As a result of the accident fourth reactor was destroyed . About 8 tons of radioactive material were blown into the sky. The museum exposition consists of more than 7000 exhibits in 5 halls. There are declassified documents on the causes of the disaster, maps and photos. The visitors are told about the influence of radiation on animal and plant life. You will know about the heroic deeds of the liquidators to minimize the effects of the disaster. The exhibition is equipped with modern technical facilities. The events of 26 April 1986 are recreated in the diorama. You can also see a documentary film about the life in the exclusion zone. *Kiev Opera House* It is the main ballet and opera stage in Kiev. More than 50 operas and ballets are included in the theater repertoire. Popular operas are performed on their original language. The team is excellent and the ticket price is reasonable.
	Day 4 - Kiev
	Pirogovo – World War II museum - Dnieper River Boat Trip
	*Pirogovo Skansen* The State Museum of Folk Architecture and Folk Ways of Life is an architectural and landscape complex. All ethnographic regions of Ukraine are represented there. The museum was founded in the village of Pirogovo on the outskirts of Kiev in 1969. The museum area is 150 hectares big area. About three hundred original buildings are located there. The Museum was opened for wide public in 1976. The architecture of Ukrainian countryside, peasants’ mode of life and folk art of the Ukrainians are represented there. There are huts, barns, churches, a school, a road house and farm buildings in the museum. The six little villages represent all six ethnographic regions of Ukraine. They are Middle Pridneprovie region, Poltava and Slobozhanschina region, Polissya (Woodlands) region, Podillya (Lowlands) region, southern Ukraine region and Carpathian Mountains region. That is why Pirogovo museum is often called Ukraine in miniature. There are also some expositions such as a windmills hill, a trade fair field and a Soviet village. Summer and autumn festivals of folk crafts are held in the museum. Blacksmiths, potters, weavers and other craftsmen demonstrate their crafts. Works of folk art are created right in front of the public. On Sunday Ukrainian folk concerts are organized in the museum. "The National Museum of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945" Memorial Complex The area of the Memorial Complex is over 10 hectares big area. The complex includes the following sites: Museum of World War II with the 102 meter high monument called the Soviet Motherland, the main square with hero-cities alley and two monuments - “Crossing of the Dnieper in 1943" "Heroes of the Front and Home Front" with bronze high relief compositions; “Flames of Glory " Bowl, the open air exhibition of military equipment and weapons, the permanent exhibitions - "The tragedy and valor in Afghanistan" and "Wars in strange lands”. Li-2 transport plane, Mi-24V helicopter and MiG-23 jet fighter can be viewed inside. The exhibition halls of the Museum of World War II are arranged as a "road of war" thematically and chronologically. The exhibition is divided into thematic halls, including the defense of Sevastopol, the occupation regime and the concentration camps, the guerrilla movement in the area of Ukraine occupied by Nazi, the crossing of the Dnieper, the liberation of Europe. The culmination of the exhibition is a memory hall with 27-meter long table with embroidered towels and death certificates. Boat Trip along the Dnieper River The Dnieper river boats trip is one of the favorite types of entertainment of Kyiv residents and tourists visiting the capital of Ukraine. You will have your opportunity to enjoy again the stunning sights of Kiev such as Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, Arch of Friendship, River Port Terminal, Magdeburg Rights Column, Podol (Lower Town), Mariinsky Park, Metro Bridge, Darnitskiy Bridge, Moscow Bridge, Trukhanov island and Hydropark. A cool breeze makes the trip especially pleasant on a hot summer day.
	Day 5 - Kiev-Uman-Kiev
	Sofievka Park
	Sofievka Landscape Park of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine is well known far beyond Ukraine as one of the most outstanding masterpieces of world landscape and gardening art of the late 18th - early 19th centuries. Sofiyivka Park can be compared with such masterpieces of landscape art in Europe as Balbi Garden in Florence (Italy), Park Sanssouci in Potsdam (Germany) and a park at Versailles (France). Everything in the park reminds Greece – the native land of Sofia, Count Potocki’s sweet heart. There are statues of Greek gods, the Cretan labyrinth and an underground river "Styx" leading to gloomy Hades. There are 1,220 species of trees and bush species and 774 species of herbaceous plants in the park. The park visitors will be fascinated with very wonderful scenery, numerous fountains, artificial grottoes and exquisite sculptures of ancient gods and goddesses. There are many ways to enjoy your free time there. In the park you can use the ferry, gondola, catamarans. You can sail a boat on an underground river. You can ride a horse or a cart. You can be photographed in clothes that were fashionable in the 19th century.
	Day 6 - Kiev-Lviv
	Breakfast. Departure from the hotel. Transfer to the airport. Kiev-Lviv Flight Meeting at the airport. Transfer to hotel. Check-in. Lviv City tour.
	Lviv City tour: High Castle Hill, Bernadine monastery-fortress, a royal and a city arsenals, Armenian and Jewish quarters, the Transfiguration Church, the Dormition Church ensemble with the Three Saints Chapel, the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin and the Kornyakt’s bell tower; Latin Cathedral of St. Mary, the Dominican monastery with the Temple of the God’s Body (Holy Eucharist) and the Museum of Religion, Town Hall, Bandinelli’s Palace, Kornyakt’s Palace and "Italian Courtyard" (the former residence of King Jan III Sobieski), the Catholic Archbishop's Palace, the Lubomirski counts’ palace, "Black Stone Mansion”, mansions of the richest Lviv residents of the Middle Ages such as Wolf-Sholtsovych, Masari, Bernantovych; Lviv Opera House (one of the most magnificent opera houses in the world), a monument to Taras Shevchenko and the "Wave of National Revival", monument to the Good Soldier Svejk (a character of Jaroslav Hasek's novel), George Hotel, the St. Peter and St. Paul Jesuit church, monument to Adam Mickiewicz.
	Day 7 - Lviv-Lviv region Castles-Lviv
	"Golden Horseshoe" in Lviv region (Olesko, Pidhirtsi, Zolochiv castles)
	Olesko castle Olesko castle is an architectural monument of the 14th -17th centuries. That is the most ancient castle in the area of Western Ukraine. The Branch of Lviv Art Gallery has been in the Olesko Castle since 1975. The works of art 13th – 19th centuries such as paintings, sculptures and icons can be seen there. First of all there is a superb collection of wooden sculpture of 14th – 19th centuries as well as antique furniture in the castle. The walls are decorated with tapestries and paintings. The castle is surrounded with a picturesque park. *Pidhirtsi Castle* Pidhirtsi Castle is a well-preserved architectural monument of the Late Renaissance. The castle is surrounded with defensive structures. You can see a palace, a Baroque church, an entrance gate and a 18th century park with old lime trees. The castle is surrounded with fortifications from east, south and west. There are ramparts and a deep moat there. Pidhirtsi park is one of the best masterpieces of landscape architecture. It was equipped at the level of the best "Italian" Parks. Pidhirtsi Park is almost the only park of that kind in Ukraine. *Zolochiv Castle* Zolochiv Castle is the third castle included in the Golden Horseshoe of Lvov region. Today the palace complex is surrounded with high ramparts, as it used to be surrounded in the past. The pentagonal bastions are topped with watchtowers. Though the watchtowers are used only as the decoration of the castle now. The castle was rebuilt to some big extent in the 19th century. Originally Zolochiv castle was built as a citadel bastion type castle. It has been preserved practically in its original forms. There is a two-storey high Renaissance style palace in the courtyard of the castle. A Chinese palace is situated nearby. A little pagoda was built near the palace. There are sculptures and flowerbeds in the yard.
	Day 8 - Lviv
	Shevchenko’s grove - Lychakiv cemetery - Farewell party
	*"Shevchenko’s grove" Museum of Folk Architecture and Mode of Life* Shevchenko’s grove is an open air museum. Its territory is conventionally divided into six ethnographic zones. They are Boykiv, Lemkiv, Hutsul, Bukovyna, Podilya and Volyn-Podilya zones. There are more than 120 buildings typical for the western regions of Ukraine in the Shevchenko’s grove. There are six churches there. The oldest exhibit is a peasant’s hut built in 1749. There are also a smithy, a school, a sawmill, a fulling plant, some water and wind mills in the museum. The museum exhibition contains over 20 thousand objects of everyday life and folk art. The hilly landscape, vegetation of the Carpathians and the historical buildings carefully transferred from different regions of Western Ukraine are the main attractions of the museum. *Lychakiv Memorial Cemetery* Lychakiv cemetery is one of the most ancient cemeteries in Europe. It was founded in 1786. This is a real museum-necropolis with its area of 40 hectares. There are more than 3000 stone tombs in the cemetery. Most of the gravestones are the historical and cultural attractions. There tombs of the representatives of Ukrainian, Polish, Austrian, Russian, Armenian and other ethnic groups who created the history of Galicia. Many prominent public figures, historians, politicians, writers, composers and singers were buried there. For example there are graves of Ivan Franko, Markiyan Shashkevych, Solomiya Krushelnytska, Kos-Anatolsky, Stanislav Lyudkevych, Vladimir Ivasyuk, Ivan Kripyakevich, Ivan Trush, Iryna Vilde, Anton Monastirsky, Gabriela Zapolskaya, Maria Konopnicka, Karol Szajnocha, Arthur Grottger, Julian Ordon, Stanislav Szczepanówsky, Stepan Banach and many others. There are some war memorials, including the Ukrainian Insurgent Army memorial and the Polish memorial. Lychakiv cemetery was granted the status of historical and cultural reserve in 1990. *Farewell party in Western Ukrainian style* Western Ukrainian cuisine is very simple and at the same time very original cuisine. The corn grits, potatoes, mushrooms are the mostly used ingredients of local food. Western Ukrainian cuisine is well known for its homemade smoked meat, soup mushroom, cabbage rolls as well as feta cheese, which is prepared by local shepherds at the summer high pastures.
	Day 9 - Lviv
	Breakfast. Departure from the hotel. Transfer to the airport.


Photo4. Transfiguration Church, Lviv.	Photo5. Transfiguration Church, interiors Lviv.	Photo6. Market Square, Lviv.

☎ +38 (044) 22-7777-8, +38 (099) 55-00-000, +38 (096) 94-00-000

Tours to Ukraine Best and West Tour: KIEV - LVIV

Popular excursions

Video about Ukraine

Currency converter

We accepted

Search

Weather Forecast

Must-see in Ukraine

Defense Attaché of the Embassy of Switzerland in Ukraine Christoph BROON: “EACH CITY AND REGION IN UKRAINE OFFERS MUCH INTERESTING TO THOSE, WHO ARE ORIENTED TO LEARN MORE IN THE FIELD OF GEOGRAPHY, CULTURE AND HISTORY”