Bukovel is the best ski resorts in the Carpathians in Ukraine. But we regularly go there for vacation in summer. There is a lot to do and plenty of places to relax in the mountains, and the rest of the resort infrastructure is very good at this resort.
If you want to get a complex of good rest, entertainment and the opportunity to leave the hotel and go on a day trip to the mountains without a heavy backpack – I advise you to look towards Bukovel.
I recommend you to read: Bukovel in Winter – Ski and SPA Relaxation
How to get to Bukovel
The easiest way to get there is by train. Look at the routes in the direction of Rakhiv or Vorokhta – you need to choose the Tatariv station, which is where you should get off the train. Bukovel minibuses run from Tatariv to Bukovel – the ticket price is 100 UAH. A taxi also solves the problem of transfer. Also ask at the hotel you are booking, maybe they have their own transfer, which may be included in the cost of accommodation.
By car: get to Ternopil or Lviv – then the direction to Ivano-Frankivsk. Then along the H09 highway to Nadvirna, Yaremcha, Tatariv, after which turn to Bukovel. The quality of the road is good – there were several potholes near the village of Hvizd.
Where to stay in Bukovel
Bukovel is reducing housing prices – in the summer season they become a little cheaper than in the winter, when the ski season is in full swing. Therefore, I advise you not to look towards neighboring villages, but to book here, or in the nearest tracts of Polyanytsia. I recommend the hotels where we lived in Bukovel from our own experience:
- Bukville – located near the first ski lift, practically in the very center of Bukovel. Excellent value for money, plus a convenient location. The hotel has its own restaurant, where you can order not only breakfasts, but also dinners.
- Villa Gor – I would also be happy to recommend it. The hotel is located in the Vyshnia tract, on a mountain slope – the rooms offer a magical view of the slopes of Bukovel.
- BUKA Apart-Hotel & SPA – It has its own rooftop pool, so you can spend time by it rather than walking to the Lake of Youth.
- Whiteberry Studio – We stayed here when we were traveling to Bukovel with our dog. Clean apartments with a private kitchen, dogs of all breeds are welcome.
What to do in Bukovel in summer
In summer, Bukovel is no less interesting than in winter. You definitely won’t have to get bored here. There are a lot of entertainments that you can alternate with each other. That is, one day you can climb the mountain trails, and the next – relax in a lake or pool. Try activities – rent a bike, ride a toboggan or trolley over the mountains. Or just be in silence, enjoying the clean air of the Carpathian Mountains. Choose according to your taste and mood.
Lake of Youth
The Lake of Youth is an artificial lake that was built specifically for summer vacations in Bukovel. In winter, you can just walk along the lake, but in summer, real mountain beach clubs are built on the embankment.
We planned our day – in the morning or afternoon, we hung out on the lake: swam, sunbathed, read books. And the other half of the day was spent walking along the slopes. It is better to walk in the morning, and in the afternoon to lie around and swim.
There is a Bike Zip stretched over the lake – that is, you can ride a bike over the lake in both directions. I was scared, but many people wanted to take advantage of this attraction.
The water in the lake is not too warm, but very clean – a pleasant feeling compared to rivers and even the Odessa sea. It invigorates and gives a feeling of purity and tension in the muscles.
VODA-CLUB
As for the VODA SPA center – there is a fairly large outdoor pool (it connects to the indoor one). The water is heated, so those who are afraid of freezing will definitely be warm here. It also has saunas – Finnish, European, salt, and three jacuzzis with hot water, which are located near the outdoor pool.
I’ll say right away – I really liked it here in March, I didn’t try to relax there in the summer, because the lake was quite enough. But in the cool season – VODA, this is a great idea for relaxing for a few hours or even for the whole day.
But in the summer, the territory of the SPA complex becomes twice as large: pontoons are placed in the lake, water slides appear in the lake, and you can even ride a banana. Almost everything is like on a real beach.
Bukovel Aquapark – “Mavka”
In 2025, a water park was opened in Bukovel, which is considered the largest water park in Ukraine (I didn’t compare it to others, but yes – it’s quite big). We tested it at the end of March, when, as is tradition, we went for a few days for my birthday.
I liked the water park, although the prices for visiting are, to be honest, quite high. I can compare this with the prices for visiting Therme Bucharest, or the Széchenyi Baths, which are cheaper.
We chose the cheapest tariff – for 4 hours in the general area without SPA. In March 2025, the price is 1700 UAH. per adult. The SPA area costs 2500 UAH for 4 hours. You can see the prices for the whole day on the Bukovel website.
I liked the pools located outside with a water temperature of +35 degrees. There are two separate ones – a larger one and a smaller one. The larger one has a whirlpool, as well as a jacuzzi area and a bar with a built-in bar. The smaller one only has a jacuzzi area.
Adults will also find the large wave pool interesting – the water in it is +26 degrees. Once an hour, waves are turned on, on which you can swing for 15 minutes. The rest of the time it is just a pool located inside under the roof.
There are separate pools for children, small slides. Also a large area of slides for children and adults. I’m not into slides, so I can’t say anything about them – I liked relaxing in the outdoor pool with a view of the mountains – it’s a blast!
Hutsul Land – a zoo, a kolyba and large swings
Not only children but also adults will like it here. Hutsul Land is not only a petting zoo, but also observation decks, a chapel, large swings with a view of the mountains, cheese and Carpathian souvenir shops.
Here you can see how Carpathian lizhniks are made (if desired, you can buy ready-made ones), take a master class in making a cheese horse at a cheese factory, walk along suspension bridges and see various animals, including these Scottish cows.
And you can also eat at Kolyba – the mushrooms, banosh, borscht, and dumplings here were very tasty.
Ride the observation lift
If you don’t have the strength to hike up the mountains, there is an alternative: take the observation lift to the slope of route No. 2. I advise you to do this at least once, because visiting the mountains and not seeing the panorama of the peaks is, in my opinion, a waste of time.
In the summer, several observation lifts operate – the main one and the one that definitely works all year round is lift No. 2. At the top, a kolyba and a bar await you, where you can drink tea, or compote, or something a little stronger, for example, cherry liqueur. Choose what you like )))
Tip: grab your drink, sit on a deck chair, and enjoy the views. And don’t forget your sunscreen – it’s easy and quick to get sunburned on your hands and face in the mountains.
Hiking to Gorgany
Gorgany is the closest ridge to Bukovel, which can be climbed and descended in one day. From Polyanytsia, the nearest village to Bukovel, there are trails and marked routes to Mount Sinyak, which towers above the resort.
The climb is quite easy, but you need to take into account the peculiarity of Gorgany – the ridge is covered with large stones, so you need to have good shoes that fix your feet at the ankles.
The mountain itself Sinyak is 1665 meters high. On one side, fantastic views open up, Polyanytsya and Bukovel are right in front of you.
You can climb from Polyanytsya and descend along a slightly different path that leads directly to Bukovel. This descent will lead to the track that runs next to the 13th lift.
If you are afraid of getting lost, you can always contact the Bukovel tourist center – they will offer local guides. Or check out the group hikes offered on the official Bukovel website.
Climb Hoverla
When we were resting in Bukovel, we decided to climb Hoverla one day. To do this, we went to the starting point at the Zaroslyak campsite – this is where the most popular route to Hoverla begins. To do this, we had to order a taxi, which took us to the souvenir market near Zaroslyak and waited for us until we went down.
If you arrived in Bukovel by your own car, you can get to Zaroslyak on your own. But for this you need a high-clearance car, or a jeep – cars with a low landing will not be able to get to Zaroslyak due to the bad road.
Visit the ethno-park “Polonina Pertsi”
Polonyna Pertsi is a Hutsul amusement park and museum of Carpathian color located in Yablunytsia, a part of Horishki in the Carpathians. Here you can try yourself as a blacksmith in a real Carpathian forge. Girls and boys will love the “Fashion Hut”, where you can try on Hutsul clothes and take beautiful photos for souvenirs.
Adults can visit the cheese factory, where they can get acquainted with the cheese-making process and taste several special Carpathian cheeses: budz, vurda and brynza, washing down this deliciousness with cool drinks.
Interesting master classes in folk crafts await you: you can learn how to make woolen blankets, paint pysanka, and make wooden household items and decor.
In principle, all of this can be seen and done in Hutsul Land. But the views from Polonyna Pertsiv are more extensive because the park is located on the Yablunytskyi Pass.
The Upside Down House and Dinosaur Park in Polyanytsya
If you are going to Bukovel by car (or you can use public transport or a taxi), on the way from Tatariv to the resort, it is worth seeing several interesting locations located near the souvenir market near the beginning of the village of Polyanytsya.
- The Upside Down House is a photo location where everyone takes funny photos.
- Dinosaur Park is a children’s park with several locations and prehistoric animals that move and roar. (ticket 350 UAH).
- The Giant’s House is a real house where everything is very large in size: you can sit on the giant’s chair, climb into the closet and even try on his giant clothes (entrance for children – 100 UAH, for adults – 200 UAH).
What else to see in Bukovel
- Visit the Oscar Wax Museum.
- Stables in Polyanytsia – you can ride horses and talk to animals.
- Book rafting on the Cheremosh River – contact the Bukovel tourist office.
- Ride the Ferris wheel located above Lake Molodosti.
- Have fun in Wake Park, located in a separate pond, further from Lake Molodosti.
- Try the Rodelbahn – an American roller coaster that rushes between spruce trees from the upper to the lower station of lift No. 2.
- Fly on the longest trolley in Ukraine.
Restaurants and cafes in Bukovel
There are a lot of establishments in Bukovel and neighboring Polyanytsia. I will not write about those that I have not visited, or those that I do not like. Here is a list of establishments that I really liked during various trips to Bukovel.
- BUGIL – if you find yourself in the center of Bukovel and hungry – this is the cheapest canteen where you can eat inexpensively. Located near lift No. 2 in the Shelter hotel building.
- Monisto pizzeria – located near lift No. 1, here is very tasty pizza and a good selection of wine.
- Kolyba Babyn Bograch – located on the territory of “Hutsul-Lend”. Here they cook really tasty Carpathian dishes: bograch, mushrooms in sour cream, borscht in bread – mmmm! And I also liked the interior: lizhnyki, shelves with sunsets, an incredibly beautiful oven where they bake bread and other dishes.
- Art Drovitnya restaurant – located in the Stara Pravda hotel. A very nice establishment, I celebrated my birthday here. The cuisine is delicious and refined, although there are also many Carpathian dishes here, the interior is generally incredible, on weekends you can listen to live music during dinner.
Useful links for organizing your trip:
Bus schedule and bus tickets are available at InfoBus.ua
Green card for traveling by car abroad – EKTA
Booking of hotels and apartments – Booking.com
I recommend reading it:
- Potocki Grotto – an interesting excursion in Odesa
- Odesa in winter – what to do in the city by the sea
- Routes in Transcarpathia
