1
I live in Turkey and biked across western Ukraine last summer. A few comments -1. Turkey is guaranteed hot in the summer (too hot in my opinion) and Ukraine will probably be lovely weather but I hit rain, and 10c, in Lviv last summer. Both places have great weather but in Turkey you will definitely be too hot at times; in Ukraine you will possibly be too cold.
2. Turkey and Ukraine are pretty similar in terms of prices. The exception that I found was cheap accommodation in touristy places. In Ukraine, off-the-beaten-track villages were very cheap and touristy places were more expensive. In Turkey, competition drives down prices in touristy places. The other exception is public transport. Turkey has great inter-city buses and good local transport but overall it's expensive compared to other stuff. (Still cheap compared to the EU.) In Ukraine, all forms of transport are very cheap.
If you enjoy train travel Ukraine is great and Turkey sucks - all the train lines are either not convenient for tourists or closed while they are upgraded. (Things should be better in a year or two.)
3. In both cases you have to contend with attitudes. Turks are mostly wonderful and welcoming and friendly and helpful, but officials are a pain in the neck. Also, people are sometimes TOO friendly, doing things like giving you directions when they don't know - just in order to be nice. Ukrainians are generally pleasant once you get to know them a bit but shopkeepers and officials and often people-asked-for-directions-on-the-street are incredibly rude.
4. Both places have wonderful landscape for hiking. In Turkey there are very few walking trails and the roads are sadly lined with garbage. When you find a nice walk it'll be one of the best ones you've every done - but they are few and far between. Ukraine, on the other hand, has terrific countryside and people seem to be into hiking quite a bit in the western hills. I didn't see any marked paths of the type you see in Czech and Germany and so on, but got the impression that they are there - perhaps a bit sparser. One thing which was intersting about Ukraine was that it seemed very underpopulated.
5. Ukraine doesn't have as many roadside castles and stately homes as you would see in western Europe - I only passed one on my whole trip (outside the towns) across the country.Turkey doesn't have any.
2
Hi,I found that Lviv has quite a lot offer, especially if you get there during a festival. I was there for mother's day and they put quite a show.
I stayed at the edge of the downtown square.
Also hired a guide and driver who took me to Chrnivsti and Khoten Fortres and back thru the Carpatians.
It took 3 days and was not exactly budget at US$ 850 plus accomodation.
3
Hi there,Turkey is really beautiful country. I'm totally agree with Maenad: Turks are extremely friendly and helpful - I did really enjoy to meet people there just a few weeks ago.
But I'd still recommend you to spend your vacation in Ukraine. Because I live in this country and I like my country very much. You'll find people here also very friendly,helpful and affable. One and a half weeks is quite enough to see a few cities. Looking at your desires I'd strongly recommend you to spend a week in Crimea - it's just a beautiful land with very rich history to learn, beautiful mountains to hike, warm Blask sea to enjoy.
Don't hesitate to ask me if you need. My e-mail: info@aroundcrimea.com
Kind regards,
Eugene
www.aroundcrimea.com
