Top 10 Places To Visit In Ukraine - 4K Travel Guide

What's up guys? My name is Ryan and I want to show you some of my favorite places in the beautiful country of Ukraine. So here is my Ukraine Top 10. Ukraine is home to some of the most scenic landscapes. From medieval castles to the towering Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine has so many hidden gems waiting to be explored. Let's start this video off in the beautiful city of Kiev. Located in north-central Ukraine, Kiev is a sight to see. It's home to nearly 3 million residents, making it the 7th most populous city in all Europe. It's believed to have been founded around the 5th century as a Slavic settlement that grew as it was positioned on the trade route between Scandinavia and Constantinople. Today Kiev is an important cultural, scientific, and industrial center of Eastern Europe. I'm amazed by how beautiful the city is, especially during the summertime. One of the most famous places in the city is the Kiev Monastery of the Caves. It's an Orthodox Christian monastery and it began as a cave in the year 1051. Today it's an active monastery with over 100 monks and it's named one of the 7 wonders of Ukraine. Right next to the monastery is the Motherland Monument. It's a 203 feet tall, stainless steel statue that was completed in 1981 and it's just such a unique statue that towers over the city. Kiev is such a spectacular place and I hope you all can visit one day. Afterwards we're going to head over to the infamous Chernobyl. Now located about a 2 hour drive from Kiev, right near the border of Belarus, Chernobyl is where a tragic nuclear accident took place in 1986 where a failed safety test caused a reactor to explode which resulted in the worst nuclear disaster in all history. If you want to binge watch a great show, I highly recommend watching HBO's Chernobyl series. In 2011, Chernobyl was open to the public. Today you can take a guided tour and witness the deserted area around Chernobyl. The town of Pripyat will give you a true sense of what a post-apocalyptic world would look like. Deserted buildings and an abandoned amusement park give you a sense of eeriness and wonder as you imagine what it must have been like to live here before the catastrophe. Now afterwards we're going to visit the Carpathian Mountains. Now I have to say this is one of my favorite regions in the country. Located on the western part of Ukraine, the Carpathians are a massive mountain range that also passes through Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, and Romania. The mountains are home to wildlife such as brown bears, wolves, and lynx. While the Carpathians aren't as jagged as other European mountains such as the Alps, the Carpathians have their own beauty with giant rolling mountains covered in beautiful dense forests. During the winter time, the Carpathians are a perfect place to go skiing. I think one of the best times to visit these mountains is during the fall when they are covered in the most beautiful colors. I mean if I could live anywhere in Ukraine, I'd probably shack up in a cabin somewhere in these incredible mountains. Now afterwards we're going to visit the Polanok Castle. Now located on the western side of the Carpathian Mountains, near the Slovakia and Hungarian borders, the Polanok Castle is a uniquely shaped medieval fortress that is built upon a volcanic hill that overlooks the city. The exact date of the castle's founding is unknown, but it was first mentioned in the 11th century, and the castle that you see today was built from the 14th to 17th centuries. The fortress is divided between the lower, middle, and upper castles for defense. I would have felt safe here during medieval times. If you visit, you can take a tour of the castle and wonder what it must have been like to live here during the middle ages. After we're going to visit the city of Lviv, located in western Ukraine about 70 miles from the border of Poland. One thing interesting about Lviv is that it's home to 1,500 cafes, making it the highest number of cafes per capita in the world. I just love the architecture throughout the city, there's so many beautiful churches and other historical buildings. The roofs are just so colorful and unique. Outside of Lviv, the countryside offers some unique castles such as Zolochiv and Pidherski castles. Just such a stunning place. After we're going to head over to the Pochaiv Lavra Monastery. Located about a two hour drive outside of Lviv, the monastery is the second largest in the country, after the one in Kiev, just absolutely enormous. The monastery dates back to 1527, and today it's one of the most important religious places in western Ukraine. I just love the gold plated domes contrasted with the green roofs, just such a fascinating place. After we're going to head to the city of Ivano-Frankivsk. Located at the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains, Ivano-Frankivsk is a beautiful city. It began as a Polish fortress in the 17th century and grew to one of the most prominent cities in the region. I love how it has a lake in the center of it, I mean a perfect place to enjoy on a hot summer day. The central square is another great spot, with the uniquely designed Ratusha building in the center. Afterwards, we're going to head over to Chernivtsi. Located about a two hour drive from Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi is one of Ukraine's most important educational and architectural sites. The Chernivtsi National University is one of the highlights of the city. It was founded back in 1875 and is one of Ukraine's most beautiful and prominent universities. Another cool nearby place is Vakota. Located on the Dniester River about a two hour drive from Chernivtsi, it's a beautiful area with a massive bay and rocky cliffs that overlook the river. It is believed the area was settled around the 12th century by Christian monks who left behind cave monasteries filled with ancient frescoes and paintings. Overall, I think this is just a beautiful area in Western Ukraine. Another stunning nearby spot is the Kamianets-Podilsky Castle. I think this is one of the most impressive medieval castles in all of Ukraine. Located just an hour's drive outside of Vakota, it is perched perfectly on a peninsula as it overlooks the town. It is believed that the castle was built sometime around the 13th century. Due to its strategic position, the fortress was subject to many foreign invaders throughout the years. I just love the towers with their pointy roofs. It kind of reminds me of a mini Hogwarts. You can walk around the castle and marvel at its medieval stone walls. The cobblestone bridge leading up to the castle frames it perfectly. It's just such a cool place I hope you can check out if you're in Western Ukraine. Afterwards we're going to visit Crimea. The status of Crimea is currently disputed. In 2014 it was annexed by Russia, but Crimea is still internationally recognized as being a part of Ukraine by the United Nations and other countries. Politics aside, I just want to show the beauty of Crimea because it's just such a beautiful place that deserves recognition. Crimea is located on a peninsula on the northern coast of the Black Sea. The coastline reminds me a lot of the Mediterranean with its rocky coast and vineyards. One of the most beautiful towns on the coast is Simez. It's a great resort town with striking rock formations that line the coast. Another impressive place is the Genoese Fortress. It's located in the small town of Sudak. The medieval fortress was built by the Italian Republic of Genoa and was completed in 1469. It consists of an impressive stone wall with over 14 towers. Crimea is just such a beautiful place. For our final destination, we're going to head over to the seaside town of Odessa. Located about a 6 hour drive from Kiev, Odessa is a port city located near the north shore of the Black Sea. Today, it's Ukraine's third most populous city and a popular tourism location. It's a great place to come in the summer and bathe in the Black Sea. One of the coolest spots in Odessa is the Ackermann Fortress. It's unclear when the fortress was founded but it was believed to have been established in the 13th century by the Republic of Genoa. Odessa is just such a beautiful and historical city that you gotta visit if you're in Ukraine. Well that is it for my Ukraine top 10. Let me know where your favorite place is in Ukraine in the comments below. I also started a relaxation channel where I post hour-long films with calming music to bring some peace and nature in your life. I did a film on Ukraine that you'll have to check out. You can find me on TikTok and Instagram at Shirley.films. It's Ryan and we will see you later.