Sumy is a historic city where golden-tipped cathedrals tower over modern skyscrapers. The destination is popular for its well-preserved neoclassical architecture and comprehensive period-specific museums.
Things to do in Sumy
The Transfiguration Cathedral serves as Sumy’s centrepiece, located in the heart of the city. Admire the exquisite exterior blending 18th and 19th century architecture or tour the interior, where you’ll find frescoes by Vladimir Makovsky and Klavdy Lebedev.
For a historic overview of the Sumy region, visit the Museum of Local Lore. Enjoy touring unique collections of archaeology and immersing yourself in the area’s natural history. At one point in time this was a prominent publishing house, where you can imagine walking in the footsteps of famous Russian writers like AleksandrKuprin and Vladimir Korolenko.
Continue your architectural journey with a stop at the Holy Resurrection Cathedral. This golden-tipped cathedral is the oldest structure in town, a great place to capture a remarkable photograph. Take a tour and immerse yourself in the popular local legend, which claims that the ghost of the city founder lives there.
If you want to see local artwork, the Nikanor Onatsky Regional Art Museum is a fantastic presentation of over 15,000 museum pieces. Feast your eyes upon some of the finest native works of art in addition to galleries from around the world.
Getting around Sumy
The easiest way of getting around Sumy is by minibus running out of Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipropetrovsk. From Kiev it’s about a 4.5-hour taxi or bus ride into Sumy. There are also trains that run daily out of Kyiv and Kharkiv.