The European Cup will be hosted this year by Poland and Ukraine between June 8th and July 1st, and you can bet Ukraine will be packed with tourists. If you're wondering what to see in Ukraine while in the country, here it's some ideas of some of the most popular tourist attractions people visit while in Ukraine:
Pechersk Lavra Monastery, Kiev
The Pechersk Lavra Monastery is truly one of the most beautiful tourist sights to see in Ukraine. The monastery isn’t only historic (it was built in the 11th century) but it’s also one of the holiest Orthodox monasteries in the world.
Monks still operate the monastery, though much of the site is open to visitors, including the bell tower, the churches and the underground caves, which contains the mummified bodies of monks. The tour of the underground caves is one of the highlights of the monastery as well as the micro-miniatures museum, which boasts impressive tiny creations such as a chess set and an electric motor the size of a pin.
Old Town of Lviv
If you’re visiting Ukraine for the first time, one of the must see places in your itinerary has to be the old town of Lviv, which is a UNESCO Site.
Lviv old town boasts a huge amount of castles, churches, cathedrals and other historic landmarks such as Lviv Theatre of Opera and Ballet, Lviv Rathaus and Lviv Arsenal. You can definitely spend all day in Lviv’s old town walking the streets, and exploring all the sights while soaking in the lovely old town atmosphere. By the way, if you’re traveling during the summer, be sure to stop in one of the coffee places for a bit of people watching.
Museum of the Great Patriotic War, Kiev
If you’re a history buff or are interested in war memorabilia, the Great Patriotic War museum is another of the tourist sights to see in Ukraine. This museum is located next door to the Pechersk Lavra and it’s a great museum to learn about the Eastern Front of World War II, the Jewish holocaust, the Russian wars and even ongoing wars such as the Middle East conflict from a non-western viewpoint.
Even if aren’t a fan of history or old military vehicles, the Great Patriotic War is still an interesting place to visit if only to take photos of the stunning “Mother Motherland” statue, which is located above the monument
Askania-Nova Reserve
If you’re looking for non-city attractions to visit in Ukraine that aren’t too far off the tourist trail, the Askania-Nova reserve would be one of them. The reserve is located not far from the city of Kherson and the reserve is a beautiful place to go to for a fun day outdoors with the kids.
The Askania-Nova reserve boasts a zoo park, a botanical garden and a huge grassland prairie where you'll be able to spot bisons, zebras, antelopes, etc.
Ternopil's Lake
Ternopil’s Lake is located in the city of Ternopil’ (east of Lviv) and it is another nice place to go in Ukraine for a bit of fun.
You can swim in the lake in the summer, and enjoy ice-skating in the winter. There is also a cool old soviet style boat that takes tourists around the lake, which is quite fun.
Odessa Opera and Ballet Theater
A visit to Ukraine wouldn’t be complete without visiting an opera house and what better place to go than the opera and ballet theater in Odessa?
This theater is easily one of the most beautiful opera houses you’ll ever see in Europe period! The daily shows and performances at the theater are equally outstanding and for around 15 euros you can get orchestra seats.
Privoz Market, Odessa
If you’re planning to do lots of shopping in Ukraine, make sure you pass by the street market in Privoz Odessa. This market is located at 14 Privoz St. and it’s one of the best places in Ukraine to do a bit of general shopping.
Privoz market has lost of different stalls with vendors selling anything from local produce and souvenir items, to leather and electrical goods. While there, be sure to sample some yummy kubasas sausages.
Golden Gates of Kiev
The Golden Gates of Kiev is definitely one of the top tourist sights to see in Ukraine and one of the most photographed landmarks in the country. The Golden Gates is actually a replica of the original Golden Gates that was destroyed in the 16th century, though the reconstruction is quite close to what it would’ve looked like back in the 11th century when it was first built.
The Golden Gates is no doubt, worth visiting not only for the photo opportunity but also because you’ll be able to go inside it and see the original bricks used for the gate. There is also a viewing platform on top of the gate that you can climb to enjoy nice views of Kiev.
See. Things to Experience in Russia as a tourist
7 Things to do on a Trip to Slovakia
Best Beach Towns in Poland to Visit
Top 10 things to do in Belarus
7 Reasons to travel to Mongolia
