Kiev
Founded in the 5th century, Kiev is the mother city of Ukraine, Russia and Belarus. All three descend from Kievan Rus, the Slavic super-state that existed from the 9th to the 11th centuries. Kiev has survived Mongol invasions, devestating fires, communist urban planning and the destruction of WWII.The Old Town is concentrated around the north-eastern end of vulitsya Volodymyrska and contains a number of Kiev's historic landmarks. The main attraction is the 11th century St Sophia Cathedral, the city's oldest standing church, which contains some of the country's greatest mosaics and frescoes.
Kamyanets-Podilsky
Kamyanets-Podilsky is about 25km (16mi) 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.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.
Lviv
Cosmopolitan Lviv is the capital of western Ukraine. Until 1939 it had never been ruled from Moscow, and it was here that Ukrainian nationalism re-emerged in the late 1980s. Having escaped the urban devastation of WWII, Lviv is a living museum of Western architecture from the Gothic to the present.Just east of the modern downtown is Old Town, centred on the broad ploshcha Rynok, once the hub of Lviv and still the best preserved urban square in Ukraine. At its heart is the 19th century town hall, and around the perimeter are beautiful 16th to 18th century buildings with ornate stone carvings.
Odessa
Odessa is a curious mix of enticing seaside holiday retreat and polluted industrial port. A long-time Black Sea shipping centre and southern Ukraine urban giant, the city is famous for its role in the 1905 revolution, when the mutinous battleship Potemkin Tavrichesky supported rebellious workers.Today it's best known for its excellent collection of museums. It's filled with beautiful low-rise buildings and tree-lined streets, and is home to the elaborate and famous 19th-century Opera & Ballet Theatre, designed by Viennese architects who gave it a Baroque cast with a Renaissance twist.
Yalta
Perched on the southern coast of Crimea, Yalta passed through many hands over the centuries until Russia took control in the late 18th century. The city became the Black Sea's classiest resort when Tsar Alexander II made nearby Livadia his summer residence.The city centre stretches back from the eastern end of Yalta Bay, straddling the Bystra River. Everyone gravitates to the naberezhna Lenia, a vehicle-free waterfront promenade with jetties, palms, pebble beaches, snack bars and art markets. Some of Yalta's best beaches lie along Yalta Bay.
