The villages of Kolochava and Synevyrska Polyana in Zakarpattia have been included in the United Nations ranking of the world’s best tourist villages.
In total, the list features 52 villages from Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. They were selected from over 270 applications submitted by 65 UN member states specializing in tourism. Another 20 villages joined the upgrade program, bringing all 72 villages into the Best Tourism Villages (BTV) network, which is announced annually. It was reported by Bukvy, citing the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
The ranking recognizes tourist villages that possess accredited cultural and natural assets, preserve community values, and demonstrate economic, social, and environmental development.
Kolochava is crossed by mountain tourist routes leading to the Krasna Ridge, Kvasnyi Verkh, and the village of Ust-Chorna. The routes are open to hikers, cyclists, and off-road vehicles. The village also has the “Bird Park” and ten museums, including “Old Village,” “Kolochava Narrow-Gauge Railway,” and “Shtaier’s Bunker,” among others.
Synevyrska Polyana is home to the “Valley of Wolves” eco-park, where four species of wolves live alongside hoofed animals such as goats, camels, and fallow deer. Some animals were rescued from zoos, circuses, and menageries, while others were found in the forest by locals, exhausted or injured. Those that can be rehabilitated are later returned to the wild.
