Kamianets-Podilskyi: the fortress in the bend of the Ukrainian river

There are places that geography has drawn as if in play, and Kamianets-Podilskyi is one of them. Its old town rises on a rocky islet almost entirely encircled by a bend of the river Smotrych, carved into a deep canyon that separates it from the rest of the world. For centuries this morphology made it a natural fortress, contested between kingdoms and empires; today that same conformation makes it one of the most astonishing urban panoramas in Eastern Europe, and yet it is almost absent from international tourist routes.

The heart of the visit is the old fortress, an expanse of stone towers linked by walkways, reached across an ancient bridge over the canyon. Walking along the ramparts, your gaze takes in the whole bend of the river, with the houses looking out over the void and the paths descending towards the green floor of the gorge. It is a place where history is layered: in the lanes of the old town, bell towers, ancient gates and a minaret stand side by side, a trace of a past in which different cultures and rulers passed through here.

What strikes you, beyond the stones, is the silence. Even in the busiest months you will find mostly Ukrainian visitors, families on an outing and the odd local group: the mass-tourism coaches simply do not come this far. You can walk the canyon on foot, descend along the paths among the rocks, stop in a tavern in the lower town without queues or reservations.

Visiting Ukraine today calls for care and up-to-date information on the country's situation: always check the official guidance before setting off. But for those seeking an authentic Europe, far from queues and inflated prices, Kamianets-Podilskyi remains one of those destinations you speak of with a certain pride: I was there before everyone knew about it.

Getting there

Kamianets-Podilskyi has a railway station a few kilometres from the centre, with connections to Kyiv and the main Ukrainian cities. The nearest airports are Chernivtsi, a couple of hours away by road, and, across the border, Suceava in Romania. The city is also served by numerous intercity bus lines; from the station you reach the old town by local minibus or taxi.