Ternopil Oblast: Lake City, Castles and Monasteries
Travel guide · editorialTernopil Oblast in western Podolia is a land of castles, monasteries and karst caves, cut through by the canyons of the Dniester's tributaries. A travel warning is in effect for Ukraine because of Russia's war of aggression; a trip to Ternopil is described here as a portrait, for a time when the situation allows it again.
Ternopil on the Lake
The city of Ternopil was founded as a fortress in the 16th century and sits on a large reservoir on the Seret River, which invites you to go boating or take a stroll. The castle on the shore, the Baroque-style Dominican church and the pedestrian zone in the center give this student city its character. In summer, festivals and concerts take place by the lake.
Not far from the center, Topilche Park is worth a visit, with hiking trails along the lake. Ternopil is also the starting point of a route to the oblast's castles, which you can drive in two or three days.
Monasteries, Castles and Caves
In the north lies the Pochaiv Lavra, one of Ukraine's most important Orthodox monasteries, with golden domes on a hilltop. Not far away, Kremenets sits enthroned with its castle ruins above a Baroque townscape and the former lyceum; the Polish poet Juliusz Słowacki was born here. The oblast has more than a dozen castles and palaces, including Zbarazh, Skala-Podilska and Mykulyntsi. In the south, between the Seret, Strypa and Dniester, you'll find gypsum caves such as Optymistychna, one of the longest caves in the world, and Kryshtaleva near Kudryntsi, which can be visited. The Dniester Canyon offers hiking trails and boat tours, and Chortkiv is a hub of the south.
Nearby, near Nyrkiv, the Dzhurynskyi Waterfall plunges over a rock ledge, one of the largest waterfalls on the Ukrainian plain, with the ruins of Chervonohrad Castle close by.
Food and Getting There
The cuisine has a Galician-Podolian character: varenyky, holubtsi, syrnyk and sausages, often accompanied by homemade nalyvka, a fruit liqueur. Ternopil lies on the Lviv–Kyiv rail line and can be reached from Lviv in about two hours. Air raids are possible here too, so keep an eye on current advisories. In peacetime, May through October is the best time to travel.