UA
Kyiv
Golden domes and riverside hills on the Dnipro
Golden domes and riverside hills on the Dnipro
The UNESCO-listed 11th-century cathedral shelters dazzling Byzantine mosaics and frescoes beneath its cluster of green-and-gold domes, the spiritual heart of ancient Kyiv.
💡 Climb the bell tower for views over the golden domes.
The Monastery of the Caves, a UNESCO site, is a complex of golden-domed churches above a network of underground passages lined with the relics of monks.
💡 Bring a candle and dress modestly to enter the caves.
Independence Square is the symbolic heart of the nation and its modern history, a grand plaza of fountains, monuments and gathering crowds at the city’s centre.
💡 The surrounding Khreshchatyk boulevard is the main promenade.
A reconstruction of the 11th-century main gate of medieval Kyiv marks the old city’s edge, a symbol of the city’s ancient Rus origins.
💡 A quick, central stop near St Sophia.
This steep, cobbled historic street winds down from the hilltop St Andrew’s Church past artists’ stalls, galleries and cafes, Kyiv’s most charming and bohemian lane.
💡 Browse the art stalls and admire St Andrew’s blue-and-gold church.
Ukrainian cuisine is hearty and comforting: borscht, the beetroot soup, varenyky dumplings stuffed with potato or cherries, holubtsi cabbage rolls and salo cured pork fat. Kyiv has a vibrant modern dining scene alongside traditional spots, plus excellent coffee and bakeries. Sample chicken Kyiv in its home city, and toast with kvass or, traditionally, a shot of horilka.
Visit St Sophia Cathedral and the Golden Gate, then walk down the artistic Andriyivsky Descent past St Andrew’s Church.
Explore the Pechersk Lavra monastery and caves, then take in Maidan Nezalezhnosti and the Khreshchatyk boulevard.
Ukraine is affected by ongoing armed conflict and many governments advise against travel; verify the current security situation before any trip.
Kyiv’s metro is fast, cheap and deep; some stations double as shelters, and it is the easiest way around.
Cards are widely accepted in cities, but keep some hryvnia cash for markets and small vendors.
Ukrainian and Russian are widely spoken; learning a little Ukrainian is warmly received.
Golden-domed Kyiv, cobbled Lviv, Black Sea Odesa, the green Carpathians and Habsburg Chernivtsi — five sides of Ukraine.