14 places to discover in Kyiv, the city of golden domes

IMPORTANT UPDATE, FEBRUARY 2022: Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24th and there’s an ongoing war. Therefore, it’s NO LONGER SAFE to travel anywhere in the country, and this includes Kyiv and the rest of Western Ukraine! I will keep this post up in the hopes that things will change for the better – but PLEASE DO NOT TRAVEL TO UKRAINE AT THIS TIME!

Ukraine had been on my radar for many years, but for some reason I just never found the right time to go. I always imagined spending several weeks travelling through the country, because it’s so huge – in fact, it’s the second largest country in Europe after Russia -, and the country has so much to offer. But when my mum suggested that we go to Kyiv for our sixth annual mother/daughter trip, I just couldn’t say no. First of all, I was proud of her for choosing such an exciting and offbeat country. And secondly, I figured I can always go back to Ukraine later to see more of the country. After all, it’s only a short flight or train ride away from Denmark.

So off we went, on a week-long holiday to Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. I didn’t quite know what to expect of Kyiv, as I’d heard both good and bad things about the city. But I quite liked it, especially its many gorgeous churches and its very magical open air museum (see no. 13 below). It didn’t win a spot on my list of favourite cities in Europe, mainly because of how busy it is, but it’s definitely a city that I’d recommend other travellers to check out.

Should I go to Kyiv?

Yes, certainly. The city has a lot to offer, and it’s a great introduction to Ukraine.

Kyiv is safe. Despite what you might read on the media or hear from your friends or family (who most likely haven’t been there), Kyiv and the western parts of Ukraine are perfectly safe. It’s true that a Russian military intervention of Ukraine, which led to the takeover of Crimea in 2014 and caused wider unrest across southern and eastern parts of Ukraine, is still ongoing. But this conflict won’t affect your stay in Kyiv or other parts of western Ukraine. Just remember to stay updated about the current situation, but this goes for anywhere you choose to travel to.

Ukraine is visa free for a stay of up to 90 days within a 180 day period for holders of passports from 70 countries, including all European countries (EU and non-EU, with the exception of 16-60-year old males from Russia), much of North and South America and parts of Central, North and East Asia. Additionally, a number of other countries can enter Ukraine for 30 days with an Evisa (as of March 2019).

Ukraine is crazy CHEAP. In fact, it’s the cheapest country in Europe. So you’ll be able to keep your budget even if you eat out every day and do a few day trips. Kyiv is more expensive than the rest of the country, but it’s still extremely cheap compared to Scandinavian standards.

Kyiv has so much to offer. The city is full of interesting places to see, from the famous golden-dome churches and the impressive Motherland Monument to cozy cafés and underground shopping malls. Below is my list of 14 must-see places in Kyiv – enjoy!

1. Pechersk Lavra

The most popular cultural attraction in Kyiv must be Pechersk Lavra, also known as the Monastery of the Caves. It’s an Orthodox Christian monastery, founded in 1051, with over 100 monks in residence today. Since its foundation, the monastery has been a prominent center of Eastern Orthodox Christianity in Eastern Europe, and for this reason, it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with the Saint Sophia Cathedral (see no. 2 below) in 1990. The complex consists of fortification walls with cathedrals and churches on two levels, an upper and lower part, as well as a network of dark corridors with cave chapels. I recommend that you spent some time exploring everything that this site has to offer.

My mum and I actually went to Pechersk Lavra twice, because we missed out the best part when we first went there. In the evening of our last full day, I was reading some blogs on Kyiv and realized that we hadn’t seen the upper part of Perscherk Lavra, which is the most famous part! I looked at some pictures of it and it looked so beautiful, so we decided to catch a taxi and go there in the morning before our flight. I’m so glad we did as it was absolutely beautiful. In fact, Pechersk Lavra became my favourite place in Kyiv after that visit.

2. St. Sophia Cathedral

The other UNESCO site in Kyiv, St. Sophia Cathedral, built between the 11th and 13th century, is a marvellous architectural pearl and one of the city’s landmarks. The complex consists of the cathedral, the House of Metropolitan, a bell tower and other supporting structures. During the Soviet anti-religion campaign of the 1920s following the Russian Revolution of 1917, the cathedral was planned for destruction, but protests from the people saved it for future generations to enjoy, as it was turned into a museum instead.

My mum and I decided to take the long climb up the bell tower to get a great panorama of the city and a view over to St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery on the other side of the square.

3. St. Michael’s golden-domed monastery

Arguably the most beautiful cathedral in Kyiv, this blue structure with its characteristic golden domes attracts many tourist every day. Unlike St. Sophia, St. Michael’s is a functioning monastery, which also means that it’s free to enter.

The monastery was founded in the early 12th century and built in Byzantine style, although the exterior was rebuilt in Ukrainian Baroque style in the 18th century. Unfortunately, St. Michael’s was not spared destruction like St. Sophia, and it was demolished by the Soviet authorities in 1935. But thankfully, following the Ukrainian independence in 1991, the cathedral was reconstructed in 1999.

4. St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral

St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral is another one of Kyivs very colourful cathedrals. It’s less popular than the two above-mentioned cathedrals, but not any less beautiful. I loved the contrast of the bright yellow exterior with the blue domes and the dark interior illumined only by sun rays.

The colourful cathedral was built in the late 19th century in neo-Byzantine style, and is still active as the mother cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kiev Patriarchy.

5. St. Andrew’s Church and Andrew’s Descent

St. Andrew’s Church is another classic colourful structure, but unlike the cathedrals mentioned above, it’s built in Baroque style. It was constructed between 1747 and 1754 on the Andriyivska Hill, overlooking the historic Podil neighbourhood. Unfortunately, the church was closed due to reconstruction when we were there, but I’m sure the interior is just as beautiful as the exterior.

After you’ve explored the church, don’t forget to take a stroll down the historic Andrew’s Descent, a 720 metre long winding cobblestone street connecting the city’s Upper Town with the Podil neighbourhood. The street is full of cozy restaurants and souvenir stalls, and is quite an attraction in itself.

6. St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Cathedral

The last cathedral on this list (about time, hey) is a rather different one. There are no golden domes on this one, but it deserves some recognition nonetheless . St. Nicholas is the second oldest Roman Catholic church in Kyiv, built between 1899 and 1909 in Gothic style. It’s not your typical Kyiv tourist site, but that’s exactly why I’ve included it on this list. The church is absolutely stunning and is a great example of non-Orthodox architecture in Kyiv.

7. The Independence Square, Maidan Nezalezhnosti

This is the central square in Kyiv, and maybe your best bet for seeing some typical communist concrete architecture.

Take some time to explore the square and get a close look at the beautiful Independence Monument, a victory column with a female statue holding a guelder-rose branch in her arms. The monument was built for the 10th anniversary of the independence of Ukraine in 2001 in a mix of Ukrainian Baroque and Empire style.

Since the beginning of the Ukrainian independence movement in 1990, the square has been used for political rallies, including the recent 2013-14 Euromaidan Revolution, although it has also been used for non-political events.

You could easily spend a few hours exploring the square, shopping in the underground mall and enjoying a coffee from one of the many small coffee shops while people-watching the always-fashionable locals.

8. The Golden Gates and the cat sculptures

The Golden Gates of Kyiv is an interesting place to visit. The original gates from the 11th century served as the main entrance in the fortifications of the city, but were dismantled during the Middle Ages. Despite the fact that no images of the original gates had survived, Soviet authorities decided to rebuild it in 1982. This decision was very controversial and was met with skepticism by the locals, as the gates were rebuilt without much knowledge on how they originally looked.

But even if you don’t feel like checking out a possibly historically incorrect sight, you should go there anyways, especially if you’re a cat lover. Because the surrounding park contains  two adorable cat sculptures, one in bronze and one made from disposable forks! The bronze cat statue is particularly famous as it was erected in memory of a beloved Persian cat named Pantyusha. The cat lived in the nearby restaurant “Pantagruel” and was well loved by the whole neighbourhood. Sadly, Pantyusha died in a fire in 1997, so the restaurant workers decided to raise money to have this beautiful tribute built.

9. Mariyinsky Palace

The beautiful Mariyinsky Palace is the official ceremonial residence of the President of Ukraine. It was constructed between 1744 and 1752 in Baroque style on the bank of the Dnipro River.

For security reasons, it’s not possible to enter the palace grounds, but you can get a good look at it from the nearby park. There, you’ll also find many adorable squirrels and a beautiful view over the river.

10. The Motherland monument

No trip to Kyiv is complete without a visit to the majestic Motherland Monument, one of the most distinctive features in the city.

The monument is a 102 metre tall titanium statue that celebrates the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in the Second World War. The statue is part of the Museum of the History of Ukraine in World War II, which honours the Ukrainian soldiers that defended Kyiv during the war.

11. Friendship of Nations arch

On our last day in Kyiv, we stumbled upon this arch by accident and were amazed by the incredible view of the city from there.

The arch was erected on November 7th 1982 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the USSR as well as the 1500th anniversary of the city of Kyiv. Since 2016, there has been plans to dismantle the arch as part of the decommunization laws. I personally think that this is a great shame, as it’s part of the city’s history, and it has also been used for great causes, such as during the Eurovision Song Contest in 2017, when it was temporarily painted in rainbow colours and renamed the Arch of Diversity, symbolizing the wider acceptance of the LGBTQIA+ citizens.

12. Visit Elliot the Cat at Café Kharms

One place that you must not miss if you’re a cat lover like us, is Café Kharms/Harms (or Хармс in Ukrainian). It was hands-down my favourite café in the city! The café has a very creative atmosphere with its vinyls and books shop, and there’s even free wifi. They serve great food (including some delicious vegan dishes), and the café is also home to the most adorable grumpy kittie named Elliot. It’s the closest you’ll get to visiting a cat café in Kyiv, and in my opinion it’s perfect. Elliot comes and goes as he likes and he also has a private space for himself.

I wish we had found it earlier, so we could’ve eaten there every day!

13. Holosiivskyi National Nature Park

Want to get out of the busy city for a few hours? Head to the enormous National Nature Park in the Holosiivskyi District, and get yourself lost amongst trees, lakes and tiny villages.

The park consists of several protected forests and wetlands surrounded by the urban area of the city. It’s located on the Kyiv hills in the Dniester-Dnieper forest-steppe zone. The park can be easily reached from the centre of Kyiv by metro to the Holosiivska station and is free to access.

14. Pirogovo Open Air Museum

Walk through the National Nature Park or take a bus to Pyrohiv, and you’ll find the largest open-air museum in Europe. This 150-hectare museum from 1969 is home to over 300 traditional Ukrainian houses and churches, all separated into villages that feature the historical regions of Ukraine. The houses contain traditional cultural items such as costumes, embroidered textiles, carpets, ceramics, metal artefacts, wooden artefacts, glass works and folk musical instruments.

The museum shows a true depiction of the Ukrainian countryside with the rural lifestyle of its different regions. I absolutely loved this place, as it reminded me a lot of the Land of Legends, where I worked during the past two summers. I really enjoyed exploring the historic villages and meeting the friendly employees and the many cats that inhabit the empty buildings.

If you don’t wish to walk to the museum, you can take the metro to the Demiivska station and then catch bus no. 11 to the museum. The museum is open from 10 AM to 5 PM.

Find your way to the 14 sites listed above with this interactive map.

Onwards travel

After you’ve spent a few days in Kyiv, you might want to escape the noise of the big city and explore some more of Ukraine. Kyiv is the place to be if you want to do a tour to Chernobyl, and it’s also a great place to base yourself while visiting some smaller villages in the region on day trips.

If you have more time than we did, you could also consider travelling to the city of Lviv, known as the prettiest city in the country, or even further to the city of Odessa, the pearl of the Black Sea. Personally, I can’t wait to return to Ukraine to explore these places, and hopefully the East and Crimea, once it becomes safe again. Until next time, Ukraine!