Must visit: TOP-20 places in the Carpathians that everyone should visit

18 May 2023

Everyone who has not had the chance to visit the Carpathians yet dreams of going there, and everyone who has wants to repeat the trip. This region is famous for its charming nature and developed tourist infrastructure, including ski resorts and notable historical sites. We have collected the most interesting places to visit in the Carpathians to feel the spirit of this amazing region and get unforgettable emotions.

What to see in the Carpathians?

Yaremche

The Carpathians’ beautiful places surround tourists who come there from all sides, but the first acquaintance should start with the city of Yaremche. It has everything a vacationer needs, like amazing nature, developed infrastructure, and numerous cozy apartments for rent.

You can go on an excursion to the Probiy waterfall, climb Makovytsia mountain, visit the rocks of Dovbush, and look at wild animals in the aviary. To relax after the hike, be sure to try swimming in the Carpathian vats and drinking tea with local herbs in a hut.

Bukovel

The most famous ski resort in Ukraine is in no way inferior to foreign ski resorts. More than 70 tracks of different levels of difficulty await tourists, among which everyone can choose the one suitable for himself.

If you are vacationing in Bukovel with the whole family, be sure to bring the children to the open-air museum Ethno Park, which is located in the open air and introduces visitors to Hutsul life and traditions. In winter, after skiing, be sure to try the SPA procedures, and in summer, visit the Lake of Youth.

Mount Hoverla

This is the highest point in Ukraine, which attracts many tourists every year. Despite the height, climbing Hoverla is quite simple and accessible to anyone. The top of the mountain is a flat observation deck, from which you can observe endless landscapes and even the Romanian mountains. Tourists can choose 1 of 4 routes of different levels of difficulty and admire the picturesque scenery already in the process of climbing.

Mount Pip Ivan Marmaroskyi

The highest point of the Marmarosa massif reaches 1936 m. The name Pip Ivan has become so famous that it is often extended to the surrounding mountains and valleys. The mountain itself is surprising with its pyramidal shape, like a giant Egyptian pyramid, but of natural origin. At the foot, tourists set up camps, climbing to the top without a burden. In the spring, you can see small lakes near the top, which dry up in the summer and are therefore not indicated on the maps.

Mount Petros

The peak, with a height of 2020 m, belongs to the Chornohora massif. The scenery from here is as breathtaking as from Hoverla, but the ascent is much more difficult, so tourists do not go in crowds. This gives you a chance to be alone with the majestic Carpathian nature during the ascent. If you climb the mountain in June, you can see how rare rhododendrons bloom: purple bells are listed in the Red Book (you can’t tear them under any circumstances). Before climbing to the top, you need to prepare carefully. Campsites are usually set up at the foot, and the hike to Mount Petros itself takes a day or two.

Polonyny

Treeless, high mountain valleys in the Carpathians are called polonynas. Livestock graze here, alpine and subalpine grasses grow, and tourists are greeted by colorful Hutsul kolybas. You can see edelweiss blooming in the meadows, as well as try wild blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and other berries.

Synevyr lake

Those who are looking for Carpathians attractions should visit the legendary Lake Synevyr. It is a high-altitude reservoir with a depth of 23 meters, surrounded by mountains covered with forest. The largest mountain lake in Ukraine formed ten thousand years ago due to an earthquake that blocked a rapid river. In the middle of the reservoir, there is a small island, thanks to which the lake is often called the “Eye of the Sea”.

Mertve lake

In the Skolivski Beskydy National Park, there is a mysterious high-altitude lake called Zhuravlyne, which is also called the Dead Lake. Higher organisms do not live in the reservoir, and the water in it is very dark, although transparent. Bubbles rising to the surface and a small floating island moving across the lake add mystery. However, the lack of life in the reservoir and the mysterious bubbles are explained not by something mystical but by the processes of rotting branches and trees at the bottom, as a result of which carbon dioxide is released and the waters are saturated with hydrogen sulfide.

Brebeneskul lake

The highest mountain lake in Ukraine is located at an altitude of 1801 m. Due to its original shape, it is often called the Blue Eye of the Carpathians, but you cannot drink the transparent emerald-blue water; it is better to look for a clean mineral spring nearby. Swimming in the lake is not recommended, and the water in it is usually icy. The maximum temperature to which the reservoir can be heated is 15 degrees.

To stay by the lake for longer and enjoy amazing evening views, you can set up a campsite, but for this, you will need a warm sleeping bag and other warm things. You can’t light fires here or cut down and burn pine.

Maricheika lake

One of the largest lakes of the Chornohora massif, however, it is not very large (88 m in length) and not deep at all (only 80 cm in depth). The reservoir is surrounded by low banks with subalpine meadows as well as majestic pine and fir forests. Wetlands allow you to see some rare animals listed in the Red Book, such as the spotted salamander and the snow mink.

The reservoir is fed by precipitation and many underground springs and also forms a stream that flows through the forest all the way to the Pohorilets River. Nearby, you can see the majestic Mount Pip Ivan.

Solotvyno

The famous resort town attracts vacationers with salt therapy and therapeutic mud baths. Salt Lake Kunihunda is located in Solotvyno, the bottom of which is covered with a continuous layer of salt, and the water has the same properties as the waters of the famous Dead Sea. You can swim in the lake in any weather because the water temperature never drops below 17 degrees. Solotvyno offers tourists a lot of recreation centers that differ in conditions and cost of living.

Pidhoretskyi castle

Anyone who wants to visit the mystical places of the Carpathians should visit Pidhoretskyi Castle. The majestic complex is a monument of the Baroque and late Renaissance architectural styles. There is a 3-story palace, a church, a park, and bastion fortifications. On the territory, you can see another attraction, and this time it’s not a natural one — a unique Linden tree, which is more than 700 years old. The castle is under restoration, but some halls are open to visitors.

The castle gained its mystical reputation thanks to its tumultuous history and the legends of ghosts that still roam the halls and corridors. The two most famous characters in the mysterious stories are the alchemist Zhevuskyi and the ghost of the White Lady, who once died in the castle at the hands of a jealous husband.

Yalynskyi waterfall

A majestic waterfall with a height of 25 meters is located in the Rakhiv Mountains near the village of Dilove. Since the location of the natural monument belongs to the border zone, an appropriate permit must be issued to visit it. It is not easy to get here, as there are often altitude differences on the way. This has its own advantage because the surrounding nature is almost untouched and there are not a lot of tourists. Yalynskyi Waterfall looks most impressive in spring and winter. As a place for tourism, it became famous recently, namely only 10 years ago, so it really is untouched by human hands.

Kamianetskyi waterfall

The stormy waterfall, which was formed at the fault of the mountain, is located on the Kamianka River in the Skolivkyi district. It reaches 7 meters in height and is divided by a block into 2 parts, which look like 2 separate water features. Large stones are spread out below, on which you can cross the pond or sit comfortably and enjoy the spectacle. Water features look especially luxurious in the spring and summer during rainfall. Entrance to the territory of the national park, where the waterfall is located, is paid, but the price is low.

Palace of the Schönborn Counts

The Schönborn castle, sometimes called Beregvar, is located in the Mukachevo district of Zakarpattia. The architectural monument combines Gothic and romantic styles, creating a spectacular neo-romantic ensemble. The uniqueness of the palace lies in the fact that it has hardly changed since its construction, except for the residents: if earlier a noble German-Austrian family lived in the castle, today the “Karpaty” sanatorium is located here.

An interesting point is an astrological approach to the creation of the architecture of the palace: 365 windows symbolize the number of days in the calendar year; there is even a bricked-up window in honor of the leap year; the palace has 52 rooms, the same as the number of weeks in a year and 12 entrance doors symbolize the number of months.

Drahobrat

The highest ski resort in Ukraine is located in the Svydovetskyi massif. Its advantages are trails of varying difficulty, constant availability of snow, and moderate prices (lower than in Bukovel). Here, you can ride not only on skis and snowboards but also on quad bikes and snowmobiles.

Maniavskyi skyt

Near the village of Manyava in Prykarpattia, there is a defensive monastery, the Manyava Hermitage, built in the 17th century. Visitors can see ancient walls, a tall bell tower, monastery cells, an underground church with passages, and the church of Saints Boris and Hleb. Right next to it is the rock of the Blessed Stone, as well as a spring with healing water.

After visiting the monastery, don’t forget to drive a few kilometers to the famous Manyava waterfall, one of the highest in the Carpathians. It reaches a height of 20 meters, and at the foot of it, there is a small lake where you can take a warm bath. It is said that such bathing energizes, heals, and rejuvenates. In the summer, you can set up a tourist campsite near the waterhole, and in the winter, enjoy the spectacle alone with nature because there are significantly fewer tourists at this time of the year.

Sheshorski silver waterfalls

In the village of Sheshory in the Ivano-Frankivsk region, there are incredible Silver waterfalls, which are called Small and Great Sounds (in honor of the sound made by the falling water). Malyi Huk is located right in the middle of the village and has a height of about 2 meters. Velikiy Huk can be found 250 meters down the Pistynka River, and its height is 5 meters. Silver waterspouts are named for small drops of water that shine in the sun like silver.

Rakhiv

A high-altitude tourist town in which the geographical center of Europe is located. The highest part of the city rises 1200 meters above sea level. The massifs of Chornohora, Marmarosy, and Svydovetsk rise nearby. Tourists can visit mineral springs, waterfalls, colorful Hutsul museums, the Burkut Arboretum, the Biosphere Reserve, etc.

Shypit waterfall

The cascading waterfall at the foot of Mount Gemba is located north of Polonyna Borzhava. It reaches 14 meters in height. You can visit the waterfall at any time of the year, but in the spring, when the snow melts, it looks the most spectacular. In the summer, on Ivan Kupala Day, the Shypit Fest festival is held near the waterfall.

Little-known but no less interesting places in the Carpathians:

1. Valley of daffodils. Not far from the Zakarpattia city of Khust, in the village of Kiresh, there is a valley with narrow-leaved daffodils. Usually, the flower grows in the mountains, but this valley is flat. It is believed that due to landslides in the mountains, it “moved” down with the flowers.
2. Museum of Easter painting. This is the only museum in the world dedicated to Easter eggs. It is even made in the form of a giant painted egg. The two-story building houses a collection of Easter eggs not only by Ukrainian masters but also by American, Chinese, Egyptian, etc.
3. Arched viaduct in Vorokhta. A unique arched stone bridge can be seen in the village of Vorokhta in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. It was built across the Prut River at the end of the 19th century and was intended for a railway line. The bridge is 130 meters long and 25 meters wide. Today, you can just walk along it because the trains have not run there for a long time.
4. Schönborn Park. A luxurious park in the Austro-Hungarian style, founded at the beginning of the 18th century. As in the Schönborn palace, astrological symbolism is at work here: a Druid calendar in a Celtic garden, an island on Lake Tour with 365 stones, 12 towns, 7 lanterns, etc. In the park, you can see an old water mill, walk along well-kept alleys, and sit on elegant benches surrounded by various trees.

The Carpathians are an amazing region in which the majesty of nature is combined with ancient history and a cozy and somewhat mysterious color. A trip here will give you unique experiences, allow you to relax, get healthy, and visit a real fairytale.