South Ukraine Itinerary: 1 Month (Give or Take)

In the summer of 2020, when Everything Was Cancelled, I had the unique opportunity to explore my adopted country. Well, it was my only opportunity to explore anything, so I went ahead and took it. Being a teacher, I get a significant chunk of summer vacation, and I decided to put it to good use by crafting a south Ukraine itinerary that would take me to see the region’s highlights in just under a month.

A month in just part of the country might seem like overkill, but honestly there’s so much to see that I felt like I was barreling through the region. As Ukraine is the biggest country in Europe, the roads stretch out for hours — and some places are not so easy to get to to begin with! 

This Ukraine itinerary was based on my summer travels — but with some modifications because I learned as I went along. It inadvertently became a Black Sea itinerary, with a few jaunts inland, but you don’t have to be a beach person to enjoy it. And naturally, this is not the only way to do things! Many of my friends and colleagues also spent their summer months traveling around Ukraine, and they did things a little differently. So while you’re reading through this, definitely consider it from the perspective of how you like to travel!

A note on how I wrote this itinerary — I broke it down by the number of nights, not days, you should spend in a destination. I basically recommend spending at least two nights in each place because it allows you at least one full day to explore without the pressure of needing to get out of town. Sometimes the only bus that will get you to where you need to go leaves at the break of dawn, which extremely limits your options.

This schedule is a full month long, but just a warning — this is a south Ukraine itinerary at ‘doable breakneck’ speed. However, if you don’t have as much time as I did, it’s easy to break up this plan into more manageable chunks. You can lop off destinations and still be able to get from point A to point D. You can also switch some of the destinations around or easily do this in reverse. I hope it gives you a little inspiration!

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What To See in South Ukraine

Nights 1-3: Odessa

Things to Do: What isn’t there to do in Odessa? You could easily spend a week or two here and not be bored. Not only is there a plethora of things to do, but also it’s just a wonderful city to wander around in. However, if you were to hit the highlights I’d recommend a walking tour of the city, visiting the Privoz Market, taking the cable car to Otrada, and attending the ballet or opera. Odessa also has a wonderful restaurant and bar scene, and the beach clubs really should be experienced at least once.

Where to Stay: Where you want to stay depends largely on what you want to do in Odessa. You can find a lot of nice hotels in Arcadia, the beach boardwalk area. But if you’d like to be closer to the superb restaurants and bars of Odessa, I’d recommend finding a hotel or an apartment rental in the city center. 

I 100% recommend this Odessa apartment rental with an ocean view. It’s not actually super central, but it’s within walking distance of both the city center and Otrada beach. Also, the views are just incredible. You can read my full review on the listing. If you can’t get that flat, the hosts actually have a few rentals to choose from.

How to Get There: Odessa is really well connected to the rest of Ukraine and has its own international airport, which is why I suggest starting from here. If you’re coming from Kyiv or any of the major cities in the east, I would recommend traveling by train. If you’re coming from western Ukraine to Odessa, it is a bit trickier to get there. You may be able to find a bus, but try to guarantee it’s a real coach bus and not a marshrutka.

Alternatively, if you want to avoid backtracking, you can go all the way to Vylkove first and do Odessa before going to Mykolaiv. 

Nights 4-5: Vylkove 

Things to Do: Sometimes called “Ukrainian Venice” (which is a bit silly), Vylkove became famous for its position on the Danube Delta and the numerous canals running through the city. The best things to do, therefore, are water activities! You can take a boat ride through the Delta Danube Biosphere Reserve, see the massive pelicans that live there, and even visit the so-called 0km. (See the video of our Vylkove boat trip here!) I recommend spending two full nights there so that you don’t feel rushed in your Danube exploration.

Where to Stay: There are not a lot of accommodation options in Vylkove, but more importantly there are even fewer dining options. If I had to do it over again, I’d probably book rooms at the Delta Hotel. Even though it was on the opposite side of town as the canals and boats, having a restaurant attached to our accommodation would have been so convenient. Otherwise, think about getting a flat with a kitchen.

How to Get There: You can get to Vylkove from Odessa by marshrutka. The northern road through Moldova is actually pretty nice. The journey takes about 3 hours. 

Nights 6-7: Zatoka

Things to Do: Zatoka is another beach destination, but it’s worth visiting because it has such a different vibe from Odessa. Zatoka is where Ukrainians take their families for the summer holidays, so it’s more low-key and relaxed (and cheaper) than Odessa. Zatoka spreads along a narrow strip of land separating the Black Sea from the Dniester Estuary. While both parts have a slightly different feel, you still get beach bars and amusement rides no matter where you go. In general, I’d say the southern part of Zatoka has a bit more going on. I compared both parts in my video about our Zatoka visit.

Where to Stay: We actually spent four nights in Zatoka, two in the northern part and two in the southern part. The first, in the northern part of the city, had a great view of the sunset over the estuary, but I thought my bed was really uncomfortable. In the southern part we stayed at a hotel with a pool, which overall we were pretty happy with for what we paid. 

There are some fancier beach resorts in Zatoka. In the north, check out the GoodZone Club Hotel, while in the southern part Moncastro seemed pretty nice (we went up to their rooftop bar for some dancing one night).

If you like to chance it, there are loads of locals renting out rooms in Zatoka. They tend to stand along the main road with signs that say some variation of сдам комнаты. You might see signs posted along the fences with phone numbers. 

How to Get There: In the summer of 2020, we found only one bus running from Vylkove to Zatoka, heading towards Kyiv. Unfortunately for us, it was cancelled the day we wanted to travel. We ended up having to take the marshrutka back to Odessa and then jumping on one heading towards Zatoka. There are plenty of marshrutkas connecting Odessa to Zatoka, so as long as you don’t leave it to too late in the day, you shouldn’t have a problem.

Nights 8-9: Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi

Things to Do: There are two major things to do in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi (though one of them isn’t actually in the city itself), and they can easily be done in the same day. One is visiting the ancient Bilhorod-Dniester, or Akkerman, Fortress. This truly impressive fortification is perched on the edge of the Dniester Estuary, having stood there for centuries. There has been some kind of fortress here since the 13th-14th century, though unfortunately there’s not a lot of information on the site to learn the history. It looks like on weekends in the summer they have some activities and reenactments to make its medieval history come to life. Check out our Shabo winery tour and Akkerman fortress visit!

The other thing to do is visit the Shabo Winery, one of the biggest and most popular wineries in Ukraine. You can take a marshrutka into the village of Shabo and get dropped off very close to the winery. They run several tours a day, though if you want an English language one you should contact them in advance to find out availability. We just joined a Russian-language tour and tasting. 

Where to Stay: It’s a bit puzzling trying to recommend a place to stay in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi because there didn’t really seem to be a city center. We booked a hotel at the last minute and ended up at Vodnyi Mir, which was within walking distance of both the bus station and a major bus stop on the main street. I was pretty satisfied with the hotel, especially given the price.

How to Get There: There are several marshrutkas running between Zatoka and Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi. Simply stand on the side of the road and flag one down. 

Nights 10-12: Mykolaiv

Things to Do: With a strong sense of history and a renewed focus on urban development, Mykolaiv is definitely worth a visit. This city used to be one of the shipbuilding capitals of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. With a day in Mykolaiv, you can check out the Museum of Shipbuilding, enjoy the growing restaurant (and bar) scene, and hang out along the river. Get a brief introduction by watching our visit to Mykolaiv. 

The other thing you can do is a day trip from Mykolaiv to Olbia. This is one of the best ancient Greek sites in Ukraine outside of Crimea. 

Where to Stay: Whether you like hotels or apartments, you have quite a few accommodation options in Mykolaiv. In terms of location, I’d recommend staying somewhere close to Soborna Street. It’s a pedestrianized street that connects Central Avenue with the quieter (but prettier) Admiralty neighborhood. I definitely recommend this apartment rental in Mykolaiv. It’s a few minutes walk from Soborna Street, but it was very comfortable. 

How to Get There: Getting to Mykolaiv from Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi is a pretty big travel day. First you will have to get back to Odessa, then go on to Mykolaiv. This is where you might want to break up the trip with an extra night in Odessa or a stop in another beach town. 

Nights 13-15: Kinburn Spit

Things to Do: With little development and clean beaches, the Kinburn Spit is one of the best places to enjoy the Black Sea in Ukraine. You can easily do a daytrip from Ochakiv (or Mykolaiv), but to really get into the blissful disconnect of the Kinburn Spit I recommend staying a few nights. While you can find a place to stay in hotels and guesthouses, this is the perfect place for beach camping. On a clear night, you can even faintly see the Milky Way! I filmed my whole visit to the Kinburn Spit, including my walk down to the very bottom and my hip campsite!

Where to Stay: I’m definitely going to recommend that you camp on the beach! I stayed at Authentic Camp and overall really enjoyed my experience. It was kind of half glamping, half real camping, so manage your expectations a bit. Like, I got to sleep in a nice teepee, but I had to share the space with a giant spider roommate (he didn’t leave for two days). That being said, I was also there early in the season, and they had had a delay in their building supplies delivery. People who went after me reported some facilities improvement. There are other campsites — you can even bring your own camping equipment if you’d like. If you’re looking to connect with nature but not too much, there are some hotels and guesthouses on the peninsula. 

How to Get There: There are two ways to get to the Kinburn Spit from Mykolaiv, and which one you choose might depend entirely on where you’re going on the Spit. The easiest — if it’s running — is the ferry from Mykolaiv to the Kinburn Spit. Service seems intermittent (though friends did do it in the summer of 2020), so it’s best to check to see if this is even available before you plan it. This will take you to the northern part of the Spit. 

The other option is to take a bus from Mykolaiv to Ochakiv; they leave Mykolaiv fairly frequently. The same Mykolaiv-Kinburn ferry also supposedly has service to Ochakiv, but again, check availability. The benefit of doing it this way is that when you get to Ochakiv you have a choice of two ferries to the Kinburn Spit that will take you to different locations. If you want to learn more, check out my guide to camping on the Kinburn Spit.

Nights 16-17: Kherson

Things to Do: Kherson is a major city in the south, though the real reason most people go here is to have a base for day trips. The only day trip I’m going to recommend that you do from Kherson is Oleshky Sands, Ukraine’s almost-desert. It seems to be easier to do it from Kherson than from Nova Kakhovka, even though it is nearly equi-distance from each. 

Where to Stay: Because you might need some help figuring out how to get to Oleshky Sands, I’d recommend staying at a hotel over an apartment rental — check out the best prices for Kherson before you go.

How to Get There: If you’re staying on the Kinburn Spit, the first thing you’ll have to do is catch a ferry back to the mainland and then head back to Mykolaiv. From Mykolaiv it’s an easy bus ride to Kherson.

The order of the next few stops can easily be fiddled with, depending on your plans and timing. After Kherson, you might want to go straight to Nova Kakhovka, since it’s not far. Or if you’re not going to Henichesk afterwards, you might want to swap Skadovsk and Nova Kakhovka. If you’re doing this trip east to west that might also influence your decisions. The reason why I put Skadovsk between Kherson and Nova Kakhovka is that you’ll probably have to go back to one of those two major cities anyway to move on, no matter which direction you’re going. 

Nights 18-19: Skadovsk and Dzharylhach Island

Things to Do: Skadovsk is another family-friendly beach resort town in Ukraine, but the main reason I recommend going here is to visit Dzharylhach Island. It’s the biggest island in the Black Sea and is home to many rare plants and animals. It even has a lighthouse designed by Gustave Eiffel! I have only put enough time in for a day trip, but — like the Kinburn Spit — this place is best experienced if you stay overnight. Check out our Dzharlyhach experience here!

Where to Stay: Skadovsk is not big, and despite being a beach town I didn’t notice any resort hotels. We stayed at the Cherry Hotel, a very affordable family-run hotel about halfway between the bus station and the beach. There was no AC, which might be a dealbreaker for some, but our host and his family were so friendly and helpful that I would definitely recommend it for foreigners.

If you want to stay overnight on the island, you have very few options. I did see some basic plywood cabins that looked like rentals, but it’s very hard to find out any information about them. Camping seems to be everyone’s preference, but you’ll need to bring your own equipment. 

How to Get There: There are marshrutkas connecting Kherson and Skadovsk. They take about two and a half hours, and the road is surprisingly smooth. 

Getting to Dzharylhach is more of an adventure. I recommend buying your ferry ticket the day before and opting for an early-ish departure. (This will make sure you get a lounge chair spot in the shade, if you want it. Otherwise — you might want to bring your own sun umbrella.) Queueing for the ferry was kind of a headache, since there were multiple lines with zero explanation of what was going on, but the ferry is bigger than it looks and easily handled the large number of people waiting.

Nights 20-22: Nova Kakhovka

Things to Do: To be honest, very few of the things I’m going to recommend to do in Nova Kakhovka are actually in Nova Kakhovka. This far into your trip, you might need a down day to recharge, so I recommend staying at the Prince Trubetskoy Winery. You can take one day to hang out by the pool overlooking the river and do a wine tasting, perhaps take a yacht trip from Nova Kakhovka’s yacht club.

The second day is for Askania-Nova, one of the 7 Wonders of Ukraine. Askania-Nova is a nature reserve that does a lot of work towards wildlife preservation. Most of their animals roam on the protected steppe, and you can book a ‘safari’ tour to go see them. If you can’t book a safari (they often cancel them because of dry weather conditions), they also have a zoopark where you can see some of the animals that live there. I made a visit to Askania-Nova one of the starring events of our south Ukraine itinerary, and while the safaris weren’t running it was still a fun afternoon in the zoopark. You can get a bus from Nova Kakhovka to Askania-Nova, I recommend just hiring a driver. In my opinion it’s worth the comfort and convenience. See our Askania-Nova trip (plus the winery stay) on YouTube!

Where to Stay: The main reason I advocate for an overnight stop in Nova Kakhovka is so that you can stay at the Prince Trubetskoy winery. However, it’s not actually in Nova Kakhovka, and to leave the territory to go into town you’ll have to catch a bus or get a taxi. It was never more than 4$ for a one-way taxi trip, and usually it was less. 

There are other accommodation options in Nova Kakhovka. You might choose to stay at the Yacht Club, where we had dinner one night.

How to Get There: From Skadovsk you can get a marshrutka connecting directly to Nova Kakhovka. It takes about an hour and a half, and the road is terrible. If you skip Skadovsk, it’s easy to find a marshrutka between Kherson and Nova Kakhovka.

Nights 23-24: Henichesk

Things to Do: I suggest this corner of Ukraine because here you can find the Henichesk pink lake. There are actually several pink lakes in Ukraine — this is the one I recommend because I’ve been there (and it’s not in Crimea). I’ve heard that the pink lake is not actually pink all the time; it changes colors according to the weather and season. However, if you do manage to catch it on a bright day, with locals out and about collecting salt and taking photos with their families, it’s truly a wonderful experience. Head over to YouTube to see my Henichesk pink lake trip!

There’s another popular pink lake, Syvash, near the village Ivanivka in the Kherson region. You can easily see it on Google Maps when you switch to satellite mode. Syvash is closer to Kherson and Nova Kakhovka than Henichesk, but it’s not on quite as big of a road.

Where to Stay: I stayed in a guesthouse with lovely hosts. They were very friendly and helpful, especially when I missed my train to Henichesk and had to find alternative transportation. I also liked the neighborhood where I stayed. It was quiet and close to the bread factory, which smelled amazing when I walked by. You can check out other Henichesk accommodation before you go to find the best place for you.

How to Get There: Henichesk is not the biggest destination in the world, but at the same time it’s still a holiday area for locals so there are some connections. Your options might be limited, but there should be at least one or two marshrutkas connecting Nova Kakhovka and Henichesk.

Nights 25-27: Zaporizhzhia

Things to Do: Zaporizhzhia, the heartland of the Cossacks! One of the must-do things in Zaporizhzhia is visiting Khortytsia Island. It’s one of the 7 Wonders of Ukraine. Here you can find reconstructions of the Zaporizhzhia Sich of the Cossacks as well as catch a horse show (plan this in advance!). Zaporizhzhia is also home to one of Ukraine’s modern marvels, the giant Dnieper Hydroelectric Station. You can take a boat ride on the Dnieper to get a closer look. And one top thing to do in Zaporizhzhia that I don’t often see mentioned — walk down the river at night. It seems half the city shows up to hang out! (During my Zaporizhzhia visit, I was really impressed by the city, even though I stupidly didn’t bring a hat and got terrible heat stroke!)

Where to Stay: Zaporizhzhia is a bit spread out, but if you want to stay around the good restaurants and cafes, I’d recommend somewhere between Peremohy Street and Sobornyi Street. I wouldn’t recommend going further outside of town than the Intourist Hotel. 

How to Get There: You have two options for getting from Henichesk to Zaporizhzhia. There are marshrutkas that run directly, or you can go to Novooleksiivka and then get a train to Zaporizhzhia.    

Nights 28-31: Berdyansk

Things to Do: As a port on the Sea of Azov, Berdyansk draws its share of vacationers. You have all the amenities and attractions typical of a Ukrainian beach resort town — but you also have party pirate ships that sometimes shoot fireworks. 

Where to Stay: You want to avoid a long walk, so try to stay in the center (like, somewhere around the monument to Pushkin). Like Zatoka, if you’re not fussy, this is a place where you can wing it a bit. If you see a sign that says жилье, it means that someone is renting a room.

How to Get There: Blessed day, you can actually take a train. Of course, by this point, if you’ve totally acclimated to marshrutkas, that’s also an option too.

Notes on Traveling Around Ukraine

What is a marshrutka?

A marshrutka is a minibus of indeterminate size that travels either within a city or between cities. They are very affordable but are lacking in space and comfort. The most common kind of intercity marshrutka is a sprinter van, though some routes use bigger buses.

Marshrutkas versus Coach Buses

I refer mostly to marshrutkas in this south Ukraine itinerary because they are more common than coach buses. However, you might be able to find a coach bus connecting you to your next destination. Getting a coach like Autolux or Ecolines means you’ll have more legroom, baggage space, and air conditioning. You can definitely find them between the major cities, and they go to more random destinations than you might expect. After our month of traveling in south Ukraine we caught an Autolux bus from Pervomaysk to Kyiv. It was definitely worth the extra hryvnias.

Getting bus and train tickets in Ukraine

There are three websites I frequently use when planning my trips. For train tickets, the official Ukraine railways website is actually pretty user-friendly. You can even return tickets that you buy online. The only problem I sometimes have with it is finding stations of smaller cities.

As a backup for train tickets and one of my first go-to places for bus tickets, I use tickets.ua. I used to use this site a lot when booking bus tickets, but nowadays if I know it’s going to be a marshrutka, not a coach bus, I usually just buy the tickets at the station. However, if you’re planning on doing a longer journey and want to get your tickets beforehand, it’s a good site to look into.

To research marshrutka timetables, I use ticket.bus.com.ua. It has excellent information about departures, routes, and reliability. You can also buy tickets there. However, nothing beats talking to the staff at the bus station. I feel like I cannot stress this enough. Especially when traveling between smaller cities, talk to the station staff a day or two before your trip to confirm when buses depart. For routes with limited options, it’s worthwhile to book your tickets the day before too.

I hope you enjoyed this south Ukraine itinerary! If there’s anything you would add to to the list, please leave a comment!