Slavske is practically an antique, but still the best ski resort in Ukraine.
The entire pleiad of Ukrainian ski resorts is concentrated in the western part of the country and confined to the Ukrainian Carpathians. Against the background of the young and daring resort «Bukovel», known for its marketing gizmos, drowsy-budget «Dragobrat», modest number of elevators Voyevodino, Volovets and Vorokhta, vacation in Slavsk will be the best way to spend time on the skis, gathering a group of like-minded people.
Resort Slavske or Slavsko, both are acceptable and used, is located in the southern part of Skolevsky district, Lviv region. This is the place where Slavka tributaries flow into the Opir River. It is quite easy to get here. The resort is remote from the main city of all Galicia distance of 125 kilometers and daily running electric train. For those who rest in the Carpathians combines with «walking» their steel horses, there is an autobahn Kyiv-Lviv-Uzhgorod on which you need to get to the river Opir and drive another 20 km on the updated and not the worst domestic highway to the village.
The name of this ski resort in Ukraine is associated with the name of Prince Svyatoslav. Hiding in these parts from his half-brother Svyatopolk Okayannyi, the second son of Vladimir the Baptist died with his whole family. The vigilantes who escaped from the cruel massacre settled in the Beskid valley and founded Slavske. The settlement remembers the Mongol-Tatar invasions, the fertile era of the Galicia-Volyn principality, the expansion of the Hungarians, Lithuanians and Poles, although the first written mention of it dates back to 1483.
The town, like many of its neighbors, was made famous by Baron Gredel. There is a legend that the Austro-Ugric aristocrat won a certain amount of money in the casino. Thanks to it he bought from the gentry Kinskie «plot» the size of a small European country. The case was in 1886. The following year, a railroad from Lvov to Mukachevo was laid through Slavske. Lightning fast with it on the territory of the village appeared a ski jump and primitive elevators to Mount Elza and Pogar, as well as a climatotherapeutic station and a real hotel, which allowed to accommodate those who believed in vacation in Slavske.
The second wave of prosperity of the resort is associated with the era of the Soviet Union. In 1970, the mass construction of ski elevators and DSUSH engaged in biathlon, freestyle and ski racing began here. Thanks to the Gredelei’s initiative and the Soviet leadership’s interest in winter sports, Slavske gained a base that gave it the right to be called the best ski resort in Ukraine.
From the slopes of Pogar Mountain the development of the resort began, so it was in the epicenter of today’s sports «Brownian motion». Two ancient rope tow elevators, piste processing by ratrakas and night lighting make skiing in this place as safe and romantic as in the Swiss Alps.
The low mountain Polytechnik, which is located at the entrance to the village, has two blue-green tracks — «Polytechnic» and «FMI». Once upon a time they were used for training students of Lviv Polytechnic. Today they are used by beginners of skiing vacation in the Carpathians. Behind this «complex physics and mathematics peak» is Menchul Mountain, the slopes from which are considered steeper than from Polytechnic.
Trostyan Mountain, 1232 meters high, is located at a distance of 3 km from the village. Skiers will be offered 7 and 1 elevators, rope tow and chairlift respectively. A separate interest for those who are on vacation in Slavske with children, is a baby elevator. Trostyan can be approached by your own car. The mountain is a success among experienced skiers and those who are preparing for competitions in this discipline. In addition, there is a cable car to the top of Trostyan, which allows you to admire the ridge with massifs of beech and coniferous forests all year round.
Also outside the ancient ski resort of Ukraine there are slopes: «Grabovets», «Zakhar Berkut» and Pysanna Mountain. All of them have new lifting devices and delight tourists with extensive adjacent infrastructure — a team of instructors, equipment rental points, field kitchens with banosh and hot mulled wine.
Rest in Slavske allows tourists to scoop up a handful of local attractions: ski slopes, sparkling nature and colorful cuisine. The memory of such holiday in the Carpathians will warm you up on a dull evening in the big city, and staying in the mountains of France, Spain, Switzerland or Norway will never replace your skiing at the best ski resort in Ukraine.