Kiev

Head to the capital of the Ukraine and explore a richly rewarding city filled with religious architecture, secular monuments and history museums. Visit the 11th century Kiev Pechersk Lavra, a monastery and pilgrimage site encompassing several gold-domed churches and monk-lined catacombs as well as a collection of gold objects from ancient Scythian times. If you are a culture vulture, Kiev will enthral you at every turn. St. Sophia’s Cathedral, with its gold and green domes, features ancient Byzantine mosaics. St. Andrew’s Church marks the start of Andriyivskyy Descent, a steep cobblestone street linking upper and lower Kiev. Art lovers can spend days exploring the museums in Kiev, from the Khanenko Museum to the Pinchuk Art Centre. For a moving experience of Ukraine’s dramatic history, the National Museum of Chernobyl along with the Ukrainian Genocide-Holodomor Memorial Museum and monuments at Babyn Yar Park honour victims of 20th-century tragedies.