Europe's Frontier: Moldova & Ukraine

With just over 120000 visitors a year, Moldova is one of the least-visited countries in the world. Sandwiched between Ukraine and Romania is has often been caught in the middle of an East/West game of tug of war. The capital Chisinau has struggled to shrug off its Soviet past, but this is part of its charm, while the countryside offers historic monasteries and one of the world’s largest wineries. Not to mention ‘independent’ Transnistria, where citizens cling onto their Soviet past and monuments to reflect this. Western Ukraine, by contrast, has always looked to Europe. Lviv, the country's cultural capital, certainly feels more European than Soviet, with its historic UNESCO listed old town and charming cafe culture. While its mighty capital Kyiv is just starting to emerge as a modern European hotspot of culture and nightlife. On this varied and fascinating journey we visit some great cities and we conclude with an optional trip to Chernobyl.