Tourism in Ukraine
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Ukraine attracts more than 20 million foreign visitors every year (23.1 million in 2007).[1] Visitors primarily come from Eastern Europe, but also from Western Europe (6.3 million) and USA and also Canada.[2] The country is the 8th most popular tourism destination in the world.
Ukraine is a destination on the crossroads between central and eastern Europe, between north and south. It borders Russia and is not far from Turkey. It has mountain ranges - the Carpathian Mountains suitable for skiing, hiking, fishing and hunting. The coastline on the Black Sea is a popular summer destination for vacationers. Ukraine has vineyards where they produce native wines, ruins of ancient castles, historical parks, Orthodox and Catholic churches as well as a few mosques and synagogues. Kiev, the country's capital city has many unique structures such as Saint Sophia Cathedral and broad boulevards. There are other cities well-known to tourists such as the harbour town Odessa and the old city of Lviv in the west. The Crimea, a little "continent" of its own, is a popular vacation destination for tourists for swimming or suntaning on the Black Sea with its warm climate, rugged mountains, plateaus and ancient ruins. Cities there include: Sevastopol and Yalta - location of the peace conference at the end of World War II. Visitors can also take cruise tours by ship on Dnieper River from Kiev to the Black Sea coastline. Ukrainian cuisine has a long history and offers a wide variety of original dishes.
Since 2005 citizens of European Union, USA, Canada and Switzerland no longer require a visa to visit Ukraine for tourism purposes.[3] Also, no visa has been required for citizens of Russia, and other CIS countries.
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Popular tourist city destinations
- Kiev (Kyiv) - The historical capital of Kievan Rus' and modern Ukraine on the river Dnieper. Ancient churches, broad boulevards, beautiful landscapes and a variety of cultural facilities make it fascinating destination.
- Lviv - old city in the west of country, with its medieval old town and unique architecture with Polish and Austrian influences. The top tourist destination in Ukraine, when it comes to architecture and culture.
- Odessa - a harbor city on the Black Sea with a mixture of different cultures, including Jewish, Armenian, German, and Greek cultures among with the native Ukrainian and Russian ones.
- Yalta - a health resort on Black Sea, where the peace conference took place.
- Sevastopol - a port city on the Black Sea coast of Crimean peninsula.
- Simferopol - the capital of Autonomous Republic of Crimea, on the Salhir River. It is a manufacturing, commercial, and transportation center located in a productive agricultural region.
- Chernihiv - medieval city.
- Kharkiv (Kharkov) - city's history started in the mid-17th century, when the kozaks created the Slobody settlements; and since then, the city has turned into one of the largest commercial and cultural centers in Ukraine with a population of over 1.7 million people. From December 1919 to June 1934, Kharkiv was the capital of Soviet Ukraine. The Ukrainian cultural renaissance commenced here in the years 1920-1930.
- Ivano-Frankivsk — western Ukrainin city that was recognized as the best city to live in Ukraine.[4]
- Izmail - a historic town near the Danube river in the Odessa Oblast (province) of south-western Ukraine.
- Chernivtsi - the capital of Bukovina offers Balkan atmosphere and fine classical Habsburg architecture in Central-European style, as it was part of Austrian empire (prior to 1918).
- Uzhhorod - the capital of Transcarpathia, one of the oldest cities in Ukraine, attracts tourists because its location close to the Carpathian Mountains.
Landscapes
- Crimea - tropical climate, famous bathing resorts and mountain landscapes.
- Carpathian Mountains - impressive mountain landscapes with skiing and hiking possibilities, spas with cold and hot springs. Ski resorts include Bukovel, Slavske, Verkhovyna, Vorokhta.
- Hoverla - the highest mountain of Ukraine. Hiking.
- Azov coast - bathing resorts.
- Dnieper - cruises.
- Dniester — canoeing, boat sailing
- Shatsk lakes - bathing, camping, hiking
- Sofiyivsky Park, located in Uman, Ukraine.
Seven Wonders of Ukraine
The Seven Wonders of Ukraine are the seven historical and cultural monuments of Ukraine, which were chosen in the Seven Wonders of Ukraine contest held in July, 2007.
- Sofiyivsky Park in Uman, Cherkasy Oblast
- Kiev Pechersk Lavra (Monastery of the Caves)in Kiev
- Kamianets-Podilskyi Historical Complex in Kamianets-Podilskyi, Khmelnytskyi Oblast
- Khortytsia in Zaporizhia, Zaporizhia Oblast
- Chersonesos in Sevastopol
- Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kiev
- Khotyn Fortress in Khotyn, Chernivtsi Oblast
Seven natural wonders of Ukraine
Winners of all Ukraine competition Seven natural wonders of Ukraine:
- Askania-Nova near Askania-Nova, Kherson Oblast
- Granite-steppe lands of Buh in Mykolaiv Oblast
- Dniester Canyon, Dniester
- Marble Caves in Crimea
- Tovtry Podillian Banks in Khmelnytskyi Oblast
- Lake Svitiaz part of a group of lakes near Shatsk, Volyn Oblast
- Lake Synevir near village of Synevirska Poliana in Carpathian Mountains
Medical tourism
Lately many modern dental clinics with high quality dentistry equipment, high quality materials and effective anesthetics were established in Ukraine. They provide patients with high quality dentistry services. But for all that, prices here much cheaper in comparison with Western and Russian clinics. A lot of tourists from USA, European Union and Russia provide a sort of dental tourism.
Other popular sort of medical tourism in Ukraine are spas, eye and plastic surgery, mud baths.
Truskavets and Myrhorod are well known for their mineral springs.
Number of tourists visiting Ukraine
Statistics is based on data from State Statistics Agency of Ukraine.[5]
- 2000: 6.4 millions [5]
- 2001: 9.1 millions [5]
- 2002: 10.5 millions [5]
- 2003: 12.5 millions [5]
- 2004: 15.4 millions [5]
- 2005: 17.6 millions [6]
- 2006: 18.9 millions [6]
- 2007: 23.1 millions [5]
- 2008: 25.4 millions [5]
See also
- Wooden churches in Ukraine
External links
- Ukraine travel guide from Wikitravel
- Ukraine travel and tourism at the Open Directory Project
- Ukrainian Navigational Portal. Photo collections and maps of tourist paths over interesting places in Ukraine
References
- ↑ Туристичні потоки (Ukrainian), State Statistics Committee of Ukraine
- ↑ В'їзд іноземних громадян в Україну за країнами, з яких вони прибули, у 2007 році (Ukrainian), State Statistics Committee of Ukraine
- ↑ Ukrainian Consulate General of Ukraine in New York - Nationalities with no Visa requirements
- ↑ Найкращим українським містом визнано Івано-Франківськ (Ukr.)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 Tourist flows to Ukraine: State Statistics Agency of Ukraine
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Tourism: Ukraine's Greatest Lost Opportunity. By Oksana Bondarchuk
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