Coffee tour, celtic banquet, the most beautiful town hall, and other must-visit spots in Mukachevo

Let’s go for coffee! Where? To Mukachevo. We know this region is more often associated with wine, thermal waters, and castles. Don’t worry; those will be covered too, but first, coffee. Especially since this year, Mukachevo launched a unique *Expresso Tour*. Our team recently returned from exploring it, and now we’re here to share what it is and why it should definitely be on your Mukachevo bucket list.

Expresso Tour is Ukraine's first coffee tour with professional tasting (we’ll explain what that means later), created by an amazing team:

• Oleksandr Shershun – Tourism Ambassador in Transcarpathia, Advisor to the Mayor of Mukachevo on Industry Development, Serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
• Yana Shershun – Tour Guide, Journalist and Radio Host
• Kateryna Kycha – Coffee Technologist and Coordinator of the Specialty Coffee Association of Ukraine (SCA Ukraine)

At this point, you might already be thinking, "Well, this must be something extraordinary!" And you’d be right.

So, what's on the program for the Expresso tour?

• Thematic city tour

We’ll hear stories about where coffee was first consumed and how it spread across nearly every continent; who introduced it to Mukachevo and when the first coffeehouse opened in the city; why the Catholic Church once wanted to ban coffee and why this drink could even serve as grounds for divorce. And all this over a jar of "kavil." Why a jar? That’s another secret we’ll uncover during the tour.

• Tasting Zakarpattia-Style coffee

We won’t spoil the surprise about what exactly this is—let’s just say, “It’s delicious, and you absolutely must try it.” While enjoying this traditional local beverage, our coffee guides will share insights into Zakarpattia’s coffee culture. A teaser: it’s very different from other regions of Ukraine.

• Treats from local confectioneries

"Coffee without *shytymini* is a waste of money," they say in Zakarpattia. And who are we to argue? So, we’ll head to the renowned local pastry shop *Bondarenko* to try traditional desserts—shytymini. Rigo Jancsi, honey cakes, nut cookies, kifliks—there’s plenty to surprise even the pickiest gourmand...

The region is renowned for its confectionery delights, as nearly a dozen local settlements boast their own signature regional cakes that have become their culinary hallmark and can only be tasted here. You’ve probably heard of the star of the collection—the “Uzhhorod” cake—and perhaps even tried it. But what about the “Kvasy” cake with vurd cheese or the “Svaliava” cake with porcini mushrooms?

• Tour of a coffee roasting plant

Have you ever seen how coffee is stored, roasted, or the nuances involved in its journey from hard green beans to the aromatic beverage in your cup? During the tour of the *First Mukachevo Coffee Manufactory*, you’ll learn and witness the entire process.

• Professional coffee tasting (Cupping)

Here, we’ll get to feel like true coffee “geeks”: tasting coffee with special spoons, slurping loudly without hesitation, trying to distinguish arabica, robusta, and blends in the cups, searching for fruity and chocolate notes in the flavor and aroma, and evaluating coffee using special forms. Just like real professionals.

Wow!? To order, write or call +380939117705

And after such a coffee experience, you can continue exploring the city and its surroundings.

What else to see in Mukachevo

• Palanok Castle. The ancestral home of the Transylvanian Rakoczi princes, one of the most formidable Habsburg fortresses never taken by storm (only five such fortresses exist in Europe), a center of the Hungarian national liberation war, a political prison, and a military base. Over the centuries, the majestic Palanok Castle has served many roles. Today, it stands on the peak of an extinct volcano on the outskirts of Mukachevo. Inside, you’ll find a local history museum and an art gallery, and the courtyard offers the most Instagram-worthy views of the city and the Carpathians.
• Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary – one of Mukachevo’s most famous long-term construction projects. Initially intended as the residence of the bishop of the Greek Catholic eparchy, it eventually became a church built over nearly a century with the efforts of locals, patrons, and Emperor Franz Joseph. It houses a fragment of the True Cross from Rome, replicas of the Shroud of Turin, and the Miraculous Mukachevo Icon of the Virgin Mary.
• St. Martin’s Cathedral – one of the city’s earliest religious structures. The Catholic church was built in the 14th century, and its chapel with preserved frescoes is still visible. The main tower of the modern cathedral (constructed in 1904) features one of Europe’s oldest clocks, with a mechanism nearly 500 years old!
• Mukachevo Town Hall. In 1903, prominent architects from across Europe competed for the chance to design it. The city authorities ultimately chose Hungarian architect Janos Bobula’s project, taking out a 50-year loan to fund it. It was worth it. At the beginning of the 20th century, Mukachevo’s town hall was considered one of the most beautiful on the continent, and today it remains almost in its original form.

• Victory Park. In spring, people flock here for the sakura alley, in winter for the “Chervene Vyno” festival, and in autumn and summer for picnics by the Latoritsa River or to enjoy views of the city from the Ferris wheel.
• Karpatia Waterpark – one of the country’s largest aquatic complexes, combining modern attractions, thermal pools, a spa, and the mythological atmosphere of the Carpathians. Endless options for active recreation and relaxation are available for both adults and children.
• Celtic Courtyard. A must-visit for gastro-tourists. The moment you step inside, you’ll find yourself in a tropical garden where the hosts grow pomegranates, kiwis, olives, bay trees, lemons, figs, bamboo, cypresses, and even tea. Then, get ready to “teleport” to a Celtic dinner. In an atmospheric cellar carved into the foothills of Mount Lovachka, you’ll be treated to traditional Celtic beverages (ales, meads, sbiten, ciders, and more) and craft snacks.
• Poryadnyi Gazda. Here, you can not only taste dishes like rokot krumpli, banosh, and bograch but also attend tastings of products from a local bakery, cheesery, and brewery.

And as promised, here’s your wine and thermal waters—check out this Transcarpathian travel route. It has all that and more.

Photo: Vasil Stecko