The country telephone code for Ukraine is 380. Ukraine area phone codes have two digits, and the subscriber phone numbers seven digits. For mobile (cell) phone numbers in Ukraine, you have to use a network code instead of an area phone code; these are 39, 50, 63, 66, 67, 68, 9x, so you’ll need to know this as well as the number.

Ukraine phone numbers and telephone codes are switching to a closed system, i.e. one 9 (possibly 10) digit number from everywhere, over the next two years, but at the moment within Ukraine you dial 0, wait for a dial tone (optional on digital exchanges), and then dial the area phone code followed by the local number. If you’re calling within the local area you just dial the number.

A Ukraine telephone directory currently means a business directory; there aren’t any White Pages phone books showing the residential numbers in Ukraine at present.

Free telephone number search

YELLOW PAGES UKRAINE
http://www.yellowpages.ua/en/uk/ Yellow pages for the Ukraine, in English (or choose from drop-down flag menu on top right). Select an area from the drop-down list at the top, or just leave it on "All Ukraine". You can get details and a location map for each entry.

BUSINESS UA
http://business-ua.com/index.phtml?l=en Detailed business directory (yellow pages type) for Ukraine; search in database of companies, products, services. English version (select top left if necessary).

UKRAINET Yellow Pages
http://www.ukraine.org/www.ukrainet.lviv.ua/yellow/pages.htm Internet directory based on submissions. Can be downloaded to use off line. In English and Ukrainian.

© Ukraine Travel, 2010. Written by Tony Page

Post tags: phone code ukraine, phone number ukraine, telephone code ukraine, telephone codes ukraine, ukraine phone book, ukraine phone codes, ukraine phone numbers, ukraine telephone directory in Categories: Useful facts

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Ukrainian Wooden Dolls

The Ukraine is a country that is shaking off its Soviet past and in a hurry to become a Westernised country.   Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, now has many attributes of a Western city with large shopping malls, recreation centres and shops and boutiques that carry branded luxury goods.

In Kiev city centre alone there are five huge shopping malls:

• City Centre – 7 Kreshchatik St.
• Globus – Maidan Nezalezhnosty Square
• Mandarin-Plaza – 6 Basseynaya St.
• Metrograd – Bessarabskaya Square
• Ukraine – 3 Peremogi Square

Odessa too has its share of shopping centres. Athena shopping center, with five floors of shopping space, is located downtown on the Grecheskaya Ploschad.  Deribaskaya Street is a shopping strip with all kinds of modern boutiques and shops.

Odessa’s newly built Riviera Shopping City, the largest shopping mall in the Ukraine, has just opened and is reputed to be the size of 12 football fields. Located just outside of Odessa, the Shopping City is a complex of retail space and entertainment centres.

Ukrainian Alcohol and Beer

What Tourists Want

As a tourist however, you may not have the time or inclination to go into these mega-shopping malls. Most tourists would be on the lookout for gifts and souvenirs which the Ukraine has plenty of.

Souvenir bottles of vodka and gorilka (a Ukrainian version of vodka) that come in beautifully etched bottles are cheap and popular. However, if you are looking for better brands, Hetman, Nemiroff and Ivanoff are the names to look for.

The Ukraine’s rich folk culture are reflected in handicrafts like embroidery, woollen blankets, ceramics, painted wooden eggs and costume jewelry. In our river cruise stops in Odessa, Yalta (embankment and at Swallow’s Nest) and Kiev, Ukrainian souvenir and gift shops were plentiful.

© Ukraine Travel, 2009. Written by Helen Page

Post tags: athena, city centre, globus, hetman, ivanoff, mandarin plaza, metrograd, nemiroff, riviera shopping city, shopping centres, shopping malls, Ukraine, ukraine shopping, ukraine shops, vodka in Categories: Shopping

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Livadia (White) Palace - Yalta, Ukraine

Anyone interested in WWII history will have heard of the 1945 Yalta (or Crimean) Conference.  It was here at the Livadia Palace that the Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin met to negotiate how post-war Europe  was to be carved up.

Livadia is a palace that’s filled with history.  The huge, stunning White Hall on the ground floor is where the Big Three and their delegation met to agree that the USSR would have the biggest influence over Eastern Europe in exchange for keeping out of the Mediterranean.  Imagine the charged-up atmosphere of the place during the Conference!

In various rooms of the Palace there are lots of black and white pictures capturing the proceedings during the Yalta Conference, including the  famous shot of Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin taken in the courtyard.

During the Conference, which ran over 8 days from February 4 – 11, 1945, the delegates of the allied States participating in the Conference stayed in three palaces in Southern Crimea. The U.S. delegation stayed at the Livadia Palace, the British delegation were accommodated at Aloupka Palace whilst the USSR delegation were housed at the Koreiz Palace.

The Tsar’s Summer Palace

White Room, Livadia Palace, Yalta

Livadia was originally built in 1911 as a summer palace for Tsar Nikolas II.  Tuberculosis was the scourge during the time and Yalta’s sunny climate was recommended as being conducive for recuperation.  There is a beautiful garden at the palace and a pathway that stretches some 7 km to the Swallow’s Nest. The family’s physician recommended that going for walks in the sunshine was beneficial for the Tsar’s family.

Whilst the ground floor of Livadia is charged up with memories of war discussions, power broking and control of Europe, the rooms upstairs hold an air of sadness.

As you walk through the rooms with photos and portraits of the Tsar and his family, you can’t help but be moved by the tragedy that befell the Romanov family.  A portrait of the Tsar taken before he abdicated hangs on one of the walls.  His abdication did not appease the Bolsheviks who murdered the entire family in July 1918.

Tsar Nikolas II and Family, Livadia Palace

At the back of the Palace is the Romanov Family Chapel.  Nikolas II took an oath of faithfulness to the Russian throne here and his bride, Princess Alisa von Hessen was confirmed into the Orthodox Church and given the name Alexandra Feodorovna.

During our visit, refurbishment was being carried out inside so scaffoldings, the curse of photographers,  obstructed the nice view.  In any case, photography is not allowed inside the Chapel, although I actually didn’t see the ‘no photography’ sign outside.  If you so much as raise your camera hand, the nuns who run the place will quickly tap you on the shoulder.

Livadia Palace is certainly worth a visit as the place is steeped with history.

See Travel Signposts Livadia Palace Photo Gallery HERE.

© Ukraine Travel, 2009. Written by Helen Page

Post tags: big three, churchill, conference yalta, conferencia, crimea, crimean peninsula, crimean war, livadia, livadia palace, romanovs, roosevelt, sightseeing attractions, stalin, things to do, tsar nikolas II, white palace, yalta, yalta conference, yalta crimea, yalta travel, yalta ukraine in Categories: Sightseeing

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Varenyky Cooking Lessons

A taste of varenyky or pierogi is a must on any trip to the Ukraine. These dumplings come with a range of fillings, including potato, potato and cheddar cheese, potato and mushroom, cottage cheese, blueberries or cherries.

Varenyky is a staple dish of the Slavic countries and many nationalities have variations of dumplings as part of their national cuisine, including the Italian ravioli, Polish pierogi, Russian pilmeni, Jewish kreplach or Chinese dumplings. Varenyky is also a traditional Ukrainian Christmas food served at their Christmas Eve Holy Supper.  Varenyky dumplings are boiled and are very often served with onions and sour cream.

Varenyky cooking lessons is one of our Ukraine river cruise on-board activities and the chef makes it look really easy.  First impression, the dish looks a bit bland, but on tasting it, I must admit that they are really tasty. Below is a recipe for potato and mushroom varenyky which is quite easy to make.

Ingredients:
400g wheat flour
150ml water
1 egg
50g sour cream
200g mashed potatoes
80g mushrooms, chopped into little cubes
60g chopped onions
20g chopped fresh parsley
19g butter
salt, pepper, nutmeg

Preparation:
Dough
- Mix water, egg, sour cream and seasoning in bowl
- Add flour and knead to a smooth dough
- Wrap in cling foil and let the dough rest for 30 minutes

Ukrainian Varenyky Dumplings

Filling
- Fry onions and mushroom in butter and add to the mashed potato
- Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and then add the chopped parsley

Assembling the Varenyky:
- Roll the dough to 2mm thickness and cut with a round cutter.
- Place a spoonful of the filling in the middle of the circle and fold the dough in half
- With a fork, press on the border to seal.
- Place the varenyky dumplings in a large pot of boiling water. When the dumplings float to the surface, scoop them and place onto a plate.
- Gently fry the onions in butter and sprinkle these on the Varenyky.
- Pour sour cream over the varenyky and garnish with herbs and serve immediately.

Yum!

© Ukraine Travel, 2009. Written by Helen Page

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Swallow's Nest or "Maya Lastochka", Yalta

In Yalta, its famous Swallow’s Nest is not a bird’s nest, but rather a Love Nest, built by Baron von Steingel for his ballerina mistress. It seems that it was a trend at that time for men of standing to have ballerinas as mistresses, so the good Baron was keeping in step with trends.

In Ukrainian, “Maya Lastochka” or My Swallow is a term of endearment used to refer to one’s sweetheart. Interestingly, prior to the Baron’s castle, there was another structure on this site, a wooden cottage also called “Love Castle”, which was built for a Russian general. As you can see from the photos of Swallow’s Nest, this is indeed a very romantic site.

This famous Yalta  sightseeing attraction was built in 1911 by Baron von Steingel, a German oil magnate who lived in St. Petersburg.   His Castle of Love is a miniature castle which resembles a medieval knight’s castle. Perched precariously on the sheer Aurora cliff on the west of Yalta, it can be accessed by boat or car.

In 1927 a terrible earthquake caused massive destruction in Yalta and sections of the castle collapsed into the sea, but the most impressive part survived. The castle was restored in the 1970s and it is now a popular tourist attraction, although there is nothing to see inside.

Swallow's Nest - Water View, Yalta

This tinsel castle has been featured in many Russian films. An Italian restaurant now operates there however we are told that the food is expensive and not highly rated.

Across the bay from Swallow’s Nest are restaurants from which you can enjoy a good view of the castle.  There are also souvenir shops where you can buy postcards of Swallow’s Nest.

If you arrive in Yalta by boat, you’ll have a nice view of the castle as your boat streams into Yalta Bay.  From Yalta Bay itself, many local operators run tours to Swallow’s Nest.

See Travel Signposts Swallow’s Nest Photo Gallery HERE

© Ukraine Travel, 2009. Written by Helen Page

Post tags: bird swallow, birds nest, crimean peninsula, maya lastochka, river boat, swallows nest, swallow’s nest, the bird's nest, things to see in yalta, Ukraine, yalta, yalta travel, yalta ukraine in Categories: Sightseeing

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Monastery of the Caves (Lavra), Kiev

The word Lavra is used to describe high-ranking monasteries for monks of the Eastern Orthodox Church and Kyiv’s World Heritage Lavra is the city’s most extensive and amazing sightseeing attraction. Locally called Kievo-Pechersk Lavra, the name of the monastery is also translated as Kiev Cave Monastery, Kiev Caves Monastery or the Kiev Monastery of the Caves. The word Pechera means cave.

The Lavra or Monastery of the Caves was founded by its inhabitants at the beginning of the 11th century.

It’s believed that Antony, a Greek Orthodox monk from Monasteriki returned to Rus and settled in Kiev as a missionary of monastic tradition to Kyivan Rus. He chose a cave at the Berestov Mount that overlooked the Dnieper River and a community of disciples soon joined. Prince Iziaslav I of Kiev gave the whole mount to the Antonite monks who founded a monastery built by architects from Constantinople.

The architectural expansion to the part of the monastery above the ground began under the monastery’s first abbot, Fedossi. The caves then served as subterranean tombs for the monks. The monastery has been divided into two parts since that time. The Upper Lavra on the mountain and the Lower Lavra consisting of the so-called Near and Far Caves.

Belltower, Monastery of the Caves, Kiev

The Mongolian-Tartar attack did a lot of damage to the monastery and the first attempt to rebuild the monastery dates back to the second half of the 15th century. The subterranean labyrinth of the near Caves is more than 500m long and the single caves are connected with one another through passageways. The mummies of the monks are laid out in the passages.

The Kiev Pechersk Lavra contains numerous architectural monuments, ranging from bell-towers and cathedrals to underground cave systems and strong stone fortification walls. The main attractions of the Lavra include the Great Lavra Bell-tower, a landmar k feature of the Kiev skyline, and the Dormition Cathedral – destroyed in World War II and fully reconstructed in recent years.

Other churches and cathedrals of the Lavra include: the Refectory Church, the Church of All Saints, the Church of the Saviour at Berestove, the Church of the Exaltation of Cross, the Church of the Trinity, the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin, the Church of the Conception of St. Anne, and the Church of the Life-Giving Spring. The Lavra also contains many other constructions, including: the St. Nicholas Monastery, the Kiev Theological Academy and Seminary, and the Debosquette Wall.

The walk to the caves is along a long, steep and uneven road downhill so good walking shoes is recommended. No photography is allowed inside and you can buy a candle to light your way through the caves. Torch lights are frowned upon.

The Refectory Church, Monastery of the Caves

The caverns are a very complex system of narrow underground corridors (about 1-1.5 metres wide and 2-2.5 metres high) and in some spots you do have to bend a little to pass through. Because it’s a busy place, you also have to keep moving along and can’t linger around.

We are told that there are coffins of 120 monks in the caves, although these days they no longer bury monks down there. It seems that the bodies of the monks were naturally mummified and we were told that the temperature in the caves is about 15C.  We’re here in summer and it’s actually quite hot in the caves and definitely not the 15C temperature that we were told about.  It may be that with so many tourists going through the place and the burning candles, it’s got much hotter these days.

To get a adequate appreciation of the complex will require at least a half day visit and we’ve only just scratched the surface during our visit here.

See Travel Signposts Monastery of the Caves Photo Gallery HERE.

© Ukraine Travel, 2009. Written by Helen Page

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Sunbathing on Yalta's Pebble Beach, Ukraine

With its mountain peaks serving as a lovely backdrop, warm and sunny summers, Yalta, the jewel of the Crimean peninsula, became a fashionable health resort in the 19th century.

Tsar Nicholas II and other Russian aristocrats brought their families here to recuperate from tuberculosis. People now joke that Yalta was founded on the back of Russian aristocracy’s struggle with tuberculosis.

Brief History of Yalta

In 1883 Yalta was granted city rights and the governor had a road built that was supposed to connect Yalta with Simferopol, the capital of the Crimea in the North.

Within a few years Yalta became the centre of administration for the entire South Coast. Palaces for aristocrats, villas and hotels began to emerge. In nearby Livadija, the Tsar’s family had a magnificent summer residence built – the “White Palace” which became famous for the 1945 Yalta Conference.

Yalta today has a population of 80,000 and is a popular travel destination for local and foreign tourists. Russian tourists in particular flock here to bake on its pebbly beaches and to enjoy everything else that Yalta has to offer. It is not surprising that the writer Anton Chekhov chose to live in this seaside resort.

Yalta Bay is a deep water harbour and river boats are able to moor right at the Embankment, making it very convenient for passengers to visit this city. Even Ocean liners have begun to arrive in Yalta and there was one in the harbour during our visit.

Sightseeing Attractions

• Yalta Bay embankment with its amusement park, shopping arcades and souvenir shops
• Livadia Palace, used for the World War II Yalta Conference of Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt
• Anton Chekhov’s Home
• Nikitsky Botanical Gardens with its 30,000 plant specimens
• Swallow’s Nest, a fantasy castle perched on the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea
• Aloupka Palace
• Massandra Winery

© Ukraine Travel, 2009. Written by Helen Page

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St. Sophia Cathedral, Kiev

Kyiv or Kiev (pronounced Keeve in Ukrainian), the capital of the Ukraine, is one of the oldest cities in Eastern Europe.  The first thing we learn about the Ukrainian capital is that we’ve been pronouncing its name incorrectly, thanks to Chicken Kiev!

Brief History of Kiev

Kyiv was first mentioned in writing in the year 559 and the region was densely populated as early as the 9th century. The first considerable expansion to the city was conducted under the reign of Vladimir I (980 – 1015) who introduced Christianity as the state religion in 988. Ancient Kyivan Rus, was a center of trade routes between the Baltic and the Mediterranean and this reached its greatest period of ascendancy during the 11th and 12th centuries.

In 1240, the Mongols invaded the city of Kiev and the power of Kievan Rus was destroyed. The lands of Kievan Rus were divided into principalities located to the west and north: Galicia, Volynia, Muscovy and later, Poland, Lithuania, and Russia. In the course of history Kyiv belonged to Lithuania and Poland until it finally was united with Russia in 1654.

Ukraine was once a powerful force on the European scene, however, modern Ukrainian history, for the most part, has been defined by foreign occupation.  Ukraine’s fate in modern times has therefore been decided in the far-off capitals of its invaders.

St Andrew's Church - Kiev

The bustling Ukrainian capital is situated on the Dnieper River (or Dnipro River) and has a population of close to 3 million people.  Kiev has preserved its charm over the centuries.  The modern centre with surviving parts of the old city are on the hilly west – called the right bank because it’s on the right as you travel down river.  The Dnieper River divides the town exactly in a north-south direction.

The main street Khreshchatik, runs between two steep hills. Parallel about half a kilometer west, is vulytsya Volodymyrska, the main street of the Old Kyiv area (Staryj Kyiv). From the north end of Khreshchatik, vulytsya Hrushevskoho rises southeast along a ridge to the Monastery of the Caves at Perchersk. Woods and parks cover most of the steep right-bank slopes. The capital’s newer sections stretch out on the flat left bank. These are characterised by large housing developments and industrialised neighborhoods.

Kiev Sightseeing Attractions

The art and architecture of Kyiv are world treasures.  Some of the top Kiev attractions include:

• St. Sophia Cathedral, where the princes of Kyiv were crowned in the years of Kyiv’s grandeur, has outstanding mosaics and frescoes dating back to the 11th century.
• St. Andrew’s Church, a church much loved by Ukrainians
• The Monastery of the Caves, the Percherska Lavra, is a short trolley ride from the center of town. It has two 11th-century cathedrals on its grounds, in addition to its world-famous catacombs, bell tower, and museum collections.
• Golden Gate, a structure which dates back to 1037 is close to the center of town. This recently reconstructed remains of the former fortified wall of the city defined the limits of the city in centuries past.
• Cathedral of St. Volodymyr, is a magnificent 19th-century cathedral.

Dnieper River Cruise Itinerary
Kiev Photo Gallery
Search for Kiev hotels, read hotel reviews and book your Kiev hotel here >

© Ukraine Travel, 2009. Written by Helen Page

Post tags: dnieper river cruise, kiev, kiev attractions, kiev sightseeing, kiev tours, kiev travel, kiev ua, kiev ukraine, things to do in kiev in Categories: Destinations, Featured

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Opera and Ballet Theatre, Odessa, Ukraine

Odessa, often referred to as the “Pearl of the Black Sea” is the third largest city in Ukraine and the largest city along the Black Sea.  It is the Ukraine’s most significant commercial centre.

A Brief History of Odessa

Odessa’s history includes settlement by the Greeks in the region as early as 1700 years ago, the Crimea-Tartarians settled here in the 14th century and the region was part of the Turkish Empire from 1526 to 1789.

During period of Russian territorial acquisitions, this coastal region was conquered by Russia and integrated into the Russian Empire. Catherine the Great fancied Odessa as the St. Petersburg of the South and the town was officially founded in 1794 and served the Russians as a naval base.

Catherine the Great wanted Odessa to be a European city and you’ll see that its architecture is heavily influenced by French and Italian styles, with a distinct Russian flavour. It is said that foreigners built Odessa – the Dutch were brought in as engineers, the British did the waterworks and the Italians were responsible for the architecture – so it’s no wonder that Odessa resembles a Mediterranean town.

Deribasovskaya Street, Odessa

Odessa’s history as a thriving region has left the city with some splendid architecture from the 18th and 19th centuries. As early as the first half of the 19th century, the profitable grain trade attracted wealthy merchants and factory owners who moved to Odessa.  They built opulent residences for themselves, including palace-like compounds, two-storied mansions with forecourts and grand entrances. These mansions were built to the designs of the best Odessa architects.

Odessa is one of the few planned cities in Ukraine and its city centre is laid out in a grid. The stately 19th century classical buildings are set on orderly planned streets and surrounded with green space, giving the city an air of elegance. Strikingly ornate buildings of the late 19th and early 20th century are reminiscent of Paris Right Bank.

Today, Odessa has over a million inhabitants and is an industrial centre. Shipyards and oil-refineries are major industries, as well as chemical and metal-processing. Odessa is also the home of the Ukrainian naval base and a large fishing fleet.

Sightseeing Attractions

On our brief river cruise stop, our visits were centred around the Old city centre

• The Potemkin Steps is the city’s symbol and made famous the world over thanks to Eisentein’s “Battleship Potemkin”.
• Odessa’s historical city centre with its Opera House and classical buildings
• Deribasovskaya Street and City Garden
• Onion-domed Orthodox churches, an Islamic church and the two remaining synagogues
• Tomb of the Unknown Sailor

Dnieper River Cruise Itinerary
Odessa Photo Gallery

© Ukraine Travel, 2009. Written by Helen Page

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