Want to see with your own eyes one of the coolest and most romantic gifts in the world? Of course, yes, who would not be interested! Moreover, for this you do not even need to leave the borders of Ukraine - it is enough to drive a couple of hundred kilometers from Kyiv along the Odesa highway ... And devote a whole weekend to its contemplation!

This gift is not a pathos jewel or, for example, a powerful sports car. Much better! He was presented by the Polish tycoon Stanislav Pototsky to his wife Sophia on his birthday back in 1802. What immortalized both her and himself. Guess what it was about? Of course, the famous landscape park located in the northern part of Uman and called “Sofiyivka”, as you see, is not just like that.

Today Sofiyivka is recognized as one of the most interesting monuments of landscape gardening art of the 18th-19th centuries! It is not surprising that about 150,000 people visit it annually, which is almost 2 times more than the population of Uman itself.

Features of Sofiyivka park

What is interesting in it, apart from the romantic story associated with its foundation?

• Firstly, in Sofiyivka there are many different reservoirs - from waterfalls and ponds of various sizes and shapes - to real rocky grottoes, cascades, and locks. Believe me - there will be something to admire!
• Secondly - the variety of plants will amaze you - there are rare ginkgo Biloba, old tulip trees and even cypress trees! Thirdly, the park is stylized as antiquity, so there are a lot of masterfully recreated sculptures, arbors, balustrades, and porticos - even the most ardent Instagram friends will envy your photos against their background.

The most interesting thing is that going to Uman is not only for the sake of Sofiyivka! For example, this Ukrainian town is one of the main pilgrimage sites for Israelis. Hasidim considers it a matter of honor at least once in a lifetime to visit the grave of Tzadik Nachman - the founder of one of the movements of Hasidism. It may sound paradoxical, but this is one of the reasons that in Uman there are many very decent hotels and restaurants designed for the most demanding customers. The highest marks at TripAdvisor were given to the Black Bull grill bar, the Zastava and Pheasant cafes, as well as the Camelot restaurant and bar.

Sofiyivka is a large park, its area is more than 170 hectares. Therefore, to fully enjoy his visit, it is worth highlighting a whole weekend. And this means that it is worth finding a place to have a good rest at night from the impressions of the first day and gain strength for the second run. We recommend using the mini-hotel “Positive”, here the optimal ratio of price and comfort, so he traditionally gets high marks in the reviews.

Have seen enough of the park, but still, there is gunpowder left in the flocks for a walk around the city? Believe me - Uman may surprise you! We recommend visiting one of the oldest buildings in the city of Vasilian Monastery, built-in 1784 by the same romantic Stanislav Pototsky. Under the building is a huge underground floor with a lot of underground passages. Nowadays, you can go down to the dungeon and touch the secrets of the history of the monks! Built-in 1812 in honor of the victory of Russian troops over Napoleon, St. Nicholas Cathedral is also worthy of attention. In addition, we advise you to look at the Assumption Church, this pearl of small-town architecture.

We are sure that the weekend in Sofiyivka will not leave indifferent either you or your loved ones. This is a great opportunity to go out of the bustling Kiev for a weekend and spend time together in a romantic setting among the charms of nature, which were rethought by really talented people! And if you have any problems with transport, BLS car rental will be happy to help you in this situation by providing a car rental service in Kyiv at an attractive price. We are waiting for you!