New Year is a holiday that everyone is looking forward to with joy hoping for miracles, meeting new people and having great memories. All this you will find in Western Ukraine. In this article, we will show you the best places to visit in our country during New Year’s time.
You can choose from our variety of New Year in Ukraine tours. We organize private as well as group tours to help our guests get to know Ukrainian culture and have fun celebrating this holiday.
Where to go for the New Year in Ukraine?
Visit fabulous Lviv
The first association with Western Ukraine is, of course, Lviv. This city has already become a Ukrainian tourist Mecca: cozy streets and European architecture, delicious food and excitable drinks, lovely coffee shops, and atmospheric pubs. In winter Lviv becomes the center of a fairy tale.
The celebration begins almost with the first snow. The city is decorated with Christmas lights and decorations, and the atmosphere of the holiday is felt everywhere. At the same time, a large skating rink, which is so loved by both tourists and locals, begins to operate on Rynok Square. If you want to feel festive excitement – visiting Lviv is definitely the best choice!
Entertaining Uzhhorod
The major city in Transcarpathia has its tourist highlight, a collection of mini-sculptures scattered throughout the centre. Walking from one sculpture to another, you can see the city’s most famous attractions: the Embankment of the Uzh River, the local Philharmonic, Korzo street and the lane Hirchychne Zerno, the Cathedral, and the majestic castle. Locals and guests cheerfully celebrate New Year’s Eve in Uzhhorod on the Central square at the main Christmas tree or in the city restaurants with energetic presenters, fascinating competitions and dances until the morning.
Cozy Mukacheve
Transcarpathia is famous for its uniqueness, and not for nothing. The region is a bright mixture of people, languages, traditions and various curious things. Thanks to this multiculturalism, the celebrations last for several weeks; first, they celebrate Catholic Christmas, followed by New year, Orthodox Christmas, Malanka and Baptism. At the same time, in Mukacheve, they hold the festival, Chervene wine, which attracts wine lovers from around the world.
The town’s guests may also want to visit one of the most powerful fortresses in Ukraine, Palanok castle, walk along the main street to the Town Hall and make a wish, rubbing the button on the monument to the chimney sweeper.
And to make your holiday even more exciting, go on the New Year tour!
Discover Medieval Castles in Lviv Region
To visit a real Medieval castle on New Year is a childhood dream of many people, and it is so easy to do! The Golden Horseshoe in Lviv region offers three of the most famous castles in Ukraine. They have carried the knightly spirit through the centuries, and now they are open it to everyone.
Mighty Olesko, elegant Pidhirtsy and mysterious Zolochiv castles in just one day will introduce to you, the culture and life of the glorious past. Here you can also see the magnificent collection of wooden sculptures and ancient icons; make a wish that will come true and even meet a real ghost!
All in all, we guarantee unforgettable impressions!
Relax in Truskavets
If you dream of a quiet but pleasant New Year holiday, visit Truskavets – one of the most famous resorts in Ukraine. Thanks to its mineral waters, modern hotels and therapeutic spa complexes this town is turning into an ideal option for a family holiday.
After New Year’s Eve, you can stroll around the parks, visit the zoo in the village of Medenychi or climb one of the nearby Carpathian peaks.
Klevan Tunnel of Love: Romantic and Fascinating at any Time of the Year
A few years ago the town of Klevan was almost unknown in Ukraine. But today, tourists come from all over the country to see the local attraction, the Tunnel of Love. It appears at the place where a train’s regular path has carved a tunnel of greenery through the forest. Green in summer, yellow in autumn and snow-covered in winter, trees frame the railway tracks, making them a cosy and romantic place for photoshoots and walks.
Join our tour around Volyn and get your impressions of the winter Tunnel of Love in Klevan. And don’t forget your camera to take unique photos of this human-made nature attraction.
Lutsk: a City with a Thousand-Year History
You cannot miss visiting the city of Lutsk. Ancient buildings in this city still remember the princely days, because the first mention of Lutsk dates back to the beginning of the 11th century. Different periods of history and different owners made this Ukrainian city attractive for visiting and relaxation. In Lutsk, you can just wander through the streets of the old town, or you can go to the castle of Lubart, which was built in the 14th and 15th centuries. Now the fortress houses three museums: the Museum of Bells, the Museum of Books and the Art Museum of Lutsk.
In Lutsk, music festivals of both folk and contemporary music are often held, and in the first half of December, Lutsk becomes a desirable place for jazz fans, because for almost twenty years in December there has been a traditional Jazz Bez. For the last 11 years, the local fortress has been the centre of Medieval culture during the art festival night in Lutsk castle.
Hiking in charming Yaremche
Another great place in the Carpathians is Yaremche. In this region, you can get to know Hutsuls – an ethnic group of Ukrainians that live in the Carpathian mountains.
Yaremche fascinates its guests with its waterfall Probii. In winter it looks especially impressive; rough water fights with ice and stones as it boils and shimmers in many shades. The place is special because you can see it from different angles: 20m above the waterfall there is a pedestrian bridge, and from the river banks it is easy to walk close to the river.
On both sides of the waterfall, there is a large souvenir market where you can buy a variety of sweets, herbal teas and Hutsul products: wicker baskets, pottery, embroidered shirts, wool socks, and lizhnyks (traditional blanket).
You will find picturesque nature and fascinating shopping on our tour Hutsul New year.
Exotic Berehove
Beregove is famous for its thermal pools and centuries-old wine-making traditions. In the town and on its outskirts, there are several pools with healing water and a large number of wine cellars.
Another feature of the town is that a significant number of its inhabitants are Hungarians. But you shouldn’t worry! They warmly welcome guests in their rural homestays, introducing their customs and national dishes. You will definitely remember a fascinating New Year tradition called Happy Breakfast, which consists of particular “happy” dishes that are cooked only on this holiday. Those who try them will be healthy and happy during the whole year.
Ancient Kamianets
Beautiful Kamianets-Podilskyi is also an ancient town shrouded in legends and secrets, a flower on a stone and a city-museum. It fascinates with its power and strikes with its beauty. In the Old City, you will find the impregnable walls and steep banks of Smotrych, ancient Catholic cathedrals and cosy churches, fun festivals and loud celebrations.
Even if you have already been to Kamianets, visit it at New Year, wander its streets, and you will find inspiration for the whole year!
Aristocratic Chernivtsi
It is one of the most beautiful cities in Ukraine. Different peoples and cultures intertwined in its history. Chernivtsi is a city full of cosy and relaxing holidays, quiet walks and dreams.
New Year’s Eve in this aristocratic city will carry you to a European town with exquisite architecture, smooth rhythm and festive mood. Folk festivals in the city centre are always bright and affluent and last up to Malanka.
If you would like to escape from the festive entertainment and see the city, be sure to visit the pearl of Chernivtsi, the National University, which once used to be the residence of Bukovynian Metropolitan bishops. This place is also called the Ukrainian Hogwarts, and therefore it is another opportunity to visit the Christmas fairytale.
Healing Water and a Stunning Waterfall in Maniava
Among the many picturesque places in the Ivano-Frankivsk region, you should pay particular attention to Maniava. It is a large village located in a scenic area. Nearby there is an Orthodox monastery, Maniava Skete. In the early seventeenth century, the community of monks emerged at this place, and they built a monastery surrounded by an enormous wall with three towers. The inhabitants of the surrounding settlements, together with the monks, often defended their native land from the raids of nomads. There are rumours that the first mention of this town dates back to the time of the Mongol invasion when the inhabitants of Kyiv and the surrounding area fled from the belligerent invaders.
This place attracts with its untouched nature and forests and contrasting shiny crosses of the newly built monastery. Not far from it there is Blessed stone, where the fugitive monks from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra used to pray. It is believed that the water running from under the stone has healing properties. Nearby there is a waterfall which is almost 20 meters high. It freezes in winter, turning into an ice fairytale.
The Highest and Always Snow-Capped Drahobrat
If mountains are your thing, then go to the Carpathian mountains; if you’re in the Carpathians, then you must go to Drahobrat. It is the highest mountain ski resort in Ukraine. Some 25 years ago almost nobody heard about this place, and now there are more than 20 different hotels.
Fans of skiing will find the best conditions here. Snow on Dragobrat can lie from November to May, so it is not surprising that tourists love this picturesque corner in the Ukrainian Carpathians.
Drahobrat is near the major cities (Ivano-Frankivsk, Uzhhorod) and near Rakhiv and Yaremche, so it is not a problem to get there. Those who are not satisfied with only skiing and sledging can visit the temples of Drahobrat. Here, there are ten different churches, the oldest of which is almost two hundred years old.
Every year Drahobrat reveals its new sides to visitors as they build new ski slopes and open new restaurants. Only the beauty of the Ukrainian Carpathians remains unchanged.
Experience Ukrainian traditions in Hutsul Verkhovyna
If your heart sinks when you hear the word “the Carpathians”, then you cannot find a better place than Verkhovyna! Here, there are snow-capped mountains and magical landscapes all around, as well as hospitable Hutsuls and their age-old traditions. You will remember the New Year celebration with folk songs and dances, traditional entertainment and delicious local cuisine for a long time!
In the morning we recommend you not to lie in for a long time, but have fun in the Carpathian way: go skiing or sledding, ride a local Hutsul horse or go horse sledding. Verkhovyna can interest the lovers of a relaxing holiday with its museums: the museum of magic, folk musical instruments, the film Shadows of forgotten ancestors and the khata-staia, where you can learn how to make real bryndza (special local type of cheese).
As you can see, our country is rich in remarkable places, where the New Year celebrations will leave unforgettable, fascinating and extremely enjoyable memories. And to make the arrangements easier, visit our New Year tours which we designed for a real problem-free holiday!
