Next Stop Ukraine

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Next Stop Ukraine

We are a Lviv-based Ukrainian Travel Company and DMC; we focus on inbound tourism for guests and tour operators from different countries around the world.
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2016 is well over and we are aware that our name has been out of date. We hope you’ve been enjoying this page that our team has put together and now it’s time to reveal ourselves. We are starting a new incoming tour operator and DMC Ukraine travel services company based out of Lviv called Next Stop Ukraine. We will be offering scheduled tours as well as:
Travel services
DMC services

+ specialty t

our to match any request including:
Spiritual Tours
Jewish Tours
Photography Tours
Village Stays
Eco-Toursim
Ethno-Tourism
Culinary Tourism
Business Travel
Weddings, Stags, Stagettes
Office Retreats
Arts and Culture
Educational Tours
History Tours
Spa and Relaxation
Skiing, Cycling and Adventure Travel

We hope that if you are travelling may your next stop be Ukraine! :-)

02/04/2024

The next "Humanitarian Trip" to Ukraine is happening in May!
If you want to help out. If you feel the need to contribute. Then come along!
Message us for info and details:
[email protected]
*Future trips in July and September

24/02/2022

Beregynya - a symbol of life and fertility, the Mother of all beings, who gives life and protects from evil. This symbol came to us from the mysterious Trypillia civilization. The largest cities of the Trypillian era were built on the territory of the modern Cherkasy region.

It was time of matriarchy and women rightly occupied prominent roles in the family, because they were given the highest power - the power to give life, to procreate. Women were endowed with magical powers for their closeness to nature. Hence the phrase that all women are witches. The word "vid`ma"(witch) comes from the word "vidaty"(to know).

The women of Trypillia were so mysterious - they knew how to cure with herbs and plants, ways of divination, they foretold the fate by the stars and were able to predict the weather. In their gentle hands they held the world of spirits, sacraments and magic, that was unknown to men. And the men respected them for their tireless work, deep knowledge, birth and upbringing of children, for women`s simplicity and complexity, strength and weakness at the same time.

It has been the case since ancient times that a woman in Ukraine has never been a slave. As a young girl, she chose a couple (on Kupala night). As a mother, she had respectful role in the home and family. She was not afraid or ashamed to show her will, desire and temperament, because she never had a ruler over her, who she would had to please or be afraid of. It is the cult of the female principle in Trypillia society that gave rise to the famous phrase "What a woman wants, God wants."

The people of Trypillia left us a legacy of many small female figures. They depicted the goddesses of fertility naked and put special symbolic signs on their bodies. A double spiral was drawn in place of the breasts of the goddesses. A diamond crossed into four lobes was drawn on the abdomen. One grain was pressed into each cell. The thoracic spiral is a celestial symbol of a cloud and lightning that sends rain to the earth. A rhombus with cereals represents a plowed and sown field. It is also the fertile place of the goddess, the fruit in her womb. The combination of both symbols means the marriage of the elements of heaven and earth. Oblique and spiral scratches were made on the thighs, sides and buttocks of all Trypillia figures. They express the symbol of fertility protection. These symbols were applied not only on statuettes, but also on the bodies of real Trypillian women who loved to tattoo themselves.

21/02/2022

February 21 marks International Mother Language Day🇺🇦

Here some interesting facts about Ukrainian language:
🇺🇦 Ukrainian is one of the most widespread languages in the world, and according to the number of speakers, it takes 26th place in the world
🇺🇦 The Ukrainian language is very rich in synonyms. For example, the word “horizon” has 12 synonyms. But the absolute record is the verb “to beat”. According to the “Dictionary of Synonyms of the Ukrainian Language”, it has 45 synonyms
🇺🇦 The Ukrainian language is rich in diminutive forms. Oddly, but even the word “enemies” has its own diminutive form
🇺🇦 The most commonly used letter in the Ukrainian alphabet is the letter “n”. The letter “f” is the least-used letter of the Ukrainian alphabet. Words starting with this letter, in the vast majority of cases, came to Ukrainian from other languages
🇺🇦 The Ukrainian language is officially recognized as one of the most beautiful: it occupies the second place in the world by melodic (after Italian) and the third most beautiful vocabulary (after French and Persian)
Do you speak Ukrainian?😉

14/02/2022

Did you know that St. Valentine’s relics are preserved in Ukraine?😮

A part of the relics of St Valentine made its way to Ukraine on May 13, 1779 and is now kept in a church in the town of Sambir, Western Ukraine. The authenticity of the relics confirms the document of the Pope from 1759. Archival materials indicate that St. Valentine was the patron Saint of the former Perm-Sambir eparchy of the UGCC. Therefore, the local congregation transferred a small glass coffin from Italy, in which is encased a fragment of the skull and a few bones and stone, which is believed to be derived from the tomb of the Saint. The rest of the bones of St. Valentine, described by Church sources, are located in the capital of Italy, in Bologna, several cities in France, Glasgow and in Poznan, Poland.

St. Valentine for many years has been considered as the patron saint of lovers and honeymooners in the whole world. It is believed that who touches Valentine's relics experiencing a great love and a happy family. According to ancient legend Emperor Claudius believed that having a family prevents soldiers from fighting for the empire and issued a law that forbade soldiers to marry. Christian preacher Valentine, despite the decree, continued to secretly marry the enamored. Because of this, he was put in Roman prison and soon sentenced to death.

Sitting in prison Valentine fell in love with a blind girl - a daughter of a prison guard. With his medical knowledge Valentine healed the girl from blindness and in response she fell in love with him. As a priest Valentine could not respond to her feelings but on the night before his ex*****on (the night on 14 February) he sent her a touching letter which was signed "Your Valentine".💞

07/02/2022

Ancient Kyiv in "The Kyivan Rus Park" is a unique reconstruction of one of the most famous and at the same time the most mysterious medieval city of Eastern Europe – Ancient Kyiv of the V-XIII centuries, the capital of the greatest country - Kyivan Rus✨
It is being reconstructed in the size of its historical center known as Detinets of Kyiv or the city of Vladimir in its real scale 1:1, taking into consideration modern scientific knowledge.
Here you can go back in time and feel the unique atmosphere of Ancient Kyiv and the Kyivan Rus✨

13/01/2022

Malanka or Schedry vechir is a Ukrainian folk holiday celebrated on January 13, which is New Year's Eve in accordance with the Julian calendar✨

Malanka commemorates the feast day of Saint Melania the Younger. On this night in Ukraine, carolers traditionally went from house to house playing pranks or acting out a small play, with a bachelor dressed in women's clothing leading the troop. Today, Ukrainians all over the world still follow this tradition but with different variations that have been passed down from their ancestors. People gather in groups, dressed in traditional Ukrainian clothing and holding props such as the star and go door to door to their neighbours, nearest friends and family. This is called a Koliada, which starts on 6 January, Christmas Eve and ends on January 19. Traditionally, the first thing to do when you are invited into the family's house is to have the eldest male throw wheat grains around the entrance, which gifts the family with happiness, health, love, luck and more. As the male is throwing the wheat grain, he is saying a verse. Once this is completed, the rest of the carolers join in. Each person sends wishes to the family through these verses, they perform little skits and in between each of these, they sing traditional Ukrainian carols.

People come to these events ready to socialize and celebrate the New Year with friends and family. The event provides a nice dinner with raffles and prizes to be won and ends with a zabava. At midnight, once everyone cheers for the New Year, individual and pair polka dancing is stopped and the kolomyjka begins. When the kolomyjka is finished, everyone resumes to their previous dancing and continue to party the night away. Malanka is often the last opportunity for partying before the solemn period of Lent which precedes Easter.

06/01/2022

Christmas Eve is celebrated in Ukraine today⭐️

According to tradition, on Christmas eve, one should not eat anything, until the first star appears in the sky, marking the birth of Jesus Christ. On the feast table, Ukrainians put 12 dishes, which symbolize the 12 apostles. Due to the Nativity Fast, no meat, eggs or milk are allowed during the supper. Thus fish, mushrooms and various types of grain are the main selections.🌟

The ritual in Ukraine is to start Sviata Vecheria (holy supper) with Kutia. Poppy seeds are widely used for Christmas Eve dishes, because they symbolize abundance and prosperity. In this respect, it was believed that varenyky (perohy / perogies), which are also a symbol of prosperity, with poppy-seed filling when served during Sviata Vecheria, have the most magical potential for bringing prosperity and fecundity!⭐️

Mushrooms, especially dried or pickled, are also one of the main ingredients used in Christmas Eve dishes. Sauerkraut with wild mushrooms or peas, red borscht, mushroom or fish soups are served in Western Ukraine. Pampushky (doughnuts) filled with jam are served for dessert. 😋

This evening the whole family should undoubtedly spend together to remember about the strength of family ties throughout the year. 🌟

24/12/2021

Merry Christmas, friends! 🌲
May your Christmas be graced with peace, joy and happiness!✨
Hope this festive season will bring good luck and good health for you and your families!🌟

19/12/2021

St. Nicholas, Sviatyij Mykolai, comes to Ukraine on December 19✨🎅❄
The night is often called "Magic Night" or just St. Nicholas Day.
St. Nicholas Day for many centuries was one of the main holidays in Western Ukraine. Women baked for this day round cookies called ‘mykolaychyky’ with different fillings. These cookies are put under the children pillows as a sweet presents for the holiday and are given to all the friends and relatives wishing joy and health✨

Shortly before the holiday Ukrainian children (often with the help of their parents) write letters to Saint Nicholas in which all their dearest wishes are listed – material (new toys or other goods) and spiritual (health and happiness for parents, relatives and friends). The fulfillment of the material wish depends on the child’s behavior during the year. For those who behaved well St. Nicholas will definitely prepare the present, and even for those who did not there will be something pleasant (sweets, for example) if they promise to make good✨

St. Nicholas Day in Ukraine is a really bright and joyful holiday. Parents and grandparents tell the children story of St. Nicholas life and teach them to be as kind, laborious, charitable, honest as Saint Nicholas was✨

St. Nicholas history in Ukraine goes back to the 10th and 11th centuries. In churches, his icons are prominently placed on the iconostasis, usually next to Jesus, the Mother of God, or the patron saint of the church. His icons were found also in nearly every home. In the mountains of western Ukraine where the Hutzuls named the four seasons of the year after saints, winter honors St. Nicholas.
Ukrainians believe that in the night of December 19 all their sincere wishes will be heard and fulfilled✨

Have a happy St. Nicholas, folks!

14/12/2021

Ukrainian traditional Christmas tree is...Didukh!✨🌟

"Didukh" literally means "the spirit of ancestors". Traditionally Didukh is made from the first or the last stalks of wheat reaped during the year. It symbolizes the household's wish for an abundance of nature and a bountiful harvest for the upcoming year🌟

Before the holidays, wheat ears or stalks are gathered with colorful threads, then the bunches are tied with ribbons. A didukh is placed in most Ukrainian homes before Christmas and kept until the holiday of Jordan🌟

13/12/2021

Saint Andrew’s Day is celebrated in Ukraine today✨✨✨

It was traditional to attend a Ukrainian-style home gathering on St. Andrew’s called vechornytsi. Back then, the venue was the house of a well-respected woman in the village, who was trusted by other elders to chaperon the youth.

Prior to the party, each girl had to cook varenyky and decorate them with intricate patterns. Placed on a traditional embroidered towel, they were first offered to a dog. The girl whose varenyk was eaten first was considered the one to get married first.
Another traditional attribute of the holiday was a big round honey cake with a hole in the middle called kalyta. It symbolized the earth and the sun. Young men brought ribbons and sweets to offer in exchange for the cake. After some bargaining, the women would suspend kalyta on the red ribbon attached to a long stick.

Lads were expected to answer quiz questions and then compete in biting the bread. The man who managed to answer the trickiest questions and bite off the biggest chunk off kalyta was believed to be ready to get married.

In Ukraine and some other countries of continental Europe, however, the holiday is associated more with magic than religion. The reason is quite simple: With the advent of Christianity, churches adopted some elements of cult and folk tradition to coerce pagans into the new religion. Christian Orthodox churches largely disapprove of these pagan celebrations. Holding festive masses on December 12, they remember disciple Andrew in prayer who’s believed to have brought Christianity to Ukraine, the Kyivan Rus at that time.

📷: Ladna Kobieta, Unian

08/12/2021

Today marks International Day of Ukrainian khustka🌺
From old times in Ukraine khustka(women's shawl, headscarf) is a symbol of affection, love, faithfulness, forgiveness, sorrow, amulet, and an important ritual item. It is an integral part of Ukraine's cultural heritage🌸

Modern ethnographers say that in ancient times, large scarves made of thin cloth were very expensive. Only wealthy people could afford big shawls and usually only on Easter or Christmas. Usually khustka was bought by the father for daughter for the wedding, or by husband for wife. That is why the headscarf was not only a headpiece for married women, but also a special sacred item, a relic that was passed down from generation to generation🌸

By woman`s khustka you could see how wealthy family was. Young girls wore white or bright scarves, older women - dark and widows only black. The ornament on the headscarves was mostly geometric, floral ornament become popular in 18th century - flowers of rye, cornflowers, carnations. Very rarely on the old Ukrainian headscarf you can find images of birds: roosters, pigeons. The shawls also had different sizes: the little ones were more casual, the big ones wore on head, and twisted on the chest to keep warm🌸

Mostly the traditional color for the Ukrainian scarf was white. Back in 1657, there was a mention in the notes of a Swedish ambassador who visited Bohdan Khmelnytsky about traditional "white cotton shawls". Therefore, most researchers believe that the national character of the Ukrainian scarf is in white🌸

In Kozak times, the headscarf was also a symbol of true love, because the girls embroidered the Kozak scarves with silk threads and gave them this gift to their trips with the promise to wait for Kozak return.
However, even today many Ukrainian women have a traditional Ukrainian headscarf in their wardrobe🌸

This beautiful accessory gives authentic touch to modern outfits. New modern patterns, interesting and extraordinary shapes, of course, have appeared, but still white shawls with traditional floral ornaments of the roses, as well as red and blue, are the most popular🌸

Do you have khustka?
Share your picture in Ukrainian khustka in comments below!

📷: Kseniya Malyukova, Ladna Kobieta, Майстерня Треті Півні

01/12/2021

Have you heard of Ukrainian Ramadan?🙂

The cycle of the December-January holidays in Ukraine got it`s comic name “Ukrainian Ramadan” for the reason. Starting from December 1 with the holiday of Roman and till Jordan on January 19 there are so many holidays and reasons to celebrate – St. Andrews, St. Nicolas, St. Vasyl, Christmas, old and new style New Year, Malanka and more.
Well, Ukrainians always loved and knew how to celebrate 🙂
Stay healthy!
Happy winter, folks!❄☃🎄

24/11/2021

Saint Volodymyr Cathedral in Kyiv✨⛪

Temple was built in the 19th century to commemorate the 900th anniversary of Kyivan Rus baptizing.

Saint Volodymyr Cathedral is world-famous for its unique frescos and mosaics. Many compositions that were created in Saint Volodymyr Cathedral for the first time later were repeated in other churches and temples all over the country. Cathedral's colorful interior particularly strikes the eye. Mosaics were created by masters from Venice. Frescoes were the work of three outstanding painters of that time: Viktor Vasnetsov, Mikhail Vrubel, and Mikhail Nesterov. The iconostasis is carved from the white marble brought from Carrara. Multicolored marbles from Italy, France, Belgium, and Spain decorate the walls and the floor of the temple.

The brilliant work of artists and the special meaning of the temple explain why Saint Volodymyr Cathedral is such a popular place for pilgrimage and it still attracts visitors with its majesty and beauty.

21/11/2021

Dignity and Freedom🇺🇦⚔⛑
On November 21 Ukraine celebrates the Day of Dignity and Freedom in honor of the beginning of two revolutions: the Orange Revolution in 2004 and the Revolution of Dignity in 2013🇺🇦
Слава Україні!🇺🇦

19/11/2021

The art of Hutsul ceramics is one of the brightest pearls of Ukrainian folk art🏺🌟

The formation of Hutsul ceramics took place in the 15 century and continues its development to this day. The most famous was Kosiv ceramics, which received its name from its place of creation - the city of Kosiv in Ivano-Frankivsk region. The outskirts of Kosiv are rich in clay. So pottery has been developing here since ancient times. In many villages of Hutsul region, the main craft was pottery, which allowed local masters to develop rapidly and acquire their own special, unique style. This style has evolved, creating new types of manufacturing and painting techniques.

Hutsul masters produced pots, bowls, cups - all the necessary home-made utensils. But the decorative ceramics, as we know it today, originated in the late 18th - early 19th centuries. These were mostly candlesticks and tiles. Kosiv tile stoves were known not only in Hutsulshchyna, but also in Romania and Hungary. The oldest Kosiv tiles are kept in the museums of Bucharest and Vienna. The pottery was decorated with polyvinous drawings of various kinds: stylized images of flowers, trees, animals (horse, deer, bear, birds), various human types (hunter, soldier, postman, musician, etc.), saints (most often St. George and St. Nicholas) . Often on tiles depicted whole household scenes.

Painting was an important part of the work. The technique of making Hutsul ceramics - "rotining" or "engraving" - is a painting covered with white clay and dried product. After the first burning in a pot furnace, the product is painted with green, brown, yellow, blue colors. The product is covered with transparent glaze and burned out for the second time. This technique is unique and the only in the world.
The traditions of Hutsul ceramics are successfully continued by modern masters. And you can feel the magic energy of the clay, creating your own art in the pottery circle, and try yourself in the painting of traditional Hutsul ceramics.

In 2019 Kosiv painted ceramic has been added to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage!🎉

📷: Косівська кераміка сім'ї Троць

09/11/2021

Today marks the Day of Ukrainian Writing and Language🇺🇦
According to the Orthodox calendar, it is a day of commemoration of the Reverend Nestor the Chronicler, a follower of the creators of Slavic writing, Cyril and Methodius📜
Here some interesting facts about Ukrainian language:
✒ Ukrainian is one of the most widespread languages in the world, and according to the number of speakers, it takes 26th place in the world
✒ The Ukrainian language is very rich in synonyms. For example, the word “horizon” has 12 synonyms. But the absolute record is the verb “to beat”. According to the “Dictionary of Synonyms of the Ukrainian Language”, it has 45 synonyms
✒ The Ukrainian language is rich in diminutive forms. Oddly, but even the word “enemies” has its own diminutive form
✒ The most commonly used letter in the Ukrainian alphabet is the letter “n”. The letter “f” is the least-used letter of the Ukrainian alphabet. Words starting with this letter, in the vast majority of cases, came to Ukrainian from other languages
✒ The Ukrainian language is officially recognized as one of the most beautiful: it occupies the second place in the world by melodic (after Italian) and the third most beautiful vocabulary (after French and Persian)
Do you speak Ukrainian?😉

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https://www.nextstopukraine.com.ua/

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Next Stop - Ukraine!

Welcome to Next Stop Ukraine - Ukraine’s best incoming Tour Operator and DMC.

Based in Lviv, Ukraine, we focus on inbound tourism for guests and tour operators from different countries around the world.

We have brought together two renowned Ukrainian tour companies - Chudo Tours, Lviv’s most iconic yellow tourist train company, and Cobblestone Freeway Tours, a Canadian based global culture-focused tour operator, specialising in bringing tourists to Ukraine – to create Next Stop Ukraine, and become the Ukrainian DMC with the most experience, knowledge and connections to offer you the best possible service in organising a trip to Ukraine.

Next Stop Ukraine specialises in Business-To-Business cooperation with foreign travel companies, in offering scheduled tours to Ukraine, but also making handcrafted tours upon request.