25 Nov 2011

Uman's park "Sophia"


What is special?
  This picturesque area is called a fairy-land – everything is so poetic, exquisite and splendid in this park. Here you can find the Champs-Elysees, English park with the richest collection pf plants from numerous countries of the world, cascades of lakes and waterfalls. Now you have an excellent chance of visiting this true pearl of Ukraine.

Description
  Excursion on the park, where the beautiful pictures joined in one composition, numerous of waterfalls, fountains, stone caves, antique sculptures, miracles of crafts, architects, gardeners, artists and sculptors.Uman's park "Sophia" is the masterpiece of the world park and garden art of the 18-19th. The park is laid in the outskirts of the ancient town Uman, Cherkassy region. The park is a vivid example of a combination of water, land, architectural buildings and monuments.
   The park was founded in 1796 by rich Polish magnate Stanislav Pototsky in honor of the wife of a beautiful Greek woman Sofia, and has been presented as a gift for her in May, 1802. The idea of creation of park in romantic style with use of the Roman and Greek mythology belonged to Sofia.
    The idea to create the park in the romantic style using Greek and Roman mythology belongs to Sophia. For more than 200 the park stuns the visitors by its beauty: wonderful landscapes, exotic flowers and trees, antique buildings, ponds, waterfalls - all these you can contemplate while visiting the p


Savka's khutir


What is special?
Savka’s Khutir - ethnographic Museum, which is 6 km far from Kiev. This is true example of green tourism. The museum housed two ancient estates from 1786 and 1854 years with the old content.

We can offer you sightseeing tours, holiday events, master classes and performances by folk groups. Here you can taste dishes, prepared in your presence in the oven according to the old recipes.






Description

On the museum’s territory there are 2 authentic farmsteads from different regions of Ukrainian Polessye, and also hives, threshing barn, Gipsy’s smithy, the model of sweep, tchoomak cart and cellar with two cells. You will not find a single artifact under glass, on the contrary, each of them you can try in work.

Historical and cultural achievements of the museum are:
• pottery of 19 century (pots, pitchers, “makitra’s”, bowls)
• house ware and daily consumption of 18-19 centuries (forks, rakes, hammers, axes, sickles, scales, mortars, grain barrels, tubs)
• craft tools (weaver and carpenter's tools, spinning wheels, potter's wheel, forge)

Real Ukrainian hosts invite you to their khutir, at least for one day to travel back to true Ukrainian culture, to feel part of this glorious state.

Program
:

1. The first part lasts 30-60 minutes:
- Welcoming guests with all the family in national dresses with bread and salt
- Excursion around khutir and watching rural works: milling of grain, flour threshing, blacksmith;
- Visit the homestead by viewing the internal filling

2. The second part (from 2 hours):
- Guests sit at the table, covered with handmade tablecloths
- The hostess gets out of the oven homemade meals
- Meals are served in clay pots with wooden spoons

You will have the opportunity to taste the soup with meat, garlic pampushka’s, home meat sausage, dumplings, and much more delicious things. You will treat Uzvar, young natural wine, homemade liqueurs.

Also, if you wish, you can book Ukrainian group of national singers that will make you fun during your dinner.

Location: village Novo-Petrovtsy (6 km from Kyiv)

Duration: 4 hours 

Podol


What is special? 

It turns out that in Soviet times in Kiev there was its own Red Square. This was the name of the most famous trading city - Kontraktovaya, which has long been famous for its fairs and contracts.
Description:
Here we get acquainted with historical and architectural monuments, as Dvor (guest’s yard),Contract HouseKyiv-Mohyla Academy (the first university in Eastern Europe) and formerFraternal Monastery, monument to Skovoroda, which "was catching by the world but not caught."
Further along the route - "House of Petr I", the Church of St. Nicholas Pritiska, Frolovskiy monastery, Church op Pirogostcha, Church of the Intercession, a monument to Petr Sagaidachnyy, Elijah Church, the church of Nicholas Naberezhnyy.
Walk ends at the Chernobyl Museum, which tells the history of world tragedy. More than 20 years have passed since the date of the accident, but we feel its effects until now.

National Art Museum


What is special?

If you come to Kiev and don’t visit the National Art Museum of Ukraine, your impressions of this country will be incomplete. The history of this museum began 100 years ago, when it was called the “Municipal Museum of Art and Antiques”.

Description

Ukraine was considered to be well-known only by its folk decorative ethnographic art, and professional art did not exist here. However, for many years the museum staff collected the best works of artists born and living in Ukraine, artists who were away from home, as well as foreign artists who worked in Ukraine. There are works of Shevchenko and I. Repin, V. Borovikovsky and B. Tropinin, N. and M. Vrubel Pimonenko, N. Gay, and G. Narbut, A. and B. Murashko Krichev and many others collected in the museum. «Galicia», «Chernihiv», «Moscow», «St. Petersburg», «Europe», «America» – this is not full list of paintings purchased for the museum.

An unique icon-relief «St. George in his life» of XII century still delights the museum visitors; this is a piece of art by Kazimir Malevich, who was born in Ukraine. Another masterpiece of XVIII century – the icon «Great martyrs» by world-renowned Ukrainian artist J. Gnizdovskyi is pleasing to the eye.

Now the Museum keeps a few dozens of thousands of exhibits; among them there is the icon “The Miracle of St. George Fighting the Dragon”, the icon “Last Judgment” of XVII century by the Metropolitan St. Demetrius Rostovskyi, “Self-portrait” by Taras Shevchenko, the works by A. Manevich, M. Pimonenko, S. Vasilkivskyi, P. Levchenko, A Murashko, V. Maximovitch and other famous artists. Collection of the Museum is still increasing.

Location: Mikhaila grushevskogo str., 6

Working hours: Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday — 10:00-17:00; Friday — 12:00-19:00; Saturday — 11:00-18:00





Night Kiev City tour


What is special?

 
 When the night comes, everything changes, especially the look of the city. Walking through the streets and places of Kiev at night, you will see another face of the city, the one you’ve never seen before.

   Kiev is often called “a city of panoramas”. At night, you suddenly realize the truth of this expression. When you admire panorama of Kiev at night, it seems to be all decorated with plenty of colorful lights.

   You see the statue of Prince Vladimir who holds a lighted cross in his hand, illumination of bridges and temples, rays of projectors that make an accent on the monuments, and so on. Everything is so unusual and charming!
    Kreschatik street, Kiev Pechersk Lavra, statue of Motherland at night– seeing once is better than hearing twice!

Description

   
During the tour you will see the city and monuments among electric lights which is very charming and impressive. The main sights are

  • St. Sophia Cathedral,
  • St. Michael Cathedral,
  • Golden Gates,
  • Opera House,
  • the House with Chimeras,
  • Kiev-Pechersk Lavra
  • Statue Motherland
  • the monument  to the founders of Kiev - three brothers and sister Lybid. 
You will see the panoramic view near the Arch of Friendship.


Kiev-Pecherskaya Lavra


What is special?
  On the high hills of the right bank of the Dnepr River magnificent Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra topped with gilded domes is situated. According to the legend, Apostle Andrew, while preaching the Word of God in the Scythian Land, blessed the hilly bank of the Dnepr River and said to his disciples: "On these hills great city and many churches in glorification of Holy God will be".

Description


  One of the most famous Kiev attractions, founded in 1051 by monks Antoniy and Feodosiy for enchanting and expansion of new religion - Christianity.

   The complex of Kiev-Pecherskaya Lavra Monastery includes Nearby and Far-off caves , the Church of the Savior on Berestove, Holy Trinity Gate Church, St Nicholas' Church and the Great Lavra Belfry, the highest in Ukraine (96,6), fully reconstructed Assumption Cathedral. The majority of the structures is built in the Ukrainian Baroque style. The ensemble is organically linked to the relief and forms a beautiful and majestic silhouette of Kiev from the Dnipro river side.
  
   Tour without museums includes panoramic tour in Kiev Pechersk Preserve and visit to the Caves.
   Tour with museums besides of panoramic tour in Kiev Pechersk Preserve and Caves includes Museum of Treasures, Museum of Microminiature and Bell Tower.
   In 1990 Kiev-Pecherskaya Lavra Monastery was enlisted into the UNESCO's World Heritage List .


Khortitsa Island


What is special?
 
  Nowadays, Khortytsia is designated a national museum. The rural landscape of the island features the Zaporizhian Cossack Museum and a Cossack horse show. The museum building is modern, nestling low in the landscape with dramatic views of the Dnieper Hydroelectric Station to the north. The museum contains exhibits dating from the Stone Age through the Scythian period (c.750 - 250 BC) down to the 20th century, including a model of the Pecheneg ambush which claimed the life of Svyatoslav in 972 and a panorama representing the Battle for Zaporizhia, fought during World War II on October 14, 1943.

Description
  This excursion on the famous Khoritsa Island, located on the city's northeastern tip, is perhaps the greatest, unexpected delight of Zaporozhye city. This beautiful and historical nook is really worth exploring! You will be treated to Cossack displays and investigate their history. Learn about and experience Cossack traditions first hand! This tour can be arranged for one-to-one, couples or families/ small groups.

You will:
 
• Explore and delight at the island's natural beauty (since 1965 the island has been a reserve with many herbs and animals registered as protected species.
• Walk through and explore the halls of the informative, historical Museum of Zaporizhsky Cossacks. The museum contains numerous artifacts excavated from the island and Dnieper river including the Cossacks jetty. What makes this museum special is it's sharp observations of history and reality. Exhibits of Cossacks' arms and relics match with the Cossacks' fortifications outside.
• Visit an open-air Horse Theatre, where Cossack descendants with their Hetman(leader) present displays of traditional dancing, mock fights and tremendous skills in horse riding.
• Taste Ukrainian national dishes at Cossack Korchma (pub)
• Taxi journey from and too Khoritsa Island from your apartment included.
• English speaking translator/ guide provided for duration of tour




 
 

 

Chernovtsy City tour


What is special?
  This town's history has been rich in events and architectural landmarks of different styles reflect the changing times of the past and present. Among the landmarks are: the Myckolayiv Church (1607) of an architectural style, typical for Bukovyna; the wooden Voznesenska Church (16th century); the monumental Residence of Bukovynsky Metropolitans (1864), the Armenian Church (1869) where now concerts of classical chamber are organized as the interior of the church has wonderful acoustics. 

Description

  Chernovtsy (Chernivtsi (Ukrainian spelling), other spellings are Chernivtsy, Chernovtsi) is a city and administrative center of Chernovtsy region of Ukraine. Chernovtsy city is situated on the upper Prut River at the Carpathian foothills. Chernovtsy is a railway and highway junction. Also there is an airport in the city.
  According to archeological data Chernovtsy was founded in the second half of the 12th century. First documentary reference to Chernovtsy dates from 1408. It was a town in the Polish-Lithuanian kingdom and the chief center of the area known as the Bukovina. In 1848 under the influence of revolutionary events demonstrations of protest took place in Chernovtsy. In 1918 the Communist Party of Bukovina was founded and the same year it was conquered by Romania. In 1940 Chernovtsy and northeren Bukovina became the part of Ukrainian SSR of Soviet Union. Since 1940 Chernovtsy city is the center of Chernovtsy region.
  One of the highlights of the city is Olga Kobylyanska Theatre of Music and Drama(1904-1905, built by the Viennese architects F.Felner and H.Helmer).The facade is embellished with sculptural compositions based on ancient Greek mythology. Side niches contain the marble busts of famous Ukrainian and world culture representetives).
  Rather interesting are the buildings of the Philharmonic Concert Hall (1876) where Enrico Caruso (Italy) and Solomiya Krushelnytska (Ukraine) once sang, and the Armenian Church (1869-1975, architect Y.Hlavka). Since 1922 the church with its excellent acoustic hall has been used for concerts of classical and chamber music. Places of interest are: theHoly Spirit Cathedral (built in 1844 after Roel), Assumption Church (19th c.),Central Square, Town Hall (1843-47), Palace of Justice (1904-06), Victory Monument, monument to Olga Kobylianska (an Ukrainian novelist).






Churches in Lvov


 What is special?
  During the tour "Churches in Lvov", you can visit three main religious centers of Ukraine: the Orthodox, Greek Catholics and Armenians, Ukrainian baroque pearls - the architectural ensemble of St. George; Onufriivsky convent, where were issued the first Ukrainian printed books: "The Apostle" and "Primer" Ivan Fyodorov and many other equally interesting temples of the city.

Description
  The most interesting temples in Lvov:

• Leading Ukrainian Orthodox Church abroad XVI-XVII centuries. Destination of Metropolitan of Kiev Petro Mohyla. Stavropigiyskoe first church of the medieval brotherhood of Ukraine;
• St. George Orthodox Church;
• Dominican monastery with the church of God's Body;
• Bernardine monastery-fortress (1630)
• Benedictine convent. Male Vasiliyansky Monastery of St.Onuphrius;
• Carmelite Monastery and the Barefoot Carmelites;
• Jesuit church - the first church in Lviv, built in Baroque style (1630 p);
• Mortuary chapel Lvov patricians XVII century. Boim and Kampianov;
• Religious themes in sculptures of lions;
• Monument figure of the Mother of God on the main street of the city.