Mysterious ancient Kiev is the capital of Ukraine, post-soviet, but quite modern country. It is relatively big and populous city (it extends over more than 30 km to the round and has about three million of inhabitants). Kiev is above all a city full of history, incessant invasions and Orthodox traditions. Religious heritage of this city is undoubtedly the most interesting element to discover and the most aesthetically pleasing: the churches and the Lavra of the Catacombs (Pechersk Lavra) constitute the priority of tourist places.
Kiev is also a pleasant city: filled with parks that dot the coasts of Dnipro (the huge river that crosses the whole of Ukraine), it offers many green spaces that favor walks. In summer, some places on the coasts transform into beaches. A green island has been converted into an amusement park called “The Hidropark”. Overlooking the river, the “Steel Damsel”, a statue high more than sixty meters, easily attracts the eye of the curious visitor. It dominates the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War, which is near the Laure des Catacombes. Truly, after your New York Kiev flight you’ll discover a lot of interesting places that reflect ukrainian culture and world outlook.
The spirit of revolution
Inside the city center, Khreshchatyk Street is the main thoroughfare: Kiev’s main business center, lined with chic bars, restaurants and shops, this magnificent avenue cuts off the famous Independence Square, where the revolutionaries gathered in 2004 and 2013-2014: this place is actually imbued with spirit of revolution, of ukrainian aspiration to the Europe.
Until the square Tolstoy, this district remains permanently very frequented. In the basement, it houses several shopping centers that follow its route. It is the ideal place to stroll and shop. In addition, it is entirely reserved for pedestrians on weekends and holidays.
Volodymyrska Street is another important artery to visit when you discover Kiev as it goes from the place of the Cathedral of St. Sophia to the Golden Gate, a fortification originally built during the reign of Yaroslav the Wise in the eleventh century. It is the heart of the historic city. As you continue along the way, you will pass the Kiev opera house and eventually reach Shevchenko Park, and a transverse boulevard of the same name that leads to the railway station.
Kiev is the most pleasant between May and September. The Christmas period is also recommended. March is the month that you should avoid because of the melted snow that overflows the sidewalks. In case if you stay in Kiev more than three days, you can take the opportunity to visit the vast open-air museum of Pirogovo to discover the different rural traditions of Ukraine.
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AFP
