Pidhirtsi Castle, UkraineVideo: Drone Grand Tour, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Find your Bliss in Ukraine
Ukraine, explained honestly: golden domes, coffee cellars and mountains, in a country at war
Ukraine is a country of golden domed monasteries, Habsburg coffee houses, Black Sea boulevards and green Carpathian valleys. It is also a country defending itself against a full scale Russian invasion, with air raid alerts, curfews and no civilian flights. Most Western governments advise against travel to all or much of Ukraine. This guide gives you the plain facts, so any decision you make is an informed one.
Your trip, step by step
- Before you decideCurrent travel advice, insurance limits and entry rules, answered plainly
- ArrivingNight trains and buses from Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania or Moldova, and your first day
- Your days in UkraineKyiv, Lviv, the Carpathians and beyond, planned around air alerts and curfew
- Home againBorder queues, exit checks and the train west, so the last day is calm too
Where to go, eat and stay
- Honest firstWe say clearly where governments advise against travel and why.
- Official sourcesEntry, health and safety facts point you to official pages to confirm.
- No price surprisesWe explain cards, cash and costs in plain words, with no hidden catches.
- Free to useEvery guide and the trip planner are free.
Our promise
A trip to Ukraine should never be a gamble taken blind. We set out the risks, the rules and the rewards in plain words, so you can decide with confidence and, if you go, find your Bliss with care.
Coming home to see parents in Lviv, grandparents in a Carpathian village or friends in Kyiv? This guide was written with you in mind.
How to use this guide
Four steps from first idea to a decision you feel sure about.
- Read the adviceStart with your government's travel advice and what your insurance will and will not cover in a war zone.
- Sort the essentialsEntry route, passport, health insurance, the air alert app and cash, checked against official sources.
- Pick your placesUse our places to visit list for churches, cafés, parks, markets and stays in each city.
- Plan your routeUse the free trip planner to shape your days and your train connections from the border.
Everything your Ukraine trip needs
Free tools and guides for every stage of the journey.
Destinations
Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, the Carpathians, Kamianets-Podilskyi and Chernivtsi, each explained in depth.
Explore destinationsPlaces to visit
More than a hundred churches, cafés, parks, markets and stays, from classics to quiet corners.
See places to visitGetting there and stays
Search routes to the border cities and stays across the country.
Plan travelPlaces finder
Sights, food and stays mapped around each base.
Find placesFree trip planner
Tell us your dates and interests and build a route that fits.
Plan your trip
The western Ukraine route
Lviv, the Carpathians and the old border towns
Most visitors who go today stay in the west, furthest from the front line. They arrive by train from Poland into Lviv, take the train or bus south to Yaremche and the Carpathian valleys, then head east to the castle town of Kamianets-Podilskyi and the Habsburg university city of Chernivtsi. Air alerts still sound here, so the same precautions apply.
- Lviv's UNESCO old town and coffee cellars
- Waterfalls, hiking and Hutsul villages in the Carpathians
- The canyon castle of Kamianets-Podilskyi
- Chernivtsi's painted university and Viennese streets
Start with the destinations
See how the cities, mountains and castles fit together.
Ukraine destinationsPlan with care
A route that respects the risks
In Ukraine, planning matters: trains sell out, curfews shape your evenings, and every stay should have a shelter nearby. Our free planner helps you think through a realistic pace and order.
- Realistic train times from the border
- Where to base yourself
- How to plan days around air alerts
Where to go in Ukraine
From the capital on the Dnipro and the coffee city of Lviv to Black Sea Odesa, Carpathian valleys and a castle on a canyon.
Central Ukraine
Kyiv
A green, hilly capital of golden domes and riverside parks, living a full city life under the shadow of war.
Read the guidePhoto: Ввласенко, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Western Ukraine
Lviv
A UNESCO old town of cobbled squares, baroque churches and legendary coffee, and the gateway to Ukraine from Poland.
Read the guidePhoto: Rbrechko, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Southern Ukraine
Odesa
A Black Sea port of grand boulevards, a famous opera house and a proud tradition of humour, under frequent attack.
Read the guidePhoto: Alex Levitsky & Dmitry Shamatazhi, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Western Ukraine
The Carpathians
Green mountain valleys of waterfalls, wooden churches and Hutsul villages, the calmest part of Ukraine for many travellers.
Read the guidePhoto: Dmytro Balkhovitin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Western Ukraine
Kamianets-Podilskyi
A storybook castle and old town on a rocky island looped by a deep river canyon, one of Ukraine's most remarkable sights.
Read the guidePhoto: Rbrechko, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Western Ukraine
Chernivtsi
An elegant Habsburg city of pastel streets, a UNESCO listed university and a rich mixed heritage.
Read the guidePhoto: User:VargaA, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A note from our founder
A note from our founder
My first time visiting Kenya, I was genuinely surprised with how fast it began feeling like home. The people are so friendly, the food is delicious and familiar, and the accommodations are modern and upscale.
During my travels throughout the continent, I commonly hear tourists share stories about being scammed or taken advantage of, which is both frustrating and disheartening.
Living in Kenya for the last 2 years, I have had the great fortune to meet a network of wonderful Kenyans who have continuously help guide my family's journey. Their shared knowledge has not only greatly enhanced our overall experience here, but it has also saved us tons of time, energy, and resources.
With BlissPoint Travel, my hope is to build a global community that is willing to share useful, uncommon knowledge so that we can all blissfully enjoy the wonders our world has to offer.
Questions we hear most
Is it safe to travel to Ukraine?
No part of Ukraine is free from risk while the Russian invasion continues. Missiles and drones can reach any city, including Lviv and Kyiv. The UK, US, Canada and Australia all advise against travel to all or most of the country, and many insurers will not cover you. Read your government's current advice before deciding anything.
Can I fly to Ukraine?
No. Ukrainian airspace has been closed to civilian flights since February 2022. Travellers fly to Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania or Moldova and cross by train, bus or on foot. Rzeszow and Krakow in Poland are the most used gateways, with direct trains into Lviv and Kyiv.
Do I need a visa for Ukraine?
It depends on your passport. Many nationalities, including citizens of EU countries, the UK, the US and Canada, have long been able to visit without a visa for short stays, but rules change. Check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and your own government's entry page before you travel.
What currency does Ukraine use?
The Ukrainian hryvnia. Cards and phone payments are accepted almost everywhere in cities, and ATMs are common. Keep some cash for markets, villages and power cuts, when card terminals may not work.
What language is spoken in Ukraine?
Ukrainian is the official language and the one to start with. Many people also speak Russian, and English is common among younger people in Kyiv and Lviv. A few words of Ukrainian, such as dyakuyu for thank you, are warmly received.
What is the capital of Ukraine?
Kyiv, a green city of around three million people on the Dnipro River, home to St Sophia's Cathedral and the Pechersk Lavra. Spell it Kyiv, the Ukrainian form, rather than the old Russian spelling.
Thinking about Ukraine?
Use the free trip planner to think through dates, routes and timing, and read the latest official travel advice first.