For an ultimate family fun and some history trivia head to the Kyiv Rus Park near Kyiv. It is located in a historically significant place mentioned in the chronicles that best suits the terrain and repeats the vegetation of the ancient Kyiv thousands of years ago. The founders of this place aimed to rebuild the Kyiv Rus capital in 1:1 scale. Based on conclusions of historians and ethnographers they recreated Kyiv citadel.
Not only can you touch the history, but also take part in it: try wearing medieval costumes, ride a horse and practice the archery. You might also like to make a pot of clay with your own hands.
Located 45 minutes car ride from Kyiv.
Address: Kopachiv village, Obukhiv, Kyiv Region
Mezhyhirya Residence and Park near Kyiv
Since mid-November 2014, Mezhyhirya has been a beautiful park complex with a museum that displays the luxury of its former owner, former President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovich, who abandoned the estate during the 2014 Ukrainian revolution.
Since February 2014, Mezhyhirya complex is open for everyone to access. Walking tours with a visit to "Honka" and sightseeing tours on electric cars are conducted on a regular basis. In addition, you can also rent a bike, do horse riding and have coffee and snacks here.
It is an interesting place to visit near Kyiv to spend a pleasant day outside the city and enjoy its beautiful park and territory.
Where: Novi Petrivtsi, Vyshhorod district, Kyiv region
Read: Kitaevo Historical Park in Kyiv
Sofiyivka National park in Uman’
Sofiyivka National dendrology park of Ukraine is, without exaggeration, one of the most beautiful places in Ukraine. Behind a plan of its creators, Sofiyivka is the embodied with illustrations of Homer’s 'Iliad' and 'Odyssey', where each composition or small architectural form comprises the whole plan, expresses idea of a myth or certain event.
Sofiyivka National park is a part of Ukraine's National Academy of Science. It is situated in the town of Uman, Cherkasy region and is well-known in the whole world as one of the most famous masterpieces of the world landscape gardening of the end of XVII - beginning of XIX centuries. Sofiyivka stands on the same level of park construction with such European parks as Balbi Garden in Florence (Italy), San-Susi Park in Potsdam (Germany) and Versailles (France).
Uman is situated around 200km from Kyiv. The fastest and the most convenient way to get there by car is to take the Kyiv-Odesa highway. Just in front of the park, there is a nice ‘Sofiyivskyi’ Hotel for those tourists who would love to stay over for couple days and explore each single corner of Sofiyivka park.
Weekend trip to Lviv
Take advantage of a recently launched fast train from Kyiv to Lviv and plan a pleasant city break at Ukraine’s tourist mecca, Lviv. You can take a morning express from Kyiv on Saturday morning and arrive to Lviv by lunch time. The return train can be caught on Sunday early evening (around 5 PM), which allows you to spend almost 2 days in the capital of Western Ukraine.
Lviv is one of the most European looking cities in Ukraine. This is a city of cozy coffee houses and magnificent churches. Lviv prides itself for being a Unesco World Heritage Site and the center of Ukrainian national identity. Enjoy a relaxed flow of life in front of you sitting at one of the numerous cafes, sipping legendary fragrant Lviv coffee. Take a ride around the city on a historic rattling tram or just a romantic stroll through Lviv’s cobbled narrow labyrinth of streets. Must visit sights of Lviv include famous for its genuine beauty Opera House, historical Rynok Square, High Castle and Ratusha panoramic viewing platforms, Dominacan and Latin Cathedrals, numerous museums and art galleries.
Read: What to See and to Do with Kids in Lviv
