Home of the Cossacks and the gem of the Crimean Steppes, Zaporizhia has been home to the mounted peoples of these steppes for 3000 years. The region was inhabited first by Scythians, an ancient people famed for being excellent horsemen, and later by the Turkic nomads such as Khazars, Pechenegs, Kumans and Tatars, and also by Slavs. The River Dnieper breathes life into these vast and beautiful flatlands. The city of Zaporizhia itself was founded in 1770 by the Russian Empire right on top of the Dnieper, with the city sprawling out from both banks of the river. Zaporizhia is the sixth biggest city in Ukraine and is located in the South East Ukraine. Dnipropetrovs’k, Nikopol, Berdyans’k and Donets’k are major neighbouring cities.

General Information

How to Get to Zaporizhia?

Pegasus Airlines offers direct flights to Zaporizhia from Istanbul and Antalya.

The flight duration from Istanbul is 2 hours.

You can buy your direct flight tickets to Zaporizhia from here.

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Transportation from Mokraya International Airport to the City Center

Mokraya International Airport is located about 13 kilometres away from the city center. The most popular way of getting there is by the airport shuttles just outside the airport. These shuttles are called Marshrutka. The ride can take anywhere between 20 to 60 minutes. 

You can also enjoy the city with a rental car. Pegasus Airlines car rental service has great offers for you here.

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Public Transport in Zaporizhia

Public transportation in Zaporizhia is based mostly on trams and marshrutkas much like in the rest of the Ukraine. Bus and tram tickets are very affordable, as is the marshrutka fare, and even taxis are very reasonably priced compared to most other touristic destinations. 

Best Time to Visit Zaporizhia

Springs in Zaporizhia are moderately cold and fairly rainy. Winters are very harsh and owing to Zaporizhia being mostly flat, skiing isn’t a real option. Fall is the optimal time of the year to visit with warm days and chilly nights, as well as some rain and snow. The second most popular time is summer when the weather is comfortable if a little too warm. Summer is the perfect time to enjoy the River Dnieper.

Festivals in Zaporizhia

• Zaporizhia International Film Festival (ZIFF) (November)
• Zaporizhia Jazzy Festival (April)
• Places to Visit in Zaporizhia
• Island of Khortytsia

Places to Visit in Zaporizhia

It is said that people of Zaporozhian Sych who are the ancestors of Ukrainians habituated this island during the 16th century. The region also contains a large Kazakh population, there is a museum dedicated to their ethnicity also.

Camp Scythian

These ancient camp ruins are placed at the top of the island and it contains the Tomb of Zorov

Antique Car Museum

The exhibit has 22 items from the 1930s and the 1960s. Important brands like Willis, Dodge, and Ural-ZIS and Katyusha are on display.

Holy Virgin Cathedral 

The 36 meters high cathedral is one of the most important architectural structures. It was first built during the 17th century. Although it went through some restorations it was destroyed during the Bolshevik Revolution, it’s rebuilt properly to its original version.

Where to Stay in Zaporizhia?

There is an accommodation option for every budget in this city. If you’re visiting as a tourist the hotels and hostels that are in the city center may be more convenient for you but because public transport is very practical staying nearby the center is not much trouble. There are no five-star hotels, visitors may prefer to rent an apartment according to the season or duration of their visit.  

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What to Eat in Zaporizhia?

You can experience a very rich selection of dishes from the combination of Ukrainian and Slav traditions. Although it mostly consists of meat and dairy, potato, red beet and cabbage are also used. But the most significant ingredient of every meal is a kind of crème called ‘’Smetana’’. 

• Traditional Slav Dish: Traktir U Kamina
• Traditional Ukrainian Dish: Korchma

Shopping in Zaporizhia: Best Souvenirs to Buy 

There are many stores on the Sobornyi Avenue where you can go shopping, and Fortuna and Avrora are the two most popular shopping malls in the city. Gorkogo Street is a great place to go shopping for souvenirs and also to visit the art galleries there.

Nightlife in Zaporizhia

Ukraine is world famous for its nightlife. Extravagant nightclubs with vast interiors and in some cases even indoor swimming pools are all around the city, and most of the time, the clubs are very affordable. The most popular club in the city is the “2000” in Sovetsky. Sova Club and the Naberezhnaya are two other prominent night clubs focusing mostly on theme parties. Should you instead like to have a quiet night, the restaurants and cafes along the Dnieper will be perfect for you.

Essential Numbers

Country Code: +380

City Code: 61

Mokraya International Airport: +380 6172 14609

Ambulance: 103

Police: 102