Women are supposed to cover their heads and put on skirts before entering the caves or churches. However, this is not always enforced for tourists. You may be invited to take the church's shawls - one to cover your head and a second to wrap your legs like a skirt. Or you may buy nice shawls at Pechersk Lavra.
Chernobyl' Museum, Khoryv Lane, 1 (Metro “Kontraktova Plosha”), ☎ 0038 (044) 417-54-22, . Mon-Fri 10-18; Sat 10-17. A fascinating and moving museum. No signage in English, but English audio guides are available for a fee - highly recommended. Metro: Kontraktova Ploscha. �
Khreschatyk (Хрещатик) Street - The main drag of the city centre. It is closed to traffic on some weekends and full of entertainers and people wandering around. A big happy crowd and very conducive to peoplewatching. Metro: Maydan Nezalezhnosti or Khreschatyk.
Kiev Pechersk Lavra (Cave Monastery--Печерськалавра), (Metro station Arsenal'na is a couple blocks away from the main entrance. You can take a trolley from the subway station - 2 stops). One of the oldest and most important monasteries in Ukraine and in the teritory of the former Soviet Union. Only the most important monasteries were designated as Lavras; there were only four, of which this Cave Monastery is the oldest. It was founded in 1077 by St Antoniy. The caves were dug out by priests who lived there as hermits. Nowadays, the caves are venerated by the faithful and tourists who visit the mummified monks, and pilgrims are still allowed access to the underground church there. There are two parts to the modern complex: the upper lavra, owned by the state and consisting of a number of museums (entry fee); and the lower lavra, owned by the Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriach) and consisting of the caves (you'll need 1 UAH to buy a candle to enter). Do not miss the display of micro-miniatures in the upper lavra. It sounds lame, but it is fascinating. You can enter the caves in the lower part if you dress correctly (women MUST cover their hair and wear skirts, no shorts. Expensive scarves are for sale there). Women can only just get away with pants in the winter. Start at the Lower Lavra, visiting the caves before the crowds descend for the day. There are two cave complexes, each housing the mummified remains of monks, as well as religous icons and other relics. Both caves are accessed through churches, with the entrance to the shorter caves at the end of a boardwalk. While it is free to enter the caves, you must purchase a taper candle in order to light your way. The caves are not recommended for the claustrophobic or overly tall. Once you're in there, it's hard, even impossible to turn around and go back out - you have to keep going. �
St. Sophia's
Museum of Folk Architecture and Rural Life (Музейнародноїархітектуритапобуту - Muzey narodnoyi arkhitetury ta pobutu), Krasnoznamennaya street, 1, Pirogovo (Bus #156 or #172 from Respublikans'kyi Stadion or Lybedskaya Metro stations goes there for US$0.30 (pay driver). About one hour.), ☎ +38(044) 526 57 65. daily. Covering 160 ha, the area shows how people used to live in different parts of the Ukraine. Six restored rural Ukranian villages, with old huts, wooden mills and churches from all over Ukraine have been carefully restored and function as living museums. English-speaking (sort of) guides with expertise on the whole site are available and well worth-it. Ukrainians come on sunny days to relax in the grass. �
St Sophia's Cathedral (СоборСвятоїСофії - Sobor Sviatoyi Sofiyi), (Metro: Zoloti Vorota). 09.00-16.00. The oldest remaining church in Kiev. Parts date from the 11th century. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and has numerous paintings and mosaics including the Virgin Orans mosaic. Several green-robed ladies maintain order and will shout at you if you look like you are planning to take a photo. The gatehouse and other restorations were completed in the 17th century. Outside the gates, there is a statue commemorating Bogdan Hmelnitski, who liberated Kiev in the 17th century... then gave the city to the Russian Empire. UAH43 for admission to the complex and church. Additional charges to climb the bell tower, visit the museum and have a guided tour. �
St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral
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 subsequently fell into the hands of the Nazis. 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. �
Motherland Statue and War memorials - Kiev was pretty much destroyed during the invasion in WWII. The memorial near the motherland statue is pretty gripping. Lots of examples of classic Soviet-era memorial statuary as well as some amazing exhibits of military hardware. The Museum to the Great Patriotic War (WWII) located in the base of the statue is a must-see for visitors interested in the impact the German invasion had on the Soviet Union. Well worth the visit even if you don't speak or read any Russian (several English language tours are provided daily). It's well curated and full of artifacts (including weapons, battle maps, hundreds of original photographs, and a moving installation at the end of the exhibit symbolizing the great losses suffered). There is also a small museum of the Afghan conflict nearby. Try to enter coming from the top part of the Pecherska Lavra. This way you get submerged with old soviet music and dark statues. Metro: Pecherska, Arsenal'na
Babyn Yar (Бабин Яр) - 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.
Maydan Nezalezhnosti (Майдан Незалежності) - Independence Square, located on Khreschatyk Street. Maidan is known throughout the world as the place where supporters of Yuschenko and the Orange Revolution camped for weeks on end in October 2004. This is a central meeting place in Kiev. Metro: Maydan Nezalezhnosti or Kreschatyk
Kiev TV Tower (Телевізійна вежа - Televiziyna vezha) is the tallest lattice tower in the world. It is not accessible for tourists.
Statue at top of Andrew's Descent
Andriyivs'ky Uzviz (Андріївський узвіз) or Andrew's Descent - At the top of this quaint, very rough cobblestone street is St Andrew's Church (closed for restoration in 2011). Sidewalks are gradually being added to the Descent but, meanwhile, take a good pair of shoes. Andrew's Descent winds down to Kontraktova Ploscha in Podil. The street is lined with souvenir sellers, restaurants, galleries and museums. Touristy but retains charm.
One Street Museum (Музей однієї вулиці - Muzey odniyeyi vulytsi). (Andriyivsky uzviz (Андріївський узвіз), 2-B Kyiv.) The collection of the One Street Museum is dedicated to the history of the Andriyivskyi uzviz (Andrew's Descent) and its famous residents. Open daily from 12 noon to 6PM (closed Mondays) Web-site of the One Street Museum
Mariyins'ky Palace (Маріїнський Палац) and Mariyinsky park where Lovers' bridge is situated.
State Aviation Museum - located inside the old Zhulyany Airport with many impressive Soviet civil and military aircraft on display, including an An-2, Tu-104, Il-62, Il-76, an Il-86 and is constantly improving. The museum is opposite to the airport terminal, which is an industrial zone. To get there, you can either take Trolleybus #9 from the main train station - Kiev Passazhirsky (South exit)/Vokzalna metro stop or #22 from Šuljavska (Шулявська) metro station, both until Sevastopol Square (Sevastopolskaya Ploshad). From there, take the minibus 220 that will take you straight to the museum (last stop). Walking in the surrounding area after dark is not advisable as the area is poorly lit and stray dogs are present. Admission: 15 UAH.
German Military graveyard- located on the road to Odessa, about 20 km away from Kiev, next to the Kiev cemetery. About 10000 German soldiers are buried here, after the battles around Kiev in 1941 and 1944.
Great Gate of Kiev - * Zoloti Vorota (Золоті ворота). Metro: Zoloti Vorota. This is a 1982 reconstruction of the Golden Gates of Kiev, described by Mussorgski in "Pictures of an Exhibition" It is quite a nice spot to visit and learn about the town walls. Some nice buildings are also there and you can inspect the Porsche Cayennes, Lexuses, Audis, BMWs and Mercedes of Ukraine's nouveau riche who are very much into conspicuous consumption.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Kiev
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Kiev - updated May 2024
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Kiev Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
