Khmelnytskyi

While the city is in western Ukraine, people in Khmelnytskyi don't speak Ukrainian exclusively (as is generally the case in the nearby city of Ternopil). Many in Khmelnytskyi speak Russian as their first language, or a mixture of the two languages known as surzhyk (суржик). It appears that both Ukrainian and Russian can be used interchangeably in Khmelnytskyi.

• Tourist information center

  phone: +380 382 702495
  address: Prybuzka, 6

There are frequent trains from Kiev to Khmelnytskyi, keep alert because Khmelnytskyi isn't the final destination but rather one stop along the way and you don't want to end up in Ternopil or Lvov by accident. However the carriage attendant should inform you (in Russian or Ukrainian) when the train is approaching your stop. A good idea is to know your time of arrival and set your phone's alarm 30 minutes beforehand.

• Khmelnytskyi train station

  phone: +380 382 694101
  address: Proskurivska str., 92
  This is rather drab and depressing as can often be the case with train stations in eastern Europe and as with bus and train stations worldwide they can often attract people of a dubious nature especially if you arrive at night so best to get away into the city once you arrive, taxis wait just outside the exit. - Trains to Ternopil, Kiev, Lvov. +380 382 79511, Cash desk for advance sale of railway tickets: +380 382 694101

• Advance sale of railway tickets

  phone: +380 382 659835
  address: Podilska, 25

• Khmelnytskyi Central Bus Station

  phone: +380 382 789357
  address: Vinnytske highway, 23
  Buses to/from Kiev. +phone=+380 382 789355

• Khmelnytskyi Bus Station #2

  phone: +380 382 795448
  address: Str. Shevchenka, 66

• Khmelnytskyi Bus Station #3

  phone: +380 382 652124
  address: Str. Prymakova, 29

Taxis are as with every other Ukrainian city widely available, a trip within the city should cost no more than 20 hr but if you are a foreigner you may, as with many other cities in the world, be taken the "scenic route". Even if this does happen it may cost an extra 10 грн so not too unreasonable all the same. However not being a tourist destination it is unlikely that this will happen yet it might. Just make sure the meter is running.

Churches

The city centre is relatively compact and can be easily explored on foot. If you want a tourist city with a multitude of attractions then Khmelnytskyi isn't for you, if you want an authentic Ukrainian city with generally friendly people, good prices and fewer rip offs than in the usual tourist centres then Khmelnytskyi is a good spot.

• Church of Christ of King of Universe

  address: Myru ave., 55
  Roman Catholic Church

• Nativity of the Virgin Church

  address: Vul. Soborna (Соборна вул.), 12?
  In 1670s in this place stood a small wooden church. In 1835 construction began on the cathedral. In 1930s the church bells were removed because of the needs of industrialization, and in 1937 the temple was closed. It used as a warehouse and later as an archive room. In 1990 it reopened.

• Temple of Michael

  phone: +380 382 551759
  address: Str. Kurchatova, 4a

• Sviato-Pokrovskyi Cathedral

  phone: +380 382 650322
  address: Str. Volodymyrska, 113

• Church of Saint George

  phone: +380 382 656055
  address: Str. Franka Ivana
  The temple was built as a regimental church of 46th Infantry Regiment of Dnieper.

• Church of Immaculate heart of the Blessed Virgin Maria

  phone: +380 382 740071
  address: Str. Pilotska, 8/1
  Roman Catholic Church

• Cathedral of Saint Andrew

  phone: +380 382 720830
  address: Kozatska, 69
  It was built in the late 19th century as the regimental church of the 35th of Belgorod Dragoons, who in 1880 was transferred to Proskurov. Regimental church operated until 1920. Since 1920s it was used as a gym. In 1991 service was resumed in a restored Orthodox church.

Museums

• Regional Museum

  address: Vul. Podilska (Подільська вул.), 12

• City History Museum

  address: Vul. Proskurivska (Проскурівська вул.), 30

• Art Museum

  phone: +380 382 656115
  address: Vul. Proskurivska (вул. Проскурівська), 47

• Museum of Proskurivs'koho Underground

  address: Vul. Shevchenka ( Шевченка вул), 3/1
  Partizan museum

Monuments

• Fountain "Baron Munchausen"

  address: Vul Kamyanetska (Кам'янецька вул.) at #48 (yard)

Parks

• Dendropark Podillia

  address: highway Starokostiantynivs'ke

• Mykhailo Chekman Park

  address: Str. Proskurivskoho Pidpillia
  The biggest green area in the city

• Park of Taras Shevchenko

  address: Str. Hrushevskoho Mykhaila
  For more than a hundred years of its shady avenues and manicured flower gardens delight the eye with the townspeople. Over the 15th-18th centuries, this area was the outskirts of the ancient Proskurov settlement. In 1824, this taken by a large trade area. Part of the oak trees cut down along the perimeter of the square built shops and warehouses, and the center left no room for trade carts. The Square/Park named Bread and became the main venue for trade fairs and in Proskurov. Proskurov gradually grew, and soon the area became Bread is too small to hold fairs. In 1888, city officials decided to move the main shopping area close to the train station. Grain area given to the quartering of the 46 units of the Dnieper Infantry Regiment. Shops and warehouses converted under the barracks, and the spaces fairgrounds was used as a parade ground. In 1992, this park was named about an unveiled monument to Taras Shevchenko.

• Pioneerskiy garden

  address: Vul. Proskurivska (вул. Проскурівська),

• Park of Ivan Frankо

  address: Vul. Proskurivs'ka. 66/1

• Park of Tank Crew

  address: Vul. Kamyanetska, 98

Theatres

• Khmelnitsky Puppet Theatre

  address: Vul. Proskurivska (вул. Проскурівська), 46

• Cinema Shevchenka

  address: Vul. Proskurivska (вул. Проскурівська ), 40

• City Culture House

  address: Vul. Proskurivska (вул. Проскурівська), 35

Further afield

• Izyaslav villageMain sights: Bernardines monastery (монастир бернардинців), 1600s; St.Joseph missionaries church + cells (костел місіонерів св.Йосифа), 1750, Sanguszkos' estate, 1650.

• Orlovskis' estate, Maliivtsi villageBuilt in 1900s

• Medzhybizh CastleBuilt as a bulwark against Ottoman expansion in the 1540s, became one of the strongest fortresses of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland in Podolia. Renovated in the 19th century.

• Letychiv Castle and Dominicans monasteryBuilt in 1600s

• Sharivka villageProtection of the Virgin church-fortress (Покровська церква-фортеця), 14th-16th century, 1773

• Samchyky estate remains in SlavutaBuilt in 1820.

• Scheschelei estate in SamchykyBuilt in 19th century. Now, it is a museum.

• Sutkivtsi village church-fortressProtection of the Virgin church-fortress (Покровська церква-фортеця), 1467

• Trinity monastery in Satanivska Slobidka villageBuilt in 16th-18th century. Monastery complex consists of the gate bell with cells, gates and fences, rebuilt in 1744 in Baroque style. On three sides it is surrounded by two meter thick walls, up to 6 m high.

• Castle of Dukes Ostrozkyi in Starokostyantyniv townBuilt in 1561-1571

Dental tourism

Ukraine is increasingly becoming a destination for dental tourism, specifically Kiev, but people may also be interested in dental treatments in Khmelnytskyi as the prices when compared to western Europe, North America and elsewhere are extremely reasonable, prices are also cheaper than in Kiev itself. An example being endodontic treatments (specifically root canal treatment) which in dental clinics in Khmelnytskyi can be completed for roughly €50 in total (this price is for a molar tooth, pre-molars are even cheaper) This includes anaesthesia, x-ray(s), the procedure itself along with the use of "gutta percha" and of course a composite filling. One such dental clinic is almost directly across from a city bus station (it is unknown whether this is the main bus station), rather uniquely it is called "Dental Surgery" at 6, Soborna Street, Khmelnytskyi. Tel: +380 382651660. Look out for the large sign with a tooth on it. The clinic looked clean both inside and outside, the surgical room can be seen from the street and looks as modern as any in the West. No English is spoken so you may need to have a Ukrainian friend or interpreter accompany you unless you speak some Ukrainian or Russian or else put your faith in hand gestures and a phrasebook.

There is a large newly built shopping centre with a well stocked western style supermarket at the edge of the city. A taxi to it from the city centre should cost 10-15 грн.

• 'City Centr' Shopping centre

  address: Proskurivska (вул. Проскурівська ), 55-57

• Central department Store

  phone: +380 382 787575
  address: Proskurivska (вул. Проскурівська ),50

• Atrium Shopping centre

  address: Vul. Proskurovskoho Podpolya (ул. Проскуровского Подполья), 63

• Dytyachyy svit (Children's World) Shopping center

  address: Vul. Proskurivska (Проскурівська вул.), 4/1

• Lybid-Plaza - Hotel-Entertainment-Shopping Center

  address: Vul. Kamyanetska (Камянецька вул.), 25
  Wi-Fi

• Food Market

  address: Primakova (Примакова вул.), ~40

• Magnit Shopping Center

  address: Vul. Podilska (Подільська вул.), 21
  Wi-Fi

In the basement of Hotel Central (Hotel Centralny) there is an eatery open to guests and non-guests alike offering nice, simple food at very good prices. There are numerous restaurants throughout the city.

There are a number of cafes, bars and nightclubs in the city. If you are a foreigner people may wonder what you are doing in their city (as it is not a tourist city) and may view you with some amusement. Be friendly, polite, try your hand at speaking a few words of Russian or Ukrainian and things should go ok. Keep an eye on what you drink and how much you drink, it's quite possible the locals are used to drinking more than you are! In a bar/pub a vodka (Ukrainian brand but just as good as any imported brand) should cost a maximum of 10 грн, most likely this price is for 100 ml. Prices tend to be a little higher in nightclubs but not excessively. It should also be possible to buy a bottle of vodka in a nightclub, either 0.5 L or 0.7 L, for a reasonable price, under 100 грн.

Hotel Centralny (Hotel Central) at 5, Gagarin Street (near the centre) Tel: +380 382657759. No website (although some basic information and even some photos of this hotel can be found on the net however for best prices book directly with the hotel) Very minimal English, if any. This tourist class hotel offers the best priced hotel rooms in the city. Prices direct from the hotel start at 150 грн for a passable en-suite single room with TV (no English language stations but possibly some music stations) and breakfast (you'll be given a voucher for breakfast which can be had in the basement eatery) The en-suite isn't exactly to western standard (old shower but with hot water, possibly leaking pipe from sink, no sink stopper, dim lighting) Double rooms which are roughly double the price may be a little better. Apparently the hotel has free wifi but it's unknown whether this is simply in the lobby or also in the rooms.

An alternative for internet should the free internet at any hotel not work or should no internet be available is a mobile broadband dongle which you attach to your netbook/laptop can be purchased from MTS (a mobile/cell phone provider with stores all over Ukraine including 10 stores in Khmelnytskyi) for 399 грн and when topped up by 8 грн it gives unlimited broadband access for 24 hr. MTS has national coverage so the dongle will provide you with internet all over Ukraine and not just in Khmelnytskyi of course. If you already have a dongle from your home country this most likely will not work with an MTS SIM card but there is a chance it would, you could try before forking out 399 грн. The basic mobile broadband SIM pack on its own costs 60 грн with preloaded credit of 20 грн (prices as of Dec 2011).

• Kamianets-Podilskyi - S 100 km. Sights in this town: the Old castle(Старий замок), 12-19th century; the Armenian church, 1490s; the Fortifications of town, 16-18th century; the Russian gate, 17th century; the Polish town council, 1390s; the Smotrych river canyon, the Cathedral, 1500-1750.