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Travelling in Ukraine - our top tips

We have just returned from our third trip to Ukraine. We've been to Kiev in the winter and Odessa and the Crimean Peninsula in the summer, and we're really enjoying travelling in Ukraine! Sometimes we get questions about travelling in the country, so we thought we'd try to answer some of them.

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Language

English works to some extent (especially in hotels and fine restaurants in Kiev), but many Ukrainians know little or no English. Learning the Russian letters and some phrases in Russian or Ukrainian will help. Otherwise, communicating by pointing and gesturing is usually fine!

Security

The Swedish Embassy in Ukraine writes in 2012: "Ukraine is generally a safe country to travel in. Of course, you should be particularly vigilant in markets, railway stations, subways and bars/discos, where theft and robbery can occur." We have never, in any of our travels, felt unsafe in Ukraine.

Update 2023: Since this post was written, the situation in Ukraine has changed. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs currently advises against all travel to Ukraine. Always check current travel recommendations before departure.

Resa i Ukraina

Prices

Many things are really cheap in Ukraine: food in basic restaurants, beer, spirits, cigarettes, sights and transport. But if you want to spend a lot of money quickly, that's fine too: check into a luxury hotel, order Russian caviar at an exclusive restaurant and buy some real furs... The difference between cheap and expensive is huge!

Standards and services

Ukraine is part of the old Soviet Unionand it shows: the buildings are magnificent on the surface, but if you look closer, many are crooked and leaky... Despite the fact that there are lots of staff everywhere, nothing goes fast. Everybody has their task, which is done with infinite slowness. Be patient: everything will work out in the end!

Hotell Jalta
Travelling in Ukraine

Food

Ukrainians are good at soups, pies, creamy little salads and pancakes. The standard of cooking is good and simple food tends to be tasty and affordable, and we also like the following Ukrainian fast food. You wouldn't go to Ukraine for the exclusive cuisine, but of course you can find fine restaurants that succeed as well.

Culture and living conditions

Ukraine has a colourful and sometimes dramatic history. Today, it has been hit hard by the economic crisis and life expectancy is very low for a European country. Most people are Orthodox Christians. Orthodox Christmas is celebrated on 7 January, but New Year's Day is the big holiday!

Travelling in Ukraine - see and do

2012 will be a boost for Ukraine's tourism, as people will flock to the country to watch football. Ukraine has a lot to offer: fun shopping, interesting themed restaurants, great nightclubs, beautiful Orthodox churches and, in the summer on the Black Sea, sunbathing in an exotic setting.

Jalta
Helena and Billie in Yalta
All our top tips on Ukraine. Click on the image!

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