Ukraine

For me, the real magic of Kyiv has never been found in its headline attractions. Beyond the grand cathedrals, famous squares, and well-trodden sightseeing routes lies a city of secret courtyards, leafy hillsides, quirky art installations, hidden viewpoints, and neighborhoods where everyday life unfolds at its own pace, dotted with hidden colorful alleyways tucked behind historic streets, right in the heart of the city and yet so far away from what most tourists see. From peaceful parks overlooking the Dnipro River to hidden streets and quirky museums, many hidden gems in Kyiv reward travelers who are willing to wander a little further and look a little closer. In this guide, I'm sharing the hidden gems in Kyiv that reveal a more authentic, creative, and surprisingly tranquil side of Ukraine's captivating capital. Helpful Tips For Visiting Kyiv First things first: to visit Ukraine, you need a visa. Despite Ukraine's visa policy being quite strict, there are a few websites where you can complete this online. To get your Ukrainian visa without wasting a lot of time and money, check out this website. Looking for some great travel insurance deals for your trip to Kyiv? Then, I strongly suggest you check out SafetyWing. I’ve been using them for years and warmly recommend that you give them a try. For the cheapest flights to Kyiv, Qatar Airways’s Oh-la-la deals get you up to 30% off on all flights to Ukraine. Looking to save on accommodation? Use my Booking discount code and get 15% on all accommodation rentals in Kyiv. Alternatively, if you’re looking for something fancier, this offer gets you 10% off at all Radisson Hotels in town. Finally, if you’re planning to rent a car in Kyiv, use this special offer and get 15% off on car rentals. Visit a museum of ancient treasures (Ukrainian Treasures Museum) It’s amazing how hundreds of people visit Kyiv’s most famous church, Pechersk Lavra, but most of them miss out on a fascinating museum located less than 500 meters away from the church. Ukraine’s Treasures Museum features precious items from many eras, but the most impressive collection is, without a doubt, the hoard of gold jewelry from the Scythian era. The Scythians were Eurasian nomads known for their jewelry-making. Their decorations overshadow the early Slavic collections of silver decorations (6th-8th century) and some impressive collection of the Kyivan Rus goldsmiths (13th-16th century), which are also fascinating by the way. If you like ancient jewelry and decorations, you will be surprised by what this hidden gem of Kyiv has to offer. Visit Kyiv’s most gruesome site (Babi Yar) No one likes to remember WWII and the number of lives it took, but history is important. Most people think that the large majority of mass killings of Jews took place in Poland’s notorious concentration camps, but a lot of people tend to forget that a lot of Jews were killed in Ukraine, too. In fact, the second largest mass killing of Jews happened in Babi Yar in Kyiv. The German troops killed 33,771 Jews in only two days (29-30 September). Today, this place has been turned into a monument of one of the most gruesome events that ever took place in Kyiv, and it’s certainly worth visiting and imagining what it feels like to see so many people lose everything they had in the blink of an eye. An absolute must-visit for history lovers! Visit a forgotten UFO-shaped building (Kyiv Institute of Information) Standing out from all the modern buildings near Dzerzhynskoho Square, this bizarre building is one of the most interesting remnants of Socialist modernism architecture in Kyiv. The main architect of this project had major plans for this building. He worked on a study in which he tried to prove that colors can change the physical perception of sound. His research culminated in this building, which, according to him, was “an ideal arrangement of sound and light transmission”. However, in the end, his studies were rejected by the authorities, and the complex was used for something completely different than what he initially planned. Today, unfortunately, the center isn’t open for visitors all the time (only when events are organized inside it) because its maintenance appears to be too much of a burden to the city’s budget. But despite everything, it still is one of the most peculiar buildings in Kyiv and one that you should definitely visit, especially if you’re a fan of Soviet architecture. Discover an unknown floating church (Saint Nicolas Church on the water) A floating church sounds like something that would be one of the major tourist attractions in any city. However, for some reason, that doesn’t seem to be the case in Kyiv. Unlike the city’s most popular churches, very few tourists know about this church, and even fewer know why it is floating in the middle of the Dnieper River. In Orthodox Christianity, St. Nicholas is a patron saint of travelers- people who go away from home for a longer period of time. This particular church is dedicated to all Ukrainians who lost their lives serving in the Soviet Navy in WWII. It’s not the biggest nor the oldest one in Kyiv, but seeing this beautiful church floating on the river is an awe-inspiring sight and one of Kyiv’s most underrated monuments that not too many people know about. Go to a haunted hill with a great view (Castle Hill) Kyiv is a mystical eastern capital with a lot of local legends, with the most famous one being the one of Kyiv’s 13 bald hills, where witches used to gather. Well, the acquisition never made it to this part of Europe, you have to give them that! There are a lot of local stories about witches and other paranormal creatures gathering on some of Kyiv’s 13 hills to perform their Sabbath. One of these 13 naked hills happens to be close to the city center. This hill is called Castle Hill because the castle of Vytautas the Great used to be located here. Many visitors don’t know the history of Castle Hill, and probably that’s why there aren’t a lot of visitors. To make things even better, the hill gives a rare and beautiful view of one of Kyiv’s most beautiful parts - the Podil District. Get a free beer in a unique “museum” (Trolleybus Ticket Museum) Do you know of any other bar/museums that give visitors a free beer? Well, apparently, there is one in Kyiv. The Trolleybus Bar, also known as the Museum of Trolleybus Tickets, is located in the heart of Kyiv and is one of the locals’ favorite bars. Here, every person who brings a trolley ticket from their native country (or some other country) gets a free beer. Needless to say, if you have a few of these tickets, you’ll have a great time here. This cute bar also has a section in which visitors can see all the tickets that they have collected so far. After you’re done, you can have a beer and watch a sports game, and even have a quick snack. The staff and the people in the bar are very friendly, and this bar/museum is, without a doubt, one of the most original and interesting places in Kyiv. Check out Kyiv’s only wooden church (Makariivska church) Makariivska is a very rare example of a Ukrainian wooden church and the only one of its kind in Kyiv. It’s a real hidden gem, and you won’t be able to find any information about it online because even most locals aren’t aware it exists. You cannot even find it by accident because the church is tucked away deep in the unfrequented Tatarka neighborhood. It might not be as glorious as some of Kyiv’s other churches have, but it’s almost 150 years old, which might not sound that impressive, but keep in mind that this is a wooden church after all. If you’re looking for a real hidden gem in Kyiv that (probably) no other tourist will know about, definitely check out the Makariivska church. The church is open every day, and you can visit whenever you want, as it’s relatively unfrequented even during the biggest Orthodox Christian holidays. Have a drink in a quirky doorless cafe (Bez Dverey Espresso Bar) Bez Dverey Espresso Bar literally translates to The Doorless Espresso Bar, and it’s one of the best alternative and quirky places in Kyiv. Just like its name suggests, the café has everything an average café would have, except for an entrance door. The door might be missing, but one thing that’s not missing is some of Kyiv’s finest coffee, including strange combinations like a “carrot cappuccino” or “orange juice espresso”. The place also hosts various coffee-related events and even panel discussions, so it’s more than just an average bar. It’s a great place for people who like to visit unusual and quirky places when they travel to a new city, and a great place for coffee lovers. The only drawback is that Ukrainian winters are too cold to make this place pleasant during this time of the year. See modern art away from the crowds (Tsekh Art Gallery) If you ask locals to recommend an interesting gallery where you can see some provocative art pieces and enjoy some fine contemporary art, only a few places in Kyiv can compare to Tsekh Art Gallery. What started as a small project in 2008 is today one of the most impressive and beloved galleries of contemporary art for all art lovers. The place isn’t very far from the city center, but it can be a bit difficult to find. That’s probably one of the main reasons why this place remains off the beaten track and doesn’t get more visitors. Anyway, if you’re an art lover, you will definitely enjoy the visit. The gallery can be reached with public transport; the tramways that can take you there are: 11, 12, 16, and 19. The nearest station is Kontraktova Square. Visit a recent but epic quirky monument (Monument to Nose) If you’re a literature lover and you read Gogol’s satirical short story “The Nose”, you should definitely check out this peculiar monument. The Monument to the nose was introduced in 2006 in Kyiv’s Andriyivskyy Descent Street, and it’s one of the newest monuments in the city. Gogol spent a part of his life in Kyiv, and according to locals, he got the idea for the popular short story at this particular spot while he was taking a walk down Andriyivskyy Descent. Whether this is true or not, it sure is one of the most quirky monuments in Kyiv. The monument isn’t visible at first sight, nor are there any signs pointing towards it, but you’ll inevitably pass by it as Andriyivskyy Descent is one of the most popular streets in Kyiv. Visit one of Kyiv's overlooked churches (St. Panteleimon's Cathedral) I know Kyiv has some grandiose churches, but it’s still a real surprise that most tourists leave Kyiv without visiting St. Panteleimon's Cathedral. Hidden in the Teofania Nature Park, this church is one of the best samples of Russian Revival ecclesiastical architecture. As such, it’s one of the most beautiful churches in Kyiv, but one that’s unfortunately not too easy to find. Being located in one of the largest parks in Kyiv, there aren’t any signs pointing in the direction of the church. The fact that it’s located more than 10 kilometers away from the city center also doesn’t help in attracting more tourists, but if you’re an architecture lover, you definitely wouldn’t mind the trip. This pentacupolar church has very interesting central and side black domes and is one of the most significant samples of Russian Revival ecclesiastical architecture Try the Ukrainian version of a hot dog (Kyivska Perepichka) Throughout the years, Kyiv has been slowly evolving from a Soviet capital to a new, modern, European city. However, there are still some remnants of the previous system that give Kyiv a special charm. One of those places is Kyivska Perepichka- one of the locals’ favorite street food joints that has been around for decades. The Perepichka is a cool Ukrainian invention, and if I have to describe it, I would say it’s a donut with a hot dog inside. Don’t be surprised if you see big lines in front of the store. This simple but delicious (and greasy) delicacy is the favorite snack for many Kyivans, and it’s also becoming more popular among locals. But don’t let the long lines discourage you- the staff at Kyivska Perepichka is almost automatic, and you’ll be served in a heartbeat. How did you like this guide to hidden gems in Kyiv? Do you know about some other hidden gems that deserve a mention? Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below. Like it? Pin it.