Bukovina is a historical region located in northeastern Romania, bordering Ukraine. It is a region rich in history, culture, and beautiful landscapes.
The region is famous for its painted monasteries, which are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These monasteries, known as the monasteries of Northern Moldova, are renowned for their stunning frescoes and architecture. The most famous among them is the Sucevița Monastery.
In Bukovina, various languages are spoken, including Romanian, Ukrainian, and Polish. This reflects the ethnic diversity of the region.
Not everything in life goes according to plan, and it's important to keep that in mind when organizing a trip.
When it comes to Bukovina, the plans were ambitious — namely, to visit as many fortified monasteries as possible, built in Moldavia along the trade route connecting the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth with the Black Sea.
If we had been traveling from the north, through Hungary or western Ukraine, everything probably would have gone smoothly. But we were coming from the Crimea, planning to also visit Moldova.
However, to get there, we had to cross Transnistria. There was no other option from the Ukrainian side — more precisely, there was no border crossing capable of processing a foreigner traveling by car.
At that time, only one such border checkpoint operated between Ukraine and Transnistria. The rest were open only for local pedestrian traffic.
Once this was explained to us, we had two options: either go around Moldova from the north or turn back south and cross the 12 kilometers of Transnistria.
What could possibly go wrong?
In the Soviet world — everything. And Transnistria felt like a surreal, distorted Soviet open-air museum.
At the first border crossing, we lost about 12 hours, constantly fending off soldiers trying to extract “gifts” from us.
It didn’t look good. The soldiers were armed with long guns, some had German shepherds, and there were BTR-80s and BMP-1s parked along the road. Interestingly, the passport scanning software had a background featuring the hammer and sickle… and this was already the 21st century.
Driving those 12 kilometers through Transnistria took us 12 hours, so the entire travel plan, including accommodations, had to be changed.
Our ambitious sightseeing plan was reduced to hastily visiting just two monasteries: Voroneț and Sucevița.
So what is Bukovina like?
Thanks to its scenic landscapes, clean environment, sacred architecture, and ethnic mosaic, southern Bukovina has very high tourist potential.
At the end of August, everything looked beautiful — especially the home gardens, which were bursting with flowers.
If, like me, you're from Mazovia and are more used to conifer bushes around the house, this will look exotic to you.
I know it’s not much, but my experience of Bukovina was mostly from behind a car window.
Poles in Bukovina
The Polish minority in Romanian Bukovina is one of the oldest and best-preserved Polish communities outside of Poland. Its history dates back to the 18th century, when Poland was still under partitions. Poles arrived in several waves of migration, mainly from Galicia and Lesser Poland.
Polish Villages and Settlements
Today, the Polish community in Bukovina numbers around 2,500 to 3,000 people, with the main centers being:
- Solonețu Nou (Nowy Sołoniec) – The village considered the “capital” of Poles in Bukovina. It has a Polish school and cultural center.
- Pleșa (Plesza) – The second largest Polish village, known for preserving Polish traditions.
- Cacica (Kaczyka) – Famous for its salt mine and Marian sanctuary.
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Suceava – The main city in southern Bukovina, home to the Union of Poles in Romania.
Interesting Facts
- Dialect – The Poles in Bukovina speak an archaic form of Polish, influenced by Lesser Poland dialects.
- Traditions – Old Polish customs such as caroling, harvest festivals, and folk costumes have been preserved.
- Mining settlement – In Cacica, a salt mine operated where Polish settlers worked.
The Polish minority in Romanian Bukovina is one of the most fascinating Polish communities abroad. Despite difficult times, they have managed to preserve their language, culture, and identity.
Today, their community continues to thrive and actively upholds the traditions of their ancestors.