Tourism in Ukraine - Overview
Ukraine is a country with great tourist potential. Up to 2014, more than 20 million foreigners visited Ukraine annually, primarily from Russia, Moldova, Belarus, neighboring countries of Eastern Europe, as well as the United States, Uzbekistan, and Israel.
However, only about 6% of those who arrived (1.23 million in 2011) declared tourism as the purpose of the trip, mainly from Russia (40% of all tourists), Poland (11%), Belarus ( 9%), Germany (6%), the United States (4%).
In 2014, after the beginning of the armed conflict in the east of Ukraine, the tourist attractiveness of the country fell sharply. In 2015, Ukraine was visited by 12.4 million people including one-day visits. And only about 15 thousand people declared that the purpose of the trip was tourism. The loss of such a popular tourist destination as the Crimea influenced the decrease in the number of tourists too.
The sphere of tourist interests in Ukraine includes both active types of recreation and sports tourism, such as rock climbing and skiing, and travel with cognitive purposes - exploring the rich archaeological and religious history of Ukraine, its culture and nature. Also, the numerous medical resorts located literally in all regions of Ukraine are gradually becoming more popular. Ukrainian cuisine is very diverse and delicious.
Visas to Ukraine
Citizens of more than 50 countries including the countries of the European Union, the United States, Canada, Japan, Israel, Brazil, Turkey, Russia can enter Ukraine without visas for up to 90 days during any 180-day period.
Citizens of more than 30 countries including Australia, China, India, Mexico, Saudi Arabia can enter Ukraine by receiving visas upon arrival at Kyiv-Boryspil airport, Kyiv International Airport (Zhulyany) and Odessa International Airport for a stay of up to 15 days. To get a visa upon arrival, you will need to provide one of the following documents: an invitation or documents confirming the tourist purpose of your trip or a document confirming investment in the economy of Ukraine.
Rich historical heritage of Ukraine
St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Cathedral in Kyiv
Author: Ivanov E.A.
Black House (Kamenitsa) at Rynok Square in Lviv
Author: Marek Zdziechowski
Magnificent fortress of Kamianets-Podilskyi
Author: Mariusz Rzetala
Main Tourist Destinations of Ukraine
Kyiv - the historical capital of the Old Russian state (Kievan Rus) and present Ukraine standing on the Dnieper River. It is known for its old cathedrals and monasteries, wide boulevards, scenic views, and a variety of cultural institutions.
Kamianets-Podilskyi - a medieval historical and cultural complex, one of the oldest cities of Ukraine with a magnificent fortress.
Lviv - a medieval “old town” with unique architecture combining Polish and German elements; the historical center of Lviv is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Mukachevo - an important cultural center of Transcarpathia with a number of preserved monuments of architecture including the Palanok Castle.
Odessa - a port on the Black Sea with a lot of beaches and a unique mixture of different cultures.
Chernihiv - an old city with a lot of churches and other architectural monuments, one of the largest towns of Kievan Rus.
Chernivtsi - the historical center of Bukovina and an important cultural center of Western Ukraine with an interesting architecture in the Austrian style, similar to Ivano-Frankivsk. The architectural jewel of Chernivtsi is the ensemble of the former Residence of Metropolitans of Bukovina included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Castles of the Golden Horseshoe: Olesko Castle, Pidhirtsi Castle, Zolochiv Castle in Galichina (Lviv oblast).
Dnipro - a relatively young city with numerous monuments, interesting museums, progressive modern architecture, the longest embankment in Europe (23 km).
Kharkiv - the first capital of Soviet Ukraine with a unique architecture, a lot of monuments, theaters, museums.
Zaporizhia - the longest avenue in Europe (15 km), the Dnieper Hydroelectric Station, Khortytsia Island (the largest island on the river in Europe) with the Zaporizhian Cossacks Museum.
Nikolaev - also known as the City of Brides.
Carpathian Mountains - picturesque mountain landscapes with extensive opportunities for mountain skiing and hiking, healing springs.
Beach resorts on the shores of the Black and Azov Seas.
The Dnieper River - cruises, fishing, beaches.
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