Ukraine

National traditions of Ukraine. Habits, mentality and the way of living

Ukrainians are Slavs; more than a half of the population is Ukrainians, then Russians, Poles, Belarusians, and Romanians. Residents of Western Ukraine speak mainly Ukrainian, while those in Eastern Ukraine speak Russian. The state language of Ukraine remains the Ukrainian language. Ukrainians are hospitable people; they like to invite guests to their home and always lay rich tables for them. The guest of a Ukrainian home brings a pie or a cake, a bouquet of flowers for the hostess and a souvenir for the kids; it is better to bring everything at once. The number of flowers in the bouquet should be strictly odd, as an even number is only suitable for the cemetery. The residents of Ukraine love long conversations; they tell stories about themselves and other people quite well. They also like to listen to someone’s stories as well. Ukrainians can embarrass a foreign guest with numerous questions asked out of sheer curiosity. Ukrainians love to sing, especially during a feast.
Fancy shopping centers with expensive brands’ shops, noisy markets where sounds mix, colors and smells, cozy departmental stores hidden in yards and …
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There is no need to present expensive gifts to Ukrainian friends. Ukrainians believe that it is better to get an inexpensive, but useful gift or just something nice that displays the intention of the giver. Having received an expensive gift, a Ukrainian will consider himself in debt of the giver, or can even suspect that the guest has some mercenary motives and is trying to bribe him. Ukrainians are generous and usually in a good mood. They are temperamental, often unpredictable and poorly suppress both good and negative emotions, rely more on feelings than on reason. Most of the inhabitants of Ukraine differ in diligence and high efficiency.
The fig sign, that is, the thumb pushed through the index and middle fingers of the hand folded into a fist, is a rather rude gesture, though it is inferior in terms of level of rudeness to an elongated middle finger. It is considered indecent to point a finger at people or objects, for this they rather use all five fingers. Ukrainians are superstitious, which is why they avoid taking out the garbage in the evening, shaking hands and communicating at the doorstep, leaving empty bottles on the table. All these, according to beliefs, can lead to bad luck and misfortunes. It is forbidden to whistle indoors, especially in a residential area, in order not to be left without money. Spilled salt can lead to a quarrel, as well as the presentation of knives, scissors, and other sharp objects as gifts. Copyright www.orangesmile.com
Among the Ukrainian holidays and holiday traditions, there are those well-known to Europeans, for example, the New Year and the First of May holidays. …
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Ukrainians always take off their shoes before entering the house. They go around the house in slippers, and almost always, the hosts have at least one pair of spare slippers for guests. It is not acceptable to drink water from the tap, no matter how clean it is. Ukrainians love holidays and parties, and any occasion can become a reason for noisy celebrations. Friends and family are considered very important; they value close ties. At the same time, Ukrainians can be said to be individualists, for those who regard personal space to be important, and not just physical. This means that at least one meter of space should be maintained between unfamiliar people. If a Ukrainian decides not to open up to someone, then noting van be gotten out of him. However, he can open up everything, even the most intimate ones, to the people closest to him.
While meeting with unfamiliar and little-known persons, men shake hands, sometimes even buddies and friends greet this way. Shaking hands in gloves is not common. More often, during the greeting, close friends pat each other on the shoulders and back. Women who have not known long can shake hands. Men and women in official situations exchange handshakes too. Women welcome close acquaintances of both sexes with a kiss on the cheek. In public transport, Ukrainians are expected to give way to women with little children or heavy bags, pregnant women, elderly people of both sexes and people with disabilities. Ukrainians usually surround elderly people with honor, as it has been established from time immemorial.
Ukraine is known for the natural beauty of the steppes, the mysticism of the Carpathian Mountains, the endless blue sky and the gold cereals that …
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The condition of Ukrainian women is two sided: on one hand, education and work are accessible to all women. They are independent, and many women work in the field of science, politics and business. On the other hand, a woman is still considered as an object. Women’s views are looked down on, and jokes about women’s logic and emotional instability are common. The task of cooking, cleaning the house, and taking care of the kids, is still expected from working women. Ukrainian women have a strong character, whose roots can be traced to the distant past, when the Cossacks’ wives remained in charge while the husbands were engaged in military affairs.
Ukraine is known for its interesting alcohol culture. Alcoholic beverages such as horilka and medovukha seem inseparable from the image of the country. It is considered indecent to refuse to drink, and the refusal to drink at a funeral of a martyr is regarded as disrespect and even an insult to the memory of the late. Poured alcohol is expected to be drunk completely. Strong and not so strong drinks accompany all celebrations, including church holidays. Ukrainians can get drunk, but there are few drunkards among them. Basically, alcohol is considered as a means to relax in the company of friends or relatives, and people who drink alone and without reason are given the stink eye.
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Fantastic City Tours and Excursions in Ukraine

Reference information
Map of all churches
Cathedrals and basilicas in Ukraine
♥   Cathedral, Simferopol. On the map   Photos
♥   Cathedral of St. Martin of Tours, Mukacheve (Мукачеве). On the map   Photos
♥   Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Drohobych (Дрогóбич). On the map   Photos
♥   Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Holy Mother of God, Ternopil (Тернопіль). On the map   Photos
♥   St. George Ukrainian Cathedral, Lviv (Львів). On the map   Photos
♥   Armenian Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary, Lviv (Львів). On the map   Photos
♥   Cathedral of St. Nicholas, Kharkiv (Харків). On the map   Photos
Map of all castles
Castles of Ukraine
♥   Castle 'Dubno Castle Ukraine' . On the map   Photos
♥   Castle 'Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle' . On the map   Photos
♥   Castle 'Khotyn Fortress' . On the map   Photos
♥   Castle 'Kodak fortress' . On the map   Photos
♥   Castle 'Kudryntsi Castle' . On the map   Photos
Country maps Maps of Ukraine
Car rental on OrangeSmile.com Car rental in Ukraine
Map of cities Cities map of Ukraine
Map of sights Map of sights in Ukraine

Famous sites of Ukraine in pictures

Unique traditions in cities of Ukraine

Dnepropetrovsk
Family life is accompanied by interesting rites and rituals. Travelers who are lucky enough to attend a local wedding will have the opportunity to see colorful dance and music performances. At every wedding there are certainly funny games, entertainment and, of course, a rich celebratory table. The birth of a child is the most important event for every married couple. The future mother tries to hide her condition from others as long as possible. According to one of the beliefs, the longer … Read more
Kiev
No less interesting is the entertainment dedicated to arts and creativity. More than 30 years ago, the city began holding the so-called “vernissages” - art exhibitions, which have been held on Kyiv Day to this day. The best masters of the city present their masterpieces, any of which can be bought. Hand-embroidered aprons and colorful bedspreads, original handmade hats and jewelry, magnificent paintings and traditional costumes are just a small part of what Kyiv masters present for sale. … Read more
Alushta
As for the character of the locals, they are quite sympathetic and hospitable. Before asking for help from the citizens, you should definitely say hello; during communication, do not forget about the elementary courtesy. Speaking about the culture of locals, it is worth mentioning the traditions of wine making, which totals more than one hundred years. Here, wine is treated very respectfully. Many locals themselves know how to cook it perfectly, and it turns out they are no worse than the … Read more
Lviv
Annually the city of Lvov is visited by thousands of beer fans. During the Annual City Beer Festival anybody gets a chance not only to try the best sorts of beer but to find out the secrets of its brewing. Within the event great many of exhibitions, lectures and master-classes are held. Expert brewers eagerly share their experience with the public. Another exciting national feast is the Day of Batyar. In the middle of 19th century the batyars were called the street artists performing in the … Read more
Odessa
Gastronomy part of the festival deserves special attention of tourists. The Prymorsky Boulevard is a favorite destination of gastronomy tourism enthusiasts during the festival as this is exactly the place of holding numerous culinary shows, master classes and fairs dedicated to ethic cuisine. The same interesting national holiday is the Independence Day which is celebrated on the 24th of August. In the morning hours the residents of the city come to the Kulikovo field where a grand military … Read more
Kharkov
The fact is that the city has an incredible amount of interesting monuments along with an abundance of religious and historical sites. Lots of beautiful monuments are dedicated to outstanding literary characters; there is also a monument of the soccer ball, as well as colorful and highly original frog monument in the city. The search of original monuments remains one of the most popular entertainment options, as they can be found literally on every street of Kharkov. Event tourists are … Read more
Donetsk
When talking to locals, it is better not to touch such theme as politics. Indigenous people are proud of their independence, and there is nothing bad in that. However, if their opinion doesn’t coincide with the opinion of their opponent, that can become a reason for an argument. Here it is important to mention that locals are quite passionate when defending their ideas. And this quality, indeed, deserves praise. It is safe to say that locals will fight for their beliefs until the end and get … Read more
Vinnytsya
It is youth festivals that make up a significant part of the cultural calendar of the city. They are devoted to a wide variety of topics and unique; in 2013 the festival "HobbyFEST" was held for the first time in the city. As you can guess by the name, the festival is devoted to diverse hobby; people with different hobbies took part in it. The place of the celebration was one of the famous city hotels. For several days in specially equipped halls master classes on different types of creativity … Read more

Map of Ukraine regions with authentic traditions

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