Sprawled over undulating hills that cling to the lifeblood of the Dnipro River, Ukraine’s capital is a patchwork of onion-domed orthodox churches, majestic remnants of the grandiose Kievan Rus, Art Deco walkways, mind-boggling, gold-tipped cathedral complexes and huge city squares of cobblestone and statuettes, all hugged by a sea of post-Soviet tenements and industrial divisions.
Despite being the economic and political hub of the country, Kiev still manages to exude beauty from every nook and cranny to its tree lined boulevards. Take the grand Pechersk Lavra, perpetually reflecting the sun’s rays down on the monuments of the centre with its golden domes. St. Sophia’s Cathedral, with its opulent green and yellow roofs and the 11th century Mongolesque Golden Gate stand further testimony to Kiev’s medieval glory, while the mysterious House of Chimaeras in Lypky beckons nearby.
Art lovers and culture vultures would do well to ask their Kiev tourist guide about the wealth of museums, galleries, craft shops and bars, especially those that cluster around the famous Andriyivskyy Descent, the place where Bulgakov once roamed and Andrew the Apostle is said to have first founded the city with a cross.