Visa-free Countries for Ukraine Passport Holders

• A valid international travel passport
• A completed visa application form
• The applicable visa fee
• Evidence of permission to enter the destination country
• A photocopy of your passport data page
• Financial proof — an original bank statement
• A letter of invitation, where one is required

Exact requirements vary by destination and visa type — always confirm what your destination needs before you apply.

Ukraine is the second largest country in Eastern Europe. It's capital is in the city of Kiev. Ukraine has four distinct seasons, the spring, summer, fall and winter. The best time to visit is during the summer when the temperature is sunny and pleasant. Ukraine is home to about 19 ethnic groups, with Ukrainians and the Russians being the major and minor groups respectively. Religion in Ukraine is diverse, with a majority of the population being Christians while the rest practice Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism. The Ukrainian cuisine is tasty, it's popular local meals are salo (salted lard), potato dumplings, chicken Kiev, and stuffed cabbage rolls. Ukrainian is the official language here, other languages spoken by the people include Russian, Polish, Hungarian, Romanian and Belarusian.

The quickest way to get around the big cities of Ukraine is through the minibuses and the subway. You can also use the intercity trains, buses or bicycles. The Ukraine International Airport offers cheap internal flights and is a time saving alternative of getting around the country. While Ukraine is a relatively safe destination for travelers to visit, it is advised to avoid travelling to these regions: Donetsk, Luhansk and Dnipro.

Ukraine is known for its hospitable people, its magnificent architectural and cultural heritage and kilometers of vast steppe. If you are ever in the city of Lviv, you should attend the Lviv City Day, which is a 2 day event of jazz, pop and rock music, folk dancing, and theater on the street, with a huge street parade-carnival for the kids. In the city of Kiev, you can see Kiev Day, a 3 day event with concerts, fireworks, and lots of celebrations in the streets of the capital. Or the Kiev Summer Music Festival and Molodist International Film Festival. There’s also the Koktebel International Jazz Festival in Koktebel.

Ukraine is a country worth seeing and visiting over and over. There are a lot of places of interest to see and explore from beautiful landscapes, monumental buildings and ancient castles. Some of these fascinating attractions include:

• Khortytsia: this is the largest island on the Dnipro River. This island is a National Nature Reserve, open to visitors all year round.

• Annunciation Cathedral: this cathedral is one of the most beautiful sites in Kharkov. The Annunciation Cathedral was built in a Byzantine architectural style, and has a 80-metre-tall (263 feet) bell tower. It's interior and exterior decorations will stun any tourist and you will also find white marble iconostasis and paintings by Russian artists there.

• Pysanka Museum: The collection of eggs in this museum includes over 6,000 pysankas (an Ukrainian Easter egg), some of which were made in the 19th and 20th centuries.

• Shatsky National Natural Park: this is home to majestic forests, sandy beaches and beautiful lakes. Svitiaz, the deepest lake in Ukraine is located in this national park.

• Alexandria Dendropark: the dendrological park of Alexandria is home to 25 reservoirs and more than 2,500 species of plants from South America, China, Japan and other corners of the world. It is a great place to spend time with family.

There are over 10,000 hotels and apartments to stay in Ukraine, so you will be spoiled for choice especially when in Kiev.