A few days away that convinced me Ukraine is a great travel choice. Places that are interesting and, for us Poles, historic. Wild nature, excellent prices, and a slightly different culture. A mix that makes it, to my mind, a very attractive country. You do need to prepare for the trip, of course, and I will get to that in a moment.
Against appearances, the biggest challenge can turn out to be transport, especially if you want to see more than the main cities. There are a few options. First of all a train or a plane to Lwów (Lviv), which can be one of the best of them, and then buses or so-called marshrutkas (shared minibuses). A trip like that is certainly an extra adventure. On my trip we had a hired minibus with a driver, which was very convenient.
The border crossing can be another challenge, which is one more reason a train can be a very good choice. Driving your own car is not advised, because problems can come up in case of a minor collision, or of being stopped by the police.
Ukraine has a feel of its own, above all the old cars such as Lada Zhiguli, Moskvitch 2140, AZLK, Volga, and GAZ-24.
The knock-offs of global brands can spark some curiosity.
The next element is wild nature, empty roads and a lot of open space. That much undeveloped land is genuinely surprising.
Żółkiew
It is known above all for its castle, built around 1600 by Stanisław Żółkiewski. The seat of the Sobieski family, where Jan III Sobieski rebuilt the castle into a baroque residence. The castle was rebuilt many times and suffered heavy damage during the First World War, when the Russians burned it. Restoration work is still going on today.
A town that struck me above all with its quiet. There were no crowds on the streets. It was close to empty.
Stanisławów, today Ivano-Frankivsk
Once a Polish town, founded in the 17th century by Andrzej Potocki. After the First World War it was inside our borders for the last time. The Second World War meant that Ivano-Frankivsk was attached to the USSR.
In the town you can find a monument to Adam Mickiewicz, and the collegiate church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is now the Museum of Precarpathian Art. Ivano-Frankivsk has held a blacksmiths’ festival for a dozen or so years, so keep an eye out for wrought iron sculptures as you walk around. Do not skip the town hall and the market square around it.
The town holds a lot of secrets, and you find yourself wanting to look inside the Potocki Palace, which has survived in poor shape. Unfortunately it is private land now, so there is no way into the garden or inside the palace. A pity.
You can get around the town on foot. Everything is within reach. And do drop into the local bars to enjoy the friendly prices.
