Andriy155
Just over seven months in from the brutal, unprovoked invasion of much of Ukraine’s east and south by Russia (about 20 percent of the country’s territory), the tide has turned, seemingly decisively, in the defenders’ favor, barring a catastrophic development such as a decision by dictator Vladimir Putin to use a battlefield nuclear weapon.
Before the war, Ukraine received some 10 million visitors a year (it was 20 million before Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 without a shot being fired), and indeed, it was once the continent’s eighth most touristically popular country, with most visitors coming from elsewhere in Eastern Europe but also from Germany, Israel, and Turkey.
These days tourism has unsurprisingly cratered, yet it’s still considered safe to visit the uninvaded 80 percent of the country, which has suffered minimal or in many cases no major effects from the war, and where daily life goes on more or less unabated. However, it’s also true that hundreds of historic and heritage sites have been damaged; advisories against travel here have been issued by the US State Department (dated July 13) and the British Foreign Office; and air travel has been suspended (though it’s still possible to enter by land from Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia).
But whether you decide to travel soon – or probably better once the war is over – it's well worth it not just as a way to support this beautiful country and its brave but traumatized citizens, but also because of its outstanding cultural, historic, and scenic riches (including seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites), along with a thriving medical tourism sector providing high quality at relatively low prices. And clearly, in the years to come tourism will be key to helping Ukraine get back on its feet.
So with all that said, here’s an overview of the wonder which await:
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