Things to do in Kyiv (Kiev)

Things to do in Kyiv (Kiev)

The complete guide to the capital of Ukraine

Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, is a fascinating and diverse city. I spent a couple of days in the city, and I tried to walk as much as possible. To my surprise, Kyiv is huge. Apart from that, the city is charming, it hosts Unesco World Heritage Sites and features the impressive Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. There is a variety of things to see in Kyiv, from Soviet architecture to street art, and from colorful domed monasteries to parks. In this guide, I tried to write down the best things to do in Kyiv (or Kiev) and to give you an impression of the activities you can enjoy in the city.

You will also find info about budgeting and accommodation. For extra photos and travel impressions, you can also read my travelogue from Kyiv. So, navigate through the sections and read everything you need to know about Ukraine’s capital. Plus, if you scroll down, you’ll find selected tours in Kyiv and beyond.

*Some of the links are affiliate links.

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[tab title= "How to go" icon=" icon-entypo-info"]The easiest way to reach Kyiv is definitely by airplane. The city has two airports: Boryspil International airport, where most of the airlines land, and Igor Sikorsky Kyiv International Airport (Zhuliany). There are several flights to Kyiv per day, and Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) travels to several destinations.

I flew from Berlin with UIA directly to Kyiv, and I had two wonderful flights. There is enough negativity on the Internet about UIA, but I can assure you that it is one great airline. For the return journey to Berlin, I chose to fly Business Class, and I have written a comprehensive guide about the airline’s standards. You can read my UIA Business Class review here.

You can check the best prices for flights to Kyiv here.[/tab]

[tab title= "Where to stay" icon=" icon-entypo-info"]I found most of the hotels in Kyiv to be expensive. Some of them were actually much more expensive than similar hotels in Western Europe. While browsing on Booking, I stumbled upon Best Kiev Apartments. This is actually a company owning and renting several flats around the city. You have plenty of options to choose from, and I decided to stay close to Maidan Square. Maidan Square was the place that the revolution of 2014 took place. I wanted to catch the vibe of that very spot and see how it feels to be there. The flat I rented was just a 3-minute walk from Maidan.

Most of the buildings in Ukraine look tired, and my flat was no exception. Located in a dark (but residential) alley, the apartment was fully furnished and equipped. The wi-fi was reliable, and the flat at Mykhailivs’ka St, 24В didn’t give me a hard time. Sure, it was not super fancy, but I didn’t expect that from a place that cost me roughly 150 euros for five days. The prices of the other flats of Best Kiev Apartments are within the same price range. The company owns a couple of more luxurious apartments in downtown Kyiv but these come at a price. I can recommend the flat I rented. However, if you are a solo female traveler or somebody who gets stressed at night in dark alleys, maybe you should think of it twice. I had no problems.

Now, one could ask: which is really the best area to stay in Kyiv? Well, from what I saw, I’d stay for sure again around Maidan Square. The area is lively, you have plenty of options to eat and drink, and there are mini-markets open 24/7. The other area that I really loved was Podil. The neighborhood of Podil has a more laid back atmosphere, but don’t think of it as posh. Podil reminded me of artistic districts of Berlin or Paris, but it’s significantly smaller. During my stay in Kyiv, I kept thinking that if I return to the city one day, I’d like to stay here. But this is a matter of personal taste: if you want the downtown vibe, go for something around Maidan; if you love laid-back places, Podil is for you.

You can check your accommodation options for Podil here.

For all other options for accommodation in Kyiv, please click here or use the interactive map at the end of this post.[/tab]

[tab title= "Where to eat and drink" icon=" icon-entypo-info"]For the people following this blog for a while, I don’t think it’s going to be a surprise my restaurant selection in Kyiv. As I always do, dining in the evening close to the area I stay is always a must. I can unwind after a long day, and I can enjoy some time among the locals. Since my accommodation was close to the Independence Square of Kyiv, I spent most of my evenings there. Apparently, Kyiv has tons of places to eat and drink, but here I’m only going to write the ones I tried out. So, these places are:

Хлебный. The truth is that I don’t know how to pronounce it, but this is a great cafe straight at Khreshchatyk Street. They serve high-quality coffee, and there’s a small selection of snacks and desserts. It feels upscale (from the decoration to the clientele) exactly like the street in front of it.

Veterano Pizza. Close to Independence Square, this a bar-restaurant created by a veteran of war. Subsequently, the names of the cocktails always have something to do with the military. They serve good pizza and sophisticated pizzas (meaning delicious but small portions). Friendly atmosphere, polite crew, and you can also expect some basic English.

The Blue Cup Coffee Shop. A fancy cafe in Pushkinska Street, which is one of the most beautiful streets of downtown Kyiv. Located in a basement, this is a beautiful cafe, and they do actually speak English (which is rarely the case in Kyiv). The espresso was strong, and the paninis delicious.

Gogi. A fantastic Georgian restaurant in downtown Kyiv. Honestly, it’s as good as the places I ate in Tbilisi. Delicious Khinkali and Khachapuri cheese. Recommended.

Old Street Cafe. Another lovely cafe in downtown Kyiv. They serve the nicest espresso I had in the city, and the desserts are delicious. Google Translate is your friend here; download the app, write the word in English, translate it to Ukrainian, and show it to the girls running the shop. They will laugh, you will laugh, and they will serve you exactly what you wanted.

Budmo. This tiny, semi-basement restaurant is my kind of place. No interior designer created it, no fancy menu, no posh atmosphere. Two ladies dressed in semi-traditional Ukrainian costumes run the establishment. The place has a big heart and the local dishes are delicious. I wrote about it also on my travel letter from Kyiv. I wonder why people on Foursquare give it low ratings. Ah yes, I know: negativity matters. Give it a try, and you won’t regret it. Excellent borscht, delicious pancakes, and finely cooked varenyky (dumplings). Together with two glasses of wine, I paid 10 euros.

Kupidon: Located almost next to the Blue Cup, Kupidon is a wonderful cafe at Pushkinska Street. A wide selection of cakes and fine coffee too.

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[tab title="Sightseeing" icon=" icon-entypo-info"]There are plenty of things to do in Kyiv. The city really impressed me with its size and distances. Compared to other Eastern European cities, Kyiv seems to be really big. One day, I walked more than 20 kilometers, and yet I had the feeling that I didn’t see that much. Transportation is reliable and cheap, and Uber is also fairly cheap. That said, you will have plenty of options to navigate through Kyiv and make the most out of it. So what there’s is to see and do in Kyiv?

Well, Kyiv is called the city of Golden Domes for a reason. There are several churches with golden domes around the city, and they dominate the city’s skyline. I’m not going to write an exhaustive list of churches here, but the ones you must see are:

Pechersk Lavra. That’s a Unesco world heritage site and one of the must things to see in Kyiv. It’s a colorful complex of churches, caves, and bell towers. There’s also a miniature museum there too. Please keep in mind that if you want to enter the Lavra, you should not wear shorts or short skirts. If you’ d like to make the most out of your visit, check out this tour to Pechersk Lavra.

Saint Michael’s Monastery. Another impressive church that feels unique due to its blue walls.

Saint Andrew’s Chruch. This is a magnificent example of Baroque architecture. The church is built on an artificial hill, overlooking a good part of Kyiv. 

You will probably stumble upon more churches while strolling around Kyiv, but these were the ones that really impressed me. Even if you are not religious (like me), don’t miss the chance to visit them. These are integral places of Kyiv’s history and tradition, and one cannot understand the city without paying attention to them.

Moving forward from the religious background of the city, the road will bring you sooner or later to the Motherland Monument. This is a typical Soviet statue, seen from almost everywhere in Kyiv. It portrays a woman holding a sword and a shield in her hands. The statue stands also on a hill, attached to the Museum of the Great Patriotic War. The place feels a bit eerie due to a large number of stationed army vehicles, and there’s also a monument commemorating the heroes of World War II.

No visit to Kyiv is, of course, complete without a visit to the Maidan Square. The Square of Independence is one of the landmarks of Kyiv and definitely a place to see. For the past 30 years, the Maidan Nezalezhnosti has been a place of political activism, and the events of the 2013-14 Revolution took also place there. Oddly enough, the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest fan zone was located there, and I can only explain it as a way to delete history and offer a lifting to a troubled spot. Not nice if you ask me.

Leaving the Maidan Nezalezhnosti behind, you will find yourself walking down the Khreshchatyk. This is one of the most upscale streets of Kyiv, that feels alive all day long. Walk the street and be surrounded by breathtaking architecture. Some of the fanciest cafes and retail stores are also there. Hand’s down, that’s Kyiv’s most vibrant street.

Close to the Khreshchatyk, you will also see the Golden Gate of Kyiv. Reconstructed in the early ’80s, the Golden Gate stands there since the 13th century. It served as the southern entrance to the city. The reconstruction brought up a lot of controversies since nobody was sure how it looked like back in the day. Today, the Golden Gate is an impressive landmark, and it deserves a stop.

One of the most exciting places to see while in Kyiv is Podil. That’s the laid-back neighborhood of the city, frequented by students and youngsters having, therefore, a lively vibe. You can reach Podil either on foot or by catching the funicular down from St Michael’s Monastery. I do recommend to walk the Andriyivskyy Descent though: this is a historic descent connecting Kiev’s Upper Town and the historic Podil neighborhood, which lies close to the Dnieper River. Podil was a typical merchant quarter, but nowadays, it is probably the most vibrant neighborhood of Kyiv. It also hosts Ukraine’s most famous university, and, as I already said, it’s full of life.

In the Podil district, you will also find the Chernobyl Museum, which presents objects from the biggest human-made disaster. Ironically enough, the day that I’m writing this guide, the museum’s website seems to have a virus, and I’m asked to leave the website. Nonetheless, the museum is interesting, and you can visit it daily. The ticket costs 24 UAH, but if you want to take photos (no flash, sorry), then the prices escalate to 72 UAH. The lady at the counter explained to me the breakdown of the cost, but I couldn’t really get it.

If you haven’t seen indoor markets in Eastern Europe, then you might want to check out the Besarabsky Market (Ukrainian: Бесарабка). This is Kyiv’s historical market, and it offers a snapshot of daily life. You can negotiate the prices -it seems to be part of the fun- but you’ll have to speak Ukrainian for that. To be fairly honest, I thought it would be the most lively place in the city, and I was slightly disappointed. I stopped twice at Besarabsky Market, and it was never full or really lively. The markets in Odessa were definitely more vibrant.

Last but not least, one of the fun things to do in Kyiv is to take the metro. Kyiv’s metro hosts also the deepest metro station in the world, called Arsenalna. It lies 105,5 meters beneath the ground, and it takes five minutes to reach the platform (yes, five minutes with escalators). One more beautiful metro station in Kyiv is Osokorky. The Osokorky metro station hosts eight big murals from Ukraine’s contemporary history and serves as an open-air gallery. Give it a try; it’s impressive.

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[tab title= "How to budget" icon= " icon-entypo-info"]While it’s not as cheap as Odessa, one can never call Kyiv an expensive city. I won’t lie: I found Kyiv to be cheap. One ticket for the metro (which is the deepest in the world) will cost you 8 UAH, which is something like 20 cents. A cup of coffee won’t cost you more than 1 euro, even if you decide on one of the poshest cafes in downtown Kiev. For me, having a quick espresso was one of the sweetest things to do in Kyiv: I could see life unfolding in front of marvelous buildings.

Food is also moderately priced: in some places, you can have a 3-course dinner and wine for less than 10 euros in total. Keep in mind that you can’t drink the water in Kyiv. Actually, Kyiv is the only city I didn’t even brush my teeth with it. Buying water in Kyiv is cheap, though, but you should calculate it as an extra (but minor) expense. For one liter of still water, expect to pay 10-15 UAH, which translates to 20-30 cents. International brands like Evian or Vittel are two-three times more expensive.

As I wrote in the previous section, accommodation in Kyiv is a matter of taste. If you decide on some international chain hotels, you can expect Western European prices. But if you don’t mind staying in more basic accommodations (but also clean and safe), then you can save lots of money. The flat I rented cost me about 30 euros per night. Add 1-2 euros for public transport per day and another euro for water per day.  As I already wrote, Food in Kyiv is cheap and delicious. I didn’t pay more than 10 euros, except for Gogi that cost me a bit more. But this was also a day that I walked 20+ kilometers; therefore, I wouldn’t call my dinner a normal one.

Overall I’d say that with approximately 60 euros per day you can have some really great time in Kyiv. The 60 euros include a) accommodation per night (30-35 euros) b) public transport tickets (1-2 euros) c) expenses for water (1-2 euros) d) a proper meal per day (10-12 euros) e) one museum entry per day and f) a souvenir or a drink. That’s well below the 70-75 euros per day budget that is always my goal when traveling.

I’d also like to mention here that Uber is very reliable in Kyiv. I used Uber several times during my stay, and it saved me a lot of time. For most of the distances within the city (even really long ones), I never paid more than 3 euros. Unfortunately, none of the drivers spoke any English so that I couldn’t communicate with them. Keep the Uber choice in mind, especially if you are traveling in the wintertime. Kyiv is a really extended city, and if you want to see everything in wintertime, you’ll need Uber. The days are short and the distances long. Last but not least, the Uber from downtown Kyiv to Boryspil International airport will cost you approximately 12 euros. Fairly cheap for a 40 km ride. [/tab]

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Selected tours and activities in Kyiv and beyond

I’m adding here a special section with a list of selected tours and activities in Kyiv and beyond. Apparently, beyond refers mainly to a visit to Chernobyl. I must admit that in recent years I was really tempted to pay a visit to the exclusion zone. However, I’m very concerned about safety issues (I don’t find it safe) and also because, after the homonymous TV series (which is breathtaking by the way), the place became too mainstream. There’s nothing wrong with being mainstream, but the truth is that the commercialization of death is something that I don’t feel like supporting. That said, if you are willing to visit Chernobyl, there are a couple of tours below, but do it at your own risk.

So you can book a one day Chernobyl Tour from Kyiv here, and there’s another one here. Or, book the ultimate 2-days tour to Chernobyl here.

Now, within Kyiv, you have several options if you want to make the most out of your stay. One example is the very compact 3-hours tour in Kyiv, where you will see most of the landmarks. Professional guides will show you their city, so if this is more tempting you that walking on your own, then book here a Kyiv sightseeing tour.

If you are interested in learning everything about the Kiev Pechersk Lavra church complex, then I can highly recommend a private tour. You can book a tour for Lavra here.

So, that was it with my guide about the top things to see in Kyiv. Let me know if you visited the capital of Ukraine and what did you like the most about it.

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More about Kyiv: A travelogue from Kyiv, UIA Business Class Review, A polaroid photo-report

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Last Updated on April 25, 2020 by George Pavlopoulos