City Bukovinian Carpathians

Vyzhnytsia district is located in the western part of Chernivtsi region, at the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. The majority of population is peasants. A lot of nationalities live here.

The main tourist and recreation potential of the district is the National Park "Vyzhnytskyy", natural monuments, located within the one-day route: Dovbush's Cave, the Cursed Rock and the falcon Eye Rock, numerous waterfalls on the river Vyzhenka, natural mineral water springs.

One of the major tasks and directions of activity of the National Park "Vyzhnytskyy" is tourist and recreation activity on the basis of natural resources, material and technical basis and potential of tourist-recreational and service providing establishments using the tourist-recreational resources on the adjacent territory of the National Park "Vyzhnytskyy".

The following basic types of tourist-recreation activity are developing:
Recreation-treatment tourism;
Sports tourism;
Eco-tourism;
Organizing tourist trips within the territory of Ukraine with various tasks and objectives;
Recreation in the nature;
Exotic tourism.

The land of Vyzhnychchyna is famous for its folk craftsmanship (embroidery, tapestry, wood processing, egg coloring). Vyzhnytsia College of Applied Arts located in the district contributes to further development of such crafts - Bukovynian centre of folklore craftsmen Union. There are also a few valuable archeological, architectural and cultural objects on the territory of the district.

The center of local historic and cultural monuments is the town of Vyzhnytsia, which is, in fact, the gate to the National Park "Vyzhnytskyy". The town was first mentioned in Moldovan Chronicles for the year of 1501. Located at the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains, Vyzhnytsia had been developing as a trade settlement closely connected with highland and lowland districts of Bukovyna, had been famous for its trade fair traditions. At the end of XVIII century, with the beginning of wood industry development, Vyzhnytsia had become an important point of wood trading. Down the Cheremosh and Prut rivers wood and firewood have been rafted to Chernivtsi, and then via Boyany - to Bessarabia and Podillia.
Names of such famous Ukrainian cultural workers are connected with Vyzhnytsia: Yuriy Fedkovych, Korneliy Ustynovych, Lesia Ukrayinka, Marko Vovchok, Olga Kobylianska, vasyl Stefanyk, Gnat Hotkevych.

The district centre is famous for its skiffle-group "Smerichka" and folklore dancing group "Smerechyna". Here such Ukrainian national artists as Nazariy Yaremchuk, Vasyl Zinkevych started their creative career. You can see the best works of applied arts and get acquainted with the honorable history of the land in Vyshnytsia People's Museum.

Putylshyna is one of the most picturesque places in Bukovyna – unique; inimitable; kind and hospitable people; wonderful traditions; rich in historic, architectural and natural monuments. This is the land of ancient woods, where fir trees, spruce and beech predominate. Over 50 species of plants grow in the woods, including mountain arnica, medicinal medick, St. John's wort, forest lily, and edelweiss.

The district abounds with natural wonders, such as the picturesque natural mountain lake "Mountain Eye," and the legendary rock "Stony Rich Woman" or "cursed rock", which is located in the village of Ust-Putyla. The mountain pass of Nimchych is located on the border of three districts -- Putyla, the Vyzhnytsia district of the Chernivtsi region, and the Kosiv district of the Ivano-Frankivsk region. There one can enjoy a beautiful panorama of mountain valley, where the rapid mountain river Cheremosh flows from the top of the pass.

Wildlife of the district is widely varied. The woods are the habitat of Carpathian deer, roe deer, wild boar, fox, hedgehogs, badgers, hares. Such birds as swallows, blue tits, woodpeckers, pigeons, owls and bullfinches live there.
Most of Putylshchyna is dominated by the mountains that are located in the extreme southwest of the region. The highest peaks of Bykonyna's mountains are located here: Mount Yarovytsya (1574 m.), Zhupany (1488 m.), Chornyy Dil (1452 m.).

The hilly landscape allows the development of such industries as cattle breeding, wood processing and food processing. Cows, sheep, and horses are bred, and there are milk and meat processing enterprises. Traditional Hutsul sofas, which are famous all around the world, are manufactured here.

The district is rich in deposits of marble, mineral water springs, and raw materials for brick and tile. Mineral water springs can be found in the village of Dvhopillya, the town of Putyla and the village of Sarata.

The history of the area is reflected in its historic and cultural monuments, over twenty of which can be found in the district, including:

- Oleksa Dovbush's Cave – where historic events took place in the 30-40 of the 18th century
- Yuriy Fedkovych Museum – The estate of Ukrainian writer Yuriy Fedkovych is in the town of Putyla. The house was built in the early 18th century and now holds houses a museum
- St. Nicholas Church – Located sixty meters from the Yuriy Fedkovych estate, and built in 1886 on land allotted by Yuriy Fedkovych
- Ancient wooden church – in the village of Selyatyn, on the Ukrainian - Romanian border is one of the most ancient wooden buildings, a 17th century church built without a single nail

Be sure not to miss the traditional "Mountain Valley Festival" ('Vykhid na Polonynu") which is held every year in Putyla on the last Sunday of May.