Kyiv is the Hidden Jewel Of Eastern Europe and fast becoming the coolest Capital city in Europe. Geographically, Kyiv sits at the center of Europe, just about two-three hours flight time from the main European cities. In reality it feels like an entirely different world. Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, is the most beautiful city of all the post–Soviet countries. It is a city of everything you least expect. The so called “Mother of all Slavic cities”, steeped in history and rich in culture. Kiev is an ancient city where old meets new and East meets West.
Due to the abundance of cultural and natural sites there is something interesting for every guest coming to visit Ukraine: enjoying the fascinating architectural ensembles of Ukrainian cities, some of which are objects of cultural heritage by UNESCO, visiting the marvelous palaces and parks, exploring the unique culture of the Ukrainian villages, enjoying relaxing holidays at Odessa and Black Sea or Sea of Azov resort coasts or the skiing resorts of the Carpathian Mountains. Despite the enormous tourism resources, Ukraine is not overwhelmed with the crowds of tourists that will surely make your trip more pleasant.
No other city in Europe has more green open spaces than Kyiv. Beautiful parks and flowers, tree lined boulevards and the vast Dnipro river. “More enchanting than you anticipated, friendlier than you imagined, and cheaper than just about anywhere else in Europe! There has never been a better time to visit Kyiv and Ukraine”
Kyiv is on the edge of being discovered by mass tourism but still retains an identity which other popular European destinations have lost. In recent years Kiev has been voted the best emerging tourist destination in the world by two leading travel sites. Art and culture, great restaurant’s, bars and fascinating sightseeing. There has never been a more exciting opportunity to visit Europe’s next big tourist destination.
Location: Geographically, Kyiv is located on a border of the Polesia (woodland) ecological zone (a part of the European mixed woods) and forest steppe biome. However, the city’s unique landscape distinguishes it from the surrounding region. Kyiv is completely surrounded by Kyiv Oblast. Originated on the right bank, today Kyiv is located on both sides of the Dnipro River, which flows southward through the city towards the Black Sea.
Climate: humid continental climate
Status: capital of Ukraine, city with special status
Public transport: Metro (underground), urban train, buses and minibuses, trolleybuses, trams, taxi and funicular
– Oleh Blokhin, Ukrainian football player
– Mikhail Bulgakov, Russian writer
– Olga Fridman, Ukrainian/Israeli tennis player
– Eugeniusz Horbaczewski, Polish fighter pilot
– Milton Horn, Russian American sculptor
– Vladimir Horowitz, classical pianist
– Milla Jovovich, American actress
– Jan Koum, American computer programmer, CEO and co-founder of WhatsApp
– Ana Layevska, Ukrainian-Mexican actress
– Serge Lifar, French ballet dancer
– Valeriy Lobanovskyi, Soviet and Ukrainian football coach
– Kazimir Malevich, pioneer of geometric abstract art and the originator of the avant-garde Suprematist movement
– Golda Meir, Israeli politician, the fourth Prime Minister of Israel
– Alexander Ostrowski, mathematician
– Nicholas Pritzker, scion of the Pritzker Family
– Lev Shestov, Russian existentialist philosopher
– Andriy Shevchenko, Ukrainian footballer
– Igor Sikorsky, Russian-American aviation pioneer
Since introducing a visa-free regime for EU-member states and Switzerland in 2005, Ukraine has seen a steady increase in the number of foreign tourists visiting the country. Prior to the 2008–2009 recession the average annual growth in the number of foreign visits in Kyiv was 23% over a three-year period. In 2009 a total of 1.6 million tourists stayed in Kyiv hotels of which almost 259,000 (ca. 16%) were foreigners.
Kinds of tourism: sightseeing, historical, architectural, national (Jewish, Polish), V.I.P., event, incentive, Honeymoon, congress, extreme, beer, medical, sport, music, property investment, ecological
Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) -the main square of Ukraine and loved place of the rest of kievants and guests of the capital. There are monument to Independence of Ukraine, Kyiv conservatory, main post office, monument of the architecture – Lyadski Gates with gilded sculpture of Archangel Michael – a protector of Kyiv. Enormous underground “Globe” Trade-Entertainment Center invites you to walk on its boutiques and shop, sit in cosy cafes and fast-food restaurants.
Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra (Cave Monastery) – the main saint place amongst European Byzantium orthodox shrine. The Cave priory was founded in XI v. by monks Antoniy and Feodosiy. Architectural-artistic complex and museum borough united here with sedation of the imperishable powers of God`s sycophants on Near and Distant caves. Full name of the priory points to its main of the shrines. The Miraculous image of the Blessed Virgin`s Assumption formed the temple icon of the Assumption Cathedral on territory of Upper Lavra. The oldest and the most honouring Lavra on Rus is Kyiv`s. Architectural ensemble of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra is contributed in UNESCO list of the worldwide heritage. Also on territory of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra you will be able to visit the museum of the History valuables of Ukraine, State museum of the book and topographies of Ukraine, State museum of Ukrainian public decorative art and State museum of theatrical, music and cinema arts of Ukraine.
St. Sophia’s Cathedral – the most known and the most majestic cathedral amongst ancient temple of the East Europe, worldwide known masterpiece of the architecture, fresco painting and mosaic art. Erection in 1037 of Kyiv`s St. Sophia was for Grand duke Yaroslav the Wise act of the statement state earthy remains Kyivan Rus brown. In token receivership beside citadels of the orthodoxy – Byzantium – Kyiv metropolitans cathedral was named into the name of St. Sophia, either as main shrine of Konstantinopol. St. Sophia cathedral is contributed in UNESCO list of the worldwide heritage.
Khreschatyk – the main street of Kyiv. Two hundred years of Khreschatyk`s existence – a small period for ancient Kyiv, but this street by length some 1300 m anytime remains the most popular revenge of our city – its Broadway, its Champs Elysees, its Nevsky avenue. Khreschatyk is praised by bards and poets, retained by artists and cinematographers; he is expressed on postcard and post stamps. Shady chestnuts in time of its blossom at May contend the beauty with ensemble of old-time and post war buildings. In spite of abundance of the offices and shop, many here brings not business interest, but desire to repose, sit in one of the uncountable cafe, breathe special, truly capital air, which in recently became more cleanest because of that on holydays Khreschatyk becomes especially pedestrian.
St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery, (a short distance and easily visible from St. Sophia’s cathedral). A working monastery that goes back to the 12th Century. Destroyed during the Soviet era, with many of its art works hastily removed, some of which were transferred to the museums in Moscow and St Petersburg, some were moved to St Sophia Cathedral. Some mosaics housed in St Sophia subsequently fell into the hands of the Nazis but were returned… to Hermitage in St Petersburg. Rebuilt in 1997-98. Impressive gold domes best visited on a sunny day. Behind the complex is a pleasant park with views of the Dnieper and, to the left, the entrance to the funicular.
Andriivskyi Uzviz (St. Andrew’s Descent) – the most picturesque Kyiv`s street. Amazing landscape, inimitable St. Andrew church, peculiar “Castle of Richard – a Lion`s Heart”, Bulgakov`s relics and come alive sale souvenir and works of art. Today scenic Andriivskyi Uzviz for its tempestuous artistic life possible to compare to Monmartre in Paris.
Built in the honor of St Andrew (Apostle of the Kievan Rus), the Church broke ground in 1744. According to the chronicle The Tale of Bygone Years, Saint Andrew came to the Dnieper (Dnipro) river’s slopes in the 1st Century AD and erected a cross on the current location of the church. He prophesied that the sparsely inhabited area would one day become a great city. His prediction turned out to be correct: that “site” became the city of Kiev, a center of the Eastern Orthodox faith.
Golden Gate is the main gate of ancient Kiev. They were reconstructed during the construction of St. Sophia Cathedral. In the late 17th century the front gate had still parts of the fortifications, but in the middle of the 18th century they were destroyed and covered with earth. The gates “came to life” for the first time in 1832 during excavations, and were completely renewed in 1982.
Podil is the oldest part of Kyiv. It is rightfully considered one of the most popular regions of Kyiv. Podil – an entailment of the democratic spirit in our city. Here toiled the handicraftsmen, traded the merchant, met in magistrate “fathers of the city”, but afterwards they properly were prayed in multiple churches of Podil. Simultaneously possible was meeting the temples of the other communes – Polish, Jewish, Armenian, Greek, German, Tatar on Podil. The glorified Bratska School – a future Kyiv-Mohyla academy was created on Podil. Podil is ravines of ancient handy crafts Honchari-Kozhumyaki-Dehtyari, this is Brodskyi mill and old-time power station, bicentennial plumbing and sundial, the first drugstore and car in Kyiv, the first in Russian empire tram, this river fleet, Kontraktovyi fair and Zhytniy market… Podil was ravaged by hostile tribes. It was going to liquidate by the order of Catherine II. Majority of Podil constructions were burned to ashes by grandiose fire in 1811. Dnipro bottling swamped Podil streets. But region immortal.
Museum of the II World War (Mother Motherland). Its territory occupies 20 ha. Idea of this gigantic memorial has offered shortly before its death to sculptor E. Vuchetich. The main building of the complex became the museum premises, terminated by high cone-pedestal, on which is installed statue of the Homeland-Mother with weight 530 t. Height of the whole building from foot of the building before tip sculpture`s sword is 108 m. There are thematic sculptural compositions, gigantic chalice, in which Fire of Immortal Fame fires at Victory Day, exhibition of the military materiel on the memorial`s territory. Pecherskyi Landscape Park verges to the memorial`s territory. The flowers exhibitions regularly settle down here. There is equipped the Singers field for mass open air concerts near the memorial.
Babyn Yar is a ravine which was the site of massacres of Jews, Gypsies, and other civilians by the Nazis and their puppets during World War II. Approximately 60,000 civilians were executed at this site during the war (over 34,000 Jews in the first two days alone). Now a memorial to “Soviet citizens” murdered by the Germans, the park can be reached via the metro.
Ancient Kyiv in “The Kyivan Rus Park” is a unique reconstruction of one of the most famous and at the same time the most mysterious medieval city of the Eastern Europe – Ancient Kiev of the V-XIII centuries, the capital of the greatest country – Kyivan Rus. It is being reconstructed in the size of its historical center known as Detinets of Kiev or the city of Vladimir in its real scale 1:1, taking into consideration the modern scientific knowledge. For the first time in the mankind’s history, the unique atmosphere of Ancient Kiev and the Kyivan Rus is being recreated.
The Mamaeva Sloboda Open Air Museum replicates a traditional Cossack settlement of the 17th and 18th centuries in the heart of Kiev. With nearly 100 buildings spread out over 9.2 hectares, the museum offers visitors a glimpse of Ukrainian architecture and a look into the Ukrainian way of life, starting with the Cossack three-domed wooden church that stands in the center of the museum. As visitors make their way through the grounds, they will also see the estates of a church warden, blacksmith, potter, fortune teller and several Cossacks, each with multiple structures such as storehouses, stables and barns. Visitors also have the opportunity to sample traditional Ukrainian dishes at the museum restaurant, to ride Cossack horses, to feed farm animals and to learn more about Ukrainian customs, rites and handicrafts.
Mezhyhirya Residence is definitely a unique attraction that represents both a real embodiment of luxury and an example of how limitless power can effect human mind. The former president of Ukraine V. Yanukovych’s residence impresses its visitors with its refinement and magnitude. Be ready to be shocked with an extreme luxury of the house of the Viktor Yanukovych in Mezhyhirya. There is probably no other so sumptuous place in Ukraine. This tour will help you discover many sides of the former Ukrainian president’s life.
One of the visiting cards of Kyiv is one of its soccer clubs – “Dynamo”. Club created in 1927 and is a 13-times USSR National champion and 9-times owner of the USSR Cup. For time of its existence “Dynamo” Kyiv has won the UEFA Cup Winners` Cup in 1975 and 1986, as well as UEFA Super Cup in 1975. Presently club – 14-times champion of Ukraine and 10-times owner of the Cup of Ukraine. “Dynamo” Kyiv players Oleg Blokhin and Igor Belanov became the owner of Golden Ball, which is delivered to European Footballer of the Year. In 2004 owner of Golden Ball became the FC “Dynamo” Kyiv alumnus Andriy Shevchenko, player of Italian AC “Milan”. We invite you to visit the matches with participation of the glorified club, presently emerging in UEFA Champion’s League, other UEFA Cups, Championship and Cup of Ukraine. Matches are conducted on stadium “Dynamo” and Olympic Stadium.
The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone – is the radioactive contaminated restricted territory after Chernobyl accident in 1986. It includes the northern part of Ivankov district in Kyiv region, the town of Chernobyl and Pripyat, the north of the Polesie district in Kiev region (including the village Poliske and village Vilcha), as well as part of Zhytomyr region up to the border with Belarus with a total area of more than 2000 square kilometers. After the accident, there were established boundaries of the exclusion zone. It’s includes three territories: the 30-kilometer zone (perimeter), Chernobyl town (the shift settlement) and 10-kilometer zone – the most contaminated industrial site of Chernobyl. Checkpoints are control access to the zones.