You are thoroughly planning your trip to Kiev, browsing the web for information on the best sights, restaurants and nightclubs in Kiev, and thinking about how to best plan your stay, what to see and where to go … camera to take beautiful photos of golden domes, Khreschatik street and the parks of Kiev … You are thinking what to wear and checking the weather forecast for the days of your visit … In a few days or weeks you will arrive in another world with smiling people , old brick streets, monuments and cathedrals …
Fast facts:
Condition: capital of Ukraine
Number of regions: 10
Foundation date: 5th century AD
Area: 839 km2
Elevation: 179 m above sea level
Geographical coordinates: latitude 50 ° 27’N; longitude 30 ° 30’E
Weather: moderate continental with mild winter and warm summer
Temperature: the average temperature of Kiev in January is 6 degrees below zero Celsius, the average in June is 20 degrees above zero Celsius; the lowest temperature in winter is 25 degrees below zero Celsius; The highest temperature in summer is 32 degrees above zero degrees Celsius.
Population: 2.6 million (2005)
Density: 3178 people / km2
Car code: AA
Telephone code: +380 44
Mayor of Kiev: Leonid Chernovetskiy (since 2006)
History of Kiev
Legend has it that there was a princely family of three brothers named Kiy, Schek and Khoryv and a sister Lybid. Kiy ruled a powerful Slavic tribe and was looking for a place to make a new home for his people. When they reached the beautiful hills above the Dnepr river and saw a wonderful panorama of the blue river and seven chestnut-covered hills, they liked that place very much and decided to settle there. They established a city and named it Kiev in honor of his older brother Kiy more than 1500 years ago. Prince Kiy and his family lived on a hill, Schek settled on another hill that got the Schekavitsa mane, and Khoryv settled on the third hill called Khorevitsa.
From 882, Kiev became the capital of an ancient and powerful state called Kievan Rus. In 998, Prince Vladimir of Kiev introduced Christianity to Kiev Rus by baptizing the people of Kiev in the Dnepr River. In 1240, the city was demolished by Mongol Tatars who invaded Kiev Rus, and later it was rebuilt. From 1362 Kiev and most of Ukraine belonged to Lithuania and Poland and in 1654 it became part of the Russian Empire and then the USSR.
In 1991, the Ukrainian people voted for the independence of Ukraine and Kiev became their capital. Since then, it has been the center of political, economic and cultural life in Ukraine.
In November 2004, Kiev was the centerpiece of the Orange Revolution when hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians protested against the falsification of elections in the streets and then elected another ruling party and the president of Ukraine.
Accommodation in Kiev
Most visitors to Kiev prefer apartment or hotel accommodation. Kiev hotels provide security and a certain level of service according to their level (three stars, four stars, five stars), Kiev apartments allow greater privacy and flexibility. The average single room in a Kiev hotel will cost $ 100-130 per night, while a 1-room apartment with all the amenities will cost $ 40-60 depending on its location, space, and additional facilities such as jakuzzi, home theater, etc. .
Kiev Attractions Rating
I recomend you to visit:
Kiev golden gate – the ancient Kiev gate, now in its very center, is made of wood and stone with a small golden dome above
St. Sophia Cathedral – one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Kiev with a bell tower and chestnut trees around the cathedral
St. Michael’s Cathedral – Newly rebuilt cathedral with beautiful blue walls, ornaments and large golden domes
St. Vladimir’s Cathedral – cathedral in the center of Kiev where official Orthodox religious ceremonies take place
St. Andrew’s Church and Andrew’s Descent (Andreevskiy Spusk) – a popular place with tourists with numerous souvenir stalls, old brick descent, art galleries and museums
Kiev Cave Monastery (Lavra) – the old monastery where you can see the caves where the monks lived in ancient times, various churches and the largest bell tower in Kiev
Museum of Russian Art and Museum of Ukrainian Art – art connoisseurs will greatly enjoy seeing masterpieces of world art in the museums of Kiev
Kiev Opera and Ballet Theater – a pleasant experience of listening to live classical music and watching dances
Pirogovo ethnic village – the opportunity to see old village houses, windmills and household appliances from different regions of Ukraine
War museum – you can see there numerous tanks and warplanes and the gigantic metal statue of the woman who symbolizes the Homeland
Kiev Botanical Garden – in spring and summer you can see beautiful trees and blooming flowers
Mariinsky Palace – a majestic palace where official government ceremonies take place, it is surrounded by a green park with a panorama of Dnepr and its left bank
Independence Square – the very central part of Kiev, from which distances to other cities are calculated, has a large underground shopping center, central post office, banks and restaurants
Khreschatik Street – main street of Kiev, where people can walk on the highway on Saturdays and Sundays
Mount vladimir – a park on the mountain with a large statue symbolizing Prince Vladimir with a cross when he introduced Christianity and baptized the Slavs.
What to wear
If you come to Kiev in summer, it would be good to bring a summer jacket, jeans and T-shirts, sandals or baskets and probably shorts or dress in case of heat. For spring or fall it is better to bring some warm things and a jacket. For winter you will need a winter coat or warm jacket, some sweaters, a scarf, gloves, and a cap.
If you enter a church or cathedral, women must cover their heads with a shawl, while men must remove their hats.
Eating in Kiev
To try delicious Ukrainian cuisine we recommend the following restaurants in Kiev:
Pervak restaurant – a mid-priced restaurant located at 2, Rognedinskaya St. You can taste borsch and vareniks, small cakes and various meat and fish dishes. Dinner will cost you around $ 30-50 per person depending on the food and drink you choose.
Taras restaurant – located in the Shevchenko park near the main museums of Kiev, near the University of Kiev. You can order various pancakes, as well as dishes of national cuisine. Dinner will cost you $ 35-55.
USSR restaurant – located near the Kiev War Museum and Kiev Lavra Monastery at 42/1 Sichnevogo Povstannya St. and decorated with symbols of the USSR. Dinner will cost you $ 35-55.
Puzata Khata (big belly house) fast food restaurant combining an original interior in country house style, tasty Ukrainian food, a wide variety of dishes and affordable prices. It is located in the very center, 1 / 2a Basseinaya St., at the beginning of Khreschatik. Here you can try traditional Ukrainian pampushky, chicken Kiev, different salads and main dishes. On the first floor you can also choose one of the many cakes and even order fresh juice. The cost of dinner is $ 3-10 per person.
Zdorovenky Buly (Good health to you)
It is a very popular fast food restaurant located near Khreschatik subway station that probably has the largest variety of different foods: salad bar, pancakes, varenyky, pizzas, soups, delicious desserts. Its comfortable rooms are decorated in various styles: Chinese, Indian, Egyptian and Greek. It also has a tea bar with cakes where one can sit and chat. Dinner: $ 3-10 per person.
Ukrainian souvenirs
You can buy various Ukrainian souvenirs at Andrew Descent (Andreevskiy Spusk): embroidered towels, matrioshkas, painted wooden plates and eggs, glass souvenirs, small dolls with national clothes, paintings and clothes. There is also a souvenir section in the central Kiev magazine (Tsum), located on Khreschatik St and a souvenir shop near the Saint Sophia Cathedral.