Western Ukraine's Best

Itinerary

1. Day 1 Arrival in Lviv

   Lviv is a picture-perfect Central European city. The UNESCO-listed Old Town is by no means the only place where you can get in touch with traditional Ukraine while you visit. Lviv’s unique atmosphere emanates from all of its elegant houses and cobblestone streets. You’ll have a wonderful time exploring this atmospheric destination, the heart of Ukrainian culture. The most popular tourist destination in Ukraine, Lviv is a cosmopolitan city with a long history of Jewish, Polish, Austrian and Hungarian influences. European history buffs, or anyone who likes to experience Old World elegance and sophistication will love it here.

   A driver will be at the airport to greet you and transfer you to your centrally located Lviv accommodation. The transfer takes about 30 minutes.

2. Day 2 Your First Full Day in Lviv

   

   Meet Lviv

   The best way to get to know a city is on foot with the help of an expert local guide, who will introduce you to the main historical and contemporary sites of the Old Town (UNESCO Heritage). Unlike many cities in Ukraine, Lviv was lucky enough to escape the destruction in World War II, and nowadays its fascinating streets and numerous museums make it one of the most exciting places in Ukraine to explore. You will uncover the stories behind the medieval atmosphere of Lviv, that will hark you back to days when Lviv was a wealthy trading center.

   • Activity Level : Light
   • Duration : 2 hours

   Included in your vacation package price

   

   Show Your Love With Chocolate

   What can be more romantic than a heart? Especially if it's handmade by yourself out of delicious chocolate? "The chocolate capital of Ukraine" may not sound impressive, but Lviv excels at decadence, from alcohol to coffee to chocolate, and its master chocolatiers are known throughout Eastern Europe. With a private chocolate-making class, you can learn to make various sweets in different forms, or even write a poem in chocolate, while naturally tasting quite a few sweets along the way!

   • Activity Level : Light
   • Duration : 1 hour

   Please ask your travel advisor for the cost to add this to your package

   Watch the video

3. Day 3 Your Second Full Day in Lviv

   

   Explore Beyond the City Limits

   One of the most popular things to do while in Lviv is to take a day trip to several nearby villages all famous for their age-old majestic castles. Each of the castles is quite different from the other. You'll spend most of the day with your private driver and guide, visiting each in turn. Ranging from classic fortified walls, fairytale slender towers and ruins where cows and goats graze on once well-kept lawns, you'll get a lesson in various styles of castle-building.

   • Activity Level : Moderate
   • Duration : 7 hours

   Included in your vacation package price

4. Day 4 Traveling to Kyiv by Train / Arrival in Kyiv

   

   It's time to leave Lviv behind and head to Ukraine's capital, Kyiv. There are several direct trains a day, but only two fast trains that leave either very early in the morning or in the later afternoon and get to Kyiv just over 5 hours later. We'll have you picked up from your accommodation in Lviv and taken to the train station. If you'd prefer to leave at a different time, a private transfer can be arranged at an additional fee. Please note that the private transfer takes about 8 hours and can include different stops along the way: Tunnel of Love, Tarakaniv Fort, or Dubno castle.

   

   You can upgrade your transfer

   Kyiv By Private Transfer with Stops

   Upgrade for an additional cost

   Kyiv is a modern city steeped in history, where high-end shops and colorful restaurants are surrounded with classical architecture. It is the source of Eastern Slavic culture and Kyiv still keeps a firm hold on history. The city’s famous buildings include Saint Sofia, a church that’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nestled in the hills, Kyiv feels spread out and can be a bit of a challenge to take in if you’re trying do so on foot but an excellent public transport system and very inexpensive taxis make getting around a breeze. There’s no shortage of unique things to do here, like touring the grounds of the opulent villa of former President Victor Yanukovych, complete with a huge collection of cars and private zoo. Another must-see, the Monastery of the Caves or Pechersk Lavra, is unlike anyplace else. This UNESCO World Heritage Site consists of a large complex of churches and chapels but most striking is a series of underground caves where you can see mummified monks from the 11th century. It’s just one more thing that makes Kyiv special.

   When you arrive at Kyiv's train station, we will have a driver there to meet you and take you to your accommodation. The transfer takes about 30 minutes.

5. Day 5 Your First Full Day in Kyiv

   

   Get to Know Central Kyiv

   Kyiv is a sprawling city, so we recommend getting to know it with a guide, whether on a three-hour tour that can be wrapped up in time for lunch, or an in-depth eight-hour tour (with lunch and a relaxed pace). You'll see the city's landmarks, understand their significance and stories, and familiarize yourself with the various districts, from the impressive upper town, to fun Podil.

   • Activity Level : Moderate
   • Duration : 3 hours

   Included in your vacation package price

   

   Kyiv Pechersk Lavra Private Walking Tour

   This two-hour excursion will take you thousands of years back in time. With an expert local guide you'll explore one of the most interesting UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the region.

   • Activity Level : Moderate
   • Duration : 2 hours

   Please ask your travel advisor for the cost to add this to your package

6. Day 6 Your Second Full Day in Kyiv

   

   Chernobyl Group Day Tour

   The infamous disaster at Chernobyl had a profound effect on Europe, and continues to be felt, in terms of nuclear policy, and in the Zone of Alienation, the area surrounding Chernobyl where few people are allowed to live and work. A trip to Chernobyl might sound risky, but the typical exposure of a one-day tour is equivalent to a one-hour flight, 1/160th as much as a chest x-ray and 1/3600th as much as a whole body CT scan. Three of Chernobyl's reactors were kept running until 2000, and the power plant remains a worksite. A visit to Chernobyl is sobering, but memorable.
   

   • Activity Level : Moderate
   • Duration : 12 hours

   Included in your vacation package price

   Watch the video

   All of Ukraine in One Spot

   An elevator ride atop The Motherland Monument may offer the best view over Kiev, but what if you could have an overview of the entire country? Since Ukraine is the largest country entirely within the European continent, this sounds impossible. Still, a visit at the Miniatures Museum will offer a pleasant surprise and a fun, easy way to learn more about Ukraine. Here you'll find 48 miniature works, spread out over five acres, that depict Ukraine's most famous monuments.

   Suggestion to explore on your own

7. Day 7 Traveling to Odessa by Airplane / Arrival in Odessa

   

   The fastest way to get to Odessa is by air. There are several flights throughout the day, some departing Kyiv's smaller Zhuliany airport located closer to the city center. The flight time is around 1 hour 20 minutes, so door-to-door should take between 4 and 5 hours. We have included economy class tickets in your package. While it is possible to go by road with a private transfer, it's a very long day and the only interesting stop is at a decommissioned missile base, now a museum.

   Suggested flight:

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   Please note that the flight included in your package is non-refundable. In case you would prefer more flexibility, we can check the flexible fares for you and let you know about the price difference. In addition, the price of the flights is subject to change until we receive your deposit.

   It’s no surprise that Odessa has been featured in so many famous works of art and literature; it has been a cultural center with a unique energy since it was founded in the 18th century. Today it is a lively destination with an engaging variety of restaurants, shops, and unique architecture. One of the city’s most famous buildings is the Opera House, which is both beautiful and very affordable to visit. A port city on the Black Sea, Odessa is also known for its beaches. The famous Potemkin Stairs lead down to the port and are definitely worth seeing. It’s easy to have a wonderful time just strolling though this scenic, very walkable city. Odessa’s catacombs are a famous sight, and along just about any avenue you can admire brightly colored neoclassical buildings. Gourmands will love exploring the city’s dining scene, which boasts some of the best cuisine in Ukraine.

   A driver will be at the airport to greet you and transfer you to your centrally located Odessa accommodation. The transfer takes about 30 minutes.

8. Day 8 Your First Full Day in Odessa

   

   Get to Know Odessa

   Our guided tour of Odessa has been created to give our guests a better understanding of what makes the city unique. You'll walk though Odessa’s historic quarters, seeing the magnificent National Opera and the Ballet House as well as the beautiful Primorsky boulevard. Of course the city’s most iconic sights are on the list too, including the Potemkin Steps, the Vorontsov and Tolstoy palaces, Deribasovskaya street and the City Garden.

   • Activity Level : Light
   • Duration : 4 hours

   Included in your vacation package price

   

   Catacombs Private Tour

   The longest in Europe, Odessa’s catacombs are nothing like the famous catacombs of Paris and Rome. You won’t see remains of people, stacks of bones or hidden pathways to basilicas. The history that’s hidden here is different, but very intriguing. On this unique and interesting tour with an expert guide, you'll uncover the fascinating history of Odessa’s catacombs during a 0.3-mile walk through underground tunnels.

   • Activity Level : Moderate
   • Duration : 3 hours

   Included in your vacation package price

9. Day 9 Your Second Full Day in Odessa

   Explore Beyond the City Limits

   Ready to step outside Odessa and explore beyond the city limits? We suggest enjoying a packed full day tour with a private driver and guide who can show you the highlights of the region. You can see more of the Black Sea coastline, the town of Belgorod-Dnestrovksy and the "White Fortress" (one of Ukraine's largest fortifications), or head to Transnistria, an unrecognized country still living out the Soviet 80s.

   Suggested activities for an additional cost, depending on your choice

   

   The Akkerman Fortress Private Tour and Local Wine Tasting

   Here's one of our favorite day trips outside of Odessa. You'll get to see an ancient fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a fantastic vineyard! An expert local guide will tell you exciting stories about the region as you take in the Black Sea coastline and the countryside, as well as the town of Belgorod-Dnestrovksy and the ”White Fortress,” one of the largest fortresses in Ukraine. The tour continues with a visit to the Shabo winery and Ukraine's center of wine culture. You'll explore cellars built two centuries ago, once visited by the famous Russian poet Alexander Pushkin and King Carol ll of Romania. Of course there will be time to sample some of the vintages.

   • Activity Level : Moderate
   • Duration : 10 hours

   Suggested activities for an additional cost, depending on your choice

   

   Transnistria Private Day Trip

   Transnistria might just be the strangest non-country you'll ever visit. A self-declared republic on the territory of Moldova, this former Soviet territory just can't let go of the past. If you'd like to come to a better understanding of this unique region while seeing some of its most important architecture, we recommend this nine-hour tour with an expert local guide and driver.

   • Activity Level : Moderate
   • Duration : 9 hours

   Suggested activities for an additional cost, depending on your choice

10. Day 10 Departure Day

    Based on your departure time, we'll arrange for a driver to pick you up from your accommodation and transfer you to the airport for your flight. The transfer takes about 30 minutes.