"Lake" Top 5 Page for this destination Chernivtsi Off The Beaten Path Tip by smschley

It wasn’t too many years ago that the majority of the people would not have access to the many small lakes that surround Chernovtsi. Transportation back then was by bus or train and to even if a bus went near these lakes it would be an all day process just to get there. Now with greatly improved transportation and the great number of taxi’s and personal automobiles, these lakes are now drawing crowds.

In the case of this lake, some entrepreneur brought in some sand, built some cabins and dining areas, and setup a restaurant to take care of the visitors. Unfortunately they didn’t seem to give this place a name. At least I couldn’t find anyone who actually had a name for the place. In fact trying to give directions to the place as it stands would be a real chore. We drove down E583 heading to Kiev and suddenly we turned left into some old dirt road into some farmlands. We were in the midst of cornfields and marshes with other dirt roads crossing up from time to time. Not a sign to be found. Luckily our driver had been there a number of times and new the maze well.

At first the place wasn’t that impressive, just a smallish lake in the midst of some marsh area. As we parked we saw a row of small cabins that were available for rent. They were not very large but serviceable for short stays. Walking on a bit farther we went by some grass area with sunbathers and still further a small beach area with the imported sand. Continuing the walk, we went past the restaurants kitchen to a doc area where they had a covered outdoor dining area.

While this is not the French Riviera, it is a nice place to just spend some time, just a little money, purchase some decent food, and relax a bit. No large crowds, no blaring music, just some peace and quiet. The food, while basic was tasty. In the morning they do some net fishing and gather up enough fish for the day. I have no clue what type of fish we were eating, but once you deep fry it, I’m happy.