Posted by Sights in Ukraine, arrival/connections in the country and further information for tourists in Ukraine.
Ukraine is the second largest country in Europe after Russia. While the majority of the population in eastern Ukraine seeks alignment with Russia, most residents in the richer western part of the country are in favor of a pro-Western course. Since 2004, this has led to great political tensions and the Orange Revolution, in which Western democratic forces prevailed. Since then, relations with Russia have been tense. In 2014, tensions with Russia reached a new high. Crimea was annexed by Russia and there is war in some eastern parts of the country.
There has been war between Russia and Ukraine since 2022. After the war ends, we will update this article about Ukraine.
Arrival / Connections
A train journey from Berlin to Lviv (via Krakow in Poland) takes just under a day. There is a daily direct train from Berlin to Kiev via Warsaw, which takes around 25 hours. Trains run frequently within Ukraine and are very inexpensive. You can book cheap direct buses from Germany to various Ukrainian cities at www.touring.de. The most important cities in Ukraine have direct flight connections to Frankfurt and some to other German cities.
Sights Ukraine
Kiev is one of the most beautiful cities in Eastern Europe. The old town is known for its churches (Baroque) with golden roofs. The Kreszeltik is a wide shopping street with some extremely affordable prices. The National Museum is also worth a visit. The Kiev metro is effective and very cheap. Kiev’s nightlife is famous throughout Eastern Europe. According to many travelers, the best of the five youth hostels in the capital of Ukraine is the International Youth Hostel Yaroslav. However, like most accommodation in Kiev, the hostel is not cheap (just under 20 euros per night for a bed in a four-bed room in summer).
Odessa on the Black Sea coast is for many the most beautiful city in Ukraine. Traditionally, the residents of Odessa are a colorful mix of different peoples and ethnic groups.
The old town of Lemberg (Lvov) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lviv is the most important city and transport hub in western Ukraine and is not far from the Polish border.
Ukraine information |
|
| Resident | 47 million |
| Area | 600.000 km² |
| Inhabitants / km² | about 80 (medium population in Eastern Europe) |
| Capital city | Kiew |
| Language | Ukrainian, Russian |
| religion | Ukrainian Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, other Christian churches |
| currency | Hryvnia |
| Gross domestic product | 5.000 US dollars / inhabitant in 2024 (for Europe a poor country, GDP per capita in Russia is more than 2 times higher!) |
| Visas |
no, currently (summer 2007) people from the EU can enter Ukraine without a visa for up to 90 days. A passport with at least 1 year validity is required. |
| Area code | ++380 |
| Internet addresses | .ua |
