Ukrainian by name, Russian by character – that's largely the tale of Kharkiv, a city that straddles the spurs of the Lopan, Udy and Kharkiv rivers a mere 25 miles from the border with Russia. Expect all the trademarks of the erstwhile USSR, prominent at the grandiose Derzhprom and the strikingly large Freedom Square. Amid it is an anchor of old East Europe, in the glimmering onion domes of the Pokrovsky Cathedral, the blends of neoclassical and Baroque architecture of the Assumption Cathedral, and the distinctive red and white Byzantine elements of the Annunciation Cathedral.

Kharkiv tour guides are quick to note their city's cutting-edge creative culture. The town is one of the leaders in Ukraine's IT and R&D industries, with more start-ups than you can shake a stick at. There's also a fledgling alt music scene, with underground rock and punk bars if you know where to look for them. To unwind like a local, the romantic Mirror Stream Fountain, the sculpture heavy Taras Shevchenko Gardens and the popular Maxim Gorky Park ropeway are the places to visit.