Ukraine: Follow the Swallow, Find the Story

Travel information last checked: October 31, 2026.

You may already know a Ukrainian melody without realizing it. Think of the four opening notes of Carol of the Bells. The tune comes from Shchedryk, Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych’s arrangement of a traditional New Year song. But in the Ukrainian lyrics, there are no bells. A little swallow flies into a home and brings the family a wish for prosperity. ukrainianinstitute.org

That’s where I’d begin if I were introducing Ukraine to my son. I’d play the Ukrainian version first and see how long it takes him to say, “Wait, I know this one.” Then I’d tell him about the bird. I love when learning one small thing about another country changes the way you hear something that’s been familiar all your life.

This is a different kind of travel article. I would postpone a leisure trip to Ukraine. Russia’s war against Ukraine makes the travel advice clear. But there’s still a country here to get to know: a family’s recipe for borshch, an ancient mosaic in Kyiv, a museum shaped like an egg, and a town where even the pottery has stories to tell.

A little introduction to Ukraine

Ukraine is in Eastern Europe. Its capital is Kyiv, its official language is Ukrainian, and its currency is the hryvnia, abbreviated UAH. The Dnipro River runs through Kyiv, the Carpathian Mountains rise in the west, and the country reaches the Black Sea in the south.

You’ll see the Ukrainian spellings Kyiv, Lviv, and Odesa throughout this article. And if you learn just one word, diakuiu is a useful place to start. It means thank you.

Is Ukraine safe to visit right now?

As of October 31, 2026, the U.S. Department of State lists Ukraine at Level 4: Do Not Travel. Ukrainian airspace is closed, martial law remains in effect, and consular assistance is limited, especially in occupied areas and places affected by fighting. The official U.S. travel advisory is the place to check for changes. travel.state.gov

If you’ve heard that western Ukraine is safe for tourists, there’s an important distinction. The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to specified western regions and against all travel to the rest of the country. A hotel taking reservations or a museum posting opening hours doesn’t mean a sightseeing trip is advisable. The places below are ones to learn about from home. www.gov.uk

Five interesting things about Ukraine

1. A Ukrainian swallow made it to Carnegie Hall. A Ukrainian choir performed Shchedryk in New York in 1922, before the English words to Carol of the Bells became familiar. Listen to the two versions back to back. The tune will be recognizable even when the story is new to you. ukrainianinstitute.org
2. The fine lines on a Ukrainian pysanka are made with wax. Artists use wax to protect parts of an eggshell during dyeing. A good way to appreciate the skill involved is to look at a photograph, then hold an ordinary egg in your hand. That’s how little space the artist had to work with. ich.unesco.org
3. Ukrainian borshch is recognized for the way people make and share it. UNESCO recognizes the culture of Ukrainian borshch cooking, which includes knowledge passed down through families. There’s no single recipe every household has to follow. In fact, asking two people how they make theirs might be the best way to start a conversation. ich.unesco.org
4. A village gave its name to an entire painting tradition. Petrykivka painting is known for ornamental flowers, leaves, and curling stems. Look closely at how the artist fills the space between the larger blooms. Sometimes the smallest brushstrokes are the ones that make you stop and look again. ich.unesco.org
5. Crimean Tatar artists have a distinctive language of ornament. Called Örnek, this tradition connects symbols with meanings understood and passed down within the Crimean Tatar community. Learning its name is a small but meaningful way to recognize whose art you’re looking at. uafest.ca

Places worth knowing, wherever you are

Kyiv: look closely at Saint Sophia

If you explore one Ukrainian landmark online, I’d start with Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. Its history reaches back to the 11th century, and its interior preserves mosaics and frescoes. Look at a mosaic from a distance first, then zoom in. What seemed like one sweep of color breaks into many small pieces, each placed by hand. For a younger reader, that’s a good way into the building’s history: How did someone make that? whc.unesco.org

Lviv and Odesa: two cities, two different histories

I’d put photographs of Lviv and Odesa side by side. In Lviv’s historic center, streets, squares, and places of worship reflect the different communities that shaped the city. In Odesa’s historic center, the starting point is a Black Sea port. Think about what a port brings with it: people arriving from elsewhere, goods changing hands, and ideas traveling in both directions.

Both historic centers are on UNESCO’s List of World Heritage in Danger. Older photographs are valuable records of these places, but they shouldn’t be taken as a picture of conditions today. whc.unesco.org

Kolomyia: a museum shaped like the thing it celebrates

In Kolomyia, part of the Pysanka Museum is shaped like a giant decorated egg. I’d show my son the outside before telling him what the museum holds. This is one building where a child has a pretty good chance of guessing correctly.

The collection brings together decorated eggs from different regions of Ukraine and from other countries. What I love is the change in scale: the egg outside is big enough to walk into, while the art it celebrates fits in the palm of your hand. en.iftourism.com

Mezhyrich: homes built with mammoth bones

At Mezhyrich, archaeologists uncovered the remains of four dwellings built with mammoth bones. One even had a fence made of bone. www.encyclopediaofukraine.com

Of all the details in this article, the fence is the one I’d probably bring up at dinner. Mammoths feel impossibly distant. But deciding where a home ends and the yard begins? Somehow that makes the people who lived there a little easier to imagine.

Chernivtsi: look up at the rooftops

In Chernivtsi, a former residence for Orthodox church leaders is now part of a university. Czech architect Josef Hlávka designed the 19th-century complex, with its red-brick buildings and patterned tile roofs. Open UNESCO’s photographs of the residence and start with the roof. From a distance, the pattern almost looks woven. Then imagine heading to class in a building you might otherwise have mistaken for a palace. whc.unesco.org

The Carpathians and Kosiv: stories in timber and clay

Some of the Carpathian region’s wooden churches, called tserkvas, form a shared World Heritage site in Ukraine and Poland. After the mosaics of Kyiv and the brickwork of Chernivtsi, the photographs of these timber churches show another side of Ukrainian architecture. Notice the rooflines first. www.unesco.org

In Kosiv, Hutsul artisans paint ceramics with scenes from local life, folklore, and the natural world. Their greens and yellows are distinctive, but the figures are what I’d look for. Choose one piece from UNESCO’s Kosiv ceramics collection and look at it the way you might read a picture book with a child: Who’s there? What are they doing? What did you miss the first time? ich.unesco.org

Ukrainian foods to try

A Ukrainian restaurant, bakery, or community festival closer to home is a good place to begin. Here’s what I’d look for on the menu:

• Borshch: A soup often made with beets, which give it a deep red color. If the person serving it has time to talk, ask how their family makes it.
• Varenyky: Filled dumplings that can be savory or sweet. Potato is a comforting place to start; cherry is the filling I’d be most curious to try.
• Holubtsi: Stuffed cabbage rolls, often filled with a grain such as rice, along with meat or vegetables. The filling varies by region and household.
• Deruny: Grated potato pancakes, often served with sour cream. This would be my pick for anyone who goes straight for the crispiest edges.
• Pampushky: Soft bread rolls. The savory garlic version is a lovely companion to a bowl of borshch. kompas.ge

A way to explore Ukraine from home

For a family afternoon, I’d keep it simple: one song, one design, and one dish. Play Shchedryk. Choose a pysanka from UNESCO’s Ukrainian living heritage collection, then try sketching its pattern on paper. Later, share a plate of varenyky or make borshch from a Ukrainian cook’s recipe. None of that requires squeezing an entire country into one lesson. It gives everyone something specific to listen to, notice, or taste. ich.unesco.org

For an eventual visit, I’d wait before choosing a season, booking a tour, or putting down a nonrefundable hotel deposit. If travel advice changes, start with your own government’s guidance, then confirm transport, insurance coverage, and access with the operators themselves. For now, the U.S. advisory and UK travel guidance are more useful than a booking page. travel.state.gov

What I hope you remember about Ukraine

Maybe the next time those four notes come on in December, you’ll tell someone about the swallow. Maybe you’ll order cherry varenyky because you didn’t know a dumpling could be dessert. Or maybe, when you see a decorated egg, you’ll notice the thin lines of color and think about the person who drew them.

That’s what I hope for this article: that when you hear the name Ukraine, you’ll know the name of an artist’s tradition, a dish you’d like to try, or a place whose story you could tell someone else. A visit can wait. Getting to know a country’s people through what they create and share can begin today.

“The next time I hear those bells, I’ll listen for Ukraine’s little swallow.”