You are planning your trip to Kiev in depth, browsing the web for information on the best attractions, restaurants and nightlife in Kiev, and thinking about how to best plan your stay, what to see and where to go ... Are you preparing your new camera to take beautiful pictures of golden domes, Khreschatik street and Kiev parks ... You are thinking about 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, ancient brick streets, monuments and cathedrals ...
The facts in brief:State: capital of Ukraine
Number of regions: 10
Foundation date: 5th century AD
Area: 839 km2
Elevation: 179 m above sea level
Geographic coordinates: latitude 50 ° 27'N; longitude 30 ° 30'E
Climate: moderate continental with mild winter and hot 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 Celsius.
Population: 2.6 million (2005)
Density: 3178 people / km2
Telephone number: +380 44
Mayor of Kiev: Leonid Chernovetskiy (from 2006)
Kiev historyLegend has it that there was a prince family of three brothers named Kiy, Schek and Khoryv and a sister Lybid. Kiy ran a powerful Slavic tribe and looked for a place to house a new home for his people. When they arrived at the beautiful hills on the Dnieper River and saw a wonderful panorama of the blue river and seven chestnut-covered hills, they greatly appreciated that place and decided to settle there. They established a city and named it Kiev in honor of their older brother Kiy over 1,500 years ago. Prince Kiy and his family lived on one hill, Schek settled on another hill which obtained the Schekavitsa mane and Khoryv settled on the third hill called Khorevitsa.
From 882 Kiev became the capital of the ancient and powerful state called Kievan Rus. In 998 Kiev Prince Vladimir introduced Christianity to Kievan Rus by baptizing the population of Kiev in the Dnieper River. In 1240 the city was demolished by the Mongol-Tatars who invaded Kievan Rus and was later 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 its capital. Since then it has been the center of Ukraine's political, economic and cultural life.
In November 2004 Kiev was the central location of the orange revolution when hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians protested the electoral falsification on the streets and subsequently elected another ruling party and the president of Ukraine.
Accommodation in KievMost visitors to Kiev prefer apartment or hotel accommodation. Kiev hotels offer security and a certain level of service based on their level (three stars, four stars, five stars), Kiev apartments allow for more privacy and flexibility. The average single room in a hotel in Kiev will cost $ 100-130 per night, while a 1-room apartment with all amenities will cost $ 40-60 depending on its location, space and extra services such as jakuzzi, home cinema, etc.
Evaluation of Kiev attractionsI recommend you visit:
Golden Gate of Kiev - the ancient Kiev gate, which is now at its center, is made of wood and stone with a small golden dome above
St Sofia Cathedral - one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Kiev with bell tower and chestnut trees around the cathedral
Cathedral of San Michele - Recently rebuilt cathedral with beautiful blue walls, ornaments and large golden domes
St. Vladimir Cathedral - Cathedral in the center of Kiev, where official Orthodox religious ceremonies are held
St Andrew Church and Andrew Descent (Andreevskiy Spusk) - a place popular with tourists with numerous souvenir booths, ancient brick slopes, art galleries and museums
Kiev Cave Monastery (Lavra) - the ancient monastery where you can see the caves where monks lived in antiquity, several churches and the largest bell tower in Kiev
Russian art museum and Ukrainian art museum - connoisseurs of art will greatly appreciate seeing the masterpieces of world art in the museums of Kiev
Kiev Opera and Ballet Theater - a pleasant experience of listening to live classical music and dancing
Ethnic village Pirogovo - an opportunity to see old village houses, windmills and household appliances from different Ukrainian regions
War museum - you can see numerous tanks and warplanes and the giant metal statue of a woman symbolizing 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 are held, is surrounded by a green park with a view of the Dnieper and its left bank
Independence Square - the very central part of Kiev, from which distances from other cities are calculated, has a large underground shopping center, a central post office, banks and restaurants
Khreschatik Street - Kiev main street 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 dressIf you come to Kiev in summer, it would be nice to take a summer jacket, jeans and T-shirts, sandals or baskets and probably shorts or clothes for the case of the heat. For spring or autumn it is best to take some warm things and a jacket. For the winter you will need a winter coat or warm jacket, some sweaters, a scarf, gloves and a hat.
If you enter a church or cathedral, women must cover their heads with a shawl, while men must take off their hats.
Eating out in KievTo try delicious Ukrainian cuisine we recommend the following restaurants in Kiev:
Pervak restaurant - an average price restaurant located in 2, Rognedinskaya St. You can enjoy borsch and varenik, small cakes and various meat and fish dishes. Dinner will cost you around $ 30-50 per person depending on the food and drinks you choose.
Taras restaurant - located in Shevchenko park near the main museums of Kiev, near the Kiev university. Various pancakes and national dishes can be ordered. Dinner will cost you $ 35-55.
USSR restaurant - located near the Kiev War Museum and the Kiev Lavra Monastery on Sichnevogo Povstannya 42/1 street and decorated with symbols of the USSR. Dinner will cost you $ 35-55.
Puzata Khata (Big Bellied House) fast food restaurant that combines original rustic interiors, tasty Ukrainian food, wide choice of dishes and low prices. It is located in the center, 1 / 2a Basseinaya St., at the beginning of Khreschatik. Here you can try the traditional Ukrainian pampushky, the Kiev chicken, different salads and main courses. On the first floor you can also choose one of the many cakes and even order freshly made 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 the Khreschatik metro station which probably has the widest choice of different foods: salad buffet, pancakes, varenyky, pizzas, soups, tasty desserts. Its comfortable rooms are decorated in various styles: Chinese, Indian, Egyptian and Greek. It also has a cake bar to sit and talk. Dinner: $ 3-10 per person.
Various Ukrainian souvenirs can be purchased on Andrew Descent (Andreevskiy Spusk): embroidered towels, matryoshka, painted wooden plates and eggs, glass souvenirs, dolls in national clothes, paintings and dresses. There is also a souvenir section in the central Kiev magazine (Tsum), located in Khreschatik St and a souvenir shop near St Sofia Cathedral.
