Overview

Ukraine is a part of the former United States of Soviet Russia (USSR) and is located in Eastern Europe. With its coastline on the northwest side of the Black Sea, Ukraine is bordered by Russia on its east, Belarus on its north, Poland on its northwest, Slovakia and Hungary on its west, and Romania and Moldova on its southwest. The country was known as the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic when it was a part of the Soviet Union.

Although population of Ukraine is declining, it is the second most populated country in Europe. Kiev is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine. Ukraine is a unitary state comprising of 24 provinces. The country has a great historical significance. Dating back to the 5th century BC, it was one of the oldest cities in Europe.

Activities & Attractions

There are numerous attractions offered by the country and its capital Kiev. Some of the attractions in the capital that are worth visiting include the Cathedral of St. Sophia, Independence Square, Ukrainian Baroque Church of St. Andrew, Saint Vladimir Cathedral, Babi Yar Memorial, Kiev Opera Theater, Andreevsky Spusk, Bessarabskie Rinok (market), Hidropark, and Park Pobedi (Victory Park).

There are also plenty of museums to be explored. A memorable museum dedicated to the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident tragedy is a must-visit. If you plan to go on excursions, you must pre-inform the tour operators in case you require an English-speaking guide, because Russian and Ukrainian are the only spoken languages of the region.

Khreschatyk Street is the most famous and one of the busiest streets in Kiev. The wide boulevard of Khreschatyk is a charming place to visit and hassle-free too, as it is banned to traffic. There is a cave monastery, known as Pecherska Lavra, founded in the 11th century by priests who dug the caves and lived there as hermits. It comprises of an upper and a lower part. The entry to the upper part, owned by the state, is free whereas the lower part, owned by the Orthodox Church, is by an entry fee.

Lodging

The hostels and hotels in the country are limited and it is relatively common to rent apartments for short or long stays in the country. Agencies on the train stations and airports offer help to locate lodgings and assist in its selection too.

Transportation

Ukraine has a well-developed system of public transportation with trains as the main mode of transportation in every city in Ukraine. From every station, there are plenty of minibuses, trolleybuses, and private taxis available. Getting around in Kiev or Ukraine is difficult for foreigners because of the language problem. It is advisable to carry along two maps of Russian or Ukrainian in your readable language to locate the desired destination in the city.