Let's go! Where to go on a Christmas trip in Ukraine: 10 unusual solutions

Rubryka has decided to invite you on a Christmas trip! So we tell you where to go in Ukraine to feel the holiday is approaching!

If the first snow for you is an occasion to decorate the apartment and light the Christmas Lights, and you must want to go where there will be a lively Christmas atmosphere.

We've selected five places where Christmas will be celebrated in all its glory, with carols, nativity scenes, and, of course, delicious kutia.

Vertep march in Rivne

Let's start with the fact that since the end of November preparations for the "City mood: Christmas" contest in Rivne have already started, where Rivne residents will compete in who best decorate a shop window, house facade, or adjacent territory. So even just walking around the city will be interesting.

But on December 25, the center of Rivne will hold a procession of nativity scenes and a procession of Christmas stars! Numerous carolers will pass through the main streets of the city, accordingly painted and dressed with the ideas of traditional Ukrainian Christmas.

Malanka Festival in Chernivtsi

Going on Christmas (in January) in Chernivtsi is a great decision at least since 2011. It was then that the city hosted the Malanka festival for the first time. In 2022, it will last for two days, January 15 and 16.

Where else can you see Ukrainian, Bessarabian, Hutsul, Moldavian and Romanian malanka in one place? The festival basis is a carnival procession of participants, who will also present a kind of theatrical performance. It will end near the main stage of the festival, but the general celebration will continue in full swing!

Vsi. Svoi.Podarunky Fair in Kyiv

If you plan to celebrate Christmas in the capital, we see no reason not to visit the fair, Vsi. Svoi. Podarunky, which will last December 16-17, 23-25, December 29-31.

"We no longer have to run around the city looking for gifts, because we have everything!" say the organizers and tell the truth. The marketplace will bring together the best Ukrainian manufacturers, and the shelves will include a lot of stylish textiles, utensils, jewelry, books, clothes, toys, and more. This is an event that should be attended by all those who'll help Santa with duties this year.

Follow the Gogol canons!

Christmas on a farm near Dykanka in the Poltava region is a good option for those who want authenticity, mysticism, and Ukrainian flair. A few minutes in Google, and you will find tours and guides for people, going there to celebrate the winter holidays.

Gogol's heroes will meet you in Dykanka, arrange theatrical performances for you, tell you about traditions, and show things that were used by our ancestors several centuries ago. And they will deliciously feed you! You can also look at Sorochyntsi, not far from Dykanka, where you can celebrate Christmas no less vividly.

It is worth noting that almost all tours include a tour of Poltava. The program will be rich, so we recommend it!

Win-win Carpathians

We don't know if there are people at all who don't like mountains. But we know that you can always find something there. Christmas in the Carpathians is a win-win situation that is suitable for couples or solo travelers, both for large companies and family vacationers.

You can find many tours of the Carpathians, and you can organize a holiday and celebration yourself. Resorts with steep ski slopes, horseback riding, extreme sports or thermal waters, wine tastings, spas, and quiet admiration of the scenery… you just have to choose what you want more.

And that's not a problem. You can and should travel without being tied to holidays or traditions. We've also put together five places to see in all seasons, whatever the circumstances!

Odesa, Vylkove, and a lot of water!

Vylkove is a town in the Odesa region, 225 kilometers from the regional center. It is located in the Danube Delta, shortly after which the river flows into the Black Sea. Rivers, water canals that serve the townspeople, make Vylkovo unique. Most of the city's residents have at least one boat, and fishing is considered a must-have.

Roads in Vylkovo aren't paved but made of concrete because of high humidity. And you will walk between the "water" streets with numerous bridges, which the local authorities are repairing in cooperation with residents.

The city also has a lot of recreation facilities and a rather atypical cuisine for the rest of Ukraine, consisting mainly of fish dishes and even frog legs.

Going to Lutsk for "Vitrage Weekend"

On December 25-26, 2021, Lutsk will host Vitrage Weekend for the first time, a festival in the format of local events, for which they will build a separate town. The essence of the festival is to show a modern local lifestyle and gather cool people in a cool place.

The festival will host lectures, various tastings, dances, and musical evenings. Also, the "Vitrage Weekend" promises delicious food, lots of vintage things, and an area for movie screenings.

Reindeer farm in Radovychi

And it's also Volyn. If you love animals and want to observe the life of deer closely, and just be in nature, the Amila eco-park awaits you. There is a deer farm on its territory. More than 200 deer are living on 122 hectares, which are usually gladly treated by tourists.

There is also a museum of Volyn fauna on the territory of the eco-park and marked tourist routes, and you can rent bicycles on site to use them.

Khortytsia in Zaporizhzhia region

Cossack's atmosphere is always on time! Christmas on Khortytsia is a reconstruction of Cossack battles, ancient swords, ancient weapons, boats, and a kind of time travel! You can go to Khortytsia on a tour, where you are guaranteed to get a tour of the island and detailed explanations of the destinations of many bizarre things stored in the local museums of the island.

However, it makes sense to go to Khortytsia without professional assistance. You can explore the island on your own, looking in all corners. Who knows, maybe you will find some Cossack treasure!

Mongolfieria Balloon Festival in Kyiv

If the winter seems gray and not very attractive, the Mongolfieria festival, which will take place in Kyiv on December 25, will add luster. This is the largest Ukrainian balloon festival, held several times a year in different cities.

At the Christmas festival in Kyiv, you will see an entire air show. You will also be able to go up in a balloon 30 meters above the ground (so-called "tied" flight). And, of course, you can't do without a food court and mulled wine!