Day 1.

Arrival to Kiev. Meeting with representatives of the hosting company. Transfer to 3* hotel. Leisure time (additional excursions – at the request, depending upon the time of arrival).

Day 2.

Breakfast in hotel. Sightseeing tour across Kiev (4 hours)

During this excursion you will see all the main monuments and places of interest of Kiev. St. Sophia Cathedral, Mikhailovskiy Cathedral, “Golden Gates”, Opera and Ballet House, the House with Chimers, Maidan Nezalezhnosti, Motherland Monument, Andriivsky usviz etc.

After the lunch – visit to Pechersk Lavra.

Day 3.

Transfer from Kiev to Kamenets-Podolsky by car. On the way – visiting of Berdychiv and Medzhibozh. After the lunch – arrival to Kamenets-Podolsky. Accommodation in 3* hotel.

BERDYCHIV. The city-monastery, city-fortress, city-anecdote, Volynskiy Jerusalem – all these in certain periods of history may be applied to Berdychiv.

Berdychiv is known since 1320, when this area was presented by the Great Prince Gedinin to the family of Tishkeviches. It is considered that Berdychiv was founded in 1546. At the beginning of XVII, voivode the prince Yanush Tishkevich built a castle in Berdychiv, and some time later, in 1627, a monastery of the catholic begging order of Barefooted Carmelites was founded. At first, they built the underground church with cells, preserved till nowadays, and a hundred and something years later a new – above-the-ground church was built. The further development of Berdychev is connected with the monastery prosperity, which contained the Wonderworking Icon. The monastery had its school, library and printing house. After 1675, when at the consent of the Polish King – Stanislaw August – in Berdychiv they commenced to organize the annual trade-fairs, the town began to get populated and later became a large trading center. Each year, 10 trade-fairs were organized in Berdychiv. They were popular not less than the famous trade-fairs in Leipzig: here came merchants not only from Kiev, Chernigov and Moscow, but also from Prussia, Austria, France, Italy, and other countries.

MEDZHIBOZH. The first records about it appeared in Ipatievski chronicles of 1146. Some rests of the ancient settlement dated XI-XIII remained, which evidence that Medzhibozh was a frontier point with good fortifications. From the end of XII century it belonged to Galitsko-Volynsk principality. In 1241, the Golden Horde managed to capture the town. In order to ensure the protection from the enemies the walls were erected and trenches were dug out.

The town preserved the Large Castle dated back to XIV—XVI centuries and the Palace of XVI century on the territory of the castle. The town is considered to be a cradle of Hasid movement in Judaism, as here in 1740-60 lived Israel Baal Shem Tov – the founder of the Hasid movement. Today dozen thousands of people from all over the world come to his grave.

Day 4.

Breakfast in hotel. Visit to Kamenets-Podolsky and Khotin fortresses.

KAMENETS-PODOLSKY. The town was established as the ancient Roman outpost. On the European Ptolemaic geographical map (III century B.C.) the area now occupied by Kamenets is marked as the settlement known as Klipedava. The northern border of the Holy Roman Empire passed through this area, and Klipedava was its northern outpost, founded by Dacia tribes at the beginning of our era during Roman-Dacian wars. The foundation and strategic design of the town fortress preserved till nowadays correspond to the ancient Roman principles of the defensive town planning. The sources of potable water named Hun Krynitsi, located in the center of the town, as well as legends about hun roving troops headed by Athilla, also confirm the version about the pre-historic past of Kamenets.

In 12-13 centuries, Kamenets was a large trade center: through it passed the way from Kiev to Balkans, being one of the historical sections of the Great Silk Road. Until now there have been preserved the evidences about existence of camps beneath the fortress for numerous camel caravans traveling from the East and loaded with various goods.

The architectural monuments dated back to ХI-ХIХ century include about 200 buildings and constructions. The heavy-duty defenses of the Old Town (11-12 century), a fortress and fortress bridge, as well as combination of cult constructions of various religions will make an unforgettable impression on the visitors.

KHOTIN. This one of the oldest towns in Ukraine, recently, celebrated its 1000-anniversary. At the beginning of XI century Kievan Prince – Vladimir Velikiy (Vladimir The Great) – established a system of frontier fortresses in the west and south of its state, including Khotin. Initially it was a small, wooden fortress built by eastern Slavs in the place of the ancient settlement that protected them from numerous conquerors. Close to it and in parallel there also existed an unfortified settlement. On its territory the archeologists found the semi-dugouts with the stone stoves dated back to IX-X centuries, and at the depth of 1.2-1.4 m they found the occupation layer of VII-VIII centuries.

At the end of XIV century Khotin became part of Moldavian state. The waywode Stephan III the Great considerably expanded the fortress limits. They built stone walls 5 m thick and 40 m high. In the fortress itself they dug out deep cellars for warriors. In XV-XVI centuries Khotin fortress was a residence of the Moldavian masters.

In 1826, Khotin obtained its coat-armour: a silver three-tower citadel in a golden field, accompanied with cross over two crossed swards – a symbol of land protection from enemies.

Presently, this fortress, preserved in an excellent state, produces a tremendous impression. It is now used to shoot a great number of historical movies and documentaries.

Day 5.

Departure to Kiev. On the way – a stop to visit a “fish market”. Arrival to Kiev. Accommodation in hotel.

Day 6.

Breakfast in hotel.

Excursion to Pirogovo Museum of Ukrainian Folk Architecture and Family Life

After the lunch – leisure time.

Day 7.

Breakfast in hotel.

Check-out from hotel. Transfer to the airport.