Kyiv city tours

 Kiev is known as the cradle of the ancient Kievan Rus. Today Kiev is the capital of Ukraine. Kiev is more than 1,500 years old city. It is one of the most ancient and the most beautiful cities in Europe. You will be enchanted with Kiev’s wide boulevards lined by chestnut trees and poplars. There are magnificent buildings of different architectural styles in our city. So Kiev’s elegance can’t be unnoticed. During its long history Kiev was attacked and destroyed many times. But it has been rebuilt every time. Kiev has always managed to retain its unique appeal.To get acquainted with our city we invite you to take the Kyiv is the capital of Ukraine tour.

 We are going to see the absolutely different Kiev. That’s Kiev in twilight. That’s Kiev drowning in neon light. Any unnecessary details are hidden from our sight in twilight. Nothing will distract our attention from the main things. And the main things are the picturesque sites of the ancient and eternally young Kiev.

Kreschatik is one of the most known central streets of the world. The center of commercial, political and cultural life of Kiev has been bustling here for two centuries. Kreschatik is famous as the site of the first Kiev telephone, telegraph, electric tram, plumbing and sewage system, gas and electric illumination.

Kiev is a mysterious city. That’s the fact. Kiev historians and such Russian literary geniuses as Gogol, Pushkin and Bulgakov wrote about it in their books. Kiev is the capital of Ukraine. But there are some evil forces in our capital city. You can feel it when you look at Kiev coat of arms. Archangel Michael is the only saint with arms in his hands. And Archangel Michael is the patron saint of our city. He is intended to protect our city against evil forces.

The tour of «Mother of Rus Towns» is dedicated to the one of the oldest cities of Europe, the capital of the big state named Kievan Rus, the rival of Constantinople, the rich and flourishing city of the 10th–13th century.

The Holy of Holies for Orthodox believers, half the Vatican in size. Founded in 1051 by two monks Antoniy and Feodosiy. It consists of two parts: the Upper Lavra (more a museum), the Lower Lavra - an active monastery (over 100 monks and novices). Of particular interest is a cave part of the monastery where our experienced guides will take you to see holy incorruptible relics of Lavra’s saints.

Podil (the Lower Town) can reveal a lot about Kyiv Rus period owing to archaeological excavations before Kyiv Metro ( subway) construction. Unlike the Upper Town with its beautiful palaces Podil was the working area where craftsmen, fishermen ,merchants lived and worked. Visiting the Hetmanate Museum you can learn more about Cossackhood times in Ukraine.

St. Andrew’s Street is the most known street of Kiev except Kreschatik. It is the most «Kievan» street in our city. Matter of fact it is one of the eldest streets in Eastern Europe. We will follow the footsteps of Prince Igor, writer Bulgakov, artist Ivan Kavaleridze and dozens of other famous personalities.

The 400 acres big National Museum of Folk Architecture and Lifestyle of Ukraine is the biggest open air museum in the Eastern Europe! It is often called Pirogovo museum after the near-by village. Here you can feel the «real Ukraine».

The tour includes one of three museums dedicated to the Ukrainian Nation’s genius: the National Taras Shevchenko museum (in a beautiful residence building of the Tereshchenkos, sugar manufacturers of Kyiv in the 19th – early 20th centuries), The museum-house of T. Shevchenko (Shevchenko lane near Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) and the House on Priorka museum.

The history of Jewish community of Kiev is the integral part of the history of the capital city of Ukraine. The influence of Jewish community can be traced in many spheres of city life of Kiev.

What are we going to see during the tour?

The House with Chimeras is a Kievan legend. The building is so outstanding that since its construction it has been wrapped with legends and myths. That is the project of famous Kievan  architect Vladislav Gorodetsky.

 The past and the present of any city are reflected in masterpieces of city architecture. Kiev is extraordinarily rich with its architectural masterpieces. Any architectural style of the last millennium can be found here starting with the austere temples of Kievan Russ and finishing with constructivism and Stalin’s empire style.

We will walk along the city parks during the tour. We will enjoy the main thing about Kiev. And that’s its amazing landscape. There are 100 meters high green hills in the center of the capital of Ukraine. Time after time you cannot realize that you are still inside of that huge megalopolis.

From time immemorial men of letters were inspired by our city.  They wrote about Kiev in their works, in their letters to their friends. During the tour we will visit two museums, we will see Writers’ House and the monument to Oles Gonchar. These are the gems of Literary Kiev. Though there are many more sites dedicated to Ukrainian literature in our city.

The history of St. Flor’s convent is connected with one of the richest women of Russian Empire Natalia Dolgorukova who spent many years at the convent. Having abandoned palaces and glory for the sake of her husband she endured all severities of an exile and after his death she retreated to the holy Kyiv land.

During the tour the information about all the bridges over the Dnieper River in city limits of Kiev will be provided to you. You will hear about the existing bridges and about the bridges under construction. You will be amazed with their artistic style. You will enjoy the unique panorama of our city. And no doubt you will be impressed with the mighty waters of the Dnieper.

 During the tour you will hear about the events that took place in Kiev during World War II. The heroic defense of the city lasted 73 days from July till September 1941. Thus the plans of Hitler's "blitzkrieg" were frustrated. The entire plan "Barbarossa" was destroyed. But those events also were also the prologue to one of the most tragic pages in the history of the Red Army, as 630 thousands Red Army soldiers were trapped in the vicinity of Kiev.

That fortress was built on the high hill in the southern outskirts of Kiev in the Kievan Rus epoch. It was a real stronghold. Attackers had to break through five defensive lines while storming the fortress. And some remains of those fortifications have been preserved to present day!

Feofania is a picturesque area in the southern outskirts of Kiev. There are holy springs, a cascade of lakes and mighty oak groves in the vicinity of the famous Orthodox nunnery. The unique St. Panteleymon’s Cathedral was constructed in the traditional Russian style. All visitors are amazed with its elegance and beauty.

In ancient times Kiev was compared to Jerusalem. That was the level of our city as the Christianity had been introduced for local people there. And later Kiev was known as a very important Christian center. And at present time our city is still considered to be the outstanding religious center very important for the numerous pilgrims. There is a saying like that in our days – no need to have a map if you go to Kiev. Any time any one has been eager to show pilgrims the way to Kiev.

During the tour we will tell you about the culture and religions of different nationalities living in the capital of Ukraine. You will also know how their places of worship were constructed in Kiev.

You will be fascinated with mysteries, riddles, stories about hermits’ feats and treasure hunting in the caves of Kiev.
Monastic life in those caves was started by local priest Hilarion in the middle of the 11th century. He stayed alone for his praying in the forest in one of the hills over the Dnieper River. Hilarion dug a little cave there for himself. So the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra was founded in the caves. The proper history of the cave monastery was associated with St. Anthony and St. Theodosius.

No tram means no Kiev. The history of electric tram in our city is intertwined with the history of city of Kiev. Will you please have your comfortable seat in the tramcar arranged as a café!