2 Ukrainian villages named world’s best for tourists: How to visit

Contents

• 2 Ukrainian villages were recognized as the best for tourists
• What can change for these Ukrainian villages
• How to get to the best villages for tourists in Ukraine

2 Ukrainian villages were recognized as the best for tourists

DART says that for the first time in history, two villages from Ukraine have been included in one of the world's largest tourist networks - The Best Tourism Villages, according to the World Tourism Organization (a specialized agency of the United Nations) UN Tourism.

These are:

• Urych, Stryi district, Lviv region
• Vorokhta, Nadvirna district, Ivano-Frankivsk region

The best tourist villages in Ukraine (screenshot: tourism-villages.unwto.org)

The best tourist villages in Ukraine (screenshot: tourism-villages.unwto.org)

It is specified that in early May 2024, the state agency sent a package of documents from five Ukrainian villages - Vorokhta, Zelenyi Hai, Kvasiv, Olyka, and Urych - to UN Tourism.

The applications of the Ukrainian contestants were selected by representatives of the Advisory Board among more than 260 participants from more than 60 countries.

The winners were announced during the 122nd session of the UN Executive Board on Tourism, which took place in Cartagena, Colombia.

The Secretary-General of UN Tourism emphasized that the main goal of this global initiative is to draw the attention of travelers from all over the world to villages where tourism helps preserve culture, traditions, and biodiversity.

What can change for these Ukrainian villages

Representatives of UN Tourism will bring the official awards for Urych and Vorokhta to Ukraine from Colombia:

Director of External Relations - Beka Jakeli
Director of the European Region - Cordula Wohlmuther

The award ceremony will take place on November 28 at the III National Tourism Summit in Lviv.

The head of the State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine, Mariana Oleskiv, said that the inclusion of Ukrainian villages in this global network opens up positive prospects for the nominees.

Urych and Vorokhta will:

• receive mentoring from the UN Tourism
• receive potential financial support from foreign donors
• draw attention to their cultural, natural, and gastronomic riches - both Ukrainian and foreign travelers.

DART noted that UN Tourism launched the global initiative The Best Tourism Villages in 2021. Today, the network of the best tourist villages according to UN Tourism (which includes 199 villages from around the world) has been expanded to include 55 new ones (including two Ukrainian ones).

The post of the State Tourism Agency (screenshot: facebook.com/DARTUkraine)

The post of the State Tourism Agency (screenshot: facebook.com/DARTUkraine)

How to get to the best villages for tourists in Ukraine

Urych is a village located in the Skole urban community of the Stryi district of Lviv region.

The Urychanka River (a left tributary of the Stryi River) flows through the village.

Near the village, there is an ancient Rus rock defense complex Tustan, which became the basis for the creation of the State Historical and Cultural Reserve of the same name.

Location of the village of Urych (screenshot: google.com/maps)

You can get to Urych by car or by public transport - bus or train.

Vorokhta is the administrative center of the Vorokhta settlement community in the Nadvirna district of Ivano-Frankivsk region.

The village is located at an altitude of 850 meters above sea level, on the banks of the Prut River. Vorokhta is surrounded by mountains and forests on almost all sides.

The Havrylets Velykyi, Havrylets Malyi, Ardzheliuzha, Vorokhtsel, and Parodchyn streams flow through the village and into the Prut.

Location of Vorokhta village (screenshot: google.com/maps)

It is not difficult to get to Vorokhta, and the route will depend on the starting point of your trip.

You can get to the village either by car or by public transport - taxis, buses, or trains.