Ukraine is a great country to spend Christmas and New Year holidays. What cities are the best to go in winter to enjoy fest mood?
Destinations.com.ua — Travel Guide about Ukraine proposes you to start out with an authentic New Year holiday which can be enjoyed in Kamianets-Podilskyi. Celebrating in the famous ancient castle, in the fortress yard you’ll find Knights guarding tables loaded with drinks and Ukrainian food fare. Later you can enjoy watching medieval dances, songs, fights and games. You’ll also find that between New Years and Orthodox Christmas this city will host their Cossack festival. This copy of Zaporizhzhya Sich, (Cossack region) has stables, kitchens and tents on the Polsky Rynok Square. Here you’ll be able to practice horse riding, archery and there will be a Ballooning festival and Podilska malanka festival as well inside the city.
Naturally the Carpathian Mountains are a must destination if you can make it. Mountains are covered in snow. The resorts are even more popular for the holidays so reserve space early. You can sled or ski or enjoy a myriad of winter activities. What about a snowball fight with your family and friends? Enjoy a walk in nature under snow covered trees and then head in to a Kolyba – the traditional style Carpathian restaurant to warm up by the fire.
Here you’ll find dinners with authentic meals of Ukrainian foods along with plenty of entertainment. You can enjoy folk festivals, live nativity scenes, Ukrainian carols being sung and Christmas divination (seeking knowledge of the future by supernatural means).
One more city to visit in Ukraine on Christmas is Lviv. You’ll find it magnificently decorated. Try hot mulled wine, famous Lviv food delights including of course chocolate and coffee.
In Liviv you’ll be able to watch ancient customs reenacted. The main Christmas symbol a sheaf of wheat will be installed. It is of five meters in height and tree shaped. This holiday sheaf is known as the Didukh. You’ll also find the Vertep parade and also shows featuring these puppets. Last but not least there is the City Dougnut Festival. Come and enjoy your winter holiday in Lviv you won’t be disappointed.
Naturally we can’t forget Kyiv. You’ll want to head over to Sofiyska Square. You’ll find numerous stalls with different goods for sale, food drink including hot mulled wine. The biggest grill in the country is here and you’ll find an attraction park and yes a real Christmas tree. On New Year night there will be concerts, symphony orchestra and of course Ukrainian singers and other performances as well. You’ll need to come the following day for even more performances and festivities. At Andriyivsky Descent there will be Christmas events such as Vertep and Ukrainian carols as well.
These of course are some of the more popular cities to celebrate the cherished New Year and Christmas season here but you can find festivals in almost all the cities here in Ukraine. Your Ukrainian hosts will be proud and happy to show you what they have in their cities as well. Happy Holidays!
