Kamianets-Podilskyi

A 1691 French map depicting the city's old town and castle

Kamianets-Podilskyi (Ukrainian: Кам’янець-Подільський) is a city in Western Ukraine.

Understand

This is one of the earliest towns in Ukraine, first mentioned around 1060 as a Slavic town controlled by Lithuanians, but evidence suggests that the Dacians and later the Trypillians had lived there in prehistorical times. The town is a natural crossroad for trans-Carpathian and trans-Ukrainian trade, which attracted Poles, Germans, Armenians, Lithuanians, Jews, Ukrainians, Russians and Romanians to live here until World War II. Now, the town is almost exclusively Ukrainian.

A large fortress was built here to watch over the River Smotrych and some evidence suggests that a fortress has existed on this natural outcropping of rock since 2 millennia ago.

Get in

By train

1 Railway Station (Vokzal, Залізничний вокзал), Pryvokzalna str., 7 (NE), ☏ +380 3849 30732. The best way to get here from Kyiv is take a train. There are 2 "Podilsky Express" trains with seats departing from Kyiv at 16:43 and 23:41. It takes 6.5-7 hr to get Kamianets-Podilskyi. Also there is a night train taking 9 hr and going every second day. 

By bus

2 Bus Station, Koriatovychiv Kniaziv str., 19 (E), ☏ +380 3849 31251. Buses from Chernivtsi, Vinnytsia, Lviv or Kyiv take 1½, 4, 5 and 8-9 hr, respectively. The buses from Kyiv cost around 100 грн but can faster marshrutkas (minibuses) can be 150 грн from Vokzal (the railway station) in Kyiv. The buses from Chernivtsi are not as frequent as Lonely Planet may lead you to believe. The buses from Vinnytsia are rare. (updated Sep 2023)

Get around

By public transport

Kamianets-Podilsky has a convenient public transport system:

• 13 marshrutka routes
• 4 bus routes

Single ride tickets in marshrutkas cost 8 грн, in buses — 5 грн.

Schedules are available on the website (in Ukrainian).

You can also check information about public transport on DozoR (in Ukrainian) EasyWay and Google Maps.

By taxi

Taxi is the easiest way of getting around the city. Some popular taxi companies include:

• Bolt (Болт). (updated Sep 2023)
• Uklon (Уклон). (updated Sep 2023)
• OnTaxi (ОнТаксі). (updated Sep 2023)
• Opti (Опті). (updated Sep 2023)
• Shark (Шарк). (updated Oct 2023)
• Lextaxi (Лекстаксі)

See

Castle

• 1 The ancient fortress (Stara Fortetsya, Фортеця), Str. Papanina (W), ☏ +380 3849 21500. The major attraction of this town. 12th-18th century. Built to protect against the Tatars.  
  • 2 Papal tower (Julia tower). 5-storey tower on the southeast corner of the castle on the rock beneath cottages nestled suburb Karvasary.  
  • 3 Kovpak tower (Cap tower, Ковпак (колпак)). similar to Tenchynsku.  
  • 4 Tenchynska tower (Тенчиньська башта). The tower is round, has some loophole.  
  • 5 Ark or Lyaska (Kovcheg) Tower (Ковчег (Ляська)). 
• Church of Saint Heart of Jesus Christ (Костьол Святійшого Серця Ісуса Христа), Nihynske highway, 32. Roman Catholic 
• Monastery of Vyzytok (Монастир Візиток), Suvorova str., 2. Closed with an internal court and western facade unfolded on a straight line. 
• 6 Novoplanivskyi bridge (Новопланівський міст) (Eastern part of the Town). Built in the 1850s.  
• Mansion of Dembytskyi (Особняк Дембицького), Lesi Ukrainky str., 38,. Palace of pioneers takes place in building. 
• Osavulovoys House (Будинок Осавулової), Sitsinskoho U. str., 2. Today here is a children's sanatorium. 
• 7 State botanical garden (Державний ботанічний сад), Lesi Ukrainky str.,64. A general area of botanical garden is 17.7 hectares.  
• 8 Former Town Hall (Polish Magistrat) (Ратуша – колишній Польський магістрат). 14th-18th centuries.  
• Picture Gallery (Картинна галерея). 18th century. Former Seminary. 
• Archeological Museum (Відділ старожитностей – в минулому Вірменський торговий дім). Former Armenian trading house (17th century.) 
• Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul (Кафедральний костел Св. Апостолів Петра і Павла), Tatarska (вул. Татарська,) 20. 15th-18th centuries. The architectural ensemble of the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul includes: the actual church, bell tower, a triumphal arch and a minaret. Contains features of Renaissance, Baroque and Gothic architecture. 
• 9 Armenian or City well (Вірменська (Міська) криниця).  
• Exhibition Hall (Виставкова зала), Cathedral, 29 (вул. Соборна). 
• 10 Holy Cross church (Хрестовоздви́женська церква). A wooden church near the walls of the ancient fortress, on the coastal strip in the natural valley of the Smotrych River 

Further afield

• 11 Orlovskis' estate, Maliivtsi village (Садиба Орловських) (40 km north). Built in 1900s 
• 12 Sharivka village (Шарівка) (65 km north). Protection of the Virgin church-fortress (Покровська церква-фортеця), 14th-16th centuries, 1773 
• 13 Sutkivtsi village church-fortress (Сутківці) (66 km north). Protection of the Virgin church-fortress (Покровська церква-фортеця), 1467 
• 14 Trinity monastery in Satanivska Slobidka village (Свято-Троїцький монастир і церква Сатанівська Слобідка) (55 km northwest). Built in 16th-18th century. Monastery complex consists of the gate bell with cells, gates and fences, rebuilt in 1744 in Baroque style. On three sides it is surrounded by two meter thick walls, up to 6 m high. 

Eat

Budget

1 Dikanka, Pushkinskaya str, 46 (not far from central bus station), ☏ +380 384932885, +380 673847231, +380 673847238, +380 960178282. 09:00 till 22:00. Good cheap cafe in city centers with Ukrainian cuisine, about 35 kinds of vareniks (dumplings). ~ 80 грн for 2 person. 

Mid-range

• Kava u politsmeystera (Coffee from a Policeman), not far from the fortress. Nice design. Waiters speak English. You have to take the menu from and order on the bar, the order will be brought to your table. "Coffee Ice Cream" is worth trying. Although the name suggests that coffee is the main drink here, you can have a good dinner as well. Dinner for 2 persons ~180 грн. 
• Pid bramoyu (In the Gateway) (near the fortress). nice design combining medieval and national Ukrainian motifs. Waitresses don't speak English. dinner for 2 persons ~250 грн.. 

Sleep

• Hostel Zoom (Хостел "Zoom"), Haharina, 69 (near the bus station.), ☏ +380 3849 37849. 
• Hotel 7 Days (7-dniv Hotel, Готельний комплекс "7-днів"), Str. Soborna, 4 (close to the central square). Single from 260 грн. 
• 1 Hotel Texas (Гостиничный комплекс "Техас"), Ave. Hrushevskoho (проспект Грушевского), 27 (- near the bus station.), ☏ +380 67 3824294. One sgl, four dbl, three tpl rooms 
• 2 Hotel Mariia (Готель Марія), Danyla Halytskoho (ул. Д. Галицкого) , 16A (Between Old Town and Bus Station), ☏ +380 384 950504, +380 97 7115522, +380 67 3841058, info@maria.km.ua. Rooms 200-250-300 грн depending on comfort level. 
• 3 Monte-Kristo Cafe-Bar-Hotel-Sauna (Готель "Монте-Крісто"), Lesi Ukrainky, 22 (Between Old Town and Bus Station), ☏ +380 384 920888. Rooms 200-300-400 грн. 
• 4 Kleopatra (Готельний комплекс "Клеопатра"), Ohiienka, 39 (Between Old Town and Bus Station), ☏ +380 3849 65683, +380 3849 65684. Four-star hotel. From 550 грн. 
• 5 Staryi bank (Готель "Старий банк"), Uralska, 4 (Between Old Town and Bus Station), ☏ +380 97 5729181, +380 97 5061079, +380 3849 91564, +380 3849 91071. Three-bed dorm 50 грн, double (WC, shower, refrigerator) 150 грн, dbl (WC, shower, refrigerator, TV) 200 грн, dbl (WC, shower refrigerator , balcony) 250 грн, triple 500 грн. 
• Stone Flower (near the fortress.). 
• TIU KP (central). 
• Karmaliuk (Close to the bus station). 
• Fil'varky-Tsentr (close to bus station). dbl/twin 200 грн breakfast included. 
• Xeniya. dbl/twin 200 грн, breakfast excluded. 
• Optima Collection Kamianets-Podilsky (Optima Collection Кам'янець-Подільський), 2 Starobulvarna Street, ☏ +380 672382876, +380 384991635, +380 672382876, kamianets.podilsky@optimahotels.com.ua. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. From 1,182 грн. (updated Sep 2023)

Go next

• Khotyn - If you plan to go to the spectacularly located castle in Khotyn on your way to or from KP and Chernivtsi, you can visit it in route as it sits almost exactly on the route between the two cities.
• Chernivtsi
• Khmelnytskyi - This is the administrative center for the Khmelnytskyi Oblast.