Kiev is an underestimated destination. Incidents like the Chernobyl disaster and the Euromaidan Revolution in 2014 never quite left our collective unconscious. That's a pity, because #kiev is definitely worth a trip! The city makes a great destination for escaping the overcrowded and expensive European cities to the West. Kiev is full of #cultural sites, #history, and has a thriving restaurant scene. It is also a very affordable place to visit.

But what would you definitely not miss in Kiev? Here we have compiled our tips for you:

Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square)

The Central square of Kiev. It’s famous for many political protests which took place there (e.g. Euromaidan, Orange Revolution). Through Maidan goes the main street of Kiev – Kreshchatyk.

Pechersk Lavra

The monastery, divided into lower and upper lavra, is the sanctuary of Orthodox Christians in Ukraine - a place of pilgrimage and one of the biggest tourist attractions of the city and not for nothing a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the lower lavra there are the famous artificial caves, some of which can also be visited. This complex of tunnels and crypts is every bit as unique as it is spooky. Over 100 important Orthodox figures have been buried in the Lavra complex over the past millennia. If you look carefully at the coffins, you’ll notice that under the robes, there are actual dead bodies - look for the telltale mummified hands. By the way, this part can be visited free of charge, while the upper lavra costs a small fee. After paying for entrance into the complex (about 25 hryvnia, or ~$1 USD), you’ll pass through a beautifully ornate gate with painted iconography and gilded in gold. One of the first things you’ll see is the Great Lavra Belltower, which at a height of nearly 100 meters was once the tallest belltower in all of Kiev. Besides, there are countless small churches with golden onion towers, bell towers rising into the sky and other whitewashed buildings between which black-clad monks walk and form the perfect contrast. The church was painstakingly restored and is now a convincing replica of how it used to be in its heyday.

Golden Gate

Golden Gate (Zoloti Vorota) is a reconstruction of the main gate to Kiev from medieval times when Kiev was a walled city. Until the 19th century it served as the city gate of Kiev despite partial destruction. It sits in a small park area and has a big statue of Yaroslav the Wise, who is credited with the construction of the gate, next to it. It is centrally located and the metro station of the same name is less than 100 m away. In the warmer months, this is a lively square where people hang out and enjoy the weather. Not far from the Golden Gate there is a great photo spot - the knight's house "Dom barona Shteyngelya". It was built in 1898 for a Polish magnate in the style of a medieval castle.

Bessarabsky Market

The market is still used by locals today, even though it is rather upscale compared to other smaller markets you’ll find dotting the streets of Kiev. The produce is stacked beautifully and you’ll see lots of traditional Ukrainian products, like pickled everything and exotic caviar.

Holodomor Memorial

This small museum not far from Pechersk Lavra memorializes millions of people killed by man-made famine in 1932-1933 in Soviet Ukraine.  It was a genocide that killed between 7-10 million people. The memorial is small but powerful. The most memorable part of the museum are huge piles of grain. One grain symbolizes one victim. 

In our itinerary below we have put together some more highlights and tips for restaurants.