Ukraine - reasons to come

By the standards of Russia Ukraine is a small country: from Kiev by train during the night it is possible to get to any border. But by European standards is a giant, larger than France or Spain, and the space from Chop to Tuzla scenery changes so dramatically that this diversity would be enough for a separate Ukrainian Globe.
 The starting point on this globe will be Kiev, acquired the post of European capital over the years of independence . Now walk through Kreshchatik and inspection mosaics in St. Sophia Cathedral can be combined with a visit to the reconstructed St. Michael Cathedral, and tasting of local beers during a raid on nightclubs. In Kiev, you can easily find the best samples of all Ukrainian: best fat - in Kiev markets, tender dumplings under gorilka - in Kiev's restaurants, most "garni" lads  - in Kiev «Dinamo».
 Dnipro - Ukraine's prime meridian - divides it into two dissimilar half. To the west of the Dnieper mixed former Jewish towns, Polish castles, backwater of the Austro-Hungarian city of half a dozen churches and monasteries. In a modest regional center Kamenetz-Podolsk, for example, has a large Turkish fortress, a Polish church with adjacent minaret, the Armenian merchant quarter, but still - some Orthodox churches, the Uniate churches and synagogues. Farther west, in Lviv, capital of Galicia, was captured in stone illustrative material for the full course of the history of European architecture of XV-XIX centuries, from the Gothic and Renaissance to the Viennese Secession. For optional studies in the vicinity of Lviv - Castle Oles'ko, chateau in Pidgirtsi and majestic monastery complex in Pochaev.
 From Lviv to the south - Carpathian Mountains, covered with thick forests of the mountain, not very tall and not very inhabited. Get experience in folk flavor and profiteer and buy amusing souvenirs can be in cities in Kosovo, where every Saturday, come to the fair all the masters from Hutsulshchyna. Over the Carpathians begins Eastern Europe. In flat such as board plains scatters the Hungarian and Slovak villages, and two largest cities - Uzhgorod and Mukachevo - both has the Gothic castle.
 On the east bank of the Dnieper everything simpler: absence of forests in the steppe, Donbass, Dneproges and the largest industrial centers of the former Soviet Union. If you come would not for a visit then finding attractions in Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk will be difficult. The only exception of the rule - Kharkiv, the second largest city of Ukraine, the former even once its capital. From the capital time here is rebuilt by constructivists ceremonial center with the largest urban area in Europe (12 hectares). Today Kharkiv is trying to challenge in Kiev right to be called the cultural capital.
 East-steppe end Azov Sea and Crimea. Crimea - a separate continent of the globe Ukrainian. Ancient ruins, cave cities, Genoese fortress, the Tartar Mosque, and quite Mediterranean landscapes, incredible way trapped in such northern latitudes. Each year, for the sake of these landscapes and cheap holiday by the sea here come the crowds of tourists, filling the entire coast from Kerch to Evpatoria.
 Exept Crimea, portion of the sea and the sun might be get in Odessa. Nether longer been the capital of organized crime nor a humorous farce, as it is presented, Odessa today - relaxed seaside town where the most precious thing - it's the atmosphere that has arisen from the grand facade, ropes with drying laundry, emotional speech, smell of the acacia trees and the sun melted the asphalt.