KYIV, UKRAINE:
1. Kyiv City Tour:
Discover the beauty of Kyiv, the cradle of ancient Slavic culture.
On your privately guided city tour you will see the historic heart of Kyiv, the ruins of the Church of the Tithes and the baroque 18th c. St. Andrew’s Church. Admire many architectural gems including the stunning Opera house and golden-domed St. Michael’s Monastery.
The tour also visits the famous Golden Gate, Kyiv’s historic main entrance to the ancient city built in 1037
Departs: 01 Jan-31 Dec – Daily Duration: 3 hours
2. Kyiv City tour and St. Sophia Cathedral:
Combine the Kiev City tour with a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage listed St. Sophia Cathedral and the Monastery.
After a city tour, your guide will take you to Kiev’s oldest standing church which houses one of the best collections of original 11th c. frescoes and mosaics in Eastern Europe. Originally built in the Byzantine style of the 11th c., the cathedral was later reconstructed in its current baroque style
Departs: 01 Jan-31 Dec – Daily, except Thursdays Duration: 3 hours
3. Kyiv-Pechersky Lavra, (A Monastery of Caves):
Discover one of Ukraine’s unique attractions, the Pechersk Monastery. Founded in the 11th c., the monastery was granted the honorable title of Lavra (the highest in the hierarchy of Orthodox churches). This UNESCO World Heritage listed site is known as the “Monastery of Caves” due to its underground labyrinths lined with the mummified bodies of monks who once lived there.
The Monastery covers 28 hectares of the riverfront parkland and includes over 40 structures representing 8 centuries of art and architecture.
Among the highlights of the Monastery is the Museum of historical treasures which contains the world renowned collection of Scythian gold, a Museum of miniatures and more.
Departs: 01 Jan – 31 Dec – Daily except Monday Duration: 3 hours
4. Ethnographic open-air Museum of Ukraine:
Located in a picturesque village of Pyrohovo, this museum is the world’s largest open air ethnographic museum filled with traditional wooden architecture, art and rural life of all regions of Ukraine. View a rich collection of whole churches, traditional houses, windmills, folk costumes, ceramics, and musical instruments particular to each region. All this provides a wonderful backdrop for folk festivals that frequently take place on the grounds
Depart: 01 Jan – 31 Dec – Daily Duration: 4 hours
5. St. Cyril’s Church:
Admire the striking interiors of St. Cyril’s Church which contains Ukraine’s most impressive and valuable collections of wall paintings. The church was constructed in the 12th c. in honour of Saint Cyril, creator of the Cyrillic alphabet. On a guided tour, you will see the wall-to-wall frescoes that detail many stories of St. Cyril’s life, as well as the unique murals and marble icons
Departs: 01 Jan – 31 Dec - Daily except Fri Duration: 2 hours
Also Worth A Visit:
Andrievsky Descent, Kyiv:
We recommend that you also take a tour of the historic Andriyivsky Descent, a unique highlight of the city. Tour guides frequently call it Montmartre of Kyiv.
Andriyivsky Descent is the historic street (2360 feet long) that winds steeply from the top of one of the hills of Kyiv down to historically commercial Podil neighborhood.
The Descent is one of the favorite spots for Kievans and tourists alike. It is the haunt of artists, who install their canvases on this cobbled Montmartre-like street.
Packed with souvenir strands selling all sorts of junk, the uzviz has heaps of Bohemian charm and is great for people-watching. Here the Russian writer Mikhail Bulgakov wrote The White Guard, perhaps the best novel about Kyiv and its people. His house is now a museum.
The Andriyivskyy Descent is marked by a couple historic landmarks, including the Castle of Richard the Lion Heart, the 18th c. baroque Saint Andrew’s Church, famed Russian writer Mikhail Bulgakov’s House, and numerous other monuments.
Numerous tourist shops and art galleries line the sidewalks of the Andriyivskyy Descent.
It is also notable for the many festivals it holds, including various art festivals and the Kiev Day celebrations on the last weekend of May.
The street’s location in the city and its landmark attraction has made it lately a highly prestigious area, with several luxurious restaurants