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you are the type who needs to explore
the earth, discover new lands and
see the world up close, Ukraine is
a good choice to add to your list
of destinations. It is the second
largest country in Europe (after France)
and offers a wide variety of nature
and culture, the latter a rich vein
of Slavic history and tradition. And
if you missed your chance to see the
CIS countries right after the fall
of the Soviet Union, there is still
time to see one while it transforms
itself from its recent past into a
new, modern identity.
In many ways, Ukraine
is an ideal east European country
to visit. For one, it is much more
accessible than Russia. Kyiv, the
capital, is smaller than Moscow and
has a certain intimacy to it. There
are stretches of Soviet-era apartments,
but in the city center much of the
old-time architecture is intact and
with restoration gives Kyiv a classical
European feel.
Kyiv is also one
of the greenest capitals in Europe,
with an abundance of parks and the
Dnipr running through it. In many
areas the river banks have been developed
as beaches, which are popular with
young people in the summer. The parks,
riverbanks and streets in the center
make Kyiv a great city for exploring
on foot. Most of the main historical
sites are in the center or close to
it, as are most good restaurants and
places of entertainment.
But Ukraine is a
country of many cities, each with
its own history and cultural features.
They are worth exploring for the stories
they tell, in their people, architecture
and industries, and the insights they
offer into the evolution of modern
Ukraine.
The western part
of the country is dominated by the
Carpathian Mountains, and two of the
main cities in the region have rich
histories as central European cities.
At the foot of the mountains, 20 miles
north of the Romanian border, lies
Chernivtsi. It was the capital of
Bukovyna, a region of the Habsburg
Empire, when it was called by its
German name, Czernowitz. There, in
1875, a fine university was built.
It continues in use today. Incorporated
into Ukraine after World War II, the
town has the air of a former European
center clinging to its authentic architectural
lines despite the later addition of
some ungainly Soviet structures.
North is Lviv, close
to the border with Poland. In ancient
times Lviv was the capital of a mighty
Slavic state called the Galicia-Volyn
principality. Belonging first to the
Austro-Hungarian Empire and then Poland
contributed to the formation of the
city's unique character. The central
part of the city, which is like an
open-air museum, is included in the
UNESCO list of World Heritage sites.
Despite the whims of history, the
city has not lost its Ukrainian spirit
and today is home to some 800,000
people.
Central and Eastern
Ukraine is home to some of the large
industrial cities. The most central
is Dnipropetrovsk, which during
Soviet times was a major center
for the defense industry, including
missile construction, and closed
to outsiders. It is open now, but
there is little for a tourist to
see.
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