Ukraine is still unknown to a lot of people, even though the country has a rich and long history where, among other things, Cossacks and Mongols have played a prominent role – in addition to a spectacular landscape.
Ukraine covers 603,000 km² – which makes it the largest country in Europe (no, Russia is actually on two continents). The territory of Ukraine was populated more than 44,000 years ago, and the country has been mentioned, among other things, as the birthplace of the Indo-Europeans. Fertile agricultural land covers large parts of the country, which is a major player in the export of grain.
The region was mostly ignored by most of the world until Saturday, April 26, 1986, when a serious reactor accident occurred in the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (135 kilometres from Kiev). The accident occurred in reactor four and a cloud of radioactive particles spread with the winds over much of Europe. At first, no information was given by the then Soviet Union to the outside world, that a serious accident had occurred. But it was after measurements done at Swedish Forsmark and in Finland that the world began to take notice. The cause of the accident was a combination of the reactor type construction and the human factor. Today, there is a museum in Kiev (the Chernobyl Museum) where you can see photos, videos and stories about the accident and how the disaster affected and still affects the world. There is also the opportunity to visit the actual Chernobyl and the area (via arranged tours by local organizers).
The country has just under 45 million inhabitants, of which about 3 million live in the capital Kiev, and the hospitality is great. For Swedes, there are special places like the city of Poltava with Karl XII and Gammalsvenskby, a village located far inland where the older inhabitants speak Swedish as it sounded in the 18th century as well as the history of the Vikings ravages along the river Dnieper.
The landscape and its nature are both eye-catching and well-preserved. Ukraine consists of fertile soil and rolling wide landscapes in the west, the mighty mountain range of the Carpathians is found in the southwest, the possibly most beautiful part of the Black Sea coast in the south, while eastern Ukraine consists of deep forests in symbiosis with a vast steppe landscape. In addition, we can add undulating vineyards and lovely big cities – all the prerequisites to become a big player in the tourist industry.
Good to know:
Ukraine can actually be visited all year round. Winter is generally quite chilly with heavy snowfalls. The summer is warm but it rains more than in the spring. The temperature is between 20-25 degrees (Celsius) from May to September.
Some European citizens do not need a visa to travel to Ukraine. Contact the Ukrainian Embassy for information re which rules apply to you.
The passport must be valid at least 6 months after your return. In order for the stay in Ukraine to be valid, the passport must be stamped at the border control upon entry.
Make sure you have valid travel insurance since the European Health Insurance Card does not cover Ukraine.
Since December 2013, a new law came into force in Ukraine which requires tourists/visitors to be able to present financial funds (money) upon entry into Ukraine. This means that when entering, you may be asked if you have enough money for your stay in Ukraine. If you cannot prove you have enough money you might be denied entry into the country. The rules apply to all visitors, including tourists regardless of citizenship, when travelling to Ukraine.
** Distance in kilometres/time between hotel and airport refers to Boryspil International Airport.