It would seem that for thousands of years of the city's existence, Kyiv has already demonstrated all the beautiful places. Sights are described, explored, explored and included in all sorts of lists and registers, wide hiking trails are laid to them. However, car rental Kyiv will give you the opportunity to see a little abandoned, forgotten, sometimes hard to reach, but beautiful and atmospheric places of our capital.
In addition, if you are not afraid to leave the highway, go deeper into villages and towns, even in the Kyiv region you can find almost instagrammable locations, no worse than in Lviv or Odessa.
Unfortunately, recreation near Kiev in the forest is not yet possible everywhere, some territories remain closed to the public until they are fully examined by sappers. Please be careful and carefully read the information from the State Emergency Service.
Ancient artificial cave
One of the archaeological sites, the so-called place of power and, as legends say, the place of the battle between Dobrynya Nikitich and the Serpent Gorynych, is Smorodinskaya Cave. Although according to another version, the Serpent was eliminated by another hero - Nikita Kozhemyak. Cave structures, and there are about 20 of them here, owe their discovery in 1876 to the famous Ukrainian archaeologist and ethnographer Vladimir Antonovich.
The area itself has several names: Smorodinsky descent, Khrushchev road, Dikovsky descent. The total length of the road is 900 meters, while the old paving stones, whose age is more than 100 years old, have been preserved on the descent. But it’s even somehow embarrassing to talk about this, because very close to the Kirillov Heights in 1893, Vikenty Khvoyka found the Kirillovskaya site, the exhibits of which are no less than 25 thousand years old.
The old road is deservedly considered one of the best places for extreme driving: it is almost a mountain track with unexpected and very sharp turns, ups and downs. Order an additional bike carrier to explore the Khrushchev road on your own.
We recommend that you hurry, because the rapid construction of private cottages and the laying of a sewer collector has put the existence of the thousand-year-old Serpent Caves in jeopardy.
The largest earthen fortress
In the very center of the capital on Pechersk, there is the largest earthen fortification in Europe of the nineteenth century. It is believed that it was the presence of the "Slanting caponier" (the second name of the fortress) that forced Napoleon to abandon the assault on Kyiv.
Since the need for a protective structure never arose, the caponier was used as a maximum security prison for holding political prisoners. The building is called "oblique" because it is located at an angle to the main rampart.
Interestingly, museum staff talk about ghost encounters and other unexplained events. Today, the territory of the caponier is a popular place for filming various mystical shows and programs, and one of the TV channels called it the most terrible place in the capital.
Less popular but no less interesting
Do not know where to take a walk in Kyiv without a lot of people, in a secluded and picturesque place? We recommend going to Zhukov Island to enjoy stunning landscapes, see the flooded tunnel (object No. 1), see many rare plants, and most importantly, an old oak tree over 500 years old, whose crown reaches 10 square meters.
At first, the Kiev nobility owned this territory, then the island passed to the monks of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. Currently, it is a landscape reserve, as well as the only surviving place in Europe where wild stoats live. In addition to them, muskrats, otters, beavers, stone martens, raccoon dogs and weasels are found here.
A unique corner of the wild
Interested in a vacation in Kyiv 2023 away from the noisy bustle of the metropolis, but not too far from the city? Go to Kitayevo Park with its wild nature, gorgeous mystical views and huge old trees. In addition to the park, there are two temples, a font and monastic caves.
In the lowland there is a holy spring, the font above it was built more than a century ago. This is a unique, unennobled place, unlike any other. Take with you everything you need for a picnic or bikes for extreme riding and don't forget your camera. Believers will be able to touch the ancient shrines here and visit the place of good power.
Reserved nature
If you and your family or a group of like-minded people are ready for a vacation, the Kiev region offers many wonderful, environmentally friendly places surrounded by forests or by the water itself. Very close to the city there are beautiful reserves and parks, which will be interesting for both adults and children.
"Ukrainian village"
Just 15 km from the capital along the Zhytomyr highway in the village of Buzova there is an ethnographic complex with a recreation center, a zoo, a museum, and restaurants. Every weekend, as well as on holidays, interesting workshops are held here on baking buns and bread, pottery, and making national coiled dolls.
In the complex you can rent an authentic house in the woods near Kiev, where ancient utensils are harmoniously combined with the most modern amenities.
Parks in Bucha
Very close to the noisy capital (20 km) there are picturesque parks (Kyiv region) such as the restored Central Park in Bucha with active entertainment, man-made expositions and bright sights. Here you will see the Green Arch (a copy of the famous Tunnel of Love from the Rivne region), a rope park, a children's railway, attractions and playgrounds.
Small vehicles are allowed on the paths, so rent electric cars, bicycles, skateboards and roller skates, or bring everything you need with you.
Sakura island
35 km from the White Church is the ancient historical town of Volodarka (founded by Yaroslav the Wise in the 11th century). The park area on the artificial island is riddled with beautiful alleys, there are waterfalls, bridges, sculptures, playgrounds, a mini-zoo, recreation areas on the lake.
Here is a great place for a romantic photo shoot - the Alley of Lovers with cheerful benches that are sure to give pleasant emotions and cheer you up.
Syrets Guy
Thinking about where to go in Kyiv for the weekend to plunge into the atmosphere of the ancient forest? Be sure to visit the landscape park Dubki - the remains of the once huge forests of the Kiev region. There are unique centuries-old oak plantations, pines, lindens and other types of trees.
Civilization has not yet reached here, even paved paths are a rarity. But there are two lakes, a playground and a restaurant of the same name. The area impresses with its naturalness and unspoilt views; people come here for positive emotions and a pleasant stay.
Not far from Dubki there is a mysterious Syretsky arboretum, which only local residents know about. There are always very few people here, but this is even a big bonus for those who want to be alone with their thoughts and nature.
Tract "Natalka"
Of course, all the parks for children (Kyiv) are interesting and it is difficult to single out one. But the territory of Obolon Park stands out even against this background. There are great places for unusual photo shoots here (picturesque ruins, a railway tunnel under the Dnieper).
Despite the fact that this is one of the most favorite places for Kiev residents, the paths are not crowded at all and there are interesting activities for absolutely everyone.
Extreme
For those who are tired of the beauties of nature and are looking for what to visit in Kyiv to tickle their nerves, we recommend:
- an abandoned laboratory - a legendary building in which viral infections were previously studied;
- a fort on Bald Mountain - a mysterious place that for a long time belonged to the military;
- the wall of the Green Theater - the Mecca of all Kyiv climbers, the object of many mystical legends and myths. The area really has a characteristic atmosphere and has a "master" to greet;
- tunnels under the Dnieper - the remains of top-secret strategic structures;
- epic abandoned houses in Vynohradar and Troyeshchyna – these territories are loved by photographers and cameramen for their many interesting locations;
- bobsleigh track - located on the shores of the Kyiv Sea in a picturesque place, it has its own special charm. The rusty metal frame resembles the skeleton of a huge dragon, not everyone can guess what it is and your photos will be unique
Getting to all these and many other places by public transport means spending a lot of time, which is not enough for a guest of the capital. If you don't have your own transport, car rental in Ukraine NarsCars. All cars are fully serviceable, cleaned and washed to a shine.
In addition to cars of different classes and capacities, we offer a lot of useful additional devices: a navigator, a child car seat, a roof rack, etc.
