Explore Kiev's historic centre on foot, from the tombs of the Kievo-Pechersky
Lavra monastery to the boutiques of the Old Town's Andriyivsky
Uzviz side street. You'll be lured back to Kiev's picturesque
tranquillity by the classic buildings of the historic Lypky district. Enjoy the
tumbledown charm of the flower and food stalls of Bessarabsky farmers'
market, and sundown-to-sunrise nightlife everywhere.
Background
Kreshchatik Street divides Kiev's key sites into north and
south; most are concentrated in the leafy hills of the northern
aristocratic Old Town. Soviet monuments and an ancient monastery line the
River Dnieper in the historic Lypky and Pechersk districts
in the south. Kreshchatik's Stalinist architecture takes on a
carnival atmosphere at weekends when cars are banned and everyone is free to walk up
and down, ice cream or beer in hand. Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square),
home of the Orange Revolution, when Russia-backed candidate Yanukovych was rejected
for Viktor Yushchenko, comes to life after dark.
First-time visit
Dodge the crowds with an early start at the catacombs of Kievo-Pechersky
Lavra, the still functioning Monastery of the Caves. Then pay your respects at
the Rodina Mat (Motherland) memorial nearby. Take a funicular ride up to
St Michael's Golden Domed Monastery and admire the frescoes of
the 11th-century St Sophia Cathedral. Find unique gifts among the stalls of
Andriyivsky Uzviz street in the Old Town before heading back to
the centre via the recently restored Golden Gate. Unwind in one of
Kreshchatik's elegant restaurants, or a shaded pavement
cafe.
Return visit
Lose yourself among the former aristocratic mansions of the Lypky area -
don't miss the 1755 Mariinsky Palace, or the surreal modernism of
the 1903 Horodetsky House. Savour the old-world atmosphere of the
Bessarabsky farmers' market, selling country-fresh fruit,
vegetables and abundant flowers. Discover the darker side of Ukraine's
history at the Chernobyl Museum or Babi Yar – site of the
worst massacre of the Holocaust. Wander through the monuments of Kiev's
five riverside parks, before relaxing with a well-earned sundowner.
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