Kolomyya

Introducing Kolomyya

Pretty as a picture, Kolomyya is one of the best introductions to the Carpathians for foreigners, despite being more than 50km east of the main part of the Chornohora range. Spruced up in 1999–2000 to host a Hutsul folk festival, it has the feel of an Austrian spa town, with a few good accommodation options and two interesting museums. In another country, Kolomyya might be too twee and touristy, but in Ukraine it’s a breath of fresh air.

The most eye-catching attraction is the freshly repainted Pysanky Museum (278 91; vul Chornovola 39; adult/child 3/1.50uah; 10am-6pm), which showcases the colourful, hand-painted Easter eggs (pysanky) that are a Ukrainian tradition. Any visiting Australians will immediately rename this the ‘Big Egg’ as the two-storey museum is itself that shape – reminding one of the many ‘big things’ that infamously dot the landscape down under. Inside, there are hundreds of pysanky, decorated in various regional designs.

Behind the Pysanky Museum, cut diagonally left towards the next street, to the Museum of Hutsul Folk Art (239 12; vul Teatralna 25; adult/child 4/2uah; 10am-6pm Tue-Sun). This well-curated exhibition is probably the best of its kind in Ukraine, with decorated stove tiles and other ceramics, musical instruments, carved wooden tools, boxes, furniture, traditional and embroidered folk dress and woven wall-hangings.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009