Big castles tour + the Carpathians
| Day 1 |
In the morning - departure from Lviv. Visiting Olesko, Zolochiv and Pidhirci castles. Departure to Kamianets-Podilskyy. Staying overnight at a hotel. |
| Day 2 |
Visiting Kamianets-Podilskyy (old city and the castle) and Hotyn fortress. Departure to Kosiv. Staying overnight at a hotel. |
| Day 3 |
In morning - visiting market of traditional craft in Kosiv. Here you can buy nice souvenirs and presents. On the way back to Lviv - making stops for taking a view of Yaremcha and Kolomyja. In the evening - arriving to Lviv. |
Tour fee:
| by car - |
1700 UAH (up to 3 persons) |
| by minibus - |
2600 UAH (up to 16 persons) |
| by bus - |
4300 UAH (up to 30 persons) |
Price includes a car (minibus) with a driver, entrance tickets, English speaking guide
Price doesn't include accommodation in Kamianets-Podilskyy and Kosiv and food.
Tour starting dates (for single entries): 06 Apr, 04 May, 01 June, 29 June, 27 July, 24 Aug, 21 Sep 2007
Please inquire about other dates. Any date is available for group booking (more than 3 people)
Olesko, Zolochiv, Pidhirci castles
Olesko Castle is an outstanding architectural and historic monument from the 13th - 18th centuries, once a strong fortress of old Rus in the 14th century. Later in the 15th - 16th century Olesko Castle was turned into a palace for aristocracy and remodeled in the Italian Renaissance style in the 1620s. The famous Polish king Jan III Sobieski was born there in 1629. The king often lived in Olesko Castle and collected numerous art works. Afterwards the castle belonged to the Rzewuski family. After restoration in 1965-1975 Olesko Castle became a museum. Hundreds of unique paintings, sculptures and applied arts can be seen in the museum. Among them are icons, portraits, still-lives, the monumental picture of the Battle of Vienna, old furniture and wooden sculptures. In the Olesko Castle basement there is a well which also served as an escape passage for the besieged. A nice park with some modern sculptures surrounds Olesko Castle.
Pidhirtsi Castle is a unique architectural monuments in the late Renaissance style dating to 1635-1640. It belonged to the aristocratic Rzewuski family, was not intended as a defense structure and should be more accurately called a palace. Pidhirtsi Castle is surrounded by a moat and includes a Baroque church of St. Joseph (1752-1766). It has a wall with a heavy gate and a park with old trees. Pidhirtsi Castle has been under restoration after years when it was used as a Soviet hospital. It may take many years before it regains it pervious glory. However visitors are admitted and have to use their imagination when looking at once grand interiors. Visitors to Pidhirtsi Castle will be invited to take a short walk to see a beautiful wooden church of St. Michael from 1720.
Zolochiv Castle was built as a citadel with bastions in the 1630s. In the 17th - 18th centuries the castle belonged to the rich Polish families of Sobieski and Radziwill. In the days of Austro-Hungarian empire Zolochiv Castle was turned into a prison and later became a grim prison under Stalin. A memorial and an exhibition to commemorate those who perished here can now be seen in the castle as well as a chapel outside the the castle walls. Inside Zolochiv Castle visitors could see a newly restored Chinese palace built to follow European fashion for Chinese art in late 17th century. To the right is a larger residential palace undergoing restoration. From the bastions one could see surrounding countryside and the town of Zolochiv. Tourists would be taken to the old magic stone in the castle courtyard. It has engraved inscriptions in unknown language and a hole in the middle that will help fulfill your wishes if you put your finger there and turn.

Hotyn
The highlight of the Hotyn region is an ancient majestic city - the fortress of Hotyn.
National memory has kept many beautiful legends about a history of this land. One of them tells that during old times malicious conquerors surrounded a powerful fortress. Defenders repeatedly beat off attacks, but forces were unequal and enemies finally taken a fortress. They grasped the daughter of the commandant. However the girl did not want to obey aggressors and those after inhuman mockeries have immured her in a wall of a fortress. Till now on this place it is possible to see images of a Turkish jug for water and a wet stain from tears of the girl. And almost every spring night she leaves a wall and calls the father and the groom who were lost in fight, and waters with tears the native ground which gives generous crops, the rivers and lakes with water. This sad and lyrical legend became a basis for a plot of symbols of area.

Kamyanets-Podilsky
Kamyanets-Podilsky is about 25km north of the point where Moldova and Romania meet at the Ukrainian border. This old town has stood since at least the 11th century on a sheer-walled rock island carved out of the steppe by a sharp loop in the Smotrych River. History of Kamyanets-Podilsky.
The south-western bridge, for centuries the only link between the town and the mainland, is guarded by a nine-towered stone castle that dates from the 16th century. Most of the towers are open to visitors, and many offer great views of the town and the surrounding countryside.
These massive fortifications impressed not only travelers and merchants who came to visit the city. According to local legend, the Turkish Khan Osman allegedly asked "who built this mighty city?" An underling is said to have replied "God Himself". Upon being unable to take the city by storm, the Khan was to have said upon leaving "Then let God Himself take the city". Throughout its long and violent history, the city twice surrendered to those who captured the castle, but the city itself was never taken by storm.

The Carpathian Mountains
Yaremche is one of the most popular mountain resorts of Ukraine. In any season the tourists can engage in the whole range of activities matching most fastidious tastes – in spring and summertime the tourists can hike to alpine meadows where there are plenty of odorous berries. The Prut River prompts and invites to water tourism. The fabulous colors of the autumnal forest, rich for mushrooms, the unique beauty of mountainous landscapes, fresh and balmy air contribute to the perfect conditions for full-fledged, vivifying rest. Yaremche will charm you by its architectural sightseeing, but the most popular place of interest is waterfall “Huk”.
Kosiv is a picturesque town in Hutsulshchyna - the land of high mountains, torrents and fresh air. Here during more than 600 years people used to live under foreign rule. However they managed to conserve their language, traditions, and art. People, who rebelled against enemies were called Opryshky. Their leader was Oleksa Dovbush. Now almost everybody knows who he was. Oleksa Dovbush is a Ukrainian version of the famous Robin Hood character.
