City: Kiev
Top Things to do in Kiev
10 Nature & Parks in Kiev That You Shouldn't Miss
Having survived the Mongol Empire, WWII, Chernobyl, and Soviet rule, Kiev is the proud capital of the Ukraine. Filled with theaters, museums, religious sites, modern buildings and ancient ruins, the city of Kiev is the center of Ukrainian culture. The Monastery of the Caves, founded in 1015, and Saint Sophia Cathedral, founded in 1037, are both World Heritage Sites. The Museum of the Great Patriotic War, topped by the massive Motherland Statue, provides gorgeous views of the city below.
Restaurants in Kiev
1. Zverinets Caves and Archangel Mykhail Monastery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 8 reviews
Caves in Kiev suburb of Zverintes were discovered as recently as in 1888. Some say - during the extraction of clay or soil movement, the others talk about one Feodosia Matvienko, who had visions on where to look for the entrance to the caves. The length of the Zverinets monastery catacombs is about two kilometers, which is much longer than in the famous Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra Cave monastery. Besides the remains of temples and crypts with the holy relics, there were the remains of the laity found in the caves. To all appearances, the monastery, founded in the X-XI centuries, was destroyed during the Tatar Mongol invasion - perhaps people have tried to hide here, and the Mongols simply walled the entrance. The monastery revived only in the late XII century. There are remains of paintings, carved in stone crosses in the caves, and worship is conducted in the underground church of the Archangel Michael. The new monastery is being built on the surface.
2. Natalka Park
3. Strana Enotiya Zoo
4. Grishko Central Botanical Garden
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 351 reviews
Reviewed By Kyle_from_Colorado - Denver, United States
I visited the park in December not knowing what to expect of a botanical garden in winter. However, Grishko did not disappoint! The height of the park next to the Dnipro River makes for good views of the left bank. Kilometers of trails take you through curated gardens in various styles, churches, and a really cool piece of architecture in the orangerie/greenhouse. You can also access the Vydubychi Monastery from the grounds but keep a hold of your ticket if you want to re-enter. I’m really glad I made it here and I would recommend it to anyone with more than a few days in Kyiv. PS) Google walking directions from Druzhby Narodiv metro make this walk much longer than necessary. You can use the main roads on the map without twisting and curling through apartment blocks. PPS) Boo to the 1-star review that called the park “abandoned”. There are dozens of friendly staff that work in this park (I know because I talked with them). How ignorant and rude to write a review like that.
5. A. V. Fomin Botanical Garden
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 150 reviews
6. Park Landscape Alley
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 779 reviews
Reviewed By vasyas348 - Kyiv (Kiev), Ukraine
Very cool place, wonderful sculptures, beautiful view, a very nice place to take a walk, they have some ver neat and artistic benches, generally quite enjoyable, recommend this stroll through the park
