Chortoriya (Chernivtsi region)

Small village of Chortoriya in Chernivtsi region has several interesting places. The most surprising and totally unknown even in Ukraine is a Swan Lake. It does not freeze during the cold weather, so the swans have chosen it for wintering and come here every year.

Swans can change their location. In November we found about 20 swans on one of the lakes. If you do not find them there, ask the locals ("ozero z lebediamy" or just "lebedi").

Be sure to bring some food (wheat, millet, barley, corn), since it is necessary to feed the swans in winter. In November, they are not hungry, so we were able to lure only two of them.




In January you can find here from 100 to 200 hungry swans.


In addition to the lake, near the bus stop is the only palace in the Chernivtsi region. Now it's a mental hospital, but in excellent condition.


Chestnut Alley in front of the palace.


Bike parking in such a place is a surprise :)


Also, the village is home to the Ukrainian actor Ivan Mykolaychuk, best known for starring in the film Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors. Here is his homestead museum. To get to it, turn to the right near the church and walk to the old wooden house. Most likely it will be closed so ask the locals how to get inside. Although, without ukrainian/russian guide there is no sense to visit this place.

Getting there: Any bus from Chernivtsi, which passes through the village Vashkivtsi for example in the direction of Vyzhnytsia or Putyliv. Chortoriya is a stop before Vashkivtsi. There are several bus stations in Chernivtsi, buses depart from the bus station number 3 (Halyts'kyi Shlyakh, 4b) and the central bus station (Holovna, 219).