The most beautiful places of Poltava region: what you need to see and visit
Monument to the pig, pyramids, and the Gogol Puddle: Poltava region you must see
Photo: zmist.pl.ua
Domestic tourism is an exciting business and hasn't been fully explored. Instead of cliched places to rest, you can choose something that will impress you no less than the Egyptian pyramids. And distracting from the hustle and bustle of the city won't hurt. This time we go on a trip to the Poltava region.
The Poltava region is usually associated with famous writers: Mykola Gogol, Ivan Kotliarevskyi, and other, no less important, people. However, this region can impress not only with the places where artists lived or visited but also entertain you with beautiful natural recreation areas. Especially now that it won't hurt to distance yourself from everyone.
Resorts of Myrhorod
If you get to the town of Myrhorod in the Poltava region, then, most likely, you'll take a walk for the entire day. There are as many as seven resorts, with park areas and embankments of the Khorol River.
For people who want to get better, the website offers a range of services. But for those who just want to reload, take a walk, breathe fresh air and enjoy nature, this place is one hundred percent suitable.
A one-day walk through the resort is a great idea for a family vacation.
Don't forget to stop by and look at the so-called "Gogol Puddle," a small pond in the heart of Myrhorod. It got its name from the story of Mykola Gogol.
"Gogol's Puddle"
How to get there: It's best to drive there in your own car. The distance from the Kharkivska metro station to Myrhorod is 235 km. Travel time is 2 hours 43 min. There is a direct Intercity+ train to Myrhorod from Kyiv. Travel time is about 2 hours.
What to do: Walk through the resorts of Myrhorod, walk around the city.
The family estate of the Cossack family of Muraviov-Apostol (Myrhorod district)
In the village of Khomutets in the Myrhorod region, there's a place where the Decembrists once secretly gathered. This is a palace built by Dmytro Apostol. Besides historical value, there's also beautiful nature. In Soviet times, the building housed a veterinary college, but now the building is in disrepair. Although the stucco with family coats of arms has been preserved. Trinity oak, planted by Muraviov-Apostol in honor of his sons, grows on the territory.
If you like an unusual holiday with adventures, visiting mysterious places that aren't visited by tourists, then this case is just for you. First, you'll definitely take a bunch of Instagram photos. Second, you'll feel yourself, if not a gentleman or a young lady from the XVIII century, then at least a mysterious person of the Decembrist movement in Ukraine.
How to get there: It's best to drive your own car. The distance from the Kharkivska metro station to the village of Khomutets is 254 km. Travel time is 2 hours 54 min.
If you're going from Myrhorod, the travel time will take 26 minutes.
What to do: Walk around the estate. Please note that the building is abandoned, so be cautious.
Kochubei Oaks (Dykanka village)
Another former estate in the Poltava region, which hasn't survived to this day. However, you have the opportunity to walk through the park and look at the Kochubei Oaks, old trees that have survived from the oak grove that surrounded the house. It's unknown who planted them. The territory of the park is extremely beautiful, especially in the summer. Mykola Gogol loved these places very much and visited the Kochubei estate.
Unfortunately, the building hasn't survived, but the last four oaks, which are 600-800 years old, have survived. The diameter of the trunks is 1.5-1.8 m, the height is 20-22 m.
If you've already arrived in Dykanka, be sure to look at the triumphal arc. This is one of the monuments of the Kochubei estate ensemble.
Triumphal Arch
How to get there: If you drive your own car from Kyiv, the distance from the Kharkivska metro station to Dykanka is 318 km. Travel time is 3 hours 49 min. From Poltava, it's 33 minutes (30 km).
What to do: Take a walk in the park, the entrance to the park is free.
Tomb pyramids
Zakrevski Pyramid
Two of the three European pyramids are located in the Poltava region. One is in the village of Berezova Rudka of the Pyriatyn district, the second one is in the village of Komendantivka of the Kobeliaky district. Another pyramid in Europe is located in Rome. These two are definitely closer to us and no less interesting. Locals believe that these buildings are endowed with the healing power of spiritual renewal.
The Zakrevski tomb pyramid is located in the village of Berezova Rudka. Hnat Zakrevskyi was in the service of Emperor Aleksandr III, was a diplomat, and a member of the Masonic lodge. During his trip to Egypt, he became interested in the culture of this country and the history of the pyramids. Returning to Ukraine, he built a pyramid-tomb over the family crypt and decorated the entrance with a stone Orthodox cross and a statue of the goddess Isis.
How to get there: By own car from Kyiv, the distance from the Kharkivska metro station to Berezova Rudka is 135 km. Travel time is 1 hour 38 min.
What to do: Take a walk in the park, look at the pyramid, take pictures.
Bilevychs Pyramid
The pyramid-tomb of the Bilevychs in the village of Komendantivka was built by Oleksandr Bilevych, an officer of the Russian fleet. He, like Zakrevskyi, once visited Egypt. Obviously, this culture and history impressed him and he started building a pyramid at home. He'd built it for 13 years. The granite blocks are connected by a mixture, with egg white and animal blood.
A church was built near the pyramid. After the death of the Bilevychs, they were buried in the tomb's basement.
How to get there: If you drive your own car from Kyiv, the distance from the Kharkivska metro station to Dykanka is 346 km. Travel time is 4 hours 34 min. From the Zakrevski pyramid, travel time is 2 hours, 23 min.
What to do: Visit the church, walk around the territory, take pictures.
Museum-Reserve of Ukrainian Pottery (Opishne village, Zinkiv district)
If you've never heard of Opishne potters, then you should definitely visit the National Museum-Reserve of Ukrainian Pottery in the village of Opishne. It's the largest museum in Europe. The museum is now operating normally. The territory of the reserve is spacious, so the museum staff conducts tours for everyone. And you can take express master classes in pottery, toy modeling and buy your own sculpted pottery.
How to get there: If you drive your own car from Kyiv, the distance from the Kharkivska metro station to Opishne is 313 km. Travel time is 3 hours, 48 min. From Poltava, it's 45 minutes by car.
What to do: Take a walk around the territory, book a tour, take master classes.
How much it costs: The tour costs 150 UAH for adults and 90 UAH for preschool children.
Ruskyi Orchyk Nature Reserve (near the village of Riaske, Mashivka district)
If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, you should definitely visit this place. "Ruskyi Orchyk" is a zoological reserve of national importance. The area is 785 hectares. 260 species of animals live here, 17 of which are listed in the Red Book of Ukraine. If you're lucky, you'll see a roe deer, elk, meles, or raccoon dog. But it's better not to cross paths with the wolf. The nature on the territory of the reserve is beautiful, encourages walking, meditation, and enjoying the summer's beauty.
How to get there: If you drive your own car from Kyiv, the distance from the Kharkivska metro station to Riaske is 391 km. Travel time is 5 hours 6 min. From Poltava, it's 1 hour 36 minutes by car.
What to do: Take a walk in the territory, relax in nature.
Mount Pyvykha (Hradizk village, Hlobyne district)
It's one of the most beautiful places in the Poltava region. The highest point of the Left Bank of Ukraine. Height is almost 170 meters. It's located in the village of Hradizk, Hlobyne district, on the shores of the Kremenchuk reservoir. It's a very popular tourist destination, so you'll unlikely be alone on the weekend. However, it's definitely worth visiting the mountain. The landscape is incredible. Especially since this place is included in the list of "7 Wonders of Ukraine." Archaeologists still find the remains of animals of the ice age here.
It's a great idea to come here for a day and have a picnic and a walk. The landscape resembles seascapes, and the proximity to the water makes the air cool and fresh.
How to get there: By car from Kyiv, the distance from the Kharkivska metro station is 250 km. Travel time is 3 hours 45 min.
What to do: Take a walk in the territory, relax in nature.
Blue Lakes (Sobkivka village, Novi Sanzhary district)
Like Mount Pyvykha, the Blue Lakes is one of the most visited places in the region. Nature attracts tourists and vacationers. The lakes are located on the site of sand quarries. The cause of the blue watercolor isn't known for sure. Also, the beaches have white sand and are close to coniferous forests. Some shrubs and trees grow straight out of the water. Poltava residents call this place the Ukrainian Maldives.
How to get there: By car from Kyiv, the distance from the Kharkivska metro station is 352 km. Travel time is 4 hours 15 min.
What to do: Beach vacation, picnic.
And this is a monument to Pig, Poltava
If you go to the Poltava region, you definitely should visit Poltava. It's a city with stunning architecture, immersed in green parks. The rhythm of life is calm and measured. You'll find a lot of guides around the city on other websites, and we'll remind you that you should have a look at the monument to the pig. It is located on the territory of Poltava State Agrarian Academy (the territory itself is also exquisite).
How to get there: By car from Kyiv, the distance from the Kharkivska metro station to Poltava is 329 km. Travel time is 3 hours 52 min. By Intercity+, it's about 3 hours.
What to do: City walk, rest.
Bilsk fortified settlement (Bilsk village, Kotelva district)
If you want to feel the spirit of antiquity, you should go to the Bilsk settlement. It's a settlement of Scythian times (VIII-beginning of III centuries BC), located on a hill between the Vorskla river and the Sukha Hrun river. The settlement consists of three fortified settlements and is located on an area of 4400 hectares. The length of the shafts is 33,833 meters. Archaeological excavations are constantly carried out here because the territory is huge and not fully explored. For comparison, the area of Babylon is 900 hectares. There's also the Bilsk spring and the Skovoroda Oak, which, according to legend, was planted by the wandering philosopher himself.
How to get there: By car from Kyiv, the distance from the Kharkivska metro station to the village of Bilsk is 349 km. Travel time is 4 hours 42 min.
What to do: Walk the territory, relax in the fresh air.
Velyki Sorochyntsi village (Myrhorod district)
We had doubts about whether to include Velyki Sorochyntsi on our list. Not because we find this village uninteresting, but because it's so famous that it falls into all the default ratings.
The well-known Sorochyntsi Fair is to take place in August this year, according to the organizers' website. However, you can also visit this village this weekend.
There are several sites worth visiting here.
For fans of extreme adventures, there's an unusual object in Sorochyntsy, a dungeon.
Sorochyntsi arose on the grounds of the fortress "Krasnopillia." In 1709, the fortress was badly damaged, and in the middle of the XVIII century, it completely lost its defensive significance. However, the underground passages that were extremely popular at the time survived. There are currently six sleeves left. If you like this kind of vacation, be sure to visit here.
And, of course, we can't not mention Gogol, who was born right here in Velyki Sorochyntsi. The original house, where the writer was born, was destroyed during the war but rebuilt in 1951. And now it's the Velyki Sorochyntsi Literary Memorial Museum of Mykola Gogol.
During the Sorochyntsi Fair, there are queues of people who want to visit the museum, so you have a chance to see the house without too much noise and feel closer to "Evenings on a Farm near Dykanka," "Vii" and other masterpieces of the writer.
How to get there: If you drive your own car from Kyiv, the distance from the Kharkivsla metro station to Velyki Sorochyntsi is 261 km. Travel time is 3 hours 18 min.
What to do: Recreation in an ethnographic hotel, visit a museum, walk through the village.
