Ukraine Adventure Tour

Arrive Lviv and check into the hotel. Lviv is an inviting and interesting place to visit. The cultural scene is constantly changing while history abounds and relics of the past remind us of what once transpired many hundreds of years ago. 

Overnight Standard Hotel

Almost half of the architectural monuments located in Ukraine are concentrated in Lviv. This remarkable city stands at the crossroads of Western and Eastern Europe and is the most impressive cultural centre in Western Ukraine. Throughout its history, Lviv has been influenced by many countries and cultures including the Halytsko-Volynske Principality, Ritch Pospolyta, the Austro- Hungarian Empire, the Western Ukrainian National Republic, Poland, and the USSR. Ukrainians, Armenians, Poles, Germans, Jews, Greeks, Italians, French and Scots have all lived in the territory of Lviv and every nation has left some traces of their traditions, history and culture. Lviv is thus a treasure-chest of cultural and artistic riches. We spend the morning here on a guided walking/orientation tour of the old quarter, passing by Ploshcha Rynok (the old market square), the Cathedral, Boyim Chapel, the Dominican Church and Monastery and the Old Rus Quarter. The rest of our time here is left free for you to enjoy at your leisure. You may choose to visit the locally famous Cemetary of Lytschkiv or the Museum of Brewing.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we drive east, bringing us to the town of Ternopol. The city itself has had a turbulent recent history with five different countries staking claim as rulers in the last century alone. Founded in 1580 it is still considered a young town. Our afternoon is set aside for a guided sightseeing tour of this young city which will include the Old Castle, Galitsky Square and the Dominican Church.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Today we head south to Chernivisti the capital of Ukraine’s youngest province, Bukovina. Chernivisti’s cosmopolitan reputation stems from a time of Austrian rule. For 250 years this city ranked third in size behind Vienna and Prague in Austria’s empire. An independent stock exchange increased its inhabitants wealth and the opening of its own university offered a place for Ukraine’s growing intellectual community in the late 19th century. Today, even after Romanian rule and Soviet annexation, Chernivisti continues to uphold its unique cosmopolitan feel with almost 100 different nationalities present. Our afternoon tour includes the Old Quarter, Theatre Square, the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit and the impressive architecture of the National University of Chernivist.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning takes us to the Ukraine- Moldova border. After making our way through the border formalities we head southeast to the very centre of the country and the capital, Chisinau. Moldova has had a very chequered history, which includes the recent nationalist movements of the 1990s leading to its freedom from the Soviet Union and the ensuing power struggles which followed. Today you will find the Moldovans to be some of the friendliest people in Europe and nowhere is that more obvious than the vibrant capital of Chisinau.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Our guided sightseeing of this lively capital takes in the Orthodox Cathedral, Central Park, Arc de Triomphe and the imposing Government buildings. The afternoon is left free for personal exploration or you may wish to join an optional excursion to the famous Melestici Mici wine cellars situated a short drive from the capital. The Melestici Mici wine cellars offer a unique insight into why Moldovan wine is so highly regarded around the world. Limestone was and still is extracted here for building materials in the major towns and cities of Moldova. What remains has been turned into a huge underground wine labyrinth with streets and avenues holding such names as Cabernet, Feteasca, Riesling, Aligote, Sauvignon, all corresponding to wine brand preserved along the niches! These underground streets stretch over 60km, storing the wine between +10°C - 12°C and around 97-98% humidity.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we continue our journey to Odessa on the Black Sea, first leaving Moldova and then entering back into Ukraine. Odessa was founded in 1794 by Katherine the Second with the purpose of establishing a mighty seaport, fortifying the southern borders of the Russian Empire. Odessa has become one of the wealthiest cities of the region and the largest seaport in Ukraine. We spend the afternoon on a guided city tour of some of Odessa’s many historical monuments and buildings. In the very heart of Odessa, Deribasovskaya Street has a unique character with magnificent architecture: Ukrainian people leisurely sitting on cobblestone terraces of numerous cafés and restaurants, shaded by big linden trees. Deribasovskaya leads to the City Gardens with their fountain, old summerhouse and sculpture of lion and lioness. Primorsky Boulevard is most reminiscent of Old Odessa, once home to Odessa’s wealthy merchants. We take a walk along the sea front Boulevard overlooking the port of Odesisa, admiring the architecture from years gone by. Built in 1837, the Potemkin Steps are the best place to view the busy port and bay. There is also the chance for an optional trip to Odessa’s Catacombs. The underground sandstone mines were used by resistance fighters during WW2.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

With an early evening overnight train departure there is a full day set aside here in Odessa. Other places of interest include Odessa’s Art Gallery, Pushkin’s residence and the city’s synagogue. There is also the chance for an optional trip to Odessa’s Catacombs. The underground sandstone mines were used by resistance fighters during WW2.

Overnight Basic Train Included meals: Breakfast

We arrive at Simferopol station and transfer to Yalta whose setting is stunning, positioned between the crimean Mountains and the Black Sea in a thin cypress-strewn strip. In the afternoon your tour leader will orientate you on the ‘Naberezhna Lenina’ - a vehicle free waterfront promenade with art markets, gardens, jetties and beaches. Later, we’ll take a boat trip on the Black Sea to view the coastline and the fairy-tale castle ‘Swallow’s Nest’ perched at the top of a sheer cliff on Cape Ai-Todor.

Overnight Standard Hotel

Today is left free for you to perhaps visit places of interest in and around Yalta: home to 28,000 species – the Nikitsky Botanical Gardens (5 km east of Yalta) are worthy of a visit for the views and sheer variety. Alternatively, visit Livadia Palace (3 km west) for the historical significance. It was here, in February 1945, when Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill held their Yalta Conference and confirmed earlier decisions on the carve-up of Europe. The Italian Renaissance-style palace was built in 1911 as a summer residence for Tsar Nicholas II. If you are feeling active you could follow the coastal path westwards to the ‘Swallows Nest’. If you have a passion for wine, head for Massandra by local bus or taxi (5km east) and visit the Massandra wine tasting complex. Grapes have been harvested there since 1785. Whilst in Alupka, the Alupkinsky (Vorontsov) Palace and Park complex is definitely worth a look. It has a stunning coastal setting. For even better views of the Black Sea and some easy walks on a plateau, a cable car operates up to Mt. Ai-Petri.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

After breakfast we depart Yalta and drive west around the Crimean coast to Sevastopol. Our first stop will be on Sapun Hill, the site where Lord Raglan ordered and witnessed infamous “Charge of the Light Brigade”. We’ll spend some time at the harbour – usually dominated by Russia’s Black Sea Navy Fleet (Ukraine has leased the port to Russia) and view the painted panorama, depicting the ‘Defence of Sevastopol’ during the Crimean War. Sevastopol was the focus of the war, bombarded and besieged for 349 days by the British, French and Turks in 1854-1855. We also plan to visit the excavated ruins of the ancient Greek city of Chersonesus (founded in 422 BC). There is also an option to do a Black Sea boat trip to see Black Sea Fleet at Balaclava.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

We include an excursion by charter bus today to visit some of Crimea’s natural and manmade wonders. Heading south east from Sevastapol we drive along the coastal road to Bakhchysaray, our next destination. Where we’ll visit the 16th century Khans’ Palace (Tatar rulers’ palace), the Uspensky Monastery and there is a strenuous uphill walk (40 mins) to Chufut-Kale, the biggest limestone cave city of southwest Crimea. This remarkable city was settled between the 6th and 12th centuries with the occupants carving rooms and steps out of the limestone hills.Later today, we take an overnight train to our next stop Kiev.

Overnight Basic Train Included meals: Breakfast

Our arrival in Kiev is scheduled for late morning so our guided city tour of Ukraine’s capital will be in the afternoon. Between the 9th and 11th centuries Kiev was capital of Kiev Rus state, from which all later Russian states were descended. Although Ukrainian nationalism is strong you will still hear Russian spoken, as Kiev’s ties are unequivocally linked to Russian culture and history. Situated on the banks of the River Dnipro, this ancient city has been inhabited for almost 2,000 years.

Overnight Standard Hotel

During our time in Kiev we’ll see some fascinating sites, including the beautiful Santa Sophia cathedral (from the outside only) and the Lavra Historical and Cultural Reserve (by metro) – with an extraordinary visit to the ‘Monastery of the Caves’, founded in AD1051. The labyrinths provide all the natural conditions for mummification and its striking underground churches still attract many religious enthusiasts.

Please note: On some departures your Tour Leader will be relocating in the morning of day 14 to join the next RKC tour. A local guide will escort you until your tour finishes.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Tour ends in Kiev after breakfast.

Included meals: Breakfast