Zakarpatska Oblast

Carpathian Biosphere Reserve

Zakarpatska (Transcarpathia) is in an oblast in Western Ukraine.

Cities

• 1 Uzhhorod (Ужгород) – The oblast's capital, with two 'must see' the Castle-fortress, 1500; and the Exaltation of the Cross cathedral, and bishop's residence, 1745.
• 2 Khust – Famous for St. Elizabeth church, 1450.
• 3 Mukachevo – The highlights of its: Castle "Palanok", 14th-18th century; St. Martin chapel, 14th century.
• 4 Perechyn
• 5 Rakhiv – A great variation from the rest of Ukraine with the highest mountain of Ukraine closeby, Hoverla, an easy climb.
• 6 Berehove

Other destinations

Synevyr lake

• The Ukrainian Carpathians.
• 1 Synevyr National Nature Park (Національний парк «Синевир») — Natural Reserve near Synevyrska Poliana.
• 2 Svaliava (Свалява) – A small city with the St. Nicolas church 1588, 1759. One of the oldest in the Region
• 3 Chynadiiovo (Чинадійово) – a small rural settlement with its main sights: Palace "Beregvar" of Shenborn counts, 1890-1895 ; Castle Saint Nicholas, 14th century, 17th century.

Understand

Chynadiiovo, Castle

Carpathian Mountains

Solotvyno town. Saltlake with saltmine

Zakarpatska is separated from mainland Ukraine by the Wooded Carpathians whose highest peak Hoverla is 2,061 metres high. Thus, the Ukrainian name Zakarpatska ("Transcarpathia") means "across the Carpathians"; while for its Western neighbours, the region is "below the Carpathians" and therefore called "Subcarpathia". Another historic name is "Carpathian Ruthenia", as its indigenous Eastern Slavic population were considered "Ruthenians".

From the Middle Ages until World War I, Zakarpatska belonged to Hungary (under the Austro-Hungarian Empire) and between the wars to Czechoslovakia. It retains a relatively multi-national flair having considerable ethnic minorities, including Magyars (Hungarians), Romanians, Russians and Roma. The indigenous population to this region are Rusyns, an East Slavic people of the Carpathian region, who mostly consider themselves part of the Ukrainian nationality, but maintain their own cultural traditions and some speak their own Rusyn language.

The Tourist Information Center network is the most developed one in the country. In addition to the main offices in the cities mentioned above, they can also be found in smaller towns like Chynadiiovo (Street Voloshina, 53 b), Mizhhiria (Street Khustska, 68 A), Solotvyno (St Kharkivska 1), Tiachiv (Street Robitnycha 8/1), and Shaian (Khust Raion, Karpatskoi Sichi street 14).

Talk

The official language is Ukrainian and it is also the most common one. Most inhabitants have a good command of Russian as a foreign language. Minority languages include Slovak, Hungarian and Romanian. Other foreign languages are German and English.

Get in

By plane

Uzhhorod has its own international airport. Other nearby airports are Ivano-Frankivsk, Košice (Slovakia) and Debrecen (Hungary).

By train

Train connections are available from Ivano-Frankivsk, Košice and Debrecen.

See

• Nevytske Castle (замок Невицьке) – built in 1400.

Do

• (Mountain) Biking

• Cycle hire in Volovets (Прокат велосипедів в м. Воловець, мотелі-кафе Над Вичов), Volovets, Street Karpatska 64A, longeron1965@mail.ru. Cycle hire in the motel-cafe "Nad Vychov" 1/2/3 hours 20/35/45 грн, day 150 грн. 

• Skiing
• Trekking and walking

• Lake Synevyr Natural Reserve
• Mount Hoverla near Rakhiv

• 4 Underground Alergologic Hospital (Солотвино-Підземне відділення Алергологічної лікарні.), Solotvyno town (Ukrainian: Солотвино, Hungarian: Aknaszlatina, Romanian: Slatina ). A health resort. 

Cope

Consulates

• Romania, Solotvino: Sportivna 112, ☏ +380 3134 56027, fax: +380 3134 56090, solotvino@mae.ro. (updated Dec 2021)

Go next

• Košice, Slovakia
• Lviv
• Ivano-Frankivsk
• Debrecen, Hungary