Famed for its ship-building industry, Kherson is a lively port city where the Dnieper River meets the Black Sea. It’s home to engaging museums and a Byzantine-inspired cathedral and is near the wildlife-filled Black Sea Biosphere Reserve.

Things to do

Discover the people and events that have shaped the city at the Kherson Regional Museum, which is housed within an elegant yellow building dating back to the late-19th century. Browse the 16th-century weaponry, antique furnishings and impressive coin collection, together with a 30-metre-long blue whale skeleton.

Art enthusiasts should visit the Kherson Regional Art Museum, which stands opposite the Kherson Regional Museum. Admire the pre-Soviet Impressionist works on the top floor, then compare the difference in painting styles by the same artists during the Soviet and post-Soviet eras.

Admire the Tuscan portico and sandstone dome of the 18th-century Cathedral of St. Catherine, situated within the fortress of Kherson. It was built in the aftermath of the Russo-Turkish war to illustrate Russia’s Byzantine heritage and is decorated with paintings inspired by the works of 17th-century Spanish artists.

Explore the largest nature reserve in Ukraine at the Black Sea Biosphere Reserve, which encompasses beaches, wetlands and forest-steppe where the Dnieper River meets the Black Sea. It’s a birdwatcher’s paradise, with more than 300 species recorded and regular sightings of oystercatchers, white-tailed eagles and pink pelicans.

Getting around

Kherson International Airport is 20 minutes’ drive from the city centre and regular trains make the 7.5-hour journey to Kiev. Buses travel throughout Kherson and connect to the surrounding towns.