4 SPRING ROUTES IN UKRAINE: MUSKETEERS, DEER, AND THE WAY TO THE END OF THE WORLD

Sunny spring days are on the way, which means it’s time to go on a trip. If you don’t know where to go and what new corner of Ukraine to discover for yourself, our new travel blog will help you. Valeria Mikulskaya, the host of the travel show Ukraine is on the verge, talks about the unknown tourist treasures of our country.

Traveling around Ukraine for several years, it seemed, having traveled all over it, I still cannot afford to say that I know it 100%. Ukraine is a treasure trove for tourists.

Deep such, unpredictable, ancient, the bottom of which cannot be seen. And that’s for the best. After all, the project team and I continue to impress! And we advise you!

How to choose the right routes

I am often asked about how an inexperienced tourist can understand what kind of route he will have, where to go, what to choose?

Usually, I answer: read the reports of amateur tourists. Here they are, as no one else, honest, and you will not find such details that abound in their stories in any booklet.

Here is an example. We once arrived in the Transcarpathian village of winemakers, Bene. It would seem that everything is obvious and clear in advance: colorful cellars, winemaking traditions passed down from generation to generation, tastings…

And on the spot it turned out that for many years in these parts there has been a special, real order of knights-winemakers. And they are the ones who serve the guests. But for some reason, there is not a word about this in tourist brochures.

The second piece of advice is to talk to people already in place, with the most indigenous, colorful, knowledgeable people.

It happened that such a conversation almost completely changed our plans and we, forgetting about the well-known route, rushed to shoot something unexpected, amazing. Planning is planning, but there must be room for spontaneity!

And the third – with regard to “what to take with you on the road.” Alas, the last few years on the road have taught me that it is better to have things with you for all occasions and for all weather conditions.

Compass, flashlight, definitely – an umbrella, rubber boots, hats / panamas, and, to be honest, just in case, a pair of stilettos.

If you are thinking about where to go, I will offer you four routes, each of which has something to see, feel and photograph – where without it in our time!

Musketeers Castle in Svirzh

This small village near Lviv is called Galician Gascony.

Picturesque fields, gardens, and mountains in the distance. And among these landscapes – a luxurious old castle!

Today it is called the most romantic in the Galician lands. And back in the 16th century, by the way, military strategies were developed here and prepared for sieges. The local magnates, the Svirzhsky brothers, were the first to equip the castle, still wooden – in fact, they were building not so much an estate for themselves as a kind of hiding place for the townspeople.

Fort on a high hill Belz, in the old manner “bevz”, means – “surrounded by impenetrable swamps.” Now, on a picturesque ledge above the river, a romantic Renaissance palace flaunts.

This is how we see it today, white stone, with griffins and European features, Svirzh Castle was made by the second owner, Count Center.

The perfect setting for a movie about the Musketeers. So, by the way, at one time the creators of the legendary tape decided and more than once set up a filming camp here. Want to follow in the footsteps of movie characters?

Reindeer lands in the Carpathians

Farm … You say: well, what can be impressive in it? The phenomenon is more than usual for Ukraine. But in the Carpathians, in general, here, in almost every yard, there is a small farm.

But it is precisely this, near From the Khust district, I can rightfully call it unique. Because this is the only place in our country where deer are bred!

Almost thirty years, by the way. Although … bred – loudly said, rather create conditions.

They were brought to Transcarpathia to organize a pharmaceutical business. Young deer antlers, antlers, have long been used as powerful immunomodulators and antiseptics. Deer antlers are still neatly filed.

But still, now the farm is more popular as an open zoo. More than a hundred spotted, cute, and friendly little ones are waiting for you. I will say from experience: they are especially expected and greeted with gifts in the form of corn sticks.

The palace-residence of the nobles of Fon-Meck in the city of Brailov

A neat but refined mansion with turrets, a picturesque park, lively interiors, and a personal guest room for P. Tchaikovsky, a huge church, a Trinitarian monastery, synagogues, an old mill. Not a town, but a museum. One of the most attractive in Podolia.

By the way, P. Tchaikovsky created more than one of his masterpieces in this place – the Fon-Mecks sponsored the author, admiring his work and society.

And this place has a romantic history. What, they will gladly tell you in the estate, now it is a city museum.

Ancient rock temple in the village. Bush. Pagan cells on a high stone cliff. For two thousand years, worship of the gods of nature and rituals have been performed in this place.

Yes, yes, the Old Believers are still among us, and they regularly come here.

This functioning pagan temple is one of the largest in Europe. Once inside, you feel the confusion of times, as if you suddenly find yourself in the Stone Age. And what are the rock paintings here!

Nagoryanskiye caves of the Stone Age

Arriving at this place, I exclaimed: “If they asked me what the end of the world looks like, I would certainly say:“ So! And not otherwise!”

In fact, this is really a region, one of the regions of our Ukraine. After all, the Nagoryans are located on a high ledge right at the border with Moldova, and right under the village, there are limestone caves of the Stone Age.

It looks like the scenery for a movie about prehistoric tribes. The approximate age of these strong limestones on one and the other side of the Dniester is more than fifty million years.

By the way, in the neighboring village of Lyadova, a male cave monastery is still functioning. Here, if you’re lucky, you can see the real cave life of our time.

I wish you good luck, friends. Travel, adventure – this is what brings together and inspires. Let the route be remembered for you and bring a lot of pleasant emotions!

Since today for the first time you get acquainted with the new blog of Valeria Mikulskaya, we give brief information about the author!

Valeria Mikulskaya

The host of the travel project “Ukraine is the enemy” was born in the capital of Georgia, grew up in the South of Ukraine, in the Mykolaiv region. Ukrainian, Russian, Armenian, Polish.

As a child, she dreamed of becoming an archaeologist and became a certified economist. But already in the first year she combined her studies and work at a television studio.

“ I didn’t choose her, she chose me, quite by accident and forever ,” says this about the profession of a TV journalist.

In the past, she was a correspondent for the Podrobnosti news service, author, and presenter of the Morning with Inter program. Life credo: “All victories begin with a victory over yourself!”