Ternopil comes out on top in an American’s ranking of Ukraine’s best cities

Michael Willena’s top 10 Ukrainian cities

According to УНІАН — Туризм: Michael Willena, a U.S. expat who has lived in Ukraine for a long time, shared his personal top-10 ranking of Ukrainian cities on Instagram (@ohmykhailo). He named Ternopil first, followed by Lviv, Lutsk, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Kamianets-Podilskyi, Poltava, Cherkasy, Odesa, and Zhytomyr. Such outsider perspectives give readers a different angle on how urban life in Ukraine is experienced by foreigners.

• Lviv
• Lutsk
• Kyiv
• Kharkiv
• Kamianets-Podilskyi
• Poltava
• Cherkasy
• Odesa
• Zhytomyr

Willena is based in Lutsk, where he met his wife, and the post included his personal impressions of Ukrainian cities. “Ternopil is my number one. A lovely city, Ternopil - my favorite in Ukraine,” he wrote. In comments on the list, he acknowledged the capital’s importance: “How could I not love you? Honestly, Kyiv is top three, but it will be fourth.”

Foreign visitors share their impressions of Ukraine

The same UNIAN article profiles other foreigners who have lived in Ukraine. A British man who visited every country of the former Soviet Union put Ukraine third on his list. A British woman who has spent several years in the country said she was impressed by the level of development in banking and digital state services, as well as street safety and the warm climate. “The benches there... Very comfortable,” Willena added while describing his impressions of Ukrainian cities.

Overall, these foreign perspectives reflect a positive view of Ukraine and its cultural distinctiveness. The reactions from Willena and others can help improve Ukraine’s image internationally and illustrate the value of cultural exchange and mutual understanding between nations.