Having visited the Carpathians at least once, you will want to come back here. But if you haven't had a chance to rest in such parts, then you can be envied - you have so many emotions ahead of you! Selected mushrooms, the beauty of the mountains, fishing tours, delicate primroses on the slopes, ski slopes - the Carpathians are good at any time of the year. But where you can go inexpensively - choose yourself.
The Carpathian Mountains have been the most popular tourist destination in Ukraine for many years. Picturesque mountain slopes, waterfalls, rivers, lakes, salubrious air, mild climate, and historical and architectural monuments make your rest in the Carpathians an unforgettable experience.
In winter you can go skiing, in summer - go sightseeing, horseback riding, rafting on mountain rivers and much more. The Carpathians are beautiful at any time of year. Moreover, Western Ukraine has all conditions for a colorful, exciting, and enjoyable vacation.
Where to go to the Carpathians in the summer
There is stereotypical thinking that you need to go to the mountains only in winter, and the mountain slopes are more suitable for winter sports. We will try to debunk this myth, so get ready this summer yourself or with your children to visit the picturesque Ukrainian Carpathians.
Given the quarantine conditions, more and more tourists will not rest abroad this summer. Where to go and what to see in Western Ukraine? There are plenty of places to explore, yet ancient cities and natural beauties are within easy reach, making sightseeing in Western Ukraine fascinating and not at all tedious.
The color and beauty of Ukraine's rich culture and natural landscapes make it a popular destination for European tourists. Warm sandy beaches and resorts are sure to attract many sea lovers. Ukraine is also known for its architecture, history, and natural attractions. Choosing a destination in this beautiful country can often leave you stumped when deciding where to go on a trip. This is because each region of Ukraine has unique characteristics and beauty. Here you can find almost any landscape and enjoy a variety of landscapes: plains, mountains, seas, steppes, rivers, meadows - call it what you want. Further in the article, we will consider the most beautiful places in Western Ukraine worth visiting.
Bukovel
Only in the Carpathians can one comprehend the legends of the mysterious Hutsulshchyna, study its culture, and get acquainted with historical monuments. All vacationers in Bukovel will find delicious cuisine, the freshness of mountain air, exotic Hutsul fun. The hospitality of the Hutsuls is especially felt in this place. In the atmosphere of the beauty of the village of Polyanitsa at the foot of Bukovel mountain, an active tourist life is in full swing. Everyone knows about rest in this place in winter, but in summer you can have a great time here too. Below we will tell you what and where you can see.
You can visit:
- The largest artificial lake in Ukraine.
- A waterfall called "Zhenetsky Guk".
- "Buka" entertainment center for children and adults.
- Rope park.
There is no need to worry about hotels, they work all year round.
Yaremche
Not a bad place where even a savage can have a good rest in the Carpathians in the summer. Yaremche is a bright flower among mountain settlements. You will like the magnificent panoramas, the developed infrastructure of the place, the silence of the mountains, well-equipped recreation areas, comfortable estates at affordable prices. Tourists from all over Europe come here from Krakow, Warsaw, Vienna, and Lviv. Surprisingly, even during the Soviet era, the settlement did not lose its main status and continues to remain a favorite place for recreation for children and adults.
What the resort offers to tourists:
- Active rest in the form of cycling tours, hiking, rafting, horseback riding.
- Wooden churches were built in the 16-17 centuries.
- Beautiful waterfall Probiy.
- A huge souvenir bazaar.
- A natural park to admire the beauty, revitalize the soul.
- 4 km trail of Dovbush, which is named after the leader of the Oprishkov movement.
- Museum of Ethnography and Ecology of the Carpathian Region.
There are no problems with where to stop here. There are sanatoriums, ordinary hostels, recreation centers. You can book your room online in advance.
Dragobrat
It is located at an altitude of 1.4-1.7 thousand meters above sea level. Here you can forget about the bustle of the city, enjoy the beautiful views of the Stog and Gemini mountains. The valley is located 7 km from the village of Yasinya at the junction of coniferous forests and the alpine zone. From here there are beautiful views of the Chornohora massif, in clear weather, you can find the peaks of the Hoverla, Gorgan - Doboshanka, Petros, Sinyak, and others. The tourist infrastructure is well developed in this place, but there is not enough pharmacy or first-aid post. Therefore, we advise you to stock up on the necessary medicines in advance.
What to see:
- Biosphere Reserve.
- Summits of the Svidovets ridge.
- Local lakes.
- Mount Stog, be sure to use the lift, you will not regret it.
There are many hotels in this place for a stay for two or more, some of them are located right by the lake. More about Dragobratabout Dragobrat.
Vorokhta
A great place to hide from people for a while. Suitable for those who do not want to admire the endless streams of tourists in summer. The alpine village is located at an altitude of 850 m above sea level. The ascent to Hoverla begins from this place. But even climbers will not spoil the peaceful rest. It's very quiet here. The Prut River flows nearby, which is loved by lovers of rafting. The village is also famous for its viaducts, which were built since the reign of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
What you can see:
- Austrian viaduct bridges of the early 19th century.
- The base of athletes to prepare for ski jumping.
- Mount Hoverla itself.
- Church of the Nativity of the Virgin, dating back to the 17th century.
Don't worry about overnight stays as you will find hotels for different budgets.
Skhidnytsia
The village is located on the northeastern slope of the Carpathian Mountains. Here you can have a good rest of your soul, restore your health. Skhidnytsia is popular for its mineral waters, which began to be mined in the second half of the 20th century. More than 38 springs have already been discovered on the territory. The peaks of the Carpathians create a special microclimate here - winters are mild and warm, suitable for ski tourism, in summer you can test yourself as a water tourist, conquering the Stryi River in kayaks. But the main advantage of the resort is the oxygen-rich coniferous forests.
What you can see here:
- Memorial Museum. V. Stotsky.
- The stone church of St. Nicholas from the 17th century.
- Ruins of a blast furnace named "Iron Guta" from the 19th century.
- Reserve "Tustan".
- Park "Skole Beskydy".
The resort offers good hotels, the private sector, hotels, recreation centers. Some hotels even have doctors who can advise you about your health condition.
Rakhiv
The city is located in the valley of the Tisza River, surrounded by the Carpathians. This is a popular cultural center of the Hutsul region, where people have been famous for their original talents since ancient times. Among the most famous are performances of the folk orchestra of Hutsul instruments, VIA "Edge" and other amateur groups. But the most important talents of these people are the manufacture of products from wood (carving), carpets and blankets from sheep's wool, furrier and other types of folk art. Every year in September the famous feta cheese festival takes place in Rakhiv.
What you can see:
- Church of St. John of Nepomuk.
- Museum of Hutsul carving named after Yu Pavlovich.
- Cathedral of the Descent of the Holy Spirit.
- Biosphere Reserve.
- The geographical center of Europe is the village. Business.
- Museum of History and Ecology of Mountains.
The choice of accommodation is large, judging by the reviews, so summer holidays in the Carpathians will not be overshadowed by the lack of service in hotels or hotels.
Yasinya
The Hutsul village is located in the valley of the Ch. Tisza River, which is north of Rakhiv. If desired, both of these places can be included in a single route. The village is surrounded by alpine flowering meadows. The village is popular among residents of Ukraine and Europe also because it is from here that you can get to the Dragobrat resort. Snow lies here until the end of May, so skiers can rest here for more than six months. Tourists often call one of the attractions of this place - the national cuisine. The forests here are rich in flora and fauna.
And you can see here:
- Museum of local lore.
- Wooden Strukovskaya church.
- Mount Bliznitsa, the peaks of the Ukrainian Carpathians - Hoverla and Petros.
Don't forget to buy homemade keepsakes. You can rent a room in the hotel in advance.
Verkhovyna
This village is located next to the tributary of the Cheremosh, 31 km from the Vorokhta railway station. In 2001, the popular Hutsul musician Roman Kumlik, in love with his land, built a museum of works of art and musical instruments in this place. The business of a successful father is continued by his daughter Natalya. The hut-museum of the film "Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors", which was opened by the Khimchak family, deserves special attention. By the way, this place has received many awards. Since 2014, tourists can visit the Khata-Staya Museum, where you can look at the national clothes of the Hutsuls, household items, there is even a cheese dairy.
There you can find activities for every taste:
- Walking through the forest in search of mushrooms and berries.
- Study of the local Hutsul culture.
- Rafting, fishing, horse riding, cycling, and hiking.
- Wellness with local healing springs.
Housing here is available in estates, private sector, mini-hotels, there are cottages and houses for a large company.
Svalyava
This is a famous balneological and eco-resort, which is located in Transcarpathia in the valley of the river. Latoritsa. The place is famous for its mineral springs "Svalyava", "Polyana kvassova", "Luzhanskaya-4", "Luzhanskaya-7", so you can come here to improve your health. Svalyava is also famous for its beautiful landscapes and transport accessibility. The ancient settlement was first mentioned in documents from the 12th century, but excavations say that the place was inhabited by people back in the Bronze Age and the Neolithic. Another proof of the ancient history of the place is the oak in the center of the resort, which is almost 500 years old.
What you can see in the surroundings:
- Marta Margarita Island.
- The purest Blue Lake.
- Ancient monuments and obelisks.
- Wooden, stone churches.
- Remains of an old castle from the 8th century.
- Obavsky stone is a crater of a once active volcano.
- Local museum.
- Bare massifs, which are called "blue" by the locals.
Accommodation in this place is different - from modest rooms for students to private estates and huge cottages. Do not forget to visit local restaurants, as the cuisine in Svalyava is also an "attraction".
Truskavets
It is quite a respectable resort with an excellent selection of hotels, recreation centers, and hotels. A large medical complex of Western Ukraine "Med-Palace" has been operating here for a long time, using modern methods of treatment. Within the walls of the hospital, there is the latest medical and diagnostic equipment. This is a unique place in the foothills of the Eastern Carpathians, an ecologically clean area surrounded by forests on all sides. The region is characterized by a warm and moderately humid climate, where the average annual temperature does not drop below + 7.5 ° C. All this contributes to rapid recovery and treatment.
What to see and try:
- Mineral water "Naftusya".
- Treatment with ozokerite Truskavets.
- Central Park Adamovka.
- Art Museum. M. Bilas.
- Villa "Gopljana" was built in the 19th century.
- Cathedral of St. Nicholas of the 16th century.
- An old church.
- Wooden market.
- The famous rejuvenating spring "Yuzya".
You shouldn't worry about where to stay, as the infrastructure is very developed here.
Morshin
This is a less pretentious resort near Truskavets. There, prices for rest in sanatoriums are lower, but the quality of service and medical care for vacationers is at the same level. Mineral water "Morshynska" has long been used in western Ukraine for treatment. The city is part of fascinating tourist routes that lead to interesting places in the Southern Carpathian region. If someone thinks that you need to come to Morshin only to drink some water, then we offer below a list of the most interesting places near the city.
What can be visited in this place:
- Pump room Fungus.
- Central pump room.
- Reservoir Source of the Mother of God.
- Zoo Zootropolis.
- Balneological resort Morshin.
- Landscape alley.
Sanatoriums in this Ukrainian town offer long and short courses of treatment.
Solotvino
A small village on the banks of the Tisza, which is comfortably located near a large salt deposit. From here there is a border crossing to Romania. Romanians, Hungarians, and Ukrainians live in this place. The highlight of this place is the healing salt lakes, where salt has been mined since the 2nd century BC. According to its medicinal properties, the water of the Solotvino salt lakes is similar to the waters of the Dead Sea. The mud of the lake helps in the treatment of problems with the heart, lungs, urological and skin diseases, and the nervous system.
What to visit here without fail:
- St. Stephen's Church and Monument Park.
- Salt Mine Museum.
- Local lakes to soak in the healing brine, including Lake Kunigunda.
- Upper and lower churches of St. Nicholas.
- Solotvino salt mines.
The Salt Lake Melody Festival is held here at the end of July, so you can plan your vacation just for these dates. There are no problems with an overnight stay, the locals have long been concerned about this issue.
Slavske
It is located in the place where the Opir and its tributary Slavka meet. A beautiful resort that attracts with its landscapes. This is an ecologically clean region where there is no production within a radius of 100 km. Tourists come here to improve their health and relax with the whole family at any time of the year. But it was the peculiarities of the natural landscape that predetermined the vector of development of the settlement - a ski resort. The transport infrastructure is well developed in this place; the resort can be reached by direct train from Uzhgorod directly to the Slavsko station.
Tourists can visit and relax in such places:
- SPA center, hookah with table tennis.
- Church of the Assumption Theotokos.
- Sauna, disco club, bowling center.
- Kamenka waterfall.
- Reserve "Tustan".
- The "Written Krynitsa" cave.
There are many areas for recreation and lodging in this village.
Mikulichin
The resort is located in the Ivano-Frankivsk region in a park near the mountains. Tourists like good ecology, beautiful mountain nature, rivers, coniferous forests, Carpathian meadows, where they want to return every year. This is one of the most ancient places, the first mention of Mikulychin dates back to the beginning of the 15th century. The air here is very clean, so the resort is chosen by families with children. Writers Ivan Franko and Lesya Ukrainka came here on vacation, and since the end of the 20th century, this valley began to resemble a resort. In 1901, the first hotel was opened under the name - "People's Hotel".
What you can see and do:
- Church of the Holy Trinity with a bell tower.
- Waterfalls.
- Walk the 4 km trail of Dovbush, as in Yaremche.
- Salt cave.
- Collect berries and mushrooms.
- Go fishing for sturgeon and mountain trout.
- To catch crayfish.
- Start climbing Hoverla and Pop-Ivan.
- Safari walks to the Chornohora and Gorgan mountains.
The city has its private brewery, which produces 4 varieties of intoxicating drink. There is also a Russian bath, Finnish sauna, billiards, you can walk along with the local attractions on a mountain bike. Tourists in this place will be gladly welcomed by hotels.
Kosiv
The place is saturated with Hutsul flavor, we can say that this is the capital of the Hutsuls. In addition to beautiful landscapes, this place is famous for its folk art. You will not find such things in any city in Ukraine. These are Easter eggs, dishes, boxes, shirts, etc. Everything is done by hand, no China. Be sure to shop here to leave a souvenir. It is interesting that folk writers, craftsmen, scientists, whose works are known outside of Ukraine, live and work here.
What you can see:
- Castle Hill, from where a panoramic view of the city and mountains.
- Museum of Folk Art and Life.
- Annunciation Church of the late 19th century.
- Bee miracle houses.
- Museum of Liberation Competitions.
There is no need to worry about hotels and hotels, there are a lot of them here.
In the end, we would like to tell you a little about how to better organize your vacation in western Ukraine in the summer. The fact is that public transport in the Carpathians is the Achilles heel of the resort region. If you can still get to Yaremche, Vorokhta, Uzhgorod, and other cities by train and electric trains from Kyiv and Lviv, then you will have to go to other "wilder" places by buses and minibusses. But the fact is that there are no bus stations in all villages, and the minibus sometimes runs only once a day in the morning, it is easy to miss your flight. And the schedule on the Internet often fails. The most convenient way to get around the Carpathians is to use a car. A great option - rent a car without a driver with BLS, which has been renting cars in Ukraine for over 13 years. Large fleet of vehicles, a simple policy of work, a wide range of additional services. You will find a car for every taste and budget.