When I landed in Kyiv on a snowy January night, I wasn’t sure what to expect. It was my first visit to Ukraine, and I was only here for 3 days. One of the days was already taken up with a visit to Chernobyl. That left me with just 2 days to see as much of the city as possible – pretty much impossible to do as there is so much to see, do and eat here! So I asked some fellow travellers for their recommendations on Alternative things to do in Kiev (Kyiv).
Is Kyiv safe? I travelled to Kyiv alone and never felt threatened or in any danger.
Isn’t there a war going on in Ukraine? Yes. On several occasions, I noticed troops on the streets in Kyiv, but the war is only in the Eastern part of Ukraine – Ukraine is a fairly large country.
How cheap is Kyiv? Cheap compared to U.S.A, U.K, Austalia and many other European countries. 1/2 a litre of beer is less than £1, Euro or US dollar. A BigMac meal, for example, is around £2.80 or $3.50. A single ticket on the Metro is £0.13 or $0.16.
How easy is to get around Kyiv? Getting around Kyiv by Metro is fairly straight forward (and cheap) – the maps and signs are also written in English. Above ground though, most road signs are written using the Cyrillic alphabet.
Table of Contents
Kyiv Crematorium –
Contributed by Megan at Meganstarr
So many people go to Kyiv, Ukraine and get sucked into doing the same thing as every other tourist that visits the Eastern European city. While there are many amazing things to do in Kyiv, I definitely recommend planning your trip in a way that suits you best.
For me personally, I am a huge fan of visiting obscure, Soviet architectural masterpieces. Kyiv has no shortage of Sovmod gems, but my favourite is the Kyiv Crematorium. Located in Baikove Cemetery in Ukraine’s capital city, the Kyiv Crematorium was designed by Abraham Miletsky, an architect who designed a lot of Kyiv’s otherworldly Soviet structures, such as the Salyut Hotel. Unveiled in 1981, it took decades of planning to build and construct the Crematorium. A large part of the prolonged process was because locals opposed the building of the Kyiv Crematorium as burning bodies were associated with the heinous acts that happened at Babi Yar. But it was eventually built anyway and is still in use today.
The Park of Memory (Baikove Cemetery) is a quiet and sombre place and since the Crematorium is still in use. It is advised to be quiet and mindful once entering the cemetery. The walk to the graveyard can be a bit much, so be prepared if you venture out that way. The Kyiv Crematorium is one of the most unique places to visit in Kyiv and I recommend it to all if looking for a different side of the city.
The Jellyfish Museum
That’s right, Kyiv now has a jellyfish museum – the first of its kind in Ukraine. It only recently opened in December 2018, the museum is more of a jellyfish aquarium with numerous types of jellyfish. Learn which jellyfish are deadly poisonous and which jellyfish is the only immortal creature on the planet. It’s an interesting way to spend an hour or so out of the cold snowy or rainy weather in Kyiv (I visited in January 2019 so it was cold)! Alternative things to do in Kiev
Entry to the museum costs 280 UAH (£8.13, $10.58 USD or €9.44) for people over 14 years of age. Children aged between 5 – 24 it’s 180 UAH (£5.23, $6.10, €6.07), children under 5 go free.
The One Street Museum
Contributed by Allison at Eternal Arrival
The One Street Museum in Kyiv is supposedly the only museum in the world dedicated to a single street, hence the name of this quirky museum. With a focus on the history of the Andriivsky Descent, home to such Kyiv icons as St. Andrew’s Church and Mikhail Bulgakov’s home. This museum is home to some 7,000 or more individual artefacts about the history of Kyiv and this street in particular.
Inside the One Street Museum in Kiev, Ukraine
While the street is most famous for being home to Mikhail Bulgakov, the Russian writer who authored The Master and Margarita, in reality, the street has been a fixture of the Kyiv intelligentsia for centuries. It’s home to everyone from professors and doctors to philosophers and artists.
The museum is exhibited in a rather slapdash manner, with objects of daily life juxtaposed with important historical documents, all in the pursuit of creating a “time machine” effect that strikes the visitor with a sense of the items’ historical context and importance. You’ll find everything here. From strange postcards to antique signs to vintage home goods to old manuscripts and important official documents of historical buildings on the Descent, all in a matter of a few small rooms. The entrance fee is only 50 UAH, a little less than $2 USD.
Statue of Peeing Colours Alternative things to do in Kiev
Certainly one of the most unexpected things to find and alternative things to do in Kyiv. A rather bemusing row of multicoloured statues. You can find them in the children’s play area / public park in Peizazhna Alley, in the city. They may or may not have additional phallic graffiti added! Alternative things to do in Kiev
Ostannya Barykada Restaurant
Contributed by Sheree at Winging The World
While very few tourists fail to make it to Independence Square. Most of them are blissfully unaware of anything mysterious happening beneath them. However, those with an eye for detail and a sense of adventure may just notice that not everything is as it seems.
Inside Ostannya Barykada restaurant.
It’s possible to see what could be a restaurant through the glass floor panes but there are very few clues to explain how one can enter. Your journey should begin in the Globus shopping mall where you need to head to the lift. Finding the entrance to Ostannya Barykada isn’t as simple as just walking through a door, it involves gift shops, secret codes and a hidden entrance in the wall…
It is claimed that this nationalistic restaurant below the floor was born out of the three major revolutions in Ukraine. It is unapologetically Ukrainian, and all the food and drink served is created within the country. Owing to strained relations with Russia, both past and present, Ukrainian is the only language spoken inside.
Although the main draw of Ostannya Barykada is its novel entrance, this restaurant presents not only the perfect opportunity to gorge on national dishes but also provides an insight into this country’s turbulent past.
Arsenalna Metro Station Alternative things to do in Kiev
A welcome escape from the wintery conditions outside is a ride on Kyiv’s Metro system. I personally prefer to walk whenever I’m visiting somewhere for the first time, as there’s usually more to see. However, as an Arsenal FC fan, the chance of visiting anything ‘Arsenaly’ is an opportunity not to be missed. The station at Arsenalna used to be the deepest metro station in the world at 105.5 metres (346ft) below the city. Now, the Pyongyang metro in North Korea is deeper. It takes around 5 minutes by escalator to get from the platform back to the surface.
Arsenalna Metro Station Kyiv
Art-Zavod Platforma
Contributed by Amy from The Wayfarer’s Book
If you’re looking for something unique to do in Kyiv, definitely check out what’s happening at Art-Zavod Platforma. Located on the left bank of the city, this former factory turned creative space is used for everything from food festivals to music concerts, 4th of July celebrations to flea markets. Some of the best events include the White Nights music festival, the Kyiv beer festival, and Comic Con. While the space is always busy in the summer, you can still find things to do there in the winter, and it’s equally entertaining for adults and kids, locals and visitors. You can reach Art-Zavod Platforma by taking the metro to Lisova station and walking around the Darynok mall.
Pronia Prokopovna & Golohvastov Monument –
Contributed by Suzanne from Meandering Wild
On the hill above Kyiv city, most tourists head for the ornate turquoise and gold church of St Andrew. But before you reach the top of Andriyivsky Uzviz and St Andrew’s Church there is a small bronze statue. With St Andrew’s Church behind you and the small ticket window for the church on your left following the large yellow building will take you to this small statue.
At first, it appears to be just a plain bronze statue, but there are small details that stand out and are brushed clean by visitors who rub for good luck. This monument is symbolic of the romantic intentions between couples and how they may not be as they seem.
Pronia Prokopovna and Golohvstov are the characters in a famous Ukrainian movie – After Two Hares based on a play by Mkhalio Staritsy. Pronia was a rich but a less than stunning resident of Kyiv who fell in love with the handsome but poor barber called Golohvstov. He pretended to be a rich and famous designer to win her affections and her money. However, his plot was revealed the night before their wedding.
This statue shows their love with her engagement ring rubbed until it shines by passers-by. But, the other side of the story is depicted by the shining beetle on the coat of Golohvstov.
Have you visited Kyiv? If so, how was it? What did you get up to? Let me know. Alternative things to do in Kiev
• Currency: Ukranian Hyrvnia
• Choose where to Stay with Booking.com
• Live like a local with AirBnB
• Day trips, tours and more with Get Your Guide
And of course, the Fox came too.
