08:00 – meeting with guide. Departure to Uman.

11:00-12:30 - Excursion around the dendrological park "Sofievka". Uman is known since 1616 as a defensive fort built against Tatar raids and a prominent Cossack regiment was stationed in the town. In 1670–1674, Uman was a residence of the Hetman of right-bank Ukraine.

Uman's park is beautiful in all seasons. Its grottos, whirling foamy waterfalls, whimsically shaped rocks, arbours, pavilions, footbridges, flower beds and forest lands were all designed by the talented architects and executed by craftsmen and gardeners. Legends have been handed down from generation to generation about how the park was laid by the serfs of Count Potocki. We know only the surname of one of them — Zaremba. We know neither his first name, nor when and where he was born and then passed away.

Before 1796, a bare hill was where Sofievka is now located, overlooking the Kamenka River whose banks were a chaotic conglomeration of huge granite rocks.

The spring feeding the Kamenka was too small to give life to the waterfalls and fountains. A great lot of money was spent on the construction of the dam, hothouses and exotic plantations. Engineer Metzel had no ready blueprints, so in the course of realizing the project the designers had to adapt their patterns to the surrounding landscape, making use of all that could fit into the general architectural composition, supplementing it with artificial water reservoires, sculptures, structures and generously embellishing all this with ornamental gardening.

The absence of strict symmetry makes the viewer believe the park was created by nature itself.

Whoever visits the place is enchanted by the artistic taste, inventiveness and inexhaustible energy of those who had created an amazingly beautiful, open-air museum combining in its 'exposition' nature and the arts.

Count Potocki named the park Sofievka — in honour of his wife to whom the whole architectural masterpiece was, in fact, dedicated. The place was meant to remind the countess of her native parts — Greece, so the thousands of serfs her noble spouse possessed literally removed hills and formed pathways, dug up mounds, erected rocks and cliffs and sweated over sophisticated hydrotech-nological designs. What great talent was displayed by the craftsmen-serfs embodying in stone the myths of Hellas, creating fantastically beautiful cascades, fountains, streams that still sing their songs, running amidst the stones, pools, ponds, locks and grottos!

Later, the park was modified, with eminent Russian and Ukrainian architects taking part.

Every year a great variety of trees and shrubs are planted here; seeds are exchanged with many domestic and foreign botanical gardens. Saplings nursed here are then supplied to various research and economic bodies.   The park retains its charms any time of the year: late in March, when quick rain drops tap rhythmically on the earth, and early in April, when willows start to bloom, covered with fluffy yellow flowers, bathing in the. sunlight and honey fragrance. Sofievka is equally attractive when the mighty oaks put on their green vests and when they are clad in snow furcoats.

Starlings are the first to fly back here from the south, to be followed by finches and hoopoes.

The songs of nightingales are to be heard at different times, both day and night. But at night, when everything is covered and put to rest under its soft veil, the voice of the 'bard of love, bard of his own grief becomes especially melodious.Comes the blossoming time, bestowing gardens magic white attires, filling the air with intoxicating aroma.Be it a sunny or cloudy day, one never tires of exploring Sofievka, finding ever new magic corners there. The whole park seems to have been made specially for you as it constantly alters its witchcraft of colours before your very eyes. In summer, all is blooming and smelling sweet: the picturesque lilac bushes and the roses hanging in cascades from the columns. The place is indeed a domain of roses which are blooming right up until the first frosts.

In autumn, Sofievka is charming, clad in crimson and. gold. He who visits the place in winter finds himself in Andersen's wonderworld of the Snow Queen: all is shining under the sun, and the trees covered with delicate frost sparkle like a field of tiny diamonds.

It is quiet. Only now and then the woodpecker is heard in the distance and tomtits, jays, magpies and other birds wintering in Sofievka's park....

White and black swans, brought from the vicinity of Moscow, have settled down on the Upper and Lower ponds, as testified to by bjack cygnets which have appeared in the brushes along the banks.... A sure sign the swan family will keep on growing in size. Sofievka is always charming, no matter what season!...

Titled magnates like Sheremetev, Potocki or Branitski have long ceased to exist in the country. Only people live forever. And their culture, songs, ballads, the creations of inspired intellects and skilled hands remain undying.

The bewitching art of architects, painters and craftsmen brings us inimitable artistic delight even today.

Despite Sofievka's 'venerable' age it can by no means be considered as belonging to the past. On the contrary, Uman's park has most promising prospects: it will become even more beautiful in the future, both figuratively and literally.

The second part of the park, New Sofievka, will soon start being laid, whose design will challenge that of its old forerunner.

12:30-15:00 – free time.

15:00 – departure from Uman.

The cost of attendants’ services is included in the tour cost.

Package includes: transfer Kiev-Uman-Kiev, excursion program activities, entrance tickets, medical insurance.