It is with great horror that we see the sad images from Ukraine. We have decided to leave the following article from 2019 unchanged for the time being in order to present the beauty of the city of Kyiv before the outbreak of the war. Our thoughts are with the families on site.
Kiev is the capital and largest city in the northern part of Ukraine. Divided by the wide Dnieper River, it has almost 3 million inhabitants. Kiev has several nicknames, one of which is “City of Trees”. A proverb says that in the summer months you can walk from one end of Kiev to the other without having to leave the shade of the trees once.
Another designation “City of Golden Domes” reflects the architectural splendor of Kiev’s churches.
What is the climate in Kyiv?
Kiev has a temperate continental climate, with average temperatures of 19 to 26 °C in summer and −5 to −1 °C in winter.
Which sights are interesting?
Kiev impresses with a rich range of sights. When visiting churches and monasteries, please note that believers in Ukraine are very strict about clothing in places of worship, arms and legs must always be covered.
Worth seeing is “The Golden Gate”, a historic city gate. It was built in the years 1017 to 1024 according to the model of the Golden Gate of Constantinople. Today, the gate, which was reconstructed after damage, houses a museum.
St. Sophia’s Cathedral with its huge, golden domes is considered one of the most famous buildings of European-Christian culture. Since 1990, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Also a UNESCO World Heritage Site is the Lavra Cave Monastery, a huge monastery complex.
The Andreassteig is one of the most famous streets in Kiev. Starting with the beautiful “Andreas Kirche”, it offers numerous galleries and workshops over 750 meters. It is the meeting place of the art scene and is also called the “Montmartre of Kiev”.
The “Vladimirskiy Cathedral”, the “St. Michaels-Platz”, the “St. St. Michael’s Monastery with its sky-blue color and golden domes, the “Bessarabskiy Market” as well as the “Alexander Church” or the “Mariinskiy Park” with the palace are also popular destinations.
The “Pyrohiv Museum” of folk architecture and customs is one of the largest open-air museums in Europe. Here you can find over 300 examples of traditional folk architecture and more than 40,000 household items and cultural objects.
What sports activities can I do in Kiev?
In addition to offers for a parachute jump or a balloon ride, Kiev offers countless other opportunities for sporting activities. Golf lovers meet at the “Golfstream” sports centre, friends of mini-golf at the “Cosmo Golf” sports complex.
The “City Entertainment” or “Gulliver” houses a bowling center, billiards is played in the “Promenada Club”.
For climbing enthusiasts, there is the “Ninja House” or a large number of climbing parks.
In the “Need for Speed” Kart Center you can do fast laps, in the “Falcon Paintball Club” you can choose between laser tag or paintball and train your marksmanship in the “Ibis Shooting Club”.
The sports centre “Olmeca Plage”, which offers a beautiful beach and several large swimming pools in summer, or the aquapark “Terminal” with a large swimming pool and a spa centre are very popular.
In summer, the “Hydropark” attracts visitors with sandy beaches, water sports and bars. Here you can play beach volleyball and handball or go on a catamaran and boat.
Ice skating or skating is also no problem in Kiev. The ice arena in the “Bolshevik” shopping center, the “Extreme Zone” ice rink in the “Aladdin” shopping center or the “Katok Skating Rin” offer opportunities for this. Snowboarding is possible in winter at the “Protasov Yar Sports Center”.
What animal parks and zoos are there in Kyiv?
Highlights are the dolphinarium in the aquapark “Terminal” with a daily show or the oceanarium “Morskaya Skazka” (Sea Fairy Tale) with three themed halls.
Horse lovers visit “Butenko Stable” or the “Favorit Equestrian Club”, which, in addition to the possibility of pony riding, also houses a mini zoo. Another mini and petting zoo is located in the “Strana Enotia” (Raccoon Land).
The “Kiev Zoo” is a must for young tourists and the “Four-legged Cafe” with its cats is a café experience of a special kind.
Art and culture in Kiev
Classical music is played in the “National Concert Hall of Organ and Chamber Music” in St. Nicholas Cathedral.
Ballet performances are performed by the world-famous Ukrainian National Ballet in the “Taras Shevchenko Opera House”.
Nightlife in Kiev
Kiev has a lively nightlife, including the hipster club “Closer”, the “Klub D*Lu” or the “Caribbean Club”.
To chill out, you go to the after-work club “Pink Freud Kyiv”.
The “Paradise Cabaret” is a well-known place for dance shows, the disco “Ultramarin” entertains its guests with an excellent musical program.
The “City Entertainment” is a center with very good restaurants and nightclubs as well as a shisha bar with a view of the Dnieper.
There is a cozy pub in the “Docker Pub”.
Interesting concerts in an intimate setting can be experienced in the “Dom Master Class”.
The “VR HUB Club” offers a wide range of games, from board and Playstation games to a virtual reality station.
In the club “Three After Midnight” you can rediscover your senses in complete darkness in five interactive rooms, escape rooms are available in “Vzperti (Locked)” and “Pod Zamkom (Under the Lock)”.
