ITINERARY - 12 DAY UKRAINE DISCOVERY TOUR'
Day 1, Tuesday: Arrive in Odessa
We arrive in Odessa about midday, from Istanbul and other cities. On arrival, we will be met by our local bilingual guide who will transfer to our hotel. The guide will be with us for the duration of the tour to provide necessary assistance. After lunch at a local restaurant, we go on a brief city familiarization tour. The rest of the day is free. Dinner is at our hotel.(L/D)
Overnight in a comfortable hotel in Odessa
Day 2, Wednesday: In Odessa
After breakfast at the hotel, we go on a city sightseeing tour. The sights include Primorsky Boulevard where we see statues of Duc de Rischelieu and Alexander Puskin, Potemkin Stairway, the Panorama of Sea Port. A short distance from Primorsky Boulevard is the Sea Fleet Museum and the Opera and Ballet House. Lunch is in a local restaurant “Lovchyi” in the city centre. In the afternoon, we take an excursion to “Odessa Catacombs” and the "Museum of Partisan Glory".
We then transfer to Odessa Railway station for the overnight journey Odessa-Lviv. Dinner is available on the train (not included).
Overnight on board deluxe train to Lviv (B/L)
Day 3, Thursday: In Lviv
Transfer from the railway station to the hotel for breakfast. After breakfast we go on a tour of the Old City, seeing sights such as the Roman Catholic Church of St. Peter and Pavlo, (XVII Century), Square Markets, the Dominican Cathedral, Bernard Cathedral and Monastery. We will also visit the Grugstore-Museum and go up the City Hall for a picturesque view of the old city. After lunch at local restaurant (not included), we take an excursion to the Temple of St Olga and Elizabeth, walk around the Vusokiy Zamok Park (lookout for a panoramic view of Lviv) and visit the Open Air Museum of "Shevchenkivskyi Gai" (Museum Folk Architecture and Rural Life).We then return to our hotel for relaxation and dinner. (OPTIONAL visit to the Opera House).
Overnight in Lviv Hotel (B/D)
Day 4, Friday: In Lviv
In the mourning after breakfast at the hotel, we go on a picturesque drive that takes us to the town of Olesko and the Olesky Castle, one of the most prominent landmarks in Lviv and a “must see’ sight. After lunch at local restaurant (not included), we return to Lviv. The rest of the day is free to spend, as you like. You may explore the architecture of the old city, admire the cultural and artistic heritage as displayed in the various museums or just relax in a café sipping famous Lviv coffee. In the evening you have an opportunity to try the local cuisine in one of the many restaurants, as dinner is not included.
Overnight in Lviv Hotel (B)
Day 5, Saturday: Lviv - Kiev
After breakfast at the hotel, we transfer to the airport for our morning flight to Kiev, a very European city located on the picturesque banks of the Dnipro River. After arrival in Kiev, we transfer from the airport to our hotel and check in. We then take city orientation tour when we see some of Kiev’s notable sights including the Golden Gate, the historic gateway to the ancient city, St. Vladimir Cathedral, the oldest surviving church that was built in 1037 by Prince Yaroslav, the Wise. In the afternoon, following lunch at a local restaurant, we visit St Sophia Cathedral,. This majestic 13-domed church makes huge impression on visitors with its rich frescoes and mosaics many of which are still intact. It is a national shrine and is under the protection of UNESCO. We then return to the hotel and the rest of the day is free time.
In the evening, we have a "Welcome to Ukraine" Gala Dinner organised to savour Ukrainian cuisine at the nationally renowned restaurant "Khutorok" or similar.
Overnight in a Kiev Hotel (B/L/D)
Day 6, Sunday: In Kiev
Today we have an extensive tour of Kyiv-Pechersk National Preserve (otherwise known as Lavra Cave Monastery), widely regarded as the best attraction Kiev has to offer to both Ukrainian and international visitors. This functioning monastery founded by monks in 1051 is situated on a picturesque hillside overlooking the Dnipro River. After lunch at a local restaurant (not included), we visit the baroque, 18th-Century Mariyinski Palace, the Mikhaylovskaya Square with its Monument to Princess Olga and finally the Chernobyl Museum, a chilling reminder of the worst nuclear accident in history.
Optional visit to the National Opera and Ballet.
Overnight in a Kiev Hotel (B)
Day 7, Monday: In Kiev
After breakfast at the hotel, we visit the Museum of Ukrainian Folk Architecture and Habitats in the Prihovo Village. It is an open-air museum featuring, among other things, wooden cottages, churches, farmsteads and windmills set in 160 hectares of scenic rolling hills. Lunch is at restaurant "Yaryvtsi" located on the grounds of the Open Air Museum. In the afternoon we return to the city and transfer to Kiev railway station for our overnight journey to Simferopol and Yalta. Dinner is available on board the train at extra cost.
Overnight on board the deluxe train to Simferopol. (B/L)
Day 8, Tuesday: Simferopol - Yalta
After arrival in Simferopol, we have breakfast in the Ukrainian restaurant “Dikan’ka”. We then have a city tour visiting the Mosque Kebir Jami before we transfer by coach to Yalta. In Yalta we go on an orientation tour before checking into our hotel. Afternoon is free. Dinner is at the hotel.
Overnight in Yalta Hotel (B/D)
Day 9, Wednesday: In Yalta
We spend today in Yalta, the resort town on the Black Sea coast, which hosted many well-known Soviet Union leaders and other notable figures. In the morning, go on a walk along the Promenade. We then visit Alexandr Nevsky Cathedral, a beautiful example of neo-Byzantine architecture and take the chair lift to Darsan, a pseudo-Greek temple and lookout for a panoramic look at Yalta and surrounds.
Overnight in Yalta Hotel (B/D)
Day 10, Thursdayday: Yalta – Sevastopol - Yalta
After breakfast, we set off to go on an excursion to Sevastopol, home of the old Soviet Black Sea Submarine fleet. There we visit the Black Sea Fleet Museum, Lenin’s Statue and ‘Panorama’, a massive and impressive work of art commemorating the defence of Sevastopol in the Crimean war. In the afternoon, after lunch at the local restaurant “Markur”, we visit the magnificent Khan’s Palace at Bahchesaray, former capital of Crimean Tatars, and Sokolinoe, an ethnic Tatar village. We then return to the hotel and overnight at the hotel.
Overnight in Yalta Hotel (B/L)
Day 11, Friday: In Yalta
Today, we visit the Livadia Palace in the grounds of Livadia Park. It is a wonderful Italian Renaissance-style palace, built of white Crimean granite. The building was built in 1911 for the last Russian Tsar Nicholas II as a summer residence. It became world famous for hosting the Big Three conference in February 1945 between Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill. In the afternoon, we visit the palace-park complex at Alupka. 16km south west of Yalta, it boasts a stunning coastal setting and the majestic Alupkinsky Palace. Our final organised activity for the day, and indeed for the tour, is wine tasting. Crimea produces some excellent, world-class wines and you should not miss the opportunity to sample some excellent wines produced by world-renowned winery "Massandra". The rest of the day is free to spend as you like and in the evening we have a fare well dinnerin a traditional Crimean restaurant
Overnight in Yalta Hotel. (B/D)
Day 12, Saturday: Simferopol – Istanbul
The tour finishes after breakfast at the hotel. We then depart for Simferopol Airport for our flight to Istanbul or other destinations. (B)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The tour price includes:
- Arrival transfers in Odessa and departure transfers in Simferopol
- All transportation from start (Odessa) to finish (Simferopol), including airfares and airport transfers.
- Accommodation in centrally located, mostly four-star hotels.
- Meals as indicated in the itinerary.
- Modern air-conditioned minibus or coach with spare seats.
- All entrance fees, tips to hotels, restaurants, and other charges
- Services of Turkish born Australian tour leader who is with the group 24/7.
- Services of professional English speaking guide.
- Drinking water on the coach
The tour price does NOT include:
- International airfares
- Departure taxes, levies and other charges
- Passport and visa fees
- Items of a personal nature such as drinks, minibar, phone calls, etc.
- Beverages at meal times
IMPORTANT NOTES
- Changes may be made to the itinerary and dates without notice.
- Price, which varies depending on the group size, is subject to change without notice until paid in full
- "Add-On" flights are available between Istanbul & Odessa and between Simferopol & Istanbul at reduced rates, if flying to and from Istanbul with Turkish Airlines. There are Turkish Airlines flights to/from the relevant Ukrainian cities on the tour start and finish dates. Please contact us for details.
- There are only limited flights into/out of Ukraine. You should consider these points when making your travel plans.
- Ukraine requires visas from Australian passport holders. You will need to obtain these visas prior to arrival in Ukraine. Together with our partners in Ukraine, we will provide visa support and all necessary assistance. Please contact us for details and assistance regarding visas.
- This tour may be combined with our 11-Day Marvels of the East (Eastern Turkey) tour which starts 9 June 2008 and finishes just before this tour starts. Where two or more tours are combined, there will be a discount of 5% on the lower priced tour (or tours).
- We can make all your travel arrangements through Timeless Tours (our travel agent partner in Sydney), including flights with all airlines at competitive rates, travel insurance, and third party packages .
- This itinerary is current as at 04/12/2007.