Rest in Ukraine becomes every year more and more popular. Indeed, the diversity of the nature and types of recreation will satisfy the most discerning traveler: the mountains, the sea and just a beautiful city - this is not the full list of locations attractive to tourists in their own country.

Geography
 
Ukraine is situated in the central part of Eastern Europe. In the north it is bordered by Belarus, the south and south-west - with Hungary, Romania and Moldova to the east - to Russia, in the west - with Poland and Slovakia. Southern coast of Ukraine is washed by Black and Azov seas.

Administrative-territorial structure of Ukraine consists of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and 24 oblasts. The total area is 603.7 thousand sq. km.

In the far west of the country are located Ukrainian Carpathian Mountains (highest point - Mount Hoverla, 2,061 m), and in the far south - the Crimean Mountains (highest point - Mount Roman-Kosh, 1.545 m).

Flowing through Ukraine more than 70,000 rivers. The largest of these are the Dnieper, Dniester, Desna, the Southern Bug. The main river of the country - Dnieper - divides it into right-and left-bank Ukraine. The country has more than 3,000 natural lakes, the largest of which is Svityaz, as well as many sources of mineral water and mud, which are used to treat many diseases.

Climate

Moderate climate of Ukraine. Average January temperatures range from-8C in the north-east to +4 C in the south of Crimea, in July - respectively from 18 C to +24 C. Precipitation in the north-west falls 600-700 mm per year, in the south-east - up to 300 mm, in the Crimean mountains - 1000-1200 mm in the Carpathians - 1600 mm.

Capital

Kiev (2.6 million, 1991)

Language

Official language - Ukrainian. The Russian-speaking population is about half the population. There is a compact living groups speaking in Crimean Tatar, Romanian, Polish, Hungarian, and other languages.

Currency

The monetary unit of Ukraine - grivna (UAH). Exchange foreign currency into hryvnia possible in banks and many exchange offices. The most common foreign currency in Ukraine is the U.S. dollar and the euro. Most hotels, restaurants and shops accept credit cards.

Time zone

GMT +2. Time - Kiev

Population

50 million. Ukrainians - 73%, Russian - 22%, Crimean Tatars, Jews, Romanians, Moldavians, Belorussians, Bulgarians, Poles, Hungarians - 5%

Religion

Most Orthodox Christians - 76% (some refer themselves to the Moscow Patriarchate, and some - to Kiev, part - to the Ukrainian Autocephalous Church), Eastern Rite Catholics (Uniates) - 13.5%, and Muslims - 8.2%, Protestant and Jews - 2.3%.

Political Structure

The head of state - the president. Head of Government - Prime Minister. Legislative body - the Supreme Council (Verkhovna Rada). The Crimea - own Supreme Council, the Council of Ministers, and the Supreme Arbitration Courts, local representative and public authorities.

Rules of entry

At present, the Russian citizens do not require visas at the border is enough to show passport. Be introduced in the near future on the basis of entry visas or passports. Russian citizens entering Ukraine for the following documents:
passport of the Russian Federation.
birth certificate (for children up to 16 years).

Cash foreign currency imported by natural persons, regardless of age.

At import of foreign currency is allowed to verbally declare the amount in any currency, not to exceed the equivalent of 1,000 U.S. dollars, and checks issued by foreign banks by the same amount. Mandatory instructions in the customs declaration required amounts corresponding to the equivalent of 1 000 - 10 000 U.S. dollars or checks up to $ 50,000 U.S. dollars, regardless of the currency. Authorizing documents is not required. Cash foreign currency in excess of $ 10 000 U.S. dollars, taken by customs authorities at the store and returned to the owner for its entry into Ukraine for granting special permission from the National Bank. The same rule applies checks for more than $ 50,000 U.S. dollars.

The export of foreign currency outside of Ukraine is allowed in cash and / or traveler's checks in the amount of up to $ 1000, provided oral declaration, and provided a written declaration to the provision of information in the form of the bank 01 - the equivalent of $ 5,000.

As for the goods when imported to the customs territory of Ukraine shall be exempt from taxation:
goods, the total customs value does not exceed EUR 200, and the total weight is 50 kg, which are imported by citizens in accompanied baggage (if oral declaration);
beverages in quantities of 1 st liter wine - 2 liters, beer - 5 liters Tobacco - 200 cigarettes, which are imported in the personal luggage of citizens;
goods that are temporarily imported into the customs territory of Ukraine under the obligation to re-export them.
In addition, you can import into the customs territory of Ukraine of food for their own consumption of up to 50 euros per person. They are declared orally or in writing at the request of the owner or on-demand a customs official.

Not subject to movement in unaccompanied baggage food without packaging manufacturer.

Transport

Regular flights, rail, road, sea and river transport. In Kiev, Dnepropetrovsk and Kharkov operates underground.

Link

Local, long distance and international calls can be made from pay phones or call centers. Payment is made through phone cards that can be purchased at any post office, newsagents, petrol stations, some shops, cafes, stalls for the sale of tickets for public transport.

Mobile communication uses standard GSM 900/1800, NMT-450i and D-AMPS, cover tight enough. Register on the phone to the GOS is not required. The entire territory of Ukraine (the Crimea) is a zone of intra-network roaming calls are charged at local urban rates. Rates of different operators often differ from each other quite strongly, depending on the time of day. Calls in the evening and at night, and on weekends and holidays are often much cheaper. In the Crimea because of topography mobile may be unstable. All incoming calls from Ukrainian mobile operators - free.

Electricity

Electrical supply - 220V, frequency - 50 Hz. Plugs and sockets used the European model.

Tip

Size of the tip is usually 5% of the order, in large restaurants to leave 10% of the bill. The waiter would return delivery of the account, and after that, in the same napkin, leave a tip.

Taxi drivers to leave 10% on top of the counter or just leave a little thing to change.

Weekends and holidays

January 1 - New Year

January 7 - Christmas

March 8 - International Women's Day

1, 2 May - International Workers' Day

May 9 - Victory Day

June 28 - Day of the Constitution of Ukraine

August 24 - Independence Day

These non-working days in Ukraine. Are also non-working days, which account for Easter and Pentecost.

Attractions

In Ukraine, are monuments of many eras - from Scythian burial and the Greek cities to examples of classic architecture. Sights can be seen almost everywhere, even in small towns and villages, not to mention the larger centers.

Undoubtedly, the greatest number of tourists attracted by the capital of Ukraine - Kiev. This is a beautiful city of contrasts - high hills and flat spaces, densely built-up areas and the huge array of park, wide roads and cozy alleys. The main attractions are the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev (XI century., Rebuilt in the XVII century.), Kiev-Pechersk Lavra (XI in the middle.) - The oldest monastery in Russia, a fragment walls XI century, called the Golden Gate, Vydubychi Monastery (at the end of the XI .), Church of the Savior on Berestove (end XI - beginning of XII century.), St. Cyril's Church (XII century.), churches and buildings of the XVII century, in the style of baroque buildings of the Classical period - a monument to the Magdeburg law (early XIX century. ), a church-rotunda at Askold's grave (the beginning of XIX century., wraps in the middle of the twentieth century), the university (the middle of the nineteenth century), St. Vladimir's Cathedral (XIX c.), the Museum of Ukrainian Fine Arts (the beginning of the twentieth century.), Opera House ( beginning of the twentieth century.), State Bank (the beginning of the twentieth century.). Interesting to visit the streets and squares of the city - Andrew's Descent, Khreschatyk, Independence Square, Hem. Attracted the attention of numerous museums - the National Museum. Shevchenko, the Ukrainian Museum of Fine Arts, Western and Eastern Art, Decorative Folk Art, the National Museum of Folk Architecture and Rural Life in Pirogovo, archaeological, medical history, Kiev Caves State Historical and Cultural Reserve Museum of Art. Bogdan and Varvara Khanenko One Street Museum, Center for Contemporary Art at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, the Museum of the Great Patriotic War, historical and architectural monument-museum "Kyiv fortress", numerous art galleries and exhibitions.

At 60 km. from Kiev is a city-museum Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky - one of the oldest cities in the country, famous for its many museums and special charm of its streets.

Lviv - this is one of the largest cities of Ukraine. It resembles an open air museum, which houses the 2000 historical, architectural and cultural attractions. In the city center is an architectural ensemble of the Town Hall (1381 - 1827 gg.), A symbol of the city. Entrance to City Hall is guarded by two lions holding shields with the coat of arms of the city. Among the other attractions of the city - the area of the Adam Mickiewicz, Liberty Avenue, the Powder Tower, the city and the royal arsenals, St. Nicholas Church, the ensemble of the Assumption Church, the Cathedral of St. George's Cathedral, the Armenian churches and monasteries, Bernardine Church and Monastery, Dominican church, church Jesuits, the Opera House, palaces Kornyakta, Lubomirski and Potocki. In the east of Lviv region has three of the castle - Olessky (XIII - XVIII c.), Podgoretsky (XVII - XVIII centuries.) And Zolochevsky (XVI-XVII centuries.).

Kharkov - the second-largest city and the main cultural center of Eastern Ukraine. In Kharkiv, is the largest square in Europe - Liberty Square, which regularly hosts fairs and concerts. Architectural monuments - the Assumption Cathedral (XIX c.), Pokrovsky Cathedral (mid XVI century.), The Annunciation Cathedral (end of XIX century. - XX c.), Bishop's House (the beginning of the nineteenth century.) Gosprom (early twentieth century .).

Chernihiv - one of the oldest cities in Russia. Come down to our times Transfiguration (XI B), Boris (XII century.), Assumption (XII century). Cathedrals, Elias Church (konets. XI - XII centuries beginning.) And the Church of St. Paraskeva (end of XII - beginning of XII century .). There are also monuments XVII - XVIII centuries. and the Classical period. Within the city, there is a black grave, where according to legend was buried the founder of Black Prince.

Odessa - the third largest city in Ukraine, is a port city, located on the Black Sea. Odessa has long been a popular tourist destination thanks to its wide sandy beaches and the unique microclimate. Today you can choose a holiday for all tastes - from the simple to the expensive. In Odessa itself, there are hotels and resorts at various levels, specializing in treatment of various diseases. Today there are resorts Zatoka (Carolino Bugaz) Ilyichevsk Koblevo, Sergeevka. On the beaches provide plenty of entertainment - water slides, boating and sailing, jet skis, children's rides, plenty of bars and cafes, youth discos. In Odessa and the surrounding area carried out more than 30 trips. Its main attraction is the Holy Trinity Church (1808), the Church of St. Paul (1897), Belvedere (1826 - 28 years.), Opera and Ballet (1884 - 87 years.), Palace (1805 - 10 years.) , the Palace complex (1826-34 gg.) and numerous museums dedicated to various topics.

Transcarpathia - a very interesting area of Ukraine. It is an area with a unique history and culture, which was influenced by many people. Here are all the architectural styles - from wooden architecture to the style of the late XIX - early XX centuries. Can see ancient wooden and stone churches, grand medieval houses, palaces, monasteries and churches. Transcarpathia is known for its feudal castles and fortresses that were built in the X - XV centuries. to protect cities and residence of the nobility. Only in this region, there are about 12 castles. Among them, such as Khotyn Fortress, Kamenetz-Podolsky Castle, Lutsk castle, Mukachevo castle "Palanok" Nevitsky Castle, Uzhhorod Castle, Pidhirtsi Castle, Olesko, Zolochiv castle. Khotyn fortress situated near the town of Chernivtsi, 70 km from Chernivtsi on the bank of the Dniester. This is a historical and architectural monument of 13-19 centuries. Walls and five towers are well preserved in the Museum of History of the fortress. Inside there are houses, wells, caves are also available to visitors.

Near the town is Rakhiv Carpathian Biosphere Reserve with karst caves "milk stone", "comb" and the deepest mine in the Carpathians "Friendship". In the reserve you can see the unique valley of daffodils. The village is located Synevyrska Polyana alpine glacial lake, which is National Park.

Crimean peninsula itself is an attraction in Ukraine. In its territory many unique natural and landscape masterpieces - the Grand Canyon, Cape Aya Bay New World, volcanic massive Karadag, Ayu-Dag and rocks Adalary, Balaklava Bay, Yayla Crimean Mountains cuesta Kaczynski gate canyon, Cape Marian sanctuary, waterfalls Wuchang-Su and Dzhurdzhur, Mount Demerdzhi and Chatyrdag, numerous caves. Here are the Yalta and Karadag Reserve, Nikita Botanical Garden and the Crimean reserve-hunting. Of man-made monument in the first merit Crimean museum, Hersonesky and Kerch Historical and Archeological Museum, the royal palace at Livadia and Massandra Palace Vorontsov in Alupka Palace Dulber in Mishor, "Swallow's Nest", the fortress Calais and Calais Mangup , Khan's palace and the old buildings in Bakhchisarai, Genoese fortress in Sudak and Balaklava, a picture gallery, Ivan Aivazovsky in Feodosia, monasteries in Inkerman and Bakhchisarai.

Azov coast. Azov sea - it is an internal body of water, is on the East Coast of the Crimea, the coast of Zaporozhye and Donetsk regions. Because of the closeness of the water is 3-5 degrees warmer than in the Black Sea. The ancient Greeks called the Sea of Azov Mayotis estuary - "Meotian Lake" and the Romans - "Meotian swamp" because of its shallowness and low-lying marshy eastern shore. Azov sea coast less picturesque and diverse than Black. But it does have its own, unique beauty. Close to the sea come close steppe, and in some places covered with reed marshes. The coastline forms the smooth curves, and only long sandy spit give it some irregularity. A large number of braids - this is one of the features of the coast of the Azov Sea. The main coastal resorts - Melekino, Belosarayskaya Spit, Berdyansk, New Yalta, Sedov, Urzuf, Yuryevka. In sanatoria untreated mineral water and mud.