thetrainfamilyIt may seem strange to write about our trip to Kiev, the capital of Ukraine now, when the country is in the midst of war. But it’s worth noting that Ukraine has been fighting for its sovereignty since 2014, and when we visited in 2019 the conflict in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk was still going on. We hope that Ukraine will soon be able to return to peace and that visitors will once again be able to explore this fascinating country.
At the time of our visit the city had a population of approximately 2.9 million people and our trip there was memorable for all the right reasons. Before we arrived we read, that the city is known for its vibrant cultural scene, including music, dance, and literature and is also home to many universities and research institutions, making it an important center for education and science in Ukraine. Travelling with kids we did not get the possibility to enjoy any of this, though. Was we did do was to take advantage of the sunshine and warm weather. We went swimming in the Dnieper River, which is the fourth-longest river in Europe, several times. We particularly enjoyed taking the metro to Hydropark and walking to the river from there. Our children loved playing in the sand and watching other families picnicking and grilling fish. It was interesting to see how popular dried fish is in Ukraine – many families brought bags of it to the beach to enjoy with cold beer.
Of course, we also explored Kiev’s cultural offerings. The imposing monument “The Motherland” – one of the largest statues in the world, standing at 102 meters tall – was a highlight, as was the museum dedicated to the Great Patriotic War. We also visited a huge natural history museum filled with stuffed animals, with the kids loved. The city’s many beautiful churches and monasteries are also worth a visit. The gold domes glimmered in the sun and tempted us to enter and admire the icons inside. We visited both St. Sophia and St. Michael’s Churches. Behind St. Michael’s Church, we found a large and pleasant playground shaded by trees. We also saw Maidan Square many times, as we visited the large underground Billa supermarket located beneath it. The Maidan Square was the center of the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution, and Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) became a symbol of the protests.
One of the more unusual sights we encountered was an expo area outside the city center. We had visited a similar area in Moscow and this one was smaller but no less impressive. The Expocenter complex includes 180 buildings and structures, 20 of which have been designated as local architectural and urban monuments of Ukraine. We didn’t hmuch, as the kids found a playground where we spend most of the time.
We hope that one day soon, peace will be restored to Ukraine, and travelers can once again enjoy all that this incredible city has to offer.
