Kosiv, a town in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast in the west of Ukraine, has a population of less than 10,000 but is famous for its unique ceramics and its abundant market, rich with crafts and artisanal creations. This guide is the first in a new series on Ukrainian cities and recommends where to stay in Kosiv to experience its unique atmosphere, what to see while you’re there, and where to feast on traditional Ukrainian dishes while drinking Carpathian mountain tea – or a flat white. This guide was created with the help from Olha Riabushenko, a businesswoman and a coach with the Zadovolena (Satisfied) community [an online community for Ukrainian women in business – ed.]  who moved to Kosiv from Odesa following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

 

   

 

“I really want to show the Kosiv I know and love to others,” Olha Riabushenko tells us. She was born in Odesa in the south of Ukraine, and her first visit to Kosiv took place more than 20 years ago. She says living in the mountains was a dream of hers for a long time – and she decided not to put it off any longer when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In Kosiv, Riabushenko started an Instagram account, Valylo, which she uses to show “the Kosiv overlooked by others.” She says not being a Kosiv native helps her approach the city as a rigorous researcher and that she was able to see “more than some of the locals have seen in 30 years” over the course of her first six months there.

 

 

“Kosiv is not for those tourists who come here and say: ‘What are we supposed to do here?’” Riabushenko says. She thinks the city has undergone a profound transformation over the past two years, in part thanks to the influx of people who moved there from bigger Ukrainian cities. “Natalka Denysenko, who manages Zalizna Kramnytsia [‘Iron Shop’ in English, a store selling Ukrainian Railways merchandise – ed.], has lived here for six months. She told me: ‘Olia, you have to develop the Kosiv community, because it’s like the Ukrainian Ubud [a city on Bali – ed.],’” Riabushenko says.

 

 

What to do in Kosiv?

Kosiv has the largest community of artisans – such as wood carvers and ceramicists – in Ukraine, which means the city draws artistic people who create their own communities, Riabushenko says. For example, the Vilni (Free) foundation, which was founded in  Zaporizhzhia, has moved to Kosiv and has put on a series of events at the Carpathian Cultural Center.

 

Vandra Rugs, a Ukrainian-Swedish carpet and rug maker, formerly based in Kakhovka in Kherson Oblast, has also relocated to Kosiv. According to Forbes, before the full-scale invasion, Vandra rugs were popular with celebrities, including Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway.

 

“People go to Verkhovyna or Kryvopillia to ride horses or quad bikes, or to spend time in nature. Kosiv attracts people who prefer people-watching. I know a businessman who owns cafés in Odesa and Kyiv. He came to Kosiv a couple years ago. On Friday he was asking me: ‘What the hell is there to do? The museum is the only thing here.’ By Tuesday, he didn’t want to leave,” Riabushenko says, laughing.

There is indeed a museum in Kosiv – in fact, more than one. There’s the Kosiv Museum of Hutsul Folk Art and Life, which is best seen with a guide, the Museum of Three Generations of the Radyshiv Family, and the museum at the Arts College, where you can buy student artwork. There’s also the Strynadiuk family museum and workshop, called Koka, where you can see wooden artworks made by members of the Strynadiuk family: the parents and their two sons. Serhii Dutka’s workshop, Gorno Ceramic Studio, sells artisanal tableware and ceramics and hosts workshops and festivals.

 

 

Besides the museums, you absolutely should visit the Kosiv market, which takes place every Saturday. The market is located on the border between Kosiv and Smodna, “which is why some people call it the Kosiv market, and others the Smodna market,” Riabushenko explains. You can buy traditional Hutsul clothes, including vyshyvankas [embroidered shirts – ed.], lizhnyks [a patterned wool blanket – ed.], rugs, artisanal tableware, and little horses made out of cheese.

 

You can then join a Carpathian tea ceremony by the Kosivskyi Huk waterfall, where you can sample teas from China, Thailand, or Nepal – or just bring your own thermos.

You can also have some tea at a beautiful gazebo on top of the Ostryi mountain. “It’s an easy ascent if you choose the route that passes by the village of Horod,” Riabushenko says. She recommends Oleksandr Tytyk if you’re looking for a guide to show you around Kosiv or the nearby mountains; you can call him on +38 096 519 1785.

If you prefer more active leisure, you can play tennis on courts that overlook the mountains at the Bayka Spa Resort hotel. If you’re a handy tennis player, bring your own rackets and balls, Riabushenko advises – or you can hire a private coach if you message this account on Instagram.

“Kosiv does not reveal itself immediately; you have to spend time there to really get to know it. It’s not about going there and climbing a mountain. You can spend weeks and months getting to know it. It has everything: cafés with good filter coffee, excellent cosmeticians and dentists. Kosiv meets all my needs. The only thing is that if I want to go to the cinema, I have to go to Kolomyia, some 30 kilometers away from Kosiv,” Riabushenko says.

What to do beyond Kosiv?

– Visit Bohdan Petrychuk in the village of Babyn to see his private collection of traditional Ukrainian clothes, including embroidered shirts, both antique and more recently crafted.

– Visit Daleki Hory (Faraway Mountains), a dairy in the village of Snidavka, to try freshly made ricotta served with fluffy white bread, salt, and pepper.

– Visit the Valylo estate in Yavoriv, known as the longest village in Ukraine, famous for its lizhnyk woolen blankets.

 

Where to stay in Kosiv?

Riabushenko says straight away that you won’t find Instagrammable accommodation in Kosiv, but there are pretty hotels and houses for rent just outside of it, still in the Kosiv district.

 

 The Three Pine Trees Hotel overlooks pine-covered mountains, and has its own mineral water spring, a pond, gazebos dotting its territory, and stationary grills that visitors can use.

 Storichna Khata (Hundred-Year-Old House) is a Hutsul house that dates back over 100 years and is located at the height of 790 meters. It’s owned by Inna and Eduard, a couple who moved from a big city. You can have tea or coffee with them in the mountains, and they host literary evenings, pottery workshops, and sometimes even weddings.

 Khatynky (Houses) is a project by Bohdan Huliak. You can rent one of two houses in the mountains: Grehit in the village of Snidavka or Didornia in Yavoriv. A third guest house is currently in the works. Didornia is difficult to access: Huliak encourages people to use a private transfer service he provides and travel the last 350 meters – through the woods – by foot. “We tell our guests to pack backpacks instead of suitcases. A suitcase is just not convenient,” he says.

 Vysoko Apartments (Up High Apartments) can accommodate up to seven people in a house up in the hills in the village of Richka. The house has a spacious living room on the ground floor, a large wood-burning stove, a sofa-bed in the kitchen, and a double bedroom on the first floor.

 Vdoma (At Home) is located 40 minutes away from Kosiv, not far from the village of Kosmach. Owners rent it to people “who are in love with the mountains, hiking, serenity, and Carpathian authenticity.” The house was built and renovated using eco-friendly materials to preserve traditional Hutsul style, the owners say. 

 Didova Khatchyna (Grandpa’s House) is a small and scenic hotel, with several guest houses and a communal kitchen that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the village of Yavoriv, just 15 kilometers away from Kosiv. Didova Khatchyna stands on a meadow on Oleh Lukaniuk’s ancestral land and hosts traditional craft workshops, such as this icon painting workshop that was organized in collaboration with the Zemliachky Foundation

 Khytra Stainia (Cunning Stable) offers several small houses on an alpaca farm up in the Carpathian mountains. The accommodation is run by a couple who moved from Kyiv with their three kids. They now grow herbs in a greenhouse and keep chickens that lay multi-color eggs. 

 Tvoya (Yours) is a two-storey house in the woods near Kosiv; it boasts a beautiful terrace, a bathtub by a picturesque window, and “everything you need for an Instagrammable breakfast”: dishes, a toaster, a waffle maker, coffee, and Carpathian tea. 

   

 

Where to grab dinner, tea or coffee?

Kosiv doesn’t just boast authentic Ukrainian architecture, ceramics, and its famous market, but also coffee shops where you can get a flat white as good as the ones in Kyiv, beautiful florists and grocery stores, and restaurants you’ll want to dress up for. Riabushenko thinks Kosiv can offer all this because many of the people there have an “entrepreneurial streak.” Here are a few of Riabushenko’s recommendations:

 

 Pottery studio and café Honchar (Potter), which serves excellent flat whites and delicious desserts – and boasts a beautiful array of ceramics for purchase. The studio is run by two potters, Orest and his son Mykola. “This is a place where people come to network. Lots of cool people gather here after the Kosiv market – many friendships have been born like that,” Riabushenko says.

 Cactus Coffee offers, according to Riabushenko, the “best coffee,” organic hot chocolate, and waffles – served with a poached egg and avocado, cured salmon and cherry tomatoes, or sweet, with raspberries, blueberries, or a mix of berries. Note that Cactus Coffee has outdoor seating only.

 Veranda (Terrace) is a restaurant with a beautiful terrace that serves pizza, Caesar salad, and great cocktails. “That’s the place you go to when you want to change out of jeans and trekking shoes and put a nice dress on,” Riabushenko says.

 There’s a woodfired pizza place right by the Kosivskyi Huk waterfall; it only has two offerings: a veggie pizza and one with meat. Riabushenko says rumor has it that the pizza oven was built by Italians. You can call +38 067 266 6895 to order the pizza for delivery.

 Kolyba is a traditional restaurant in the nearby village of Sokolivka which serves traditional Hutsul cherry and cream pies, grilled trout, syrnyky [Ukrainian farmers’ cheese pancakes – ed.], and a “Hutsul platter” brimming with smoked meats, sausage, and potatoes.

 Arkan is a restaurant on a riverbank overlooking waterfalls in the village of Sheshory, just eight kilometers away from Kosiv, where you can sample a traditional mushroom broth, grilled fish, and a chocolate fondant. The dining room at Arkan has oak tables decorated with Kosiv ceramics.

 You can also try excellent deruny [Ukrainian latkes – ed.], varenyky dumplings, grilled salmon, and Irish coffee at Bruschetta – which, for now, only has one table. 

You can also join a tea ceremony held by the Kosivskyi Huk waterfall in the early morning or at sunset; all you need is a thermos of tea. The tea-drinking is followed by a communal clean-up to ensure the area is kept tidy and clean for all visitors. “There’s so much pleasure in that, it’s a real source of strength. It’s just nice to go there and have some tea and eat a sandwich,” Riabushenko says.