Please be at NEWARK AIRPORT at least 3 hrs prior to flight departure time. Scope representative will assist you with check-in. Your baggage must be checked to your final destination KYIV (code KBP). If you have more than one piece of checked baggage,a surcharge of $50 will be collected at airport by agency representative for porterage.

At Frankfurt Airport you board your non-stop flight to Kyiv. Lunch on board. Expected arrival at your hotel is 4-5:00PM. Dinner at hotel.

Afternoon is free to discover Kyiv on your own. Visit one of the many cafes or just enjoy stroll through Kyiv - its promenades, Majdan, where the Orange Revolution took place, and its new underground shopping malls - all a few blocks from your hotel. Dinner at hotel.

Morning panoramic city tour of Kyiv includes: Khreshchatyk Boulevard, Volodymyr’s Hill, Kyiv National University, the Opera House, St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral and the 11^th century Golden Gate. The highlight of this tour is St. Sophia Cathedral constructed in the 11^th c. by Prince Yaroslav the Wise. Its construction reflects a strong Byzantine influence, and its interior is a unique harmonious union of mosaics and fresco paintings. Directly opposite St. Sofia (about 500 m.), you will visit the newly (1999) reconstructed St. Michael’s Sobor. Afterwards we leave you in the Uzviz artisan section for an afternoon of shopping in an open air bazaar of more than 100 kiosks. Lunch under own arrangements in one of the new restaurants of Uzviz.

We continue our sightseeing of Kyiv with a tour of Pecherska Lavra (Monastery of the Caves), an active monastery founded in the 11^th c. and center of Christianity for Kyivan-Rus. Its complex of churches reflects a unique Ukrainian baroque style which is only surpassed by the beauty of the newly reconstructed Uspenskyj Cathedral (1998), destroyed by Soviet mines in 1941. The labyrinths of the “near” and “far” caves hold over 115 burial niches containing remains of St. Antoniy, Nestor the Chronicler, and many religious and political leaders. World-renowned Scythian Gold treasures are exhibited within its walls.

Today at dawn we leave Kyiv  to spend a day at  Sorochynskyi Yarmarok. – a fair held annually in Velykyi Sorochyntsi (near Poltava).  It would not have become so popular, were it not for the most famous writer Mykola Hohol, who glorified the fair in his beautiful literary masterpiece.
The fair owes its wonderful popular coloring to the local craftsmen’s folkart:  long benches with ceramic bowls, jugs, embroidered shirts, straw hats, baskets, wooden crafts and piles of the most tempting food you can imagine.  It will be one of the most fascinating days of your life!

An early AM flight will take us to L’viv. Program of this day is subject to change - pending flight schedule Kyiv/L’viv

Situated in the western part of Ukraine , L’viv, the “City of Lions ”, is its heart and soul. Founded in the 13^th c. by King Danylo Halytckyj, it was named in honor of his son Lev (Leo). Through centuries of Polish, Austrian and Soviet occupation, L’viv was the gateway to “the East”, but with independence in 1991, L’viv is finally free to develop its own Ukrainian identity.

Directly from the Airport, we proceed on our first tour to Shevchenko Haj, an open air museum with an active Bojko Church and replicas of Western Ukraine ’s Lemko and Bojko villages dating back to the 18^th c. This “village” is a popular Sunday outing for L’viv residents. We continue to Lychakiv Cemetery to view graves of Ivan Franko, Solomija Krushelnytcka, Volodymyr Ivasiuk, Oleksander Tysovsky and many others. We will have lunch in a local restaurant, then proceed to check-in at hotel. Remainder of the day free.

Highlights of today’s morning city tour are Rynok, the 15-16^th c. city square, the Dominican Church, Armenian Church Complex, the Chapel of the Bojim Family, the Armenian Quarters, the Opera House and L’viv University. St. George’s Cathedral, the stronghold of Western Ukraine ’s Catholic Church, is our final stop before lunch in a local café.

Evening and dinner under own arrangements.
Optional: Philharmonic Hall or Opera Theater Performance (pending availability).

The program for this day will be posted upon arrival in Lviv.
City center will be closed to traffic.

Today, on our way to Kamianets Podilskyi, we stop at Zarvanytsia, considered to be the Lourdes of Western Ukraine. After lunch, prepared by the sisters, we will see the miraculous icon of the Blessed Virgin with Christ Child, a spring of healing water and view the active monastery and church.  Late afternoon arrival at Kamianets Podilskyi for dinner.

This “museum city” is renowned for its diverse historic architecture but the real “wow” is the immense canyon that completely encircles the old city. The rocky island is high and inaccessible, except for one very small road leading to the site of Podilia’s largest medieval fortress – the object of our tour this morning. The castle was built in the 11^th c., but most of what we will see was added between the 14c and the 18c.

After lunch we proceed directly to Chernivtsi, the capital of Bukovyna.  It’s a beautiful and mysterious town with lots of narrow streets and hidden views, and some incredible architectural gems which we will see in our city tour after lunch:  The National University of Chernivtsi,  Kobylanska Museum and the Opera House, the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit and the two churches of St. Nikolai.  Late arrival in Kosiv for overnight and dinner.

Today we join our touring coach and head to the heart of the Carpathian Mountains , to Yaremche. From L’viv, through Rohatyn's newly reconstructed city center, we view the lovely new statue of Roxolana, then continue to Ivano- Frankivsk, the capital of the Ivano- Frankivsk oblast. Have lunch in a local café and take time to walk through this lovely Subcarpathia city.

Afterwards we drive to Bukovel ski resort for a sunset ride on a ski lift (weather permitting), and then to Yaremche for a folkloric dinner in specialty Restaurant Hutsulshchyna and overnight.

Details of program, concerts will be distributed upon arrival in Kosiv

The Carpathian mountain region of Western Ukraine is both a natural and cultural gem of Eastern Europe. Bordered by Romania to the south, Hungary to the west, Poland to the north and cut off from the rest of Ukraine to the east by the Hutsul Alps, the Ukrainian inhabitants of these majestic highlands have developed their own unique culture and traditions. Consisting of both steep, rocky mountain peeks and gently rolling mountain meadows, it is the home of the archetypal Ukrainian shepherd. The Hutsul people are deeply tied to nature and vested in her preservation and appreciation. This is most evident in their annual celebrations and festivals, reflecting their love of folklore and their wonder about the surrounding mountains, the crystal clear rivers and the rolling green hills. This year the Hutsul Festival is in KOSIV and will bring together some of the finest dancers, entertainers and craftmakers from this region. You will be dazzled by the bright and lively colors of the native costumes and the intricacy of handicrafts and woodwork. You’ll witness the dribushka, a unique style of dancing based on quick and energetic steps. You’ll hear musicians play trojiska muzyka, using both the sopilka, a traditional wooden flute, and the duda, a bagpipe made from goat skin. It's no wonder that Hutsul folk melodies, rhythms and dance moves have influenced world-renown Ukrainian artists like pop star Ruslana Lyzhichko and filmmaker Myroslaw Skoryk.

Today we say goodbye to this lovely Carpathian Region and continue to L’viv via Ivano- Frankivsk, the capital of the Ivano- Frankivsk oblast (district).  Late afternoon arrival. 

Evening Gala Farewell Dinner at a specialty restaurant.

Morning transfer takes us to L’viv airport for our  flight to Munich with connecting flight to Newark.