Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
independent spirit that makes even Lviv seem a long way away, far beyond the high
Carpathians.
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Uzhhorod
0132 / POP 116,400
Formerly known as Ungvar, this border town and main conduit for road traffic into and
out of Slovakia and Hungary is a pleasant, if rather untypical, introduction to Ukraine.
With its interwar villas, faded Hungarian shop signs, a whole neighbourhood of 1920s
Czech-built administrative edifices, pedestrianised streets, a lively vibe and a vibrant
tourist industry, it's as if central Europe has forgotten to end at the border and spilt over
into the former USSR. With its large Hungarian and Romanian minorities as well as a
constant turnover of foreign tourists, this is by far Ukraine's most cosmopolitan regional
capital. Kyiv feels a long way away from here in every way, Donetsk and Crimea like a
different continent.
