Our branch in Kiev

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Info about Kiev

Kiev is the capital of Ukraine with population of about 3 million citizens. It is situated on the Dnepr River and boasts architectural monuments that are recognized world treasures. By the legend Kiev was founded by 3 brothers - Kiy, Scheck, Horif and their sister Lybid. The city was named after the eldest brother - Kiev. Historians claim that first people settled on the territory of modern Kiev by the V century. The place for the city was well selected - high bank vaults of the river Dnipro served as a good defense from incursion of nomad tribes. In 882 Oleg prince of Novgorod captured Kiev and made it the capital of Old Russian powerful state - Kievan Rus

Kiev is the largest cultural, scientific and industrial center of Ukraine, the place of religious pilgrimage and a very attractive tourist destination. Its beautiful landscapes, parks and gardens charm and captivate. It will be very pleasant to visit them with your Special one in every season. Hospitable Ukrainians will be delighted to introduce Slavic culture to their foreign guests. Kiev has much to offer to its visitors. It ranges among the largest European cities, but it is not as familiar to the foreign guests as London, Paris, Moscow and other world tourist centers. It has interesting history, developed industry, high-level education and advanced science. Those who visit Kiev once, fall in love with this charming city and return over and over again to discover its attractions. Come and make sure of it by yourself.

Architecture of Kiev

Kiev is often called the mother of Slavic cities. It is more than 15 centuries old and during this time Kiev has made a long way from an ancient settlement of nomadic tribes to one of the largest cities in the world. Kiev is integrally connected to Slavic culture development. Its monuments, architectural ensembles and cathedrals charm with their beauty, harmony and historical meaningfulness. The sights and attractions of the Ukrainian capital are covered with the spirit of old glorious times.

Kiev is a city of invaluable historical and cultural monuments, a city of great events and outstanding people. Everyone will find there something especially interesting for himself. The art and architecture of Kiev are considered world treasures. Many famous artists, poets and writers estimated the unique beauty of this city. The most renowned landmarks include: Cathedral of St. Sophia with outstanding mosaics and frescoes dating back to the 11th century; Kievo-Percherskaya Lavra featuring several monasteries and cathedrals; Golden Gate of Kiev, which date back to 1037; Ukrainian Baroque Church of St. Andrew; the magnificent 19th-century Cathedral of St. Vladimir; and many other attractions. Kiev is often referred to as "the mother of all cities" by Russians and Ukrainians. It is one of the oldest towns in Europe. In the historical center of Kiev you can feel the spirit of the past everywhere.

Cultural life in Kiev

Kiev is distinguished for its rich cultural life. Theater lovers will find many theatres offering various theatrical programs. Most performances are held in Ukrainian or Russian. The recently renovated Kiev Opera House presents very good opera as well as a broad repertoire of ballets. Ivan Franko Theater is a center of Ukrainian drama, comedy, and musicals. A lot of various exhibitions are carried out in the city's numerous museums and art galleries.

Kiev is also a scientific and educational center of independent Ukraine. Various universities and science academies including famous Kiev-Mogilyanskaya Academy, which is one of the first scientific establishments in Eastern Europe, are located there.

Being the largest city of Ukraine, Kiev is a leading industrial and commercial center of the country. Kiev's major industries include: food processing (especially processing of beet sugar), metallurgy, manufacture of machinery, machine tools, rolling stock, chemicals, building materials, and textiles. The development of Ukrainian economy gave impulse to business activity of the city. There are a lot of new office centers, banks, trade exhibition centers and other commercial enterprises appearing in the city nowadays.

Take a walk through the ancient streets of this scenic city, feel its unique beauty and the spirit of its past. For sure your stay in Kiev will become one of your most memorable experiences.

Kiev is quite a big city with almost a three million population. In order to discover as much of Kiev as possible you will need to use public transport or taxi. Public transport is widely in use in the city, as Kiev has a well developed public transport network. There are two airports and a railway station in Kiev. Buses, trolleybuses and trams are popular among citizens and guests, as it's the cheapest way to get somewhere in the city. There are two main airports in the capital of Ukraine, Borispol International Airport and Zhuliany Airport. Borispol Airport is the largest and most modern airport in the whole country. The airport, located 38 km, or 24 miles, away from Kiev, was considerably rebuilt in 2000. This operates mainly international flights, receiving regular flights of 31 foreign airlines. The airport services more than 6 thousands clients, operating about one hundred flights every day.

Trains are one of the most popular means to travel between Ukrainian cities. It is much cheaper than air travel, and one of its advantages is that you can see the country "from within". Trunk railways link the capital of Ukraine to Russia, Poland, Hungary and to southern and western parts of the country as well. The railway station of Kiev is located in the very center of Kiev, near the Vokzalnaya metro station.

Buses, trolleybuses, trams and subway are as commonly used in Kiev as private cars. You can save a lot on traveling using public transport, as it's the cheapest way to get around the city. A passenger fare is 50 kopiykas per ride, and this fare is the same for buses, trams, subway trains and trolleybuses. Also there is a large network of minibuses, which develops very fast. You can use minibus services to get almost anywhere in Kiev.

Like in any big city of the world, you can easily use a taxi in Kiev. Taxi can be ordered by phone or right in the street. A good alternative to a taxi can be a private, non-metered car you can hail in the street. The ride will cost you less but it's better to negotiate the price beforehand, as many drivers do not speak English at all. To hail a car one should put out one's hand and flag down a car.

Kiev services

Post offices in Kiev are normally open for 8 hours a day. The central post office of the city is located at 22 Kreschatik Street, which is the main street of the city. Here one can send letters and packages, buy stamps and postcards, make long distance calls, use fax machines and so on. In Kiev one can also use a variety of mail services provided by such internationally known companies as DHL Worldwide Express, Federal Express, Pony Express, TNT Express Worldwide and United Parcel Service.

Following Europe, Internet cafes are becoming very popular in Ukraine. Kiev has a large number of Internet cafes, many of which are open around the clock. On the whole, there are about one hundred Internet cafes and clubs in the city. And this network has been constantly increasing. The list of the most popular Internet cafes and computer clubs in Kiev includes Pentagon, Cyber Cafe, Red Heat and others. You can find Internet cafes with addresses in the Print and Take section of our website. Besides, many cafes, restaurants and other public places have WI-FI zone.

Banks and Currency services

In Ukraine there are one hundred kopiykas for one hryvnia (UAH). Hryvnia, introduced on the 2nd of September, 1996, is the only legal tender in Ukraine today.

There are bills for 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 hryvnias. Coins are for 1, 2, 5, 10, 25 and 50 kopiykas.

Hryvnia can be easily converted to hard currency in any authorized bank of Ukraine or in numerous currency exchange offices. Please note that they do not exchange coins in Ukraine, so only banknotes are convertible.

Banks in Ukraine usually work from 9:00 a.m. till 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Most banks are closed on Saturday and Sunday. A standard lunch hour is from 1:00 p.m. till 2:00 p.m. There are a lot of bank branches in the city center, so it will be easy to gain access to ATMs, cash travel checks or use other bank services. Today, you can exchange currency, cash Traveler's Checks and draw out money from ATMs almost in every bank of Kiev.

There are three main credit cards accepted in major restaurants, stores, hotels and other venues. These are Visa, MasterCard and Eurocard. However, note that credit cards are not widely in use in Ukraine and sometimes they will not be accepted (particularly if the matter concerns smaller shops, cafes and remote areas). We recommend that you always have some cash at hand in case your credit card won't be accepted. If you have some local store credit cards, it's better to leave them at home.

Traveler's checks are not widely accepted in Ukraine. It's recommended not to bring them (or bring only as a backup), as a high commission rate and much paperwork are always expected. If you still want to take some traveler's checks on your trip, take Thomas Cook or Visa, which are the most common in Ukraine. To cash traveler's checks you will need a passport and receipt of purchase. If you for some reason need to receive or send moneywhile in Ukraine, you can do it quickly with the help of such internationally known companies as Western Union or MoneyGram. These companies have a network of authorized agents throughout the country. Agents' offices are mainly located in the bank buildings. Other options for sending or receiving money while in Ukraine include a wire bank transfer and a postal money order, which are less expensive but take more time.

Transport system of Kiev

There are two main airports in the capital of Ukraine, Borispol International Airport and Zhuliany Airport. Borispol Airport is the largest and most modern airport in the whole country. The airport, located 38 km, or 24 miles, away from Kiev, was considerably rebuilt in 2000. This operates mainly international flights, receiving regular flights of 31 foreign airlines. The airport services more than 6 thousands clients, operating about one hundred flights every day.

Trains are one of the most popular means to travel between Ukrainian cities. It is much cheaper than air travel, and one of its advantages is that you can see the country "from within".

Like in any big city of the world, you can easily use a taxi in Kiev. Taxi can be ordered by phone or right in the street. A good alternative to a taxi can be a private, non-metered car you can hail in the street. The ride will cost you less but it's better to negotiate the price beforehand, as many drivers do not speak English at all. To hail a car one should put out one's hand and flag down a car.

Kiev has a well developed network of subway trains. These trains connect different corners of the city, and, using Kiev metro, one will quickly get to the place he needs. Besides, it's one of the cheapest ways to get around Kiev.

Nightlife

Kiev has many nightclubs, casinos and other venues that can cater almost for any taste. Restaurants of Kiev serve Italian, French, Chinese, Japanese, American, Russian, and national Ukrainian cuisine. Tipping is not mandatory but usually expected in restaurants. If you believe that the service was good, you can leave some money for the waiter. Some restaurants put "Service not included" in their menu, and you will have to pay for the service as much as you consider necessary. Tipping can be 5 to 10 % of your total bill. Check your bill before paying. Tipping is not required in fast food restaurants, cafes, and other places where you order your food at a counter.

Restaurants

Restaurants of Kiev serve Italian, French, Chinese, Japanese, American, Russian, and national Ukrainian cuisine. Do not miss an opportunity to taste traditional Ukrainian cuisine with such hits as varenik (small dough pies with different stuffing's), famous Ukrainian borsch (beet soup) with pampushki (soft rolls soaked in fresh crushed garlic and oil) and other dishes. Tipping is not mandatory but usually expected in restaurants. If you believe that the service was good, you can leave some money for the waiter. Some restaurants put "Service not included" in their menu, and you will have to pay for the service as much as you consider necessary. Tipping can be 5 to 10 % of your total bill. Check your bill before paying. Tipping is not required in fast food restaurants, cafes, and other places where you order your food at a counter.

Fast food

With reasonable prices, quick service and versatile menus, offering dishes of American, Russian and traditional Ukrainian cuisines, the numerous fast foods of Kiev welcome everybody, who is short of time and wants to have a snack. Citizens and guests to Kiev can also visit Quick and Casual restaurants, which combine quick service with food quality and more comfortable seating usually found only in casual dining restaurants. This restaurant category appeared in Kiev several years ago.

Helpful Numbers

Emergency Services
Fire - 01
Police - 02
Ambulance service - 03
Wreck gas - 04
Water, electric and sewerage emergency service - 057
Elevator emergency service - 086
Rescue service - 2952447, 2909442
U.S. Embassy in Kiev - 4904000

Medical Services
Information on hospitalized patients - 003
Pharmacy information service - 067

Information Services
International Information Center - 059
Central Post Office - 065
Long distance calls service - 079
International calls operator - 8-191, 8-192, 8-193

Transportation Services
Railway station - 005
Bus terminal - 2509986, 2650492
Boryspil Airport - 2967243
Zhuliany Airport - 2422308, 2422309
River port - 4161268