Top vacation destinations in Ukraine

Ukraine has some of the most fertile soil on Earth, a bounty reflected in local restaurants and markets. Although ingredients are often simple (usually grains, mushrooms, and staple vegetables), food is often first fried or boiled, then stewed or baked. Ukraine's most famous export is borscht, the sour beet soup found throughout East and Central Europe. Restaurants often serve "green borscht," which uses sorrel leaves instead of beets. Ukraine has nearly-countless varieties of cabbage rolls, known as Holubtsi. Just as ubiquitous and varied as borscht are Varenyky, small dumplings similar to Polish pierogi. Food can be fatty, with Smetana (thick sour cream), and butter used as frequent toppings. Salo (cured lard) is also considered a delicacy. Ukraine has a wide variety of breads and pastries, often elaborately decorated and associated with religious holidays.

Horilka, the Ukrainian form of vodka, is popular, and while its ingredients can vary (peppers are a common addition), it is universally strong, especially when distilled at home. Different combinations of fruits and berries are used to make a type of wine, called Nastoyanka if strong, and Nalyvka if it has low alcohol content. As in Russia, Kompot (fruits or berries boiled in water like a liquid compote) and Kvass (a fermented rye drink akin to root beer) are popular non-alcoholic beverages. Kompot is associated with winter, and Kvass with summer, as it is often sold in parks out of large trailers. Tap water should be avoided, as even safe water often has an unpleasant taste due to the amounts of chlorine used.

Ukraine is the largest country entirely within Europe, so flights with Ukraine International Airlines can often be the best way of getting between major cities, such as Lviv, Kyiv, and Odessa. Trains are cheap, but ticket agents and train staff rarely speak English, and travel can be very slow, with many trains averaging around 30-40 MPH. We recommend against car rental, as few signs are written with the Latin alphabet, the roads are often in bad shape, traffic police have a reputation for corruption, traffic in major cities is often poor, animals often appear on highways, and local drivers are often reckless.

Kyiv has an excellent subway system, with some stations as impressive as any in Moscow. Kyiv has several of the world's deepest stations, hundreds of feet underground. Cities have complicated networks of buses, trolleybuses, and streetcars, which can be very crowded, especially at night. In addition are ubiquitous Marshrutkas, private minibuses that drive on set routes, but only begin their journey when full. In most cities, you pay the driver upon entering, but in Odessa you pay shortly before your stop. As these minibuses run on the honor system, people often pass money up to the driver (and hand change back) during the drive.