SEKAI Explorer Guide Kiev (2011)

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Table of Content:

• Understand

• Get in

By plane

By train

By car

By bus

By boat

• Get around

Navigating

By bus

By taxi

By metro

By tram

By Funicular

• See

• Do

• Learn

Work

• Buy

Money

• Eat

Budget

Fast-food chains

Mid-range

Splurge

National

Kosher

Groceries

• Drink

Irish

Belgian

Clubs

• Sleep

Budget

Mid-range

Splurge

• Stay safe

• Contact

Telephone

Internet

• Cope

Embassies

• Get out

Understand

Ukrainians are understandably very proud of their capital's role in establishing European civilisation in Eastern Europe.

Kiev is one of the oldest cities in Eastern Europe, dating back to the 5th century, although settlements at this location existed much earlier. By the late 9th century, Kiev had become the de facto capital of an emerging Eastern Slavic state. Between the 10th and early 13th centuries, the city reached its golden age as the capital of the first Ukrainian state known today as Kievan Rus, (Kyivan Ruthenia, or Rus-Ukraine). This state created the religious and cultural foundations for modern Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia.

In the middle of the 13th century, Kievan Rus was overrun by the Mongols. Later that century, Kiev became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In 1569 the city was absorbed into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and in 1654 it was liberated from that Commonwealth by the Cossack, Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky, who then promptly signed the city over to Russia. This action continues to be a sore point for Ukrainian nationalists.

In 1775, Kiev was annexed by the Russian Empire. The city remained under Russian rule, with brief but uncertain periods of independence between 1918 and 1920. Over these two centuries, Kiev experienced growing Russification and Russian immigration. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, it became the capital of independent Ukraine and is now discovering its place as a large European capital.

It is generally acknowledged that the population is over 3,000,000 (2006 estimates). About 85% claim Ukrainian ethnicity and about 12% Russian. However, the census numbers are believed to be unreliable so these percentages must be taken with a pinch of salt. There are many minorities in the city, including Armenians, Azeris, Belarussians, Jewish, Georgians, Polish, Romanians and Tatars. Since 2001, not only has the population of Kiev increased, but also the percentage of people claiming Ukrainian ethnicity. This is probably a result of the strong nationalist movement centered in Kiev during the Orange Revolution (October 2004 to January 2005).

In Kiev, Ukrainian is primarily spoken by immigrants from Western Ukraine or villages, while most Kievans usually speak Russian with a few Ukrainian words (called "Surzhik"). Officially, all signs are supposed to be bilingual.

According to the national census taken in 2001, about 93% of the population has a secondary education, and nearly 46% received higher education.[1]

The average temperature is 24°C (75.2 ºF) in summer and -19°C (-2.2 ºF) in winter. Spring and autumn (fall) can be very brief. In general the people in Kiev are hospitable and will be eager to help you. However, if you don't have a knowledge of Russian you may find service in restaurants and shops difficult, although this will change with time as more people begin to study English.

Get in

By plane

Boryspil International Airport (KBP) [2] (Міжнародний аеропорт "Бориспіль") is about 40 minutes from the city center. The city's second airport Zhulyany (IEV) (аеропорт "Жуляни"), used mostly for domestic flights, is located 20 minutes from the center.

Ukraine has two major international airlines - Ukraine International Airlines [3] (Міжнародні Авіалінії України - Mizhnarodni Avialiniyi Ukrayiny) and Aerosvit [4] (АероСвіт). These airlines have daily flights to major European cities. Aeroflot, Alitalia, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Czech Airlines [5], Delta [6], Estonian Air [7], Finnair, KLM, Lufthansa, Malev, Turkish Airlines [8] and others have scheduled flights to Borispol airport. Semi-Budget airlines flying to Kiev include AirBaltic. Budget airline Wizz Air [9] has flights from several European cities. There are occasional budget charters from Italy, and in summer, Ukrainian Mediterranean Airlines runs charters to destinations including Italy and Turkey. Aerosvit and Delta are the only airlines with non-stop service to North America.

The simplest way to get to the city center is to take a marshrutka, which is a minibus. These leave very regularly, cost 30UAH, and terminate at the plaza behind the main train station, close to the Metro. A taxi costs 250-500UAH, with the taxis operated by people who meet travellers off the plane with the promise of taxis being the most expensive.

POLIT operates a regular bus service between the airport and Kiev city center (ploshcha Peremohy (площа Перемоги) and the Central Railway station (bus schedule [10]). Buses depart frequently and the cost is 25UAH. Tickets are bought from the driver. On average, it takes 40-70 minutes to get to city center by bus.

It can take a lot of time to go through immigration although the situation has reportedly improved somewhat recently. Passport control can still take more than an hour if there are several flights arriving around the same time. Plan your first day's schedule accordingly. Standing in line is not the norm for Ukrainians, so learn to line hop if you want to get though passport control quickly. There are separate lines for Ukrainians, no-visa-required visitors, and others (including visa-required) countries. Look for the signs "NO VISA" and "VISA" above the heads of the immigration officers.

When leaving there can be very large queues waiting to go through security. Travelers flying to the United States may be required to go through a second security checkpoint. Going through check-in queue, security queue and passport control queue may take less than 30 minutes but can be much longer. Check-in counters open two hours before the scheduled departure time and going from the city to the airport may take anything between 30 minutes and 2 hours depending on city traffic.

By train

Kiev's central railway station is Kiev Passajirskij (Київ-Пасажирський) and is close to the city centre. Metro station Vokzalna (метро "Вокзальна") connects to the station.

Direct day and night trains are avalible from all major cities and towns in Ukraine. There are five daily depatures from Dnipropetrovsk (5½-9 h) and up to ten from Lviv (9 h) with a express train departing 6:35AM execpt Tuesdays taking just six hours. The eastern city of Donetsk is only served by night trains, taking 12 hours. Connections with the Black Sea region Crimea are plentiful, most night trains depart from Simferopol (14 h) but some originates in Sevastopol (16 h) aswell. Prices for domestic train ranges between 90-120 UAH for seats and from 150 UAH for second class sleeper.

There are good international connections with central Europe and Russia. Departures from Belgrade (36 h), Budapest (24 h), Bratislava (29 h), Chisinau (15 h), Minsk (12 h), Prague (35 h), Sofia (37 h) via Bucharest (26 h) and Warsaw (16 h) are nightly. From Moscow there are a multitude of trains with the fastest one beeing Metropolitan Express taking just 8½ hours. Saint Petersburg is also well served with a nightly train taking 23 hours. Berlin (22 h) have nighly connections during summer while departures from Vienna (34 h) are nighly Mo-Th. There is also a connection from Venice (45 h) via Ljubljana (41 h) once a week, departing Thursdays.

Other exotic cities with more infrequent departures includes Astana (73 h, Th), Baku (64 h, Wed) and Murmansk (61 h, Wed and Sat). And if you are looking for a real journey, hop on train 133E linking Kiev with Vladivostok. It's one of the longest journeys possible by train, takeing eight nights!

By car

The main route into Ukraine from the West is via Poland - the only 24-hour customs post is in Lvivska Oblast (Region) at a place called Krakovets. The nearest significant town on the Polish side is Przemysl, and it's straightforward to find by following route #4 (which passes through Przemysl). When you arrive at the border, the road is fairly narrow (no motorway/autobahn), and there is always a queue of trucks and vans parked to the right of the road. Don't park behind the goods vehicles, slip up the side of them and then feed into the customs area when the guy flags you forward (for courteous Europeans, you're not jumping the queue as commercial traffic goes through a different process). If you're in an EU-registered car then find the EU-passports section. Then, proceed to Ukrainian passport control and then Ukrainian customs and you're through. It used to be a nightmare, with apocryphal tales of 5-6+ hours at the border, but the Ukrainians have made great advances in efficiency with a 1-2 hour border crossing now possible.

Once through, just follow the main road towards Lviv (Львів) on the E40 - this is the route right across Ukraine to Kiev (and thence the East). Stick to this - the main towns on the way are Lviv, Rivne (Рівне), Zhytomyr (Житомир). Care is required as the road still remains in a miserable condition, even though it is the main East/West highway and the main road route from and to the EU.

By bus

There are two types of city-run buses available: bus (автобус) and trolleybus (тролейбус). These can be hailed from assigned stops, which are marked by a sign on a telegraph pole. These buses are often very crowded during peak hours, but the norm is to push your way in. Once on board, you need to validate your ticket by punching a hole in it. If you can't get near the hole puncher, ask someone to validate your ticket for you. Cost for both types is currently 1.50 UAH and tickets are available from kiosks throughout the city.

You can also travel uncomfortably on route taxis or mini-vans called "Marshrutky" (Маршрутки). These are privately run vehicles that travel assigned routes, which are listed on the front of the bus. You can hail a Marshrutka at the assigned bus stops. When you board, you pay the driver directly or, if you're not near the driver, pass the money to the nearest passenger who will pass it to the driver. Your change will be returned in reverse order, but it is unwise to pass big bills. When you are reaching your destination, simply yell out to the driver to stop "Aa - sta -nov -ka" (some 100 meters in advance to the bus stop you need). If you overshoot you get a nice walk and a driver gets a little extra stress a day. The fare ranges from 2.00 UAH to 3.00 UAH, and is clearly stated on the front and sidewalk-side of the vehicle, so you will know how much you pay in advance. It is good to have some change, so you can pay exact amount.

Marshruka routes can be hard to figure out, but they have a list of stops on the window and a Metro logo for the metro stops. The best way to figure out where these go is to ask some of the locals. Also, certain city maps feature the routes of the Marshrutky (better to check though, especially in the case of older editions). The one downside to using Marshutkas is that they tend to be a little overpacked (understatement) and very hot or cold, depending on season.

By boat

It is possible to organize trips down the Dnieper to the Black Sea in summer. A travel agency in Ukraine can book these trips for you.

Get around

Kiev can seem quite foreign to the western tourist, as all signage is in Cyrillic script. It is still largely a city where very few people know English, and the likelihood of encountering an English speaker is low - but not impossible. For the non-Russian or Ukrainian speaker, it's quite possible to get around easily, and it is a very interesting city to explore. It never hurts to speak English. Often, a shop assistant will ask customers who can speak English to act as translators.

It is advisable, however, to pick up a pocket Russian or Ukrainian phrasebook, and learn the Cyrillic alphabet, which can be fun and is easy to learn. Spend some time practising key words and phrases (e.g. 'hello', 'thank-you' and 'bill please'). Even what you regard as a feeble attempt at Ukrainian or Russian will amuse most people to the point where they become comfortable engaging in pantomime or trying out the little bit of English they know.

It is impolite to chat loudly (e.g., in the Metro), point or wave one's hands. You should also avoid whistling inside or being under-dressed, although in summer very short mini-skirts are widespread. All of these actions will regularly attract the wrong type of attention, including outright hostility. In the Ukraine it is also considered unusual to request ice in your drinks, and the bars and restaurants are not really set up to supply it.

Navigating

Pick up a "Kyiv Tour Guide" map book (Geosvit books - around US$3-4), which is available at a number of kiosks or at the central post office. Basic tourist maps are available at the baggage carousel at Boryspil Airport. If you are spending much time in Kiev, get the matching Ukrainian version of your map, many locals have as much trouble with the version that is transliterated to Latin characters as you will have with Cyrillic. They need the version in Cyrillic. When asking for directions or setting out in a taxi, it helps to locate the place you want on the English map and then point out the same spot on the Ukrainian version.

By bus

There are two types of city-run buses available: bus (автобус) and trolleybus (тролейбус). These can be hailed from assigned stops, which are marked by a sign on a telegraph pole. These buses are often very crowded during peak hours, but the norm is to push your way in. Once on board, you need to validate your ticket by punching a hole in it. If you can't get near the hole puncher, ask someone to validate your ticket for you. Cost for both types is currently 1.50 UAH and tickets are available from kiosks throughout the city.

You can also travel uncomfortably on route taxis or mini-vans called "Marshrutky" (Маршрутки). These are privately run vehicles that travel assigned routes, which are listed on the front of the bus. You can hail a Marshrutka at the assigned bus stops. When you board, you pay the driver directly or, if you're not near the driver, pass the money to the nearest passenger who will pass it to the driver. Your change will be returned in reverse order, but it is unwise to pass big bills. When you are reaching your destination, simply yell out to the driver to stop "Aa - sta -nov -ka" (some 100 meters in advance to the bus stop you need). If you overshoot you get a nice walk and a driver gets a little extra stress a day. The fare ranges from 2.00 UAH to 3.00 UAH, and is clearly stated on the front and sidewalk-side of the vehicle, so you will know how much you pay in advance. It is good to have some change, so you can pay exact amount.

Marshruka routes can be hard to figure out, but they have a list of stops on the window and a Metro logo for the metro stops. The best way to figure out where these go is to ask some of the locals. Also, certain city maps feature the routes of the Marshrutky (better to check though, especially in the case of older editions). The one downside to using Marshutkas is that they tend to be a little overpacked (understatement) and very hot or cold, depending on season.

By taxi

There are two types of taxi in Kiev - official company taxis, and 'gypsy' cabs.

As with many former Soviet cities, it is perfectly acceptable for any car to stop and pick you up. An unmarked vehicle is a 'gypsy' cab. To hail a ride, simply stand with your arm out, palm down ("Avto-stop"). When a car pulls over, negotiate a fare. As a rule of thumb, rides within the downtown are should not cost more than 15-20 UAH and moving across the city might be anywhere from 30 to 50 UAH (also depends on car model, time of day, weather and traffic conditions, whether both of you need to get to the same part of the city, etc.). Therefore, you should choose a proper street side, and your gender and numbers usually matter for the price. Generally, a few girls would find informal taxis easier and cheaper to obtain than several slightly drunk men. It is safe enough compared to many cities, but in the middle of the night you are still taking a risk.

Official company taxis can be hailed, or booked over the phone. There is usually someone who speaks English worning for the company. Simply ask 'pa angliskiy pazhalsta' (or "English please"). The operator will give you a quote, which will save you from the sometimes intimidating process of negotiating on the street.

Taxi fares do vary widely. On the same route, a local could pay UAH15 while a foreigner may be quoted UAH60 with the driver being prepared to settle for UAH30.

By metro

The Metro (Ukrainian: Метро) is one of the pleasures of Kiev. It is a clean, fast subway system, and it is easy to navigate once you realize that all three metro lines (red, blue and green) go through the city centre. In total there are 49 stations, with ambitious plans for extension.

When you enter the Metro, you must purchase a token to travel from the cashdesk, Kasa (Ukrainian: каса). One token is valid for one trip, no matter how far you go. A token is 2 UAH and one needs to slip the token into the turnstyles to enter. A note of caution make sure you walk through the correct side of the turnstyle or you will be hit with a metal gate that will slam shut. You can also obtain an unlimited monthly ticket with a magnetic tape, which is available for sale for 95 UAH during the first week of the calendar month or the third week for half the price (but not strictly so).

At platform level, all signage is in Cyrillic [11], so it's best to correlate the Cyrillic station names on the wall to the transliterated names on your map book. Once inside the train, the metro route maps over central windows have names transliterated into Latin letters, and there is a station announcement as the metro approaches each station, as well as TV screens in many carriages. Between stations, they show adverts, but flag an impending station before arrival. Upon departure, they then show the next station.

Metro stations where you can interchange have two different names - one for each line. If you are changing lines, the other station can be reached by an overpass in the centre or near one of the ends of the platform.

Trains run every 30 to 150 seconds during business hours and every 10 to 15 minutes from 11PM till 1AM at the last station. They are often very crowded. Be prepared to push, as this may be the only way you get on the train during peak hours.

It's interesting to note that the Kiev metro has some of the deepest stations in the world. The Arsenal'na station (Ukrainian: Арсенальна) station is the deepest metro station in the world, at 107 meters deep, and the Universytet station (Ukrainian: Університет) has one of the longest escalators (87 meters long).

If you enable "Cell Info Display" on your GSM phone, it will show you the name of the station (in transliterated Latin characters (for UMC and Kyivstar subscribers) just like your map) when you are underground in the vicinity of a station. Your mobile/cell/handy should work on most of the network, including between stations.

Spend some time looking at the stations. The red line features impressive architecture, similar to that seen in the Moscow and Saint Petersburg metro systems.

By tram

Streetcars (Трамвай) run in a number of areas, including Podil and around the circus off Taras Ševčenko boulevard.

By Funicular

A scenic way to get from the upper city down to Podil is to catch the funicular from Mykhaylivs’ka Ploscha to Poshtova Ploscha in Podil. You can enjoy views of the Dnieper and left bank on the way down. The cost is 1.50 UAH, and the Funicular runs from 06:00 to 23:00 during summer and 07:00 to 22:00 during winter. As with the Metro, you buy a token and insert it into the entrance barrier.

See

Women are supposed to cover their heads and put on skirts before entering the caves or churches. However, this is not always enforced for tourists. You may be invited to take the church's shawls - one to cover your head and a second to wrap your legs like a skirt. Or you may buy nice shawls at Pechersk Lavra.

- Chernobyl' Museum, Khoryv Lane, 1 (Metro “Kontraktova Plosha”), 0038 (044) 417-54-22, [12]. Mon-Fri 10-18; Sat 10-17. A fascinating and moving museum. No signage in English, but English audio guides are available for a fee - highly recommended. Metro: Kontraktova Ploscha.

- Khreschatyk (Хрещатик) Street - The main drag of the city centre. It is closed to traffic on some weekends and full of entertainers and people wandering around. A big happy crowd and very conducive to peoplewatching. Metro: Maydan Nezalezhnosti or Khreschatyk.

- Kiev Pechersk Lavra (Cave Monastery--Печерська лавра), (Metro station Arsenal'na is a couple blocks away from the main entrance. You can take a trolley from the subway station - 2 stops). One of the oldest and most important monasteries in Ukraine and in the teritory of the former Soviet Union. Only the most important monasteries were designated as Lavras; there were only four, of which this Cave Monastery is the oldest. It was founded in 1077 by St Antoniy. The caves were dug out by priests who lived there as hermits. Nowadays, the caves are venerated by the faithful and tourists who visit the mummified monks, and pilgrims are still allowed access to the underground church there. There are two parts to the modern complex: the upper lavra, owned by the state and consisting of a number of museums (entry fee); and the lower lavra, owned by the Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriach) and consisting of the caves (you'll need 1 UAH to buy a candle to enter). Do not miss the display of micro-miniatures in the upper lavra. It sounds lame, but it is fascinating. You can enter the caves in the lower part if you dress correctly (women MUST cover their hair and wear skirts, no shorts. Expensive scarves are for sale there). Women can only just get away with pants in the winter. Start at the Lower Lavra, visiting the caves before the crowds descend for the day. There are two cave complexes, each housing the mummified remains of monks, as well as religous icons and other relics. Both caves are accessed through churches, with the entrance to the shorter caves at the end of a boardwalk. While it is free to enter the caves, you must purchase a taper candle in order to light your way. The caves are not recommended for the claustrophobic or overly tall. Once you're in there, it's hard, even impossible to turn around and go back out - you have to keep going.

- Museum of Folk Architecture and Rural Life (Музей народної архітектури та побуту - Muzey narodnoyi arkhitetury ta pobutu), Krasnoznamennaya street, 1, Pirogovo (Bus #156 or #172 from Respublikans'kyi Stadion or Lybedskaya Metro stations goes there for US$0.30 (pay driver). About one hour.), +38(044) 526 57 65. daily. Covering 160 ha, the area shows how people used to live in different parts of the Ukraine. Six restored rural Ukranian villages, with old huts, wooden mills and churches from all over Ukraine have been carefully restored and function as living museums. English-speaking (sort of) guides with expertise on the whole site are available and well worth-it. Ukrainians come on sunny days to relax in the grass.

- St Sophia's Cathedral (Собор Святої Софії - Sobor Sviatoyi Sofiyi), (Metro: Zoloti Vorota). 09.00-16.00. The oldest remaining church in Kiev. Parts date from the 11th century. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and has numerous paintings and mosaics including the Virgin Orans mosaic. Several green-robed ladies maintain order and will shout at you if you look like you are planning to take a photo. The gatehouse and other restorations were completed in the 17th century. Outside the gates, there is a statue commemorating Bogdan Hmelnitski, who liberated Kiev in the 17th century... then gave the city to the Russian Empire. UAH43 for admission to the complex and church. Additional charges to climb the bell tower, visit the museum and have a guided tour.

- St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery, (a short distance and easily visible from St. Sophia's cathedral). A working monastery that goes back to the 12th Century. Destroyed during the Soviet era, with many of its art works hastily removed, some of which subsequently fell into the hands of the Nazis. Rebuilt in 1997-98. Impressive gold domes best visited on a sunny day. Behind the complex is a pleasant park with views of the Dnieper and, to the left, the entrance to the funicular.

- Motherland Statue and War memorials - Kiev was pretty much destroyed during the invasion in WWII. The memorial near the motherland statue is pretty gripping. Lots of examples of classic Soviet-era memorial statuary as well as some amazing exhibits of military hardware. The Museum to the Great Patriotic War (WWII) located in the base of the statue is a must-see for visitors interested in the impact the German invasion had on the Soviet Union. Well worth the visit even if you don't speak or read any Russian (several English language tours are provided daily). It's well curated and full of artifacts (including weapons, battle maps, hundreds of original photographs, and a moving installation at the end of the exhibit symbolizing the great losses suffered). There is also a small museum of the Afghan conflict nearby. Try to enter coming from the top part of the Pecherska Lavra. This way you get submerged with old soviet music and dark statues. Metro: Pecherska, Arsenal'na

- Babyn Yar (Бабин Яр) - a ravine which was the site of massacres of Jews, Gypsies, and other civilians by the Nazis and their puppets during World War II. Approximately 60,000 civilians were executed at this site during the war (over 34,000 Jews in the first two days alone). Now a memorial to "Soviet citizens" murdered by the Germans, the park can be reached via the metro.

- Maydan Nezalezhnosti (Майдан Незалежності) - Independence Square, located on Khreschatyk Street. Maidan is known throughout the world as the place where supporters of Yuschenko and the Orange Revolution camped for weeks on end in October 2004. This is a central meeting place in Kiev. Metro: Maydan Nezalezhnosti or Kreschatyk

- Kiev TV Tower (Телевізійна вежа - Televiziyna vezha) is the tallest lattice tower in the world. It is not accessible for tourists.

- Andriyivs'ky Uzviz (Андріївський узвіз) or Andrew's Descent - At the top of this quaint, very rough cobblestone street is St Andrew's Church (closed for restoration in 2011). Sidewalks are gradually being added to the Descent but, meanwhile, take a good pair of shoes. Andrew's Descent winds down to Kontraktova Ploscha in Podil. The street is lined with souvenir sellers, restaurants, galleries and museums. Touristy but retains charm.

- One Street Museum (Музей однієї вулиці - Muzey odniyeyi vulytsi). (Andriyivsky uzviz (Андріївський узвіз), 2-B Kyiv.) The collection of the One Street Museum is dedicated to the history of the Andriyivskyi uzviz (Andrew's Descent) and its famous residents. Open daily from 12 noon to 6PM (closed Mondays) Web-site of the One Street Museum [13]

- Mariyins'ky Palace (Маріїнський Палац) and Mariyinsky park where Lovers' bridge [14]is situated.

- State Aviation Museum - located inside the old Zhulyany Airport [15] with many impressive Soviet civil and military aircraft on display, including an An-2, Tu-104, Il-62, Il-76 and an Il-86. The museum is opposite to the airport terminal, which is an industrial zone. Take Trolleybus #9 from the train station or #22 from Šuljavska (Шулявська) metro station, both will take you only to the terminal. From there, take a taxi, or exit the terminal complex and walk clockwise along the perimeter of the airport (30-40 minutes). You should see an ATM machine and a trolleybus depot along the way (remember your way back too as the roads tend to be converging towards the museum while diverging on the way back!). Walking after dark is not advisable as the area is poorly lit and stray dogs are present. Admission: 12UAH.

- German Military graveyard- located on the road to Odessa, about 20 km away from Kiev, next to the Kiev cemetery. About 10000 German soldiers are buried here, after the battles around Kiev in 1941 and 1944.

- Great Gate of Kiev - * Zoloti Vorota (Золоті ворота). Metro: Zoloti Vorota. This is a 1982 reconstruction of the Golden Gates of Kiev, described by Mussorgski in "Pictures of an Exhibition" It is quite a nice spot to visit and learn about the town walls. Some nice buildings are also there and you can inspect the Porsche Cayennes, Lexuses, Audis, BMWs and Mercedes of Ukraine's nouveau riche who are very much into conspicuous consumption.

Do

- Catch the metro to Hidropark island in the Dnipro river. Kiev is endowed with natural city beaches that line the Dnieper. Many a summer day can be spent in the parks and on the beaches of the islands, where you can buy shashlyk from stalls, play beach volleyball, swim in the river or in the pools on the island, or just soak up the sun.

- Stroll around Podil. Start at St Michael's Cathedral in the Upper Town. Catch the funicular behind it down to Poshtova Ploscha, and wander around the grid-like streets of Podil. The area was the merchant's quarter, and was completely rebuilt in the 19th century after fires destroyed the area. It was mainly untouched during WWII and is emerging as a hip restaurant district and is rapidly being gentrified. Finish your stroll by walking up Andreiivsky Uzviz, which will get you back to St Michael's Cathedral.

- If you're in Kiev on the weekend, go and people watch on Kreshchatyk. Start at Lva Tolstogo Square and head underground. Walk through the Metrograd shopping center, always sticking to your left. Head above-ground at Taras Shevchenko Boulevard (бульвар Тараса Шевченка), from where the council shuts down Kreshchatyk on the weekends. Walking up the street to Maidan, you will be treated to the sight of numerous street performers and animal handlers, or you can simply enjoy seeing families out and about for a weekend stroll.

- Go to a service at an Orthodox Church. The best one to visit is St Volodomyr's on Taras Shevchenko Boulevard. Services are long and there are no seats in Orthodox churches, however it's perfectly acceptable to come and go as you please. Women must cover their heads before entering the church. Metro: Universityet

Learn

- National University Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (Національний університет «Києво-Могилянська академія» - Natsionalnyi universytet "Kyyevo-Mohylians'ka akademiya") Is the leading university in the Ukraine with regards to political fields. The university's professors offered support to politicians and various international media outlets during the Orange Revolution in late 2004 that resulted in the election of Viktor Yuschenko. [16] (English)

- Kyiv Shevchenko University (Київський національний університет імені Тараса Шевченка - Kyivsky natsionalny universytet imeni Tarasa Shechenka) The university is the largest and one of the more important universities. Its enrollment is over 30,000 [17] (English)

There are a number of private schools where you can learn Ukrainian or Russian, either part-time or full time [18]. There are also experienced teachers in the city - check out resources such as Kyiv In Your Pocket, The Kyiv Post [19], and What's On Weekly for details of schools and teachers.

Work

Foreigners can sometimes find work teaching their native language. Pay is usually decent enough to live on in Kiev if you get enough pupils and live by local standards.

As is the nature in a global economy, professionals with skills in demand, e.g. accountants and IT professionals, can be employed with global firms in Kiev, without knowledge of Russian or Ukrainian languages.

Getting a work permit (visa) is a necessity for foreigners if they are going to be employed by any legal entity (exceptions apply only for international institutions and representative offices of foreign companies). The work permit is more of a hiring permit. The potential employer has to apply with the labour administration for hiring an non-resident employee. With the application a complete cv, as well as documents showing an accredited education, have to be submitted.

Buy

Go to the market at Andrew's Descent (Andriyivskyi Uzviz) for a nice collection of traditional things, old communist goods (real goods as well as some that are fake and mass-produced), babushka dolls, etc. The best days are Saturdays and, especially, Sundays.

Money

The unit of currency is the Hryvnia (UAH) (гривня) [pronounced: Hryvnia (in Ukrainian), Grivna (in Russian)], which has currently (mid-2011) fallen to about 11 UAH to the Euro and 8 UAH to the US Dollar. There are many exchanges that will convert Euro or USD to UAH, just look for signs with exchange rates posted on just about any block in the downtown area or any bank outside downtown. Exchange rates vary a lot and deteriorate fast when you get into less competitive places or outside of standard business hours. You should also make sure to get a receipt when buying UAH. Rates at the airport are not as good as in the city center. However, beware that not all hotels will change money and if you arrive in the evening or Sunday you could find yourself with no money for dinner if you don't change at least some at the airport. Most banks operate on Saturdays as well as Mondays to Fridays.

ATMs are known as 'bankomat' (банкомат), and can be found everywhere. All major credit cards and debit cards can be used at some ATMs throughout Ukraine, but do not work in many. You can withdraw UAH but in some cases also US dollars. Be sure to contact your credit card company prior to your visit or they will freeze your card! As a backup, it is possible to get dollars from most banks using a cash advance from a Visa or Mastercard. There is a small service charge (3%) to do this in addition to whatever your bank charges. Debit cards such as maestro do work in ATMs. Cirrus/Maestro/Plus bank cards could be most effective way to get cash in Ukraine. Many ATMs, such as Aval Bank and Expres Bank ATMs do not charge any transaction cost to cash withdrawal transactions from foreign cards (unless you are withdrawing dollars). Not all ATMs indicate that they support the Plus system, but in most cases they do support it if they support Visa. PrivatBank ATMs do indicate that they support Plus, but they do not work with North American cards.

It is often expected that one carries small change in Kiev. Most retail establishments will scowl at you if you try to pay for a UAH4 purchase with a UAH20 note. They generally keep very little change on hand and will always ask if you have the right amount. Keep small change to use the toilets.

Eat

In general, it is very cheap to dine in Kiev by European or US standards. So long as you stay away from the places that totally pander to tourists or to the Porsche Cayenne-driving "elite", the food is great and cheap. Try the Borscht and the Mlyntzi and then try absolutely everything else. Baked goods are cheap and great too. Even the ice-cream on the street is great. An especially distinctive one is to the right from Khreshchatyk metro exit - blue kiosk with varying length of queues.

When you see vendors selling some liquid from big yellow/blue tanks on the street, you can be sure that it is "Kvas," which is a brewed bread drink. Some people like it and others hate it. It tastes a bit like malt, and the alcohol content is so low (0.05-1.44%) that it is considered acceptable for consumption by children. Try "Odyn Malenkyi" (one small) drink.

You should not drink the tap water. It is advisable to buy bottles in the supermarkets; they usually have English section on the label for "ingredients". You can always order "Bonaqua" (sparkling mineral water), but beer is just about as cheap.

Budget

- TIU Hostels, [22]. Chain of hostels in Ukraine owned and operated by backpackers. All their hostels have fully equipped kitchens, free Wi-Fi internet access, friendly English speaking staff, common rooms with big-screen TVs and DVD libraries, private rooms, frequent pub crawls, security lockers and digital coded front door locks.

- TIU Kreschatik, 8b Kreschatik Apt. 11 - On the Main Street next to the Independence Square (+380 66 932 3676)

- TIU Kiev Backpackers, 18 Krasnoarmeyskaya Apt. 15 - Located in the City Center of Kiev with English, German, Russian, and Ukrainian staff. (+380 96 997 8398)

- HostelKyiv.com Hostel, 28 Yaroslaviv Val, 4th floor, apt. 13 (City center), +380 (94) 925-00-20 (info@hostelkyiv.com), [23].

- St. Sophia Hostel Kiev, Appt. 2, 2 Georgievsky lane (City center), +380 93 642 3006 (st.sophia.hostel.kiev@gmail.com), [24].
Located in the very centre of Kiev in a quiet green area, St. Sophia Hostel provides a view on Sophia Cathedral, a unique object of UNESCO World Heritage.

- Kiev Central Station, 25 Gogolivska Apt. 15 - Closest hostel to the Train Station (+38 098 669 4783)

- Chillout Hostel, 22B(ve) Gorkogo Apt. 35(+380 93 755 0711, +380 93 332 4306)

- Really Central Hostel, 10, Bogdana Khmelnitskogo, Floor 2. Apt. 50 (access via second courtyard) (at the city centre), +380 982 636506, [25]. Very friendly, one communal dorm, two private twin rooms. English speaking staff, wi-fi and communal kitchen.

- Kreschatik Str. Independence Sq. Central Hostel, 5 Pushkinskaya str., 2nd floor, apt. 10, +380630418953, [26]. true hostel made for backpackers by backpackers in Kiev one minute's walk from Kreschatik Street. Hostel is in a historical tsar era building, renovated to cater for the 'flash packer.' 24 hour hot and cold water (not all hostels in Ukraine have that) and multi-lingual staff fluent in English, Russian, Ukrainian, Norwegian, Swedish, and several other languages operating a 24 hour reception. Facilities include a luxury lounge area where you can relax, have a drink, listen to music, and watch over 380 DVDs on a plasma TV with surround system, play games or just read books and magazines. Also provide free maps, tourist info and guides and free tea and coffee all day.

Fast-food chains

- Puzata Khata [20] -- "Puzo" is Ukrainian for "belly," and a khata is a traditional Ukrainian hut or shack. If you're from the States this place is like Picadilli, or any other pay-per-plate cafeteria. Popular with locals for nostalgia and prices, prepare to be in a big line at peak hours on weekends. Food is usually good though sometimes lukewarm, but almost entirely traditional Ukrainian. Two people can eat like absolute pigs here for less than $US12. You'll be full for the rest of the day, guaranteed. Three locations are across from Bessarabski Market; through the second arch to the right of the Khreshatik Metro station [past McDonald's, turn right through the big decorative arch]; and another on the corner of Sahaidachnoho Street, opposite Bohorodytsi Pyrohoschi (a square with a church on it). There is another one at Kontraktova Square, close to Kontraktova metro station, at the end of a downhill walk from the Andrivskyj Uzviz.

- Vesuvio Pizza, 3 locations - Reytarska 25 (Рейтарська), bulvar Shevchenko 2 (Шевеченко) - near Khreschatyk (Хрещатик), and Balzak 2a (Global Shopping Centre) (Бальзака, ТоргЦентр Ґлобал). Kiev's first North American style pizza, probably the best in the city. 25 types of pizza, pan pizza and thin crust, pastas, lasagna, green salads, starting from approx. $US5 per person incl. drinks. Eat in, take out and delivery 235 6681 and 278 3028.

- Shvydko (Швидко) (pseudo-national), Kartoplia (Картопля) (main dish: mashed potatoes with 1-3 of 30 different kinds of salads), MacSmak (МакСмак) (pizza)

- Two Geese ("Два гуся")serves decent cafeteria-style meals. Look for the signs with two geese on yellow background. Sometimes there's a vintage car painted with their logo out front. Fast, decent, easy, all you have to do is point. No language skills needed.

- Domashnia kukhnia (Домашня кухня, home kitchen) offers a buffet with typical Ukrainian food. Some say it's nice, others get sick of it. It's a favourite for Ukrainian students.

- Celentano (Челентано) (pizza, salads)

- Potato House (Картопляна Хата) chain - Mexican food

- Mister Snack (містер снек) - cheap sandwich and salad chain. Also do hamburgers

- Korchma Bud'mo (Корчма Будьмо), 22a, Mikhailivska str. (вул. Михайлiвська) - national Ukrainian cuisine, simple, but tasty and cheap, pleasant atmosphere. All the major credit cards are accepted.

For anyone near Kyiv-Mohyla university, there's a small cafeteria-style place down a few steps on the ground floor of a building on the main square (near Illins'ka st).

- Viola's Bierstube (Виола) - cheap pub with a great variety of sausages and different meat meals. Also beer here is always good. (In the arc near Bessarabka).

Mid-range

- Diplomat Hotel, Zhilyanska street 59, [27]. The apartments offers fully renovated classic single and double rooms, each with ensuite facilities, including plated breakfast. All of the accommodations come equipped with individually controlled air conditioning, heating, desk, safe deposit box, mini bar, hairdryer, double glassed windows and satellite TV. From $100.

- Hotel Kozatskiy, 1/3 Mihaylivska Street (Kiev, 01001), +38 044 279 49 14, [28]. checkin: 13-00; checkout: 12-00. A 3 star hotel in the city centre (Independence Place). From $70 per night.

- Hotel Lybid', [29]. The Hotel Lybid' is a standard European hotel. It is a short Subway or Shuttle ride from the city center. $115.

- President Hotel, Hospitalna Street 12, [30]. The President Hotel is a 4 star hotel with 325 rooms and 13 suites set out over 10 floors. Situated close to the city centre is in a cultural and historical quiet green area of Kiev. With your choice of either the fitness centre, leisure centre or health club. From $130.

- City Park Hotel, 20-A, Vorovsky Str., +38 (044)503-7790, [31]. A new boutique hotel located in the cultural, historical business part of Kiev.

- Gintama Hotel, Trekhsvyatitelskaya Street 9, [32]. Centrally located boutique hotel with 23 rooms. From $180.

- Hotel Rus, Hospitalna Street 4, [33]. One of oldest hotels in the city. Rooms are ok, but wear and tear is obvious and service is good. From US$183.

- Hotel Tourist, 2 R. Okipnoi St., Kyiv, Ukraine, 02002 ”). (metro station Livoberezhna), [34]. Rooms are good, but service is Soviet. Especially breakfast. reception ok, english speaking. Bring your own teabags or instant coffee. 29 floors.Restaurant with english menue. Close to Metro, market and shopping centre. Overlooking soviet style housing flats, view on city from 3 km away. strange bath tube. From €60.

Splurge

- Hyatt Regency Kiev (Hyatt Regency Kiev), 5, A. Tarasova Street (in the centre of Kiev, overlooking Saint Sophia Square), +380 44 581 1234 (info.hrkyiv@hyattintl.com), [35]. Opened in June 2007, Hyatt Regency Kiev is a new 5 star luxury hotel in Kiev (Kyiv). The hotel offers great views of the cathedral and the old city and feautures a 25m indoor swimming pool, spa and fitness centre.

- InterContinental Kiev (Velyka Zhytomyrska 2A), Kiev (sales.kiev@ihg.com), +380442191919, [36]. InterContinental Kiev is the first InterContinental Hotel to be open in Ukraine. It is in Kiev city centre between three of the most famous churches of ancient Eastern Christendom – St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery, Saint Andrew's Church of Kiev and the St. Sophia Cathedral. The 11-storey hotel is designed by celebrated Ukrainian architect Sergey Babushkin. Its angular marble-and-glass façade is a blend of classical and contemporary features, highlighted by a three-metre statue of the Greek Goddess Nike (mythology) by Ukrainian sculptor Michael Reva. InterContinental Kiev has 272 deluxe rooms, five Ambassador Suites, Royal Suite and Presidential Suite, both overlooking St Michael’s Square.

- The Opera Hotel (The Opera Hotel), B. Khmelnystkoho Street, [37]. The Opera Hotel is on B. Khmelnystkoho Street its (5*) and member of the leading hotels of the world. Opened in 2006 and owned by Rinat Akhmetov, Ukraine's wealthiest billionaire. +500$ per night.

- The Premier Palace Hotel (The Premier Palace Hotel), [38]. A nice 5-star hotel in a historic building. From $500.

National

- Ukrainian: There are many restaurants that claim to serve authentic Ukrainian food, but often they prepare Cossack food (which is basically the same).

Shynok : in the Pechersk district. 28v Lesi Ukrainki, very traditional food and furniture. 11.00-24.00. Shynok

Pervak : vul Rognidenska 2 , set lunch only 35-42 UAH

- Italian: Momento on Zlatoustovskaya (near the Circus), Napule on Mechnikova (near Metro station "Klovska")

- Georgian: Mimino on Spasskaya (Podil)

- Vietnamese: there are several restaurants, owned by a person from Vietnam (the cuisine is a comprise of "hits", rather than complete luncheon sets; considered above-average within local Vietnamese community; extremely expensive)

- Chinese: There is a good one near Metro Universitet. It's called "Jiu Long", which means "Nine Dragons" (there is a fast food store upfront, but if you go through the arch, you will see an entire Chinese-style building, that's where the real restaurant is; quality is good and prices are lower than some other similarly fancy restaurants). If you don't care about price, go to "Lun Van" near Metro Teatralna. Other above-average venues (but be warned, no one who's experienced anything like the real thing will find satisfactory Chinese food in Kiev) are Mandarin on a floating entertainment complex near the river port in Podil, and Vostok which is across the road from Mandarin.

- Japanese: There's one called Hanoi which serves Japanese and Vietnamese food. It is located near Metro Arsenalna. The quality is quite high, although the prices are too. Further, you will find various sushi-bar-chains in Kyiv (namely Sushi-Ya, Murakami and Yakitoria)

Kosher

- King David Esplanadna 24 tel 044 235 7436 near the Central Synagogue, Glatt Kosher, many traditional Eastern European dishes. Many Vegetarian dishes. Open 10.00 to 23.00, closed Saturdays

- Haiffa Kostiantynivska 57 Warning: Despite what some guide books (Bradt etc.) may say this restaurant no longer serves kosher food, it has been converted into a strip club, but the signs from the kosher restaurant have not been removed.

Groceries

The leading supermarket chains are "MegaMarket" (МегаМаркет), "Furshet" (Фуршет), "Velyka kyshenya" (Велика кишеня), , "Silpo" (Сільпо)which are conveniently located to the city centre. The closest MegaMarket to town is on 50 Gorkoho (Горького). This MegaMarket is big but can get busy. Foodstuffs are available on the ground level, and non-food available on the first level. You have to go through the cashier on each level, which means two long lineups on busy days.

The closest Furshet to the city centre, and most central supermarket, is on the basement level of the Mandarin Plaza, which is at the back of Bessarbabsky Square. This supermarket stocks many imported goods, and also has five restaurants.

"Fora" (фора) is a popular chain of mini-marts that are widely distributed, particularly on the Left Bank side of the city. They are about the size of 7-11 and stock most staple items, including toiletries, bread, dairy, sweets, and of course alcohol. Plastic bags are available but are not free, and some stores do not take credit cards. Bag your own groceries. If you're paying in cash, make sure the cashier gives you correct change back as some are careless or dishonest.

Most bottled waters are sparkling. To purchase regular bottled water, ask for Water Without Gas (VoDA bez gaza). A 500ml bottled water cost UAH 3-UAH 6 in August 2009, occasionally they will inflate the price to UAH 10 if you look like a rich tourist.

Do not forget to buy a few big jugs of bottled water such as Staryi Myrhorod (Старий Миргород) or Truskavetska (Трускавецька). Kyivskij tort (київський торт) is another thing you should eat in Kiev if you love cakes. Dark rye bread, Ryazhenka (Ряженка, ukrainian style yogurt), Kvas (Квас, fermented drink made of bread) could be also be interesting things to taste.

Chocolates, cakes, lollies, crisps and biscuits/cookies are widely available at low cost and very popular with Ukrainians - after years of being deprived western brands, snackfoods are becoming big business.

Drink

There are several nice places in Kiev to get a drink. From small cafés that are only frequented by locals (they look dirty at first sight) to expensive places. Most locals buy some drinks (beer or vodka) at a stall in the street and drink it in a park, leaving their bottle for the homeless to collect and cash in. With this they often buy some chips or other salted things (I think it's squid, not sure, though tastes like seasalt).

The prices are rather high for Kiev, which means quite reasonable by European standards. Beer is around $3, iirc.

- Antresol (vul T. Shevchenko 2) - directly in the center, they offer a nice selection of food to your coffee or drink, and they have Wi-Fi during the day for free.

- Arena Bar & Sports bar (close to Bessarabsky market) - always a good place to meet other travelers and expats, and a good starting point for a night out.

- Art club 44 (vul. Khreschatyk 44/b) it's a club that plays live music every day. Hard to find if you haven't been there. Go through the arch at Khreschatyk 44/b, there's a small Ukrainian-themed restaurant on the right (quite good actually), you need an unmarked door on the left. Or simply ask just about anybody between 18 and 35, they will probably know. Cover 20 UAH on Fri-Sat.

- Bar Fidel (Grushevskogo 4B, Kiev, Ukraine) Well worth checking out. DJ plays late on a friday night and there is some serious moshing and crowd surfing in what must be Kiev's lowest bar / club. Great fun, open till 5am.

- Blyndazh (Блиндаж, means "entrenchment") at the basement of 15 Mala Zhitomyrska (200 m. off Maidan sq.). Military-themed bar. Small, cheap and popular, mostly student types.

- Orech ("Walnut") (ul Bolshaya Vasilkovskaya 126) - small, good selection of local beers, used to serve unlimited free walnuts if you drink beer. Recently the walnut servings have been limited unfortunately.

- T.G.I. Friday's - The haven for any home-sick American. All staff speaks English, and the food has shapes you are familiar with. Again, just around Bessarabsky market (back-side). O'Briens, off Independence Square, has the same sort of thing.

- Viola's Bierstube (bulevard Shevchenka 1a) is also well hidden behind a dark door in a small alley.

Irish

There are several Irish pubs, none authentic, but OK if you're in need of a Guinness and expat company. One is located near Golden Gate (Zoloti Vorota) on Volodomyrska (called, eponymously, The Golden Gate Pub). Another (and the first in Kiev) is O'Briens on Mykailovska (one of the streets running west off Maidan sq., the one to the right, with a branch of OTP Bank on the corner). Both are expensive by Kiev standards. A new one is open in Podil, on the corner of Gostyny Dvor, near the Dutch embassy (can't miss it as it's close to the bottom of Andryevsky) called the Belfast Pub. Other than these centrally located ones, others lie scattered around Kiev, these do not cater to the ex-pat crowd and have better prices than you expect to find in any 'western' country. Keep your eyes open. Also try Dockers Pub.

Belgian

There are two Belgian beer cafés. One is located across the road from the Golden Gate, close to the South Korean Delegation (Le Cosmopolite, Vladimirskaya Ul.). The other is close to the Olympic Stadium (Belle-Vue; Ul. Saksahanskoho 7). Prices range between normal western prices (1.3 Euro for 0.5L of Stella Artois) and splurge western prices (4.5 Euro for 0.33L of Leffe Blond). Service is in perfect English usually and they do serve Belgian beer and traditional Belgian food (expensive).

Clubs

Kiev has a nice club scene. Ranging from very cheap to overly-expensive, you can find what you want.

- Tsar Project is an upscale lively place located close to the Water Museum. Expensive and pretentious, but beware of the face control, e.g. no sport shoes allowed.

- Patipa is one of Kiev's dinosaurs, but still one of the most trendy and best visited clubs in Kiev.

- Faberge also an upscale club, address Rybalska 22, similar to Chaikovsky Deluxe

- A few popular venues are located at the Mandarin Plaza shopping mall (Arena Entertainment complex), rumored to be owned by Klitschko bros. The clubs include Arena, Sky Bar, Barsky and Grotesque. It's right next to Bessarabsky market, most of the clubs are accessible from the court.

- Art Club 44 (see above) is packed on Friday and Saturday nights. Live music, mixed crowd of expats and local students.

- Shooters, located on Moskovskaya 22, is currently one of the more traveler and X-pat friendly clubs (it belongs to a group of Scottish X-pats).Particularly foreigner friendly.

- Xlib-club brings what is called cutting-edge music to Kiev. The club is neither expensive nor pretencious and exceedingly crowded on Friday and Saturday nights. Located in Podil - one of the most romantic districts in Kiev near the Dnieper river. Address Frunze 12.

Sleep

Budget

- TIU Hostels, [22]. Chain of hostels in Ukraine owned and operated by backpackers. All their hostels have fully equipped kitchens, free Wi-Fi internet access, friendly English speaking staff, common rooms with big-screen TVs and DVD libraries, private rooms, frequent pub crawls, security lockers and digital coded front door locks.

- TIU Kreschatik, 8b Kreschatik Apt. 11 - On the Main Street next to the Independence Square (+380 66 932 3676)

- TIU Kiev Backpackers, 18 Krasnoarmeyskaya Apt. 15 - Located in the City Center of Kiev with English, German, Russian, and Ukrainian staff. (+380 96 997 8398)

- HostelKyiv.com Hostel, 28 Yaroslaviv Val, 4th floor, apt. 13 (City center), +380 (94) 925-00-20 (info@hostelkyiv.com), [23].

- St. Sophia Hostel Kiev, Appt. 2, 2 Georgievsky lane (City center), +380 93 642 3006 (st.sophia.hostel.kiev@gmail.com), [24].
Located in the very centre of Kiev in a quiet green area, St. Sophia Hostel provides a view on Sophia Cathedral, a unique object of UNESCO World Heritage.

- Kiev Central Station, 25 Gogolivska Apt. 15 - Closest hostel to the Train Station (+38 098 669 4783)

- Chillout Hostel, 22B(ve) Gorkogo Apt. 35(+380 93 755 0711, +380 93 332 4306)

- Really Central Hostel, 10, Bogdana Khmelnitskogo, Floor 2. Apt. 50 (access via second courtyard) (at the city centre), +380 982 636506, [25]. Very friendly, one communal dorm, two private twin rooms. English speaking staff, wi-fi and communal kitchen.

- Kreschatik Str. Independence Sq. Central Hostel, 5 Pushkinskaya str., 2nd floor, apt. 10, +380630418953, [26]. true hostel made for backpackers by backpackers in Kiev one minute's walk from Kreschatik Street. Hostel is in a historical tsar era building, renovated to cater for the 'flash packer.' 24 hour hot and cold water (not all hostels in Ukraine have that) and multi-lingual staff fluent in English, Russian, Ukrainian, Norwegian, Swedish, and several other languages operating a 24 hour reception. Facilities include a luxury lounge area where you can relax, have a drink, listen to music, and watch over 380 DVDs on a plasma TV with surround system, play games or just read books and magazines. Also provide free maps, tourist info and guides and free tea and coffee all day.

Mid-range

- Diplomat Hotel, Zhilyanska street 59, [27]. The apartments offers fully renovated classic single and double rooms, each with ensuite facilities, including plated breakfast. All of the accommodations come equipped with individually controlled air conditioning, heating, desk, safe deposit box, mini bar, hairdryer, double glassed windows and satellite TV. From $100.

- Hotel Kozatskiy, 1/3 Mihaylivska Street (Kiev, 01001), +38 044 279 49 14, [28]. checkin: 13-00; checkout: 12-00. A 3 star hotel in the city centre (Independence Place). From $70 per night.

- Hotel Lybid', [29]. The Hotel Lybid' is a standard European hotel. It is a short Subway or Shuttle ride from the city center. $115.

- President Hotel, Hospitalna Street 12, [30]. The President Hotel is a 4 star hotel with 325 rooms and 13 suites set out over 10 floors. Situated close to the city centre is in a cultural and historical quiet green area of Kiev. With your choice of either the fitness centre, leisure centre or health club. From $130.

- City Park Hotel, 20-A, Vorovsky Str., +38 (044)503-7790, [31]. A new boutique hotel located in the cultural, historical business part of Kiev.

- Gintama Hotel, Trekhsvyatitelskaya Street 9, [32]. Centrally located boutique hotel with 23 rooms. From $180.

- Hotel Rus, Hospitalna Street 4, [33]. One of oldest hotels in the city. Rooms are ok, but wear and tear is obvious and service is good. From US$183.

- Hotel Tourist, 2 R. Okipnoi St., Kyiv, Ukraine, 02002 ”). (metro station Livoberezhna), [34]. Rooms are good, but service is Soviet. Especially breakfast. reception ok, english speaking. Bring your own teabags or instant coffee. 29 floors.Restaurant with english menue. Close to Metro, market and shopping centre. Overlooking soviet style housing flats, view on city from 3 km away. strange bath tube. From €60.

Splurge

- Hyatt Regency Kiev (Hyatt Regency Kiev), 5, A. Tarasova Street (in the centre of Kiev, overlooking Saint Sophia Square), +380 44 581 1234 (info.hrkyiv@hyattintl.com), [35]. Opened in June 2007, Hyatt Regency Kiev is a new 5 star luxury hotel in Kiev (Kyiv). The hotel offers great views of the cathedral and the old city and feautures a 25m indoor swimming pool, spa and fitness centre.

- InterContinental Kiev (Velyka Zhytomyrska 2A), Kiev (sales.kiev@ihg.com), +380442191919, [36]. InterContinental Kiev is the first InterContinental Hotel to be open in Ukraine. It is in Kiev city centre between three of the most famous churches of ancient Eastern Christendom – St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery, Saint Andrew's Church of Kiev and the St. Sophia Cathedral. The 11-storey hotel is designed by celebrated Ukrainian architect Sergey Babushkin. Its angular marble-and-glass façade is a blend of classical and contemporary features, highlighted by a three-metre statue of the Greek Goddess Nike (mythology) by Ukrainian sculptor Michael Reva. InterContinental Kiev has 272 deluxe rooms, five Ambassador Suites, Royal Suite and Presidential Suite, both overlooking St Michael’s Square.

- The Opera Hotel (The Opera Hotel), B. Khmelnystkoho Street, [37]. The Opera Hotel is on B. Khmelnystkoho Street its (5*) and member of the leading hotels of the world. Opened in 2006 and owned by Rinat Akhmetov, Ukraine's wealthiest billionaire. +500$ per night.

- The Premier Palace Hotel (The Premier Palace Hotel), [38]. A nice 5-star hotel in a historic building. From $500.

Stay safe

The usual "don't be stupid" advice seems to be adequate. Avoid drinking the water from the tap--bottled water is cheap and available everywhere (Morshinska/Моршинська, Mirgorodska/Міргородська is good). Kiev is a generally open and friendly city and stays lively until at least 11PM in most districts.

If you are female, and especially if you are traveling alone, try to take a taxi instead of public transit after 9 p.m. These are prime drinking hours and the metro and marshrutky may be crowded with drunken men. This is particularly true on the weekends. Ask a local English-speaker to call the taxi for you and get the amount of the fare in advance; drivers may greatly inflate the fare once hearing your accent.

Robberies and scams on tourists are fairly common in Kiev. The best approach is to be extremely selfish and ignore anyone who approaches you. Avoid eye contact with suspicious looking people. If you do get caught up in a scam (such as the infamous wallet scam or the "Look, I've just found money" scam or even if you are stopped by someone claiming to be a policeman), simply ignore the person and walk away, indicate that you want to call your embassy or go to the next police station to get the problem sorted. That will usually shake the person off.

If you are leaving your baggage in the station, it is better to leave it with the guys in person rather than use a locker. Stories have been heard of people 'assisting' with the locker and overseeing the code, then walking off with the bag afterwards.

On the metro, always keep your belongings securely zipped as close to your skin as possible. Pickpockets are highly organised and often in gangs that know what they are doing.

There are occasional (rare) reports of visitors being shaken down by corrupt officials, often customs officials. Naturally, the best protection is to make sure that you stay on the correct side of the law and, if there is any question, to keep your cool and not become argumentative. It seems that the cost of an error is surrendering the object in question and paying a "fine." The officials are skilled at ensuring that people who argue miss their flights. Making, or giving the impresion of making, a cellphone call to your country's embassy has been known to clear up "problems" quicker than actually paying the "fine" --- or pretend to have a very late flight :-)

Some thieves like to abuse new tourists, for example, by playing plainclothes cop. They are rarely aggressive. They will go to you only if you're walking alone and don't look too familiar with the town. A bit of resisting usually shakes them off (but not too much since you never know).

There is still some corruption in Ukraine; some services might openly ask you to bribe them to process your request, and denying it might make them refuse to help you.

The people are very tolerant and it is only reasonable to assume that they expect the same in return.

Contact

Telephone

Mobile (cell) phones: GSM/3G 900/1800 is used in Ukraine. This system is compatible with mobile phone networks used in Europe, most of Asia, Australia, New Zealand.

If you have an unlocked GSM phone, you can get an Djuice/Kyivstar [39], Beeline [40], Jeans/MTS [41] or Life:) [42] (Astelit) SIM card for a few dollars at street vendors which will give you a local number and free incoming calls. Note that most of those cards don't have money on their account so you may want to buy a payment card when you buy a sim card. If you don't have an unlocked phone already, new ones can be had for USD 30-40 and a touch cheaper if you buy a pay-as-you-go sim card at the same time. Incoming calls are free in Ukraine so in extremis you can just SMS/text a request for a return call for a small charge.

If you want to use 3G connection, you can get Utel [43], Peoplenet [44], CDMA [45], for mid 2011 last two networks don't have english version of site.

If you are roaming in Kiev, SMS messages do work well. They are confirmed to work for most foreign networks. Do note that the size of the country and the relative low population densities of rural areas means that sometimes there might be 'black-spots' where mobiles will not work. But of course these are away from the main cities/urban areas (and most of the main arterial road and rail routes also have reasonably consistent call signals).

If you are trying to call the US from your GSM phone, you may find that the access numbers for your calling card are blocked. Plan ahead and sign up with a callback service (such as UWT [46] **warning, lead-time required**) before you start your travels and you can provoke them to call you (at much more favorable rates) when you need to make a call.

Internet

The easiest way to maintain internet connectivity if you use your own laptop is to buy a 7-day unlimited Lucky Internet callback card. They are about UAH36 at the street kiosks. When you dial in, you will be initially firewalled off from everything until you activate by visiting their website [47]

You may also buy wireless internet access for your laptop for about 10 UAH per day. See [48] for details or just google "wireless internet in ukraine".

Internet cafes have a good service. They usually have different types of computers with varrying prices. Near the metrostation on ul Khmelnytskoho (on the left side at a corner) there is one that is very good, open 24 hours non stop. The cheapest computers cover your basic needs, the most expensive ones are usually for hardcore gamers.

Also most foreigner-friendly cafés (see "Drink" section above) and a lot of fast food restaurants (including McDonald's) offer free Wi-Fi. Some require password to use their access point, ask waiter to get it.

Cope

Kiev was part of the former USSR. Some things work well and other things may be broken. There is no point in stressing about this. Arrive with that realization and be prepared to roll with a few surprises.

Embassies

- Canada, 31, Yaroslaviv Val St, +011 380-44 590-3100 (kyiv@international.gc.ca, fax: +011 380-44 590-3134), [49]. M-F 8:30AM-1PM and 2PM-5PM.

- China, 32, Grushevskogo St, +11 38044-2533154 (chinaembassy@kiev.relc.com, fax: +11 38044-2302622), [50].

- United States, [51].

Get out

- Lviv

- Odessa

- Chernobyl - there are day tours to visit the exclusion zone from Kiev

- Simferopol - direct flights