A country of rugged beaches, wild wild mountains, meadows of steppes and the mystical Black Sea, Ukraine is amazing for holidays. While you can tour the tiny villages in its mountains, you can also go skiing in resorts, while there are modern cities like Kiev and Lviv to show you a mix of metropolitan and traditional Ukraine, there is also the idyllic Myrhorod and Bakota. So what are you waiting for? Here are the most important tourist places that you must visit when in Ukraine.

A city made famous by its gourmet dish - Chicken Kiev, this is the capital of Ukraine. You will find here a mix of European and Soviet/Russian cultures, architecture that is old and beautiful and memorials that belong to the era of World Wars and Cold War. There are parks, cathedrals, churches and stunning ancient streets here. Visit the St. Andrews Church, St. Sophia’s Cathedral, the deepest train station Arsenalna, Kiev Opera House, Maidan Square and its streets, and the Monastery of the Caves - Kiev Pechersk Lavra.

The second most important city in Ukraine, Lviv is situated on the border of Poland. It is a mix of of cultures but more European than Soviet, thanks to its location. There is very high stress given on Lviv’s art and architecture, as is visible from its status as a UNESCo World Heritage Site. Explore the ancient city centre of Lviv in the Old Town, go drinking in the local pubs and breweries, visit the Lviv Chocolate Factory and admire the beast of St. George’s cathedral, which is a spitting image of the Shroud of Turin.

If you don’t know about the Chernobyl disaster then its pretty clear that you have been living under a rock. And if you are living in the said place, then here’s what happened - the Chernobyl Plant was a Nuclear Reactor Plant near the town of Pripyat in Ukraine and it destroyed acres and acres of land with people, farms and livestock on it when it leaked one day in 1986. Today Pripyat is a ghost town and many sites around are a coveted tourist attraction. Pripyat is about a hundred kilometres from Kiev, and visitors come here to see what the Chernobyl disaster did to a live animated town that it turned into a ghost town.

The Carpathian Mountains are famously called the ‘green pearl of Ukraine.’ They pack a strong punch of high rugged peaks broken by stunning green meadows, thick acres of forests and rivers cutting through them until they drain down in idyllic lakes. These mountains are a great summer destination to go cycling, hiking, riding and rock climbing. You can go alone or join one of the many hiking companies or tour guides, the choice is yours. There are many camps organised that usually choose to put up in the local mountain villages instead of the usual tents.

Odesa makes for another big city that is of great importance in Ukraine. It is a seaport and is kissed by the massive Black Sea. This makes it an important trade hub as well as home to some amazing tourist beaches. The weather is partially maritime influenced and amazing, with some of the best places to visit like Lanzheron Beach, Odesa Opera House, City Gardens and the beautiful labyrinth for lanes through the old city. The houses here are also a centre of fascination as they are painted in pastels and look like fairytale homes.

The city sits by River Vorskala and has a vivid military past, what with the legendary battle between Cossacks and Tsar Peter I of Russia. You will find many military relics and war memorial here, along with fine outdoor places to visit. Check out the Column of Glory, the fabled Poltava Battlefield, October Park, Assumption Cathedral and other churches, theatres and museums around.

Myrhorod is a sleepy little spa town in Ukraine, renowned for its mineral-rich waters that stem from lakes and springs. The water is salty and is good to be drunk for digestive diseases. People also bathe in these springs for healthy skin. Visit the Khorol river to go boating and check out the famous Windmill of Myrhorod along with the musical water fountain nearby. There are also some famous woodlands and jungles with canopies in the town and people prefer to take horse-drawn carriages to ride through them.

Bakota is a village town in Ukraine, renowned for its cave monastery that was built back in the day by the orthodox monk Saint Anthony of Kiev and his followers. The unique build of the monastery in an underground cave is worth admiring and you will find that this 12th Century structure is still in good condition. With its paintings and frescoes and architecture, the cave is a marvel. You must also take time out to visit the National Environmental Park for its craggy hilltops by the shore of River Dniester. The best thing to do here is walk around the village and enjoy its flora and fauna.