Kyiv for a single traveler

"Landmarks" of Kyiv

Each city has its own "image". These are the types, architectural structures or symbols, a kind of "business cards" that are associated by locals and guests with this city, and sometimes with the country as a whole. If we take Paris, this is the Eiffel Tower, Rome - the Colosseum, London - Westminster and Big Ben. Kyiv has got several "business cards" at once.

St. Sophia Cathedrallocated in the city center, near the "Golden Gate" metro station. You can walk to it from Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square), or by other public transport. St. Sophia Cathedral is always photographed capturing the bell tower right from the same called square, where the monument to Bogdan Khmelnitsky is installed. You have to pay to enter it, but you get a chance to climb the bell tower, as well as visit several museums in the cathedral.

St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery located opposite the St. Sophia Cathedral. It’s rather a new building and according to the plan of the Soviet developers on the site of the Mikhailovsky Golden-domed Cathedral should have been located an exact mirror copy of the pompous Ministry of Foreign Policy. Today it is one of the main attractions in Kyiv. Right behind the cathedral there is the Vladimirsky Hill, which is the most “powerful place” in Kyiv. It is convenient to photograph it from the square, where the Princess Olga Monument is located, which is also included in most of the photo and postcard collections dedicated to Kyiv. This image is used together with the view of St. Andrew’s Descent from the Castle Hill, which captures both St. Andrew’s Church and the house called “Richard the Lion-Heart Castle”.

Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra is a recognized shrine not only of Kyiv, but of all Orthodox Christianity. Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra is called "Heaven-Like". Its appearance, according to legend, was prophesied by the Apostle Andrew the First-Called. Today the shrine attracts thousands of pilgrims daily. Today it is one of the "Places of Power" of Kyiv and one of the main attractions. The Lavra complex is located near the Arsenalna metro station (about 20 minutes on foot). You can get there by public transport, or walk past the Park of Glory and the Holodomor monument.

The Motherland Monument stands directly above the Museum of the Second World War in Kyiv and looks like a sculpture of a monument with a sword and shield. You can get there by public transport.

St. Vladimir Monument is a bronze monument to Prince Vladimir the Red Sun, who baptized Rus. The place of the baptism of Rus is marked by the monument with the honor of Kyiv receiving the Magdeburg rights, and it is precisely where Vladimir’s eyes are pointed at. The park where the monument stands is called “Vladimirska Hill” and is considered to be a place of power where you can feel a connection with the Space. Walking in the park can improve your health. This monument is often printed on postcards. It is easy to get from the European Square, going up the Kostelnaya Street, or bypassing the Mikhailovsky Golden-domed Cathedral.

St. Michael's Vydubytsky Men's Monastery is an excellent sight from the slopes of the M. M. Grishk Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. This is one of the best objects to take photos of Kyiv. The Andrew's descent from the Castle Hill is also the place of picturesque landscapes and photographs. Kyiv is a stunningly beautiful city and everyone will find here something sweet to the heart and pleasant to the eye.

MaidanNezalezhnosti is the landmark of Kyiv, since it is considered the main square of the city. Many concerts and significant events take place here. Although in recent years Kyivans more fond of St. Sophia Square, which is surrounded by shrines.

Kyiv-PecherskLavra, Motherland Motherland, the People's Friendship Arch and incredible greenery adorn the slopes of the Dnipro River. You can fully enjoy these views from a boat, where you can set out from the Dnepr metro station and PoshtovaPloshcha.

Walking routes in Kyiv

Pedestrian route in Kyiv. Day 1: Railway Station - Botanical Garden at the Universytet metro station–St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral - Kyiv National University named after T. Shevchenko - Shevchenko Park - Kieska Opera - Golden Gates - St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral - St. Andrew's Descent - Kontraktovaya Square.

Walking route in Kyiv. Day 2 (Historical trash): Independence Square - People's Friendship Arch - Parkovy Bridge (Bridge of Love / Devil's Bridge / Bridge of Madmen) - Mariinsky Palace and Park - Arsenalna metro station with traces of bursts –Askold’sGrave - Glory Park and Holodomor Genocide Museum - Kyiv-PecherskLavra– Motherland Monument and the Ukrainian State Museum of the Second World War (Great Patriotic War).

Watch a video about walking routes in Kyiv with comments and little-known facts on our youtube channel!

Walking around Kyiv

Kyiv sightseeing does not end only with landmarks and places of interest. Walking and enjoying the city may be enough. If you want to know more, you can buy a guided tour and then ancient legends or historical facts will revive for you, which will make you fall in love with Kyiv once and for all. You can do it even without paying for additional services: just read the description of the sights of Kyiv on the Internet. Of course, those who appreciate history of Kyiv and Ukraine won’t need any excursions to have a good time in Kyiv. But even for them, the city has many surprises and unsolved secrets.

We also offer a list of companies that organize thematic tours aroundKyiv! Want to know more about Kyiv football or mystical Kyiv? Or maybe you dreamed of solving the riddles of a famous architect? The enthusiasts will certainly love this place!

The best time to visit Kyiv

The best time to visit Kyiv is the May holidays (May 1-9). The appropriateness of this time is aligned with the spring flowering season - the city is filled with colors and pleases visitors with bright and delicate flowers of fruit and ornamental trees. You can come to Kyiv, look at the sights at any time, but during flowering it is especially pleasant. It’s not hot and not cold, which is an important fact for many tourists. Of course, flowering is highly dependent on weather conditions and can be put off for several weeks, but as a rule, during the May holidays, Kyiv is buried in flowers and this additionally decorates the city. First, apricots and cherriesbloom with white flowers (approximately mid-April), which is very noticeable when you enter the city ofKyiv and sleeping areas. Then sakura starts blooming as well; you can find it in the Landscape Alley and in Kyoto Park. Magnolias are blooming right after the sakura,you can come to the botanical gardens of the capital to admire them, especially in the Central Park (Universitet metro station). Or in the national M. M. Grishka Botanical Garden (you can get there by taking metro – Druzhby Narodov metro station). At the same time, ordinary apple trees bloom in both white and pink. You can enjoy the flowering of apple trees in Volodymyrska Hill Park, as well as near the Museum of History of Kyiv. A fragrant bird cherry blooms in Kyiv immediately after apricot and pleases you with a drunken scent for a few weeks. Lilac is the most flourishing plant in the city, and most of Kyivans go to the National Botanical Garden named after M. M. Grishk of the NAS of Ukraine to enjoy its view and scent. The famous view of the Dnipro and St. Michael's Vydubytsky Men's Monastery are the business cards of Kyiv.

Kyiv festivals

If your stay in Kyiv coincided with a thematic festival, you should definitely go and visit it!

"Made in Ukraine" festival of Ukrainian producers, where you can eat delicious food and buy clothes and things for everyday life. Entrance is totally free of charge. This is an open-air shopping center.

"Street music day" festival for those who like to listen and play musical instruments.Free entry.

Fans of masterclasses and oriental knowledge will appreciate the esoteric festival "Fairy Tale City", as well as the festival of yoga and the Vedic lifestyle Vedalife.

Read more about Kyiv festivals here!

Kyiv transport

There are two international airports outside the city: Boryspil and a small "Kyiv" airport in Zhulyany that only works with charters and low-costers. There are also two railway stations in Kyiv: the Central Bus Station (South and Suburban are located in the same place), and the Darnitsa railway station placed on the Left Bank of the Dnipro River. As for Kyiv bus stations, there are three main ones that have international routes: Central Bus Station (Nauky Ave., Demyevskayametro station), Kyiv-1 bus station (near the railway station), and Dachnaya bus station located on the outskirts in the western part of the city.

By the way, you can buy tickets online. You can book bus tickets from Kyiv, flight tickets across Ukraine, and international bus tickets online. The same thing with flights, because we have picked up the best search engine in our opinion. The only thing is that it is better to look at low-cost airline tickets on official websites, because you can always find a better offer there. You can feel free to check this out, and we'll also show you how to look for cheap flights. It’s much cheaper to fly on airplane than we used to think. So feel free to plan your trip, and we will be happy to tell you how to organize an independent trip!

Traveling around Kyiv

A list of places to go if you are getting bored while staying inKyiv!

• Kyivan Rus Park is an entertainment park in a Kyivan Rus style. Here you can spend plenty of time, try the Slavic cuisine, watch equestrian performances, as well as ride a horse. The ticket costs about 150 UAH/day. You can get there on a minibus. One way ticket will cost you about 35 UAH. The minibus stop is at the supermarket Buffet at the Vydubychi Metro Station.
• Ostrich farm. Actually, there are two ostrich farms in different directions near Kyiv. The first is the Yasnogorodskaya ostrich farm, which is also called the "Valley of Ostriches" (Kyiv region, Makarovsky district, the village of Yasnogorodka, Podlesnaya str. 32). The second one is in the Chubinskoe village (when you drive the Borispol highway) and can get there by minibus.
• Kyiv Sea is a great place for fishing and relaxing near the water. At special fishing recreation centers you can catch pikes and pike perches both from a boat and from special fishing platforms. Everything you need can be rented on site. You can always buy taranka, so get yourself a beer, warm clothes and a good mood. Here you can rent a room and even a bed. There is also the possibility of fishing and camping (camping tent).
• Mezhygirya Residence is the former presidential residence that has an excellent park and a small local zoo. It’s now a popular museum. You can book a tour or go there by yourself. You can get to Mezhyhirya by bus from the HeroyivDnipra metro station. A private bus will get you to the sight for 20 hryvnias. Thecity Bogdan bus costs about seven hryvnia. You should better a sports outfit and comfortable shoes because the park is quite large and hilly.
• Baturin is a national historical and cultural reserve that has been renewed several years ago. You can get from Kyiv to Baturin by public transport, first by train to Bakhmach or Konotop, and then take a bus. You can also take a taxi. From the Bakhmachbus station there is a bus that goes there every three hours, starting at 5:30 and ending at 20 o'clock in the evening. For example, you can take the train 830/829 Fastov-Shostka that departs at 7:40 and arrives in Bakhmach at 10 am. Then you can take a bus that will take you to Baturin.
• Bila Tserkva is famous for its large Alexander Park where you can spend a wonderful day. You can get to Bila Tserkva by bus or train. It can take you from 35 minutes to get there.
• Rzhyshchiv (Tripolye). There you can visit museums (two in the village of Tripoli and one in Rzhyshchiv) devoted to the Tripoli culture (one of the oldest in the world).
• Kanev is notable for the fact that this is the place where the grave of T.G. Shevchenko and the memorial complex dedicated to the great Ukrainian poet are located. There are several places of interest as well.
• Trakhtemirov Peninsula located near Kanev. You can get there by bus from the Vydubichi bus station, as well as by a private cab.
• Uman is a great chance to enjoy a walk in one of the best arboretums of Ukraine, Sofiyivka. Especially if you visit this place for the first time. It is best to go to Uman by your personal car or bus.
• Korsun'-Shevchenkivs'kyi attracts by its estate of Stanislav Ponyatovsky (later the Lopukhins-Demidovs), as well as a landscape park. Sometimes it is called the Lopukhins Palace. It is a good idea to go to Korsun'-Shevchenkivs'kyi in summer, because you can have a chance to sunbathe on the stone wings on the river Ros.
• Pereyaslav-Khmel'nyts'kyi will delight you with the magnificent museum of folk architecture and life under the open sky.
• Desna and its bows always amazed tourists. The best idea to travel the Desna is on boats, rafts and kayaks. There are many recreation centers on Desna, which are relatively close to Kyiv. Many of them can be reached by taxi. But it is best to have a motorboat to go on a travel there.