A City Shining among the Grey: Kyiv

A City Shining among the Grey: Kyiv

Meet our new favorite: Kyiv. After a recent visit, we fell in love with the city and want to briefly introduce it to you. First of all, you don’t need a visa to Kyiv; you can easily travel with your passport or new chip TR ID Cards.

The idea of Kyiv we had in mind before actually going there was much gloomier than what it turned out to be. Our experiences showed us that Kiev is a lively and modern city. We hope you enjoy this article of our honest thoughts and experiences about Kyiv.

When to visit?

Kyiv has a climate both for hot summer vacations and a perfect winter vacation. We visited it during the best season, in spring. A nice spring weather prevented us from feeling hot or cold. We are pretty sure you will also like it in summer. But we suggest winter visitors take appropriate warm clothing with them.

Kyiv Locals

We need to say that locals are quite warm and sincere. They have been pretty helpful during our trip. Native language is Ukrainian in the city, but we didn’t experience any language barriers with English. English is a rather common second language in the city, but they appreciate when you try to talk their native language. It is best to learn some words before going there. 

Where to see?

1- Maidan Nezalezhnosti Square

The first place to see is of course Maidan, also known as the Independence Square. After seeing a couple of historical spectacles, the square is now completely renewed and open to public. So much so that Maidan Square is closed to all vehicle traffic and open only for public access on Sundays. 

2- Kiev Pechersk Lavra

As one of the most magnificent structures in the world, Kiev Pechersk Lavra found itself a place on the World Heritage List with its extraordinary churches, clock tower, and underground caves. Because it is extremely large and has many spots to see, Kiev Pechersk Lavra trip can take most of your day, we promise the trip will be worth it. You can participate in one of the English tours, so that you can learn more about its historical structure.

3- Arsenalna Subway Station

You might be thinking what exactly you will see at a subway station, but this station is unlike any other. It is the “world’s deepest subway station” with a depth of 105.5 meters. In addition to that, we promise it is one of the most beautiful subway stations you will ever see with its domed interior structure and a medieval view. 

How do you commute with subway?

Since we mostly used the subway to commute around the city, we wanted to tell you a little bit about it. First, you can use single-pass coins for subway access. Single coin is 8 UAH (€0.4). Or you can purchase a Kyiv Pass used only for subways for 24 hours. The best part is that you can pay via credit card. You can just use the credit card turnstiles to continue your trip. 

4- Art-Zavod Platforma

We are here with a perfect recommendation for entertainment lovers. Art-Zavod Platforma is a venue known for its monthly special events. They greet you with special themes each month. This month’s theme may be your favorite TV series Friends or your favorite movie Batman. Food & beverage places in the area are pretty affordable and extremely entertaining. You might need to purchase a ticket before going to an event. But we think it is a sight to see.

5- Hydropark

If you are one to think a vacation isn’t a vacation if there isn’t a sea involved, we have a recommendation for you too. You can easily access Hydropark via subway from the city. The beach is a nice and clean alternative for sea lovers. It definitely deserves a visit with its lifeguard guarantee and beautiful, sandy beach.

We remember Kyiv as a city we have come to love. Before our trip, we read a couple articles mentioning that Kyiv is the next Berlin. Now we know that it is a beautiful and attractive city with an exciting yet calm alternative for everyone.