Ukraine

Ukraine is a large country with a long and rich cultural history. Kyiv holds golden-domed monasteries and cathedrals that date back about a thousand years, while Lviv in the west is a coffee-loving city of cobbled squares shaped by Polish and Habsburg influence. In the south, Odesa grew as a cosmopolitan Black Sea port, and in the southwest, Chernivtsi and Kamianets-Podilskyi preserve fortresses and elegant university buildings. The Carpathians offer wooded mountains and wooden churches. This guide describes sights that have long been visited. The country is currently affected by war, so please check your government's travel advice and local conditions before making any plans.

Talking points

• Kyiv's Saint Sophia Cathedral and Pechersk Lavra are among the oldest and most important Orthodox sites in Eastern Europe.
• Lviv's historic centre combines Gothic, Renaissance and baroque buildings, and is known for its cafés.
• Odesa's Potemkin Stairs and opera house are among the best-known sights of the Black Sea coast.
• The Carpathian Mountains hold forests, high meadows and Hoverla, the highest peak in Ukraine.
• Ukrainian cultural heritage, from embroidery to church music, is a major living tradition.