Kiev is one of Europe’s most beautiful and most convenient capitals to explore by foot. The main street, Khreshchatyk, is closed for traffic during weekends so that the strollers can take over – the street is lined with cafés that make your thoughts wander to cities like Paris or Rome. There are many parks and landscapes to explore in the centre, and the city’s location on the hills next to the river Dnjepr, is picture-perfect like a postcard.
Kiev has a small connection to Sweden, in the museum of Sophia. This is a memorial complex from the 11th century to the 18th century. The main building, Saint Sophia’s Cathedral, was built in 1073 by prince Yaroslav the Wise, who was married to the Swedish princess Ingegerd Olofsdotter. The cathedral was the centre in former Yugoslavia, and therefore the most important Christian sanctuary. Saint Sophia’s Cathedral is famous for its beautiful frescoes, but above all for all mosaics that are preserved since the 11th century.
Another beautiful building in Kiev is the Opera House. Apart from its beauty it is mostly famous because the Russian prime minister Pjotr Stolypin was murdered here in 1911 when visiting the opera together with the Russian royal family. Many people believe that the Russian revolution would have had progressed differently if Stolypin wasn’t murdered.
Kiev even has its own Montmarte – Andrijivsky Uzviz. The street was named after the Saint Andrew’s Church, that was built in the middle of the 18th century as a memory of Czarina Elisabet 1 when visiting in Kiev. Many houses on Andrijivsky Uzviz have a given place in the city’s history – for example, in house number 13 the well-known author Mikhail Bulgakov lived, author of “The Master and Margarita”. Nowadays the street is filled with people walking along the cafeterias, antiques and souvenir shops – here you have the chance to buy Ukrainian embroidery, paintings, Matryoshkas and so much more.
The country has had a chequered domestic history since its independence 1991 – their domestic policy has been characterised by strong contradictions between west and east-oriented powers, and a widespread corruption has prevented major reforms of the country’s economical system.
A fragment of this can be experienced by a visit at Mezhigirya, which is located 25 kilometres outside of Kiev. Mezhigirya was a state property during the better part of the 20th century, but afterwards it was made into the private residence of the president of that time, Viktor Janukovytjs. The palace-like buildings at the river Dnjepr are spread out on an area that is 1.4 million square metres, and that is surrounded by a wall that’s over 50 kilometres long. His vision was to build a residence suited for an emperor – here you will find an abundance of gold, crystal and marble, an artificial lake with a pirate ship that has been a restaurant. There is a private church, golf course and odd details such as vodka bottles with Janukovytjs portrait and a toilet brush made of gold.
Kiev offers impressive architecture in combination with a rich cultural life, cosy cafés and a welcoming hospitality so it’s ready only for you to pack your bag to discover this east European pearl.
Good to Know:
Ukraine can actually be visited all year round. The winter is generally quite chilly and with a lot of snowfall. The summer is warm, but it rains more than during the spring. The temperature is around 20-25 degrees (Celsius) from May to September.
Please turn to the Embassy of Ukraine for information about which visa regulations that might apply to you.
Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after your departure. For your stay in Ukraine to be valid the passport must be provided with stamp at the border control upon arrival.
Make sure you have a valid travel insurance since the European health card does not cover Ukraine.
Since December 2013 a new law took effect in Ukraine, which demands that tourists/visitors must be able to show financial means (money) when arriving in Ukraine. It means that upon arrival, you might be asked whether you have enough money for your stay in Ukraine. If you can’t show that you have enough money you can be denied entry to the country. The rules apply to every visitor, including tourists regardless of citizenship, who travels to Ukraine.