Ivano-Frankivsk region
Located in the western part of Ukraine, Ivano-Frankivsk region occupies the territory of 13.9 thousand square km which is roughly the size of Israel or Moscow. The region is home to 1.4 million people and the city itself has a population of approximately 250,000.
History of Ivano-Frankivsk
Ivano-Frankivsk has a long and an interesting history. It used to be a small village Zabolottia founded in 1437. The town was established in 1662 by a Polish magnate Andriy Pototsky, who had been the owner of the lands at that time. He named the city Stanislav (in honour of his son), or rather Stanislaviv, which conformed more to the norms of the then Ukrainian language. March 7, 1662 - Stanislav received the status of a city.
The city got its present name in 1962. In commemoration of its 300th anniversary, it was decided to rename the city in honor of one of the greatest Ukrainian writers, philosophers, poets and journalists - Ivan Franko.
Currently, IF is one of the biggest and most famous economic, cultural and architectural centers in Western Ukraine. It is an administrative center of the IF region, a land with unique culture and hospitable people.
How to get to Ivano-Frankivsk
The easiest way is to take a flight to Kyiv and then fly Ivano-Frankivsk
Flights schedule between Kyiv and IF:
An alternative way is to fly to Lviv (there are daily flights from almost all European capitals).
Tourist attractions of Ivano-Frankivsk region
Ivano-Frankivsk region is located in the Western Ukraine and is the most mountainous and highest region in the country with the highest Ukraine’s mountains – Hoverla (2061 m), Brebeneskul (2036 m) and Pip Ivan (2028 m) which are part of Chornogora range of the Eastern Carpathians.
The famous tourist places in the region are Bolekhiv, Halych, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kolomyya,Kosiv, Mizun, Osmoloda, Palianytsia, Verkhovyna, Vyshkiv, Vorokhta, Yablunytsia and Yaremche.
The popular ways of tourism and recreation are winter sports, hiking, rafting and canoeing, bikingand horse riding, rock-climbing, green rural and eco, cultural and city week-ends.
There are more than 30 ski lifters in the region, namely in the settlements of Palianytsia (ski resort «Bukovel»), Yablunytisa, Kosiv, Verkhovyna and Vyshkiv.
The mountain rivers Prut and Cheremosh create lots of waterfall cascades, which are important for water tourism development. The water trips on Dnister River become more and more popular as well.
Ivano-Frankivsk region has rich cultural and historical heritage (more than 3,5 thousands monuments). Among them St. Panteleimon’s Church (XII century), Maniava cell (XVII century),wooden Hutsul and Boyko churches famous far abroad.
The Kolomyya museum of Folk Art of Hutsulshchyna and Pokuttia named after Kobrynski and “Pysanka” museum with the unique architecture (in form of taster Egg) are the treasures of local folk art and crafts.
Kosiv city is a well-known center of Hutsul art.