Begin your walk at the impressive St Michael's Cathedral in the Upper Town, a well-known landmark with shining golden domes and beautiful frescoes. The atmosphere around the cathedral is calm and inviting, making it a popular spot for both locals and visitors.
Just behind the cathedral, there is a funicular railway. Take a short ride down the hill—this bit of public transport offers a great view over the city as it glides down to the riverside area known as Poshtova Ploscha. This square marks the entrance to Podil, a historic neighborhood famous for its lively charm.
Podil was once the busy merchant’s quarter of Kyiv. After devastating fires destroyed much of the area, it was entirely rebuilt in the 19th century. During World War II, Podil was mostly spared from damage, so many buildings from the 1800s still stand. Today, its grid-like streets are lined with colorful facades, small shops, and traces of old trade routes.
Over recent years, Podil has transformed into a trendy district. New restaurants, cafes, and galleries are opening quickly, attracting a creative and youthful crowd. Walk along the lively Sahaidachnoho Street to enjoy the local scene, where historic buildings house modern eateries and street art peeks out between the blocks.
To finish the stroll, follow the winding path of Andriyivsky Uzviz. This famous street climbs back up the hill, leading straight to St Michael’s Cathedral. Along the way, discover artists selling paintings, musicians playing on the corners, and unusual architecture—a perfect way to end a day exploring one of Kyiv’s most diverse and interesting districts.
Source - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podil
The oldest remaining church in Kyiv. Parts date from the 11th century. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and has the world biggest ensemble of frescoes and mosaics dating from the 11th century, 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 hetman Bohdan Khmelnytskyi, who liberated Kyiv in the 17th century... then gave the city to the Russian Empire.
Covering 160 ha, the area shows how people used to live in different parts of Ukraine. Six restored rural Ukrainian 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.
Situated on about 40 hectares. The zoo has 2,600 animals from 328 species. 130 different kinds of trees and bushes decorate the zoo's lands.
Start at Ukrainskykh Heroiv Square and head underground. Walk through the Metrograd shopping center, always sticking to your left. Head above-ground at Tarasa Shevchenka Boulevard (бульвар Тараса Шевченка), from where the council shuts down Khreshchatyk on the weekends. The main drag of the city center is closed to traffic on some weekends and full of entertainers and people wandering around. A big, happy crowd and very conducive to people watching. 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.
Berestovo was a suburban residence in the 11th century. - Its vaulting may have been unusually complicated, probably echoing the trefoil roofing of the porches. The outside of the church formerly displayed intricate brick patterns: double and treble niches, the meander, and decorative crosses.
Motto in English: "Time is running, Academy is eternal". The library of the old Kyiv Mohyla Academy contained a notable collection of the books. However, the archive was plundered in the 1920s when the academy was closed. - The Halshka Hulevychivna house belonging to the university is the oldest civil building in Kyiv.
Museum represents different times from ancient till nowadays.
Baroque church, constructed in 1747–1754. Length 31.7 m (104 ft). Width 20.4 m (67 ft). Height 50 m (160 ft). Both the external and internal decoration on the church was carried out at the same time. Cast iron floor slabs were delivered from Moscow. Also, forms were made for the church's windows, doors, walls, and for space under the cupola. The planned iconostasis, designed by the Italian architect Rastrelli, was also added. The wood for the iconostasis, altar canopy, pulpit, and tsar's place were carved out in Saint Petersburg in order to save time. The iconostasis' icons were carried out by Petersburg artists. For gilding, 1,028 slabs of gold were used in the interior.
Official ceremonial residence of the President of Ukraine in Kyiv. It is a Baroque palace on the hilly bank of the Dnipro River.
Opulent residence of Ukraine’s deposed Russophile president Viktor Yanukovych, opened for paid tours after he fled the country in 2014. An exhibition of art, religious icons, and decorative objects from Mezhyhirye was displayed by Kyiv's National Art Museum of Ukraine that same year.
22.5 hectares, with 8,000 plant species. The garden is famous for its exotic plants. Building of greenhouse, which was built for the largest and the oldest palm trees in Northern Eurasia, long time had been considered one of the highest in the world. In 1935, the garden was named after the academician A.V. Fomin, who directed the garden for years.
Independence Square or Maidan is the place where opposition to pro-Russian governments gathered at different points between 2004 and 2013. This is a central meeting place in Kyiv.
A medieval monastery. Founded in 1140. Reconstructed by the Ukrainian architect Ivan Hryhorovych-Barskyi during 1750–1760. Saint Cyril's Church, including the medieval interior frescoes and the 1880s murals by the famous Russian painter Mikhail Vrubel, were fortunately preserved. The remaining constructions of the complex, the rest of the monastic walls, one corner tower (see picture), and two buildings constructed by Barskyi were also preserved. Of the monastery's cemetery, only two 18th-century graves remained.
The main bell tower of the ancient cave monastery. Built in 1731–1745. It was designed by the architect Johann Gottfried Schädel. Its total height, with the Christian cross, is 96.5 meters. A neoclassic construction with a total of four tiers, surmounted by a gilded dome. The diameter of the tower's lowest tier at its base is 28.8 m, and the thickness of the first tier walls is 8m. The tower's foundations exceed 7m meters. The tower is decorated with many architectural columns: the second tier with 32 Dorian columns, the third with 16 Ionic columns, and the fourth with 8 Corinthian columns. On the fourth tier there is a chiming clock, made in 1903, which has a total weight of 4.5 tonne.
The perfect place for a stroll in any season. There are unique floristic complexes on 130 hectares: "Forests of the plain part of Ukraine", "Ukrainian Carpathians", "Steppes of Ukraine", "Crimea", "Caucasus", "Central Asia", the "Altai and Western Siberia", "Far East".
Seven domed Ukrainian Orthodox brick cathedral in neo-Byzantine style, built in the 19th century. It barely escaped demolition by the Soviet authorities. Dome height (outer) 49 m (161 ft).
The legendary Andriyivsky Descent was the street where the great writer lived with his family and where he "lodged" the heroes of his immortal novel "The White Guard".
Relics of 49 saints, accompanied by plates with names and icons. The total length of underground corridors is 293 m. There are three underground cave churches: Annunciation, Nativity and Reverend Theodosius.