Think you’ve seen all of Ukraine?
Think again!
Varenyky/pyrohy aren’t the only dumplings Ukraine is famous for!
Halushky are the Ukrainian food you’ve never heard of!
These delicious meat filled dumplings originate in the Poltava region of Central Ukraine.
Poltava is so proud of it’s Halushky, it hosts a Halushky Festival every year, where they dance and sing songs about their local dumplings!
They have a huge statue in the centre of the city of Poltava – of a bowl of Halushky!
You can even sit in the spoon and take a photo 😉
So c’mon, who wants to try some?!
The Kozaks (also Cossacks) are legendary in Ukraine. This fierce group of warriors ruled a vast territory, and struck fear into the hearts of all civilizations. They had great influence on the history, culture, and psychology of modern day Ukraine!
The Kozaks roamed the steppe from the 15thC, and became an independent state in 1649!
It was the Kozaks who spread and popularized the term “Ukraine” as a name for their territories.
They created a stronghold called the “Zaporozhian Sich” on a small island on the Dnipro river.
Today a recreation of the Sich stands on the island near Zaporizhia, and Kozaks still live there today!
Who wants to visit with us?
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Borschiv is an ethnographic region in Podillia, near the western city of Ternopil.
It is famous for its Borshchiv embroidery technique – a very dark colored floral pattern.
This unique style of embroidery is much darker than other Ukrainian styles, which are usually full of colour.
The story behind this dark embroidery is
quite morbid.
Legend has it, that several centuries ago, when Tatars were carrying out raids across Europe, they slaughtered many men in the small village around Borshchiv. As a form of mourning, the remaining widows embroidered black blouses, and swore to wear blouses of black thread for seven centuries after to commemorate the tragedy.
For many years the technique of Borshchiv embroidery was thought to be lost, because samples were burnt or thrown away.
However there are a few people who have managed to revive the tradition of Borshchiv blouses, and now examples are available in museums across Ukraine, including a special exhibit in Ternopil.
Who wants to see some of these beautiful blouses?
The “Optimistic”/”Optymistychna” Cave in Ternopil Oblast, Western Ukraine is the longest cave network in Europe!
And it is incredible! These caves range from narrow passages and small tunnels, to huge open caverns with stalactites and stalagmites!
Approximately 265km of passageways have been mapped so far, and there still could be more!
The network is so extensive that cavers often do several day hikes within the cave without leaving.
There is a legend that the cave was discovered in the 19th century, but records of it were destroyed during the Soviet era, and it was only redicovered in the 1960s.
There is also a story that during the Second World War, local people hid Jews in this cave to protect them from persecution from the Nazis.
Who wants to visit these awesome caves with us?
Introducing our Brand New Western Ukraine & Central Ukraine Tours. Exploring more of Ukraine than ever before.
Western Ukraine is home to some of the most beautiful places in Ukraine, and also some of the most historic.
We will take you on a journey back in time, through centuries-old cities and ancient fortresses.
Central Ukraine is our new Cobblestone Freeway favorite! From the Magnificence of Kyiv and its domed churches to the international flair of Odesa. Experience the heartbeat of Ukraine and step back in time to the land of Kozaks.
Combine our two new tours to create an epic Ukraine Combo Tour.
28 Days |
27 Nights
