Khortytsia

Khortytsia is about twelve kilometres long and lies in the Dnipro at Zaporizhzhia, a granite island of steppe, oak wood and cliffs that is both a nature reserve and the central place in Cossack memory: the Zaporozhian Sich stood on islands in this stretch of river. A reconstructed Sich of timber buildings sits on the island, along with a museum of Cossack history, prehistoric sites, and rock outcrops above the water on the eastern side.

What you actually see

• The reconstructed Sich - a timber fort and settlement built as a museum complex.
• The Cossack museum - the collection covering the Zaporozhian period.
• The granite cliffs - rock outcrops above the river on the eastern shore.
• The steppe - protected grassland and oak wood across the island's interior.

When to go

April to October is the comfortable season. The museum closes on some weekdays. Summer brings horse shows and historical events at the Sich.

Honest expectations

The Sich is a modern reconstruction on a site that is not the original one. The island is large and getting between the sights means a vehicle or a long walk. Labelling is in Ukrainian.

Nearby

Zaporizhzhia surrounds the island, and Dnipro is upstream.