Staryi Solotvyn is a small village located around 170 km west of Kyiv. The village was first mentioned in the middle of the 16th century, and although the village has its own interesting history and a few things worth visiting, including Holy Cross church, very few people have even heard about this place until recently. The recent hype is due to an old fisherman’s house located on a small island in the middle of the river in Staryi Solotvyn, Ukraine.
The island where the Fisherman’s house was built is called “Love island”. This is an artificial island that was made in 1970. Somewhere around 1985 a small house appeared to give a shelter to fishermen during rains and for exhibiting hunting trophies. In fact the island was built by the local hunters that carried all the materials to the middle of the river by themselves. Later on they made a wooden bridge that connected the Love island with the rest of the village.
On the island, beside the Fisherman’s House, grow a few trees and behind the house is a cute old wooden bench.
There is nothing special about this place, except it looks like it popped up out of an old Slavic fairy tale about Vodyanyi. The scenery is actually quite romantic, no wonder people called this island “Love island”.
There is not much to do around this site, except take some great photos. By the way, it is a fact that photos of this place always look amazing, no matter if it is sunny or a thunderstorm.
For those who like fishing or camping you are welcome to spend a night in a tent, on the bank of the river and try to catch your lunch. Just don’t forget to clean up after yourself.
There are not many places to buy snacks at this site, so if you are planning on staying overnight bring food with you. Last time when I visited the Fisherman’s house I saw a small shop that looked like they have stick coffee and chips, but due to Covid, the store was closed.
The easiest way to get to Fisherman’s House in Staryi Solotvyn is by driving. Since it is located not far from Berdychiv you can visit there as well and check their fantastic castle that nowadays is a cathedral and a monastery.
If you don’t drive and want to use public transportation you can do so by taking a train (elektrichka) that goes to Reya village and from there get a lift or walk for an hour to Staryi Solotvyn. Or get to the Bus station in Berdychiv and buy a direct ticket.
Overall, the Fisherman’s house is nothing special except for its atmosphere and magical photos you can take. If you are passing near this location, it is definitely worth 15-30 minutes on Love island. If you are coming out of your way to see this place, it might be too much hassle for not a big reward.
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