SamuelKyiv. The mention of the name of this capital city of Ukraine in Eastern Europe exudes the air of mystery. More widely known as Kiev in the past, this city has emerged from the cover of the old iron curtain to be what I consider one of the most exotic and beautiful capital cities in Europe.
Kyiv, and Ukraine in general, has slowly opened up to visitors. Despite the recent unfortunate events in the eastern part of the country which might put off the majority of travelers, the rest of the country remains safe and welcoming to be visited.
I had the opportunity to visit this less obvious travel destination in early Summer and I was in for a surprise. A mixture of its Soviet past, modern aspiration, deep-rooted Orthodox beliefs, and wonderful architectures awaits those who venture deep into this far side of Europe.
Here I’d like to share with you some of the highlights from my visit to this charming yet underrated city.
Getting there:
The main entry point to Kyiv for international travelers is the Kyiv-Boryspil airport which is located east of the city. There is a convenient and rather frequent direct train service between the airport and the main train station in the city center, Kyiv-Pasazhyrskyi.
There is also a train service from and to the western city of Lviv which I would love to take but unfortunately had no time for.
Getting around the city center is a breeze with the underground Metro system in the city. It is cheap, costing about 30 euro cents for a trip, and has very frequent schedule from early morning to late night, even in the weekend. Walking around the city is also very pleasant through spacious and mostly well-maintained sidewalks.
1. Visiting Chernobyl
Designated as an exclusion zone in the aftermath of the worst nuclear disaster in mankind’s history, visiting the abandoned area surrounding the Chernobyl old nuclear power plant is a must for every traveler staying in Kyiv.
The area is completely safe to be visited now with low radiation level, lower than what human is exposed to in a trans-continental flight. Since the area is still marked as an exclusion zone, the visit to this place is tightly controlled. Travelers wanting to visit Chernobyl must apply in advance via one of the official tour operators, such as Chernobyl Tour.
Since the disaster, most of the area now lies abandoned and is slowly being reclaimed back by nature, providing a surreal post-apocalyptic surrounding. During the tour, travelers will be brought to the ruins of some of the villages in the area, as well as to the main city of Pripyat which once housed tens of thousands of the power plant’s workers and their families.
A visit to Chernobyl is definitely very rewarding and eye-opening, where you can learn about the disaster, the life during the Soviet era in the area, and what could happen when mankind makes terrible mistakes.
2. Beautiful Orthodox Cathedrals
Being a predominantly Orthodox country, Eastern Orthodox cathedrals, churches, and monasteries are ubiquitous in this capital city. With their characteristics onion shaped domes, they come in various shapes and colors and are spread throughout the city.
Most of these places can be visited. The exterior is beautifully decorated while its interior is just as amazing. In every place there would always be dozens of faithful visitors praying or paying their respect to the altar. These wonderful structures truly give Kyiv its deep Orthodox charm.
3. Kyiv Monastery of the Caves
The Kyiv Monastery of the Caves (Kyiv Pechersk Lavra) is a large Orthodox monastery complex in the city that’s almost 1000 year old. It is a UNESCO world heritage site and houses numerous buildings used as monasteries, churches, cathedrals, and museums.
Arguably, the most unique part of this monastery complex is the cave itself, which is a system of narrow underground corridors. What makes this cave unique is the fact that it houses the mummified bodies of old saints, encased in glass coffins, along the whole cave’s corridor.
The cave is heavily visited by pilgrims and tourists alike and it could get a bit claustrophobic inside. Every visitor is required to purchase the provided candle for a small fee to be brought inside the cave as lighting. In addition, the legs have to be fully covered, otherwise a wrapping cloth can be borrowed on the spot.
What separates these two types of people is the ritual that is performed by the pilgrims. Upon approaching each coffin, the pilgrim would say a small prayer and kiss the coffin, all while being able to clearly see the mummified hands sticking out from the cloth cover. It may seem odd, but to me that truly demonstrates the strong faith these people have in their beliefs.
4. The Independence Square (Maidan Nezalezhnosti)
This is the main and largest square of Kyiv. Located on the main boulevard of Kyiv (Khreshchatyk street), it is truly the best central point in Kyiv. The big open space, decorated with trees and fountains, is lined with impressive buildings.
The highlight of this place is that on some Sundays, the adjacent boulevard of Khreshchatyk is closed off to traffic and the whole area is full of pedestrians. People spill to the streets and performers are abound trying to gather everyone’s attention. In the evening, the fountains dance to the rhythm of the songs played out loud.
5. The Motherland Monument
Seeing it from afar, you’d be forgiven to think that Kyiv has a Statue of Liberty as well. In fact, this monumental statue is one of Kyiv’s most recognizable modern landmark, the Motherland monument.
Sitting on top a hill with its two arms raised high piercing the sky, this massive metal statue is unmissable in Kyiv’s skyline as well as impressive to behold from near.
The museum located directly beneath the statue is also worth a visit, telling stories and showing objects from the second world war, told from the Soviet perspective, as well as from the more recent Ukrainian struggle against its larger eastern neighbor.
6. Swimming in the Dnieper river
Despite the infamous bitterly cold winter, summer time in the Ukraine’s capital can be spent by the beach. Yeap, you heard it right, the beach. Despite being located hundreds of kilometers away from sea, the residents of Kyiv can count their blessings for a nice city beach on the banks of Dnieper river.
The beach area is easily reachable from Kyiv’s city center by Metro to station Hidropark. On a sunny summer day, the place is bound to be very crowded with people, young and old, enjoying a nice day by the beach swimming, strolling around, playing volleyball, or even working out on the open air makeshift gym nearby.
