Weekend Route in Autumn: Romantic Rivne Region

An autumn weekend is worth filling with wonderful memories of the most beautiful places in the Rivne region. There is no need to spend several days on it; you can see several locations in just one trip!

Weekend route: Kyiv — Dubno — Tarakaniv — Klevan — Kyiv

Trip duration: 1 day

Historical decorations of Dubno

The city of Dubno is located almost 376 km from Kyiv. Therefore, to manage the whole route in one day, it is worth setting off early in the morning.

Photo from dubno.rayon.in.ua

Dubno is an ancient city known for the castle complex, which is among the 7 Wonders of Ukraine. It once included a mighty bastion, one of the country's oldest palaces — the Ostrozkyi Palace — as well as the Ostrozkyi and Lubomyrskyi castles. After the Second World War, the complex suffered significant destruction, but it is still a popular tourist destination.
Dubno has many interesting historical landmarks, so for those who have enough time, the route can be extended to two days to get a better look at the beautiful city and its history.

Tarakaniv and its secrets

Just 8 km from Dubno Castle lies the small settlement of Tarakaniv. And although at first glance it does not differ from many Ukrainian settlements, it was here that Tarakaniv Fort was built. Its strong concrete-and-earth fortifications rise above the tall trees, reminding contemporaries of the grand defensive structure built here in the XIX century. The building is in a semi-ruined state, yet it still recalls the confrontation between two powerful empires that tried to seize as large a piece of Ukrainian land as possible.

Photo from rivne.media

This place is not for the faint-hearted, because local residents say that ghosts of warriors who took part in defending the fort still wander through the ruined corridors. Historians, however, say that there are many active traps on the fort grounds. If a person falls into such a trap, they end up in an underground pit. In addition, during the Second World War, the underground rooms were used by the Germans for torture and experiments on people. So do not wander through the labyrinths of corridors on your own, so as not to get lost or encounter something otherworldly.

Romantic and mysterious Klevan

The next point on the route is the urban-type settlement of Klevan, which is 80 km away from Tarakaniv Fort. This small urban-type settlement appeared in the Rivne region back in the XII century. However, its flourishing and development began only after the Chortoryiskyi princely family moved to these lands. He built a luxurious castle and the Church of the Annunciation here, which have survived to this day.

According to legend, it was because of a curse that Chortoryiskyi's castle became neglected ruins, gradually destroyed each year by nature. Only the Church of the Annunciation managed to survive and endure the difficult times, remaining active despite the years of decline.

Photo from www.facebook.com

The final point of the route is the incredibly beautiful Tunnel of Love, created by nature and a human factor. On the way from Klevan to the settlement of Orzhev, a freight train formed a true tunnel, wrapped in shoots of trees and bushes. The tunnel is about 4 km long. It is a true Tunnel of Love, because only lovers tie multicolored ribbons on the trees here, symbolizing the strength of their love. There is also a legend that if lovers walk the entire tunnel, their wish will come true.

So, if you are ready for adventure and the uncovering of the most amazing secrets, choose the route and set off on your way!