The Carpathians in winter 2026/27: where to go if you don’t ski

In winter, most people head to Bukovel or Drahobrat to ski. Yet the mountains are just as rewarding without skis: snow, silence, a hot open-air bath, and Christmas customs you will not find anywhere else. Here is what to do from December to March if skiing is not your thing. Every place below has its own page on our site with a description, a map and places to stay nearby.

In short: 14 winter ideas without skiing

1. An open-air chan in the snow.
2. A Sadyba or cottage with a fireplace.
3. An easy climb up Makovytsia above Yaremche.
4. Khomiakiv polonyna — a snowy mountain meadow without the high peaks.
5. Frozen waterfalls: Probiy, Zhenetskyi Huk, Shypit.
6. Yaremche: the market, Dovbush Rocks, Divochi Slozy waterfall.
7. Vorokhta: the Austrian viaduct and a wooden church.
8. Kosiv: the Saturday market and painted ceramics.
9. Verkhovyna and Kryvorivnia: Hutsul museums.
10. Cheese dairies and Carpathian food.
11. Sledging on the slope by your Sadyba.
12. A sightseeing lift ride without a ski pass.
13. Thermal pools in Zakarpattia.
14. Christmas, carols and Malanka.

1. An open-air chan

A chan is a large vat of water heated by a wood fire under the open sky — the Hutsul hot tub. Sitting in hot water surrounded by snow is probably the most popular winter pastime in the Carpathians after skiing. Hundreds of Sadybas, cottages and hotels have one, and our catalogue has a dedicated “Chan” filter. Before booking, ask whether the chan is included in the price, how long it takes to heat and how many people it fits. Don’t step out into the frost in wet clothes, and don’t mix hot water with alcohol.

2. A Sadyba or cottage with a fireplace

Winter evenings in the mountains are long: in December it gets dark by half past four. A fireplace or a stove is not a decoration but half of the holiday. Use the “Fireplace” filter in the accommodation section, and if you are torn between a Sadyba, a cottage and a guesthouse, read our guide to the types of accommodation in the Carpathians.

3. Makovytsia above Yaremche

Mount Makovytsia (984 m) rises right above the town of Yaremche. The trail from Yaremche is about 5 km one way with 460 m of ascent — roughly two hours of walking. The path runs through the forest, sheltered from the wind, and the top looks over the Prut valley and the Gorgany. In winter it can be icy, so bring microspikes. More easy routes are in our article “Winter hiking in the Carpathians”.

4. Khomiakiv polonyna

Khomiakiv polonyna is a wide snowy mountain meadow with views of Chornohora, without climbing a high summit. The route from the Zhynets tract is about 8 km with 570 m of ascent and a high point of 1,352 m. This is already a real winter outing: start in the morning, check the forecast and don’t continue to Mount Khomiak without winter experience.

5. Frozen waterfalls

In winter, Carpathian waterfalls grow icicles and ice crusts. The easiest is the Probiy waterfall in central Yaremche, a few minutes from the souvenir market. Zhenetskyi Huk near Mykulychyn is a 7 km walk along a forest road, and Shypit near Pylypets in Zakarpattia is a short path from the road. Keep away from rock edges and never stand on the ice: there have been fatal falls at Probiy.

6. Yaremche

Yaremche is the most convenient base for a winter without skis: a railway station, cafés, dozens of Sadybas with chans and short walks straight from town. Besides Probiy and Makovytsia, there is a loop to Dovbush Rocks (7 km) and a walk to the Divochi Slozy waterfall (5 km, almost flat). The souvenir market by Probiy sells lizhnyky (woollen blankets), wool socks, cheese and mountain herbal teas.

7. Vorokhta

Vorokhta is home to the Austrian viaduct, a stone arch railway bridge built in 1894–1895, about 130 m long. A new bridge was built next to it in 2000, so the old one is now a monument and a viewpoint. Don’t miss the wooden Church of the Nativity of the Virgin from the 17th–18th centuries. Vorokhta is also the gateway to Zaroslyak and Hoverla, but a winter ascent of Hoverla is for experienced hikers only.

8. Kosiv

Kosiv is the capital of Hutsul crafts. In 2019 the “Tradition of Kosiv painted ceramics” was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. On Saturdays, from early morning, the Kosiv (Smodna) market sells lizhnyky, embroidery, leather and ceramics. Come early — trade dies down by midday. On any other day, visit the Museum of Hutsul Folk Art and Life.

9. Verkhovyna and Kryvorivnia

Verkhovyna and the neighbouring village of Kryvorivnia are the heart of the Hutsul region. In Verkhovyna, the Hata-Staia cheese museum shows how shepherds make budz over an open fire. Kryvorivnia has several museums (Ivan Franko, Mykhailo Hrushevskyi) and one of Ukraine’s best-known Hutsul Christmas carolling traditions. Museum hours may change in winter, so call ahead.

10. Cheese dairies and Carpathian food

Carpathian cheese is a reason to come in its own right. Hutsul bryndza, vurda and budz taste best straight from the dairy. Besides Hata-Staia, Zakarpattia has the Selyska cheese dairy in Nyzhnie Selyshche (tours with tasting by arrangement) and the Chorna Tysa sheep-cheese farm. What else to try in winter — banosh, huslianka and mountain herbal teas — see our Carpathian food section.

11. Sledging

For children, nothing beats an ordinary sledge. Many Sadybas stand on a hillside, so the slope may be right outside the gate: ask your hosts whether they have sledges and a safe slope with no road at the bottom. Sledging on ski runs is not allowed at the resorts — look for the separate children’s slopes.

12. A sightseeing lift ride without skis

You can see the winter mountains from above without a ski pass. Bukovel sells a separate “sightseeing” ticket for one ride — the easiest way to see Chornohora from above without skis. Prices and hours change every season, so check them on the resort’s website. All resorts are in our guide to Carpathian ski resorts.

13. Thermal pools in Zakarpattia

Warm mineral water in the middle of winter is another reason to visit Zakarpattia. Kosyno thermal waters near Berehove are open every day all year round; the water park there is summer-only. The Zhaivoronok complex in Berehove is also open year-round. There is also the Tepli Vody thermal complex in Veliatyno: ask in advance which pools are open in winter. More spa places are in the Wellness section.

14. Christmas, carols and Malanka

Since 2023 the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church follow the Revised Julian calendar: Holy Supper is on 24 December, Christmas on 25 December and Epiphany (Vodokhreshche) on 6 January. In Kryvorivnia, carollers in Hutsul dress visit every house right up to Epiphany, and in Krasnoilsk in Bukovyna one of the best-known Malanka festivals still takes place on the old date, the night of 13–14 January. How people celebrate and what they cook is in our article “Christmas in the Carpathians”.

How to plan a winter trip

• Short daylight. In December the sun sets around 16:30, and the valleys get dark even earlier. Plan walks for the first half of the day.
• Roads. Mountain passes can be icy and snowbound: winter tyres are a must and chains are a good idea. The train to Yaremche or Vorokhta is often easier than driving.
• Accommodation. Book early for Christmas and New Year; on weekdays in January and February the choice is much wider.
• Weather. Check the forecast and avalanche warnings before every mountain outing. The rescue number is 101 or 112.

Frequently asked questions

Save this article to have the list at hand on the road. Updated: 12 November 2026. Prices and opening hours change — check them with the venues before you travel.

Cover photo: Ryzhkov Sergey, CC BY-SA 4.0.