Kyiv (also known as Kiev) is the capital and largest city of Ukraine with - officially - over 3.5 million inhabitants (inofficially the number is closer to 6.0 million inhabitants). The city is located in north central Ukraine on the Dnipro river.

Kiev is one of the oldest cities in Eastern Europe, its official history dating back to the 5th century, although settlement on this location was present since much earlier. By late 9th century Kiev became the chef-lieu of the emerging state of the Eastern Slavic tribes, and between the 10th and early 13th century, it reached its golden age as the capital of the first Ukrainian state known today as Kievan Rus, (Kyivan Ruthenia, or Rus-Ukraine), which predated modern Ukraine, Belarus and Russia.

In the middle of the 13th century Kievan Rus was overrun by the Mongols, and later this century Kiev became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and later the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In 1654 Kiev was liberated from the commonwealth by Cossack Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky, who then promptly signed the city over to become a protectorate of Russia. In 1775 it was completely annexed by the Russian Empire. The city remained under Russian rule, with brief, but uncertain, periods of independence in between 1918 and 1920. During these two centuries Kiev experienced growing Russification and Russian immigration. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Kiev became the capital of independent Ukraine and is now quickly learning the role of a large European capital.

Kiev can seem quite foreign to the western tourist, as all signage is in Cyrillic script. Kiev is a city where finding an English-speaker is not a big problem. For the last few years, the number of foreign tourists and people, coming to Kiev from abroad in business has grown and so did the number of Ukrainians who can speak English.

There are a lot of places of interest in Kiev. Among them there are monuments, museums, parks and even usual streets. Here are the most famous of them:

Chernobyl Museum - A fascinating museum, but no signage in English. It’s recommended to arrange in advance for an English-speaking guide, otherwise it’s hard to get the most out of the museum.

Khreschatyk Street - The main drag of the city center. It is closed to traffic on weekends and full of entertainers and people wandering around.

Pecherska Lavra - The cave monastery was founded in the 11th century 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 subterranean 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.

Museum of Folk Architecture and Rural Life - 6 restored rural Ukranian villiages. Ukrainians come on sunny days to relax in the grass.

St Sophia’s Cathedral - the oldest remaining church in Kiev. Parts of St Sophia’s Cathedral date from the 11th century, and is the site of the Virgin Orans mosaic. The gatehouse and other restorations were completed in the 17th century. Outside the gates, there is a statue commemorating Bohdan Khmelnytsky, who liberated Kiev in the 17th century… then gave the city to the Russian Empire.

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. It’s well kept 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.

Babi Yar - 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.

Zoloti Vorota - This is 1982 reconstruction of the Golden Gates of Kiev.

Maidan Nezalezhnosti - Independence Square, located on Khreschatyk Street. This is a central meeting place in Kiev.

Andriyivskyi Uzviz or Andrew’s Descent - At the top of this quaint cobblestone street is St Andrew’s Church. Andrew’s Descent starts here and winds down to Kontraktova Ploscha in Podil. The street is lined with souvenir sellers, restaurants, galleries and museums. It has a lot of charm.