Features

The Black House

The Market Square in central Lviv buzzes with activity day and night and is popular with both locals and tourists visiting this lovely city in Ukraine. The rectangular-shaped square boasts the majestic town hall which was built in 1835, complete with a 65-meter tower, and around the square there are forty-four tenement houses representing a wide variety of architectural styles ranging from Renaissance to Modernism. One of the most extraordinary, and famous, of these tenement houses is known simply as the Black House.

The Legend of the Black Sea

The Black Sea lies between the countries of Ukraine, Georgia, Turkey, Russia, Romania and Bulgaria. This inland sea is just over four hundred and thirty-six square kilometers in size and has a depth of seven thousand two hundred feet. In ancient times trade ships used to navigate its turbulent waters and in more modern times, significant World War I and II battles were fought on its waters. But the Black Sea is more than just a mass of water, it has many legends and myths connected to it, and in Ukraine there is one tale that has been passed down for generations, explaining the sudden bursts of turbulence and violent waters.

Healing Powers of Saki’s Mud

Near the Black Sea, approximately forty-five kilometers from Simeforol, in Crimea, Ukraine, is the picturesque town of Saki. It has a diverse and fascinating community, which is a blend of Jews, Russians, Tatars, Poles, Armenians and many others. Saki is surrounded by breathtaking beaches and magnificent scenery, but is famous for its spas, clinics and sanatoriums. Here, visitors to Ukraine can find genuine peace, tranquility and revitalization. It is a destination like no other, where the beauty of hot springs, lakes and cool ocean breeze creates an amazing setting, and wellness and therapy are the attractions.

The Beautiful Tradition of a Hutsul Wedding

Despite the far-reaching changes in the world at large, mainly brought about by the frantic pace of technological advances, some communities are most reluctant to let go of age-old traditions. This is something that travelers are grateful for, because it is generally age-old traditions that make different communities unique and fascinating. The Hutsuls of Ukraine are just such a community, treasuring the traditions which have been passed down through generations - and few celebrations bring out the value and beauty of tradition than a Hutsul wedding.

Natalka Poltavka – A Legendary Tale of Love

Ukrainian writer, poet and playwright, Ivan Kotlyarevsky’s renowned play, Natalka Poltavka, has certainly stood the test of time. Written in 1819 and first performed on stage in the city of Kharkiv, Ukraine, in 1821, Natalka Poltavka (Natalka from Poltava) has been made into a number of films, both in Ukraine and abroad in the early to mid 1900s. The story was also the inspiration and basis for the operetta by Ukrainian composer Mykola Lysenko, which premiered in 1889 and is still enjoyed today.

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