MyPassportStory
Your travels, worth telling.
MyPassportStory › Destinations › Ukraine
🇺🇦Things to Do in Ukraine
From Kyiv's golden-domed monasteries to Lviv's old town - the essential sights, and how to keep your own record of them, when it's safe to travel.
Travel guide - last updated September 2026
Given the ongoing conflict, Ukraine is not currently a viable or advisable tourist destination for most travelers, and this page exists to record the country's sights for when travel is possible again, not as a current recommendation. Always check your government's official travel advisory for Ukraine before making any plans.
Top attractions
The sights most first-time visitors build an itinerary around.
Kyiv Pechersk Lavra
A historic Orthodox monastery complex in Kyiv, with golden domes and a network of underground catacombs holding the preserved remains of monks - a UNESCO World Heritage site.
📍 Kyiv
🚉 Nearest station: Arsenalna on the blue metro line, the deepest station in the world, then a 15-minute walk or trolleybus 38 down to the monastery gates.
Lviv Old Town
A UNESCO-listed old town in western Ukraine with a strong Austro-Hungarian and Polish architectural influence, historically considered one of Eastern Europe's most beautiful city centers.
📍 Lviv
🚉 Nearest station: Lviv-Holovnyi, the main station, with tram 1 and 9 running to the Rynok Square in about 15 minutes - the centre is a UNESCO site and pedestrian.
St. Sophia's Cathedral, Kyiv
An 11th-century cathedral holding some of the best-preserved Byzantine mosaics and frescoes from the period anywhere in Eastern Europe.
📍 Kyiv
🚉 Nearest station: Zoloti Vorota on the green line, a five-minute walk to the bell tower, with Maidan Nezalezhnosti a similar distance on the blue line.
Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle
A fortress built on a rock plateau surrounded almost entirely by a natural river canyon, giving it one of the most dramatic settings of any castle in Eastern Europe.
📍 Kamianets-Podilskyi
🚉 Nearest station: Kamianets-Podilskyi, with overnight trains from Kyiv and Lviv, then a 20-minute walk or short bus ride across the gorge bridge to the castle.
Mark Ukraine, get the stamp
In MyPassportStory, every country you mark - visited, lived in, or still on the list - becomes a stamp like these in your own travel passport. Add the cities you stopped in, draw the route between them, and turn the whole trip into a shareable passport-style image.
Open MyPassportStoryPlanning questions
How many days do you need in Ukraine?
Not applicable while the ongoing conflict continues - this page is a record of the country's sights for future reference, not current travel guidance.
What's the best time to visit Ukraine?
Not applicable under current conditions - check your government's official travel advisory before making any plans.
Is Ukraine good for a first-time visit?
Not currently - Ukraine is not a viable tourist destination for most travelers under present conditions. Check your government's official travel advisory before considering any visit.
Do I need a visa to visit Ukraine?
Visa requirements vary by nationality, but this is secondary to the current travel advisory situation. Check the official information for your nationality: mfa.gov.ua.
What are some things to do in Ukraine on a tight budget?
Not applicable under current conditions - this section will be updated once travel to Ukraine is broadly considered safe again.
Can I rent a car in Ukraine, and what licence do I need?
Check your government's travel advice first: Ukraine is at war, martial law is in force, civilian airspace is closed, and the practical way in is by train or bus from Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania or Moldova. Curfews apply nationwide and vary by region, which affects any driving at night. On the licence itself, Ukraine recognises national licences that meet the Vienna Convention standard and accepts an International Driving Permit alongside a home licence; the minimum rental age is generally 21 to 25. Ukrainian Railways runs a reliable network and is what most visitors and aid workers actually use. Official information is published by the government at kmu.gov.ua, with rail tickets from Ukrzaliznytsia.