Having just completed my second multi-week trip to Ukraine, I feel well equipped to give a solid visitors guide, complete with tips, tricks, and how to get the most out of your Ukrainian experience.

 

First off, when heading to Kiev, we connected through Munich, which I recommend more than London, Paris, or Frankfurt, as these airports are massive and can complicate layovers with their multiple trams and terminal changes. I once missed a flight through Paris because a 2 hour layover literally wasn’t long enough for me to make an on-time connection. C’mon Frenchies, figure it out!

I visited family in Ukraine and offer a major disclaimer to anyone wanting to travel to Ukraine that without proficiency in speaking Russian, a private guide or translator, or local to meet, it would be a daunting and difficult place to visit. There aren’t can rental companies like Hertz or Avis, and even with locals on the ground and my sister-in-law being fluent in Russian and Ukrainian, we still nearly got scammed with an absolute jalopy of a van that literally broke down on our one hour drive to our destination. Luckily, we were able to get it started again, navigate the brutal Kiev rush hour, and make it to our destination. The “company” picked up the van (which wouldn’t start for them for nearly an hour) and dropped off the more luxurious (but far from great) van we’d originally been promised. They also pushed very hard for a full down payment, IN CASH, which after a lot of deliberating we were able to haggle down to half price. Basically, right off the plane there’s people looking to scam you left and right, so be aware.

Kiev is both beautiful, and nauseating at the same time. Many people don’t realize it’s one of the oldest cities in Europe, dating back to the fifth century, so the old town is beautiful with winding cobble stone streets and incredible churches/Monasteries like the Pechersk Lavra. Along the river you’ll find various restaurants, bars, and nighlife options as well. Definitely visit Maidan Nezalezhnosti, the central square, as it’s a cool and hip young area to hang out. The rest of the city is, well, a massively congested mixture of tenement-like apartment skyscrapers, various “shopping” centers comprised of grungy little storefronts, and more rural outskirts. The driving is pretty insane, no one wears seatbelts and there’s very little regard for traffic laws in general, lane lines, speeding laws, and cars frequently pass over the center divide, often at extremely dangerous times and speeds. However, if you keep your wits about you and just go with the flow, it’s relatively easy to navigate with some patience.

Pechersk Lavra view from above

This trip we traveled Westward, driving across the entire expanse of Ukraine, through the city of Lviv and into the Carpathian Mountains, near the Polish border. I don’t recommend heading East of Kiev, as the war with Russia is still active in the Crimea region (since 2014). It’s not major news anymore in the U.S.A. but I highly recommend everyone watch the incredible documentary Winter On Fire: Ukraine’s Fight For Freedom, available on Netflix.

Very sad and insane to me that this war is still a reality…

Maidan Nezalezhnosti before/after vs. during 2014 conflict

Lviv is a beautiful, ancient city I’d compare to a mixture of Prague and Vienna on a much smaller scale. From it’s Bernadine Church and Monastery to the Opera House, there’s no shortage of beautiful architecture. The High Castle is a nice walk through a wooded park, offering 360 panoramic views of the city. Check out Lviv Coffee Mining Manufacture for a great cup of Joe, alcoholic or not. Pop into House of Legends, climb the narrow four floor wooden staircase for a great viewpoint within the city and a bevy of desert options to tantalize your sweet tooth. After dinner, drop into the Pravda Beer Theater for a few local brews. It’s multi-storied, cheap and modern and offers some hilarious political-themed beers as well as live music. There are all kinds of nightlife options depending on your interests, from rock themed museum/bars to ‘everything’ clubs offering billiards, karaoke, and strippers all in one place. It really just depends what you’re into. Also, like more of Europe, McDonalds is actually a nice restaurant. One thing you’ll be sure to love is the cheap prices. In two nights of casually going out, I spent around $7 on drinks all night.

Rynok Square, Lviv

Lviv Opera House at night

Venturing further West, I highly recommend the hotel Vezha Vedmezha, a massive castle-like structure built ten years ago. It’s even more magical than the pictures show, and the medieval themed bar, although probably vacant, is just awesome if you’re looking for some libations. The restaurant was incredible as well, which is good, because you’re pretty isolated in the mountains there, so luckily the hotel offers you everything you could dream of, from grueling hiking trails, a spa and sauna, archery, it’s own private ropes course, a covered pool, as well as friendly rabbits and goats to feed and a number of activities for kids and families.

Hotel Vezha Vedmezha

Note, the further West you head, the less and less people speak Russian and only speak Ukrainian, so be aware. Also, we were swindled at a gas station (which is full service only), when the attendant was racking up our gas bill without filling the tank. Even when we caught him red handed, and had someone speaking their language, in the end they ripped us off of about $25, which may seem like a little, but equates to about ¼ month salary for the average Ukrainian, so stay by your car when the gas is pumping.

Overall, Ukraine is a mixture of beautiful architecture, history, and lush forests and farmland contrasted with dirty, congested, overcrowded cities, complete with traffic, pollution, and corruption. It’s the poorest country in Europe, so coming from America it’s extremely cheap and affordable if you avoid the five-star resorts, but it’s also very rough around the edges in nearly every way. If you have a contact there, it’s definitely worth the journey, as Ukrainians are some of the most selfless and giving people I’ve ever met (when brought into the home). If you don’t speak Russian or are just looking for a new vacation spot, heed my warnings and maybe consider somewhere a little more mainstream, or stick to the city centers.

Furthermore, be prepared for the temperamental and rapidly changing weather patterns. My first trip in August provided scorching heat (low to mid 90’s with very high humidity). This trip in June-July offered rain nearly every day, with moderate heat on the sunny days. In short, be prepared for anything, but that’s part of the fun.

Urban Beauty, Old Town Kyiv

Urban Beast, typical apartment complex, Kyiv outskirts