Essential Kiev

As you ramble the streets of Kiev, surrendering to its unique pulse, you will soon realise all of the above are but the silt of time which has in no way damaged he genuine soul of Kiev- the place of which Makhail Bulgakov, the legend of Kiev and one of its most famous denizens, wrote that “there is no city in the world more beautiful than Kiev”. The ideal time to visit Kiev is in the spring when its parks are literally flushed with succulent vibrant springtide greenness and the city itself – in all its multicolourd splendour of characters – seems permeated by the energy of life.

An integral part of the Kiev must see list is a trip to the legendary Pecherska Lavka which, because of its famous catacombs, is often referred to as “the cave monastery”. The church complex, built almost nine centuries ago, belongs to the most special places in Kiev and, even if you do not attempt to see all museums and exhibition halls on its territory, you should count with spending at least three hours there. Do visit at least some of Kiev's most extraordinary museums: you are not likely to find many cities featuring museums dedicated to a single street, or lavatories, or just books. There is no shortage of places surrounded by all sorts of myths and mysticism, for instance, the so called House with Chimaeras, one of the stangest and most extravagant buildings in the ciry with a roof and facade populated by all sorts of monsters, animals and fairytale characters, including snakes, mermaids and dragons. The house was designed by the architect Gorodetsky, “the Gaudi of Kiev”. Considering the vibe of the building, it is hardly surprising that legends have been surrounding the house from its first day; according to one of them, the architect dedicated the building to his daughter who had committed suicide by drowning herself. From one side the house appears to have three storeys, from the other all six are revealed; on a cloudy day, it does really seem reminiscent of a fairytale castle. By the way, be warned not ot visit the building at midnight, when the fantastic creatures adorning the facade are said to come alive. The bizarre image of the building does have a slightly more rational explanation: Gorodetsky used to be a passioned hunter and most animals featured as the facade sculptures actually belonged to his actuel or desired trophies. Sadly, the interior of the building is off limits to the general public.

Kiev seems to have been created for long walks; do explore any of its parks – Vladimirkiy or Marininskiy for instance – or the city's central central artery, Khreschatyk which offers just about everything, from shops to restaurants of any sort. While the street itself can hardly be called beautiful, there is a certain character to it.

Do not forget to include into your itinerary Podil, a district you absolutely have to see to make your stay in Kiev complete. Podil is the lowest part of the city with the undulating terrain. It use to be home to merchants and dealers. In 1811, a giant fire incinerated countless houses and churches. The district was eventually rebuilt, and yet you are not likely to even notice as you wander its streets: everything seems just slightly tatty, tinted by the patina of time and intangible bohemian charm. It is also one of the busiest Kiev districts, housing a number of the best and most original art galleries in the city.

Podil is also home to one of Kiev's oldest streets, Pokrovskaya, built as early as in the middel of 1400; its original name was hardly romantically inspiring: Gnilaya (Rotten) street. During the Soviet era it was renamed after Zelinsky, the inventor of the gas mask. It was also one of the few streets apared by the great fire: it looks almost the same today as it did hundreds of years ago. Almost very building here has a story of its own. One of the main landmarks of the street is the Belfry (number 6); there used to be an adjacent church where the great writer Mikhail Bulgakov married his first wife Tatyana. In 1935 the church was demolished and a school building was erected in its place. The belfry itself has survived since the 1700's. The street owes its current name to the opposite mid 1500 Pokrova Church (number 7). The number 5 building is an 1808 Empire style building once owned by the legendary jeweller Samson Strelbitsky, the man responsible for many of the countless treasures stored in Kiev churches. At number 1 you will find the Widow's House designed by the architect Nikolaev – a well known merchant's dedication to single mothers.

An industrial yard in Podil – a place you normally would not look twice at – is the surprise location of the Tsekh (Workshop), one of the leading Ukrainian contemporary art galleries. Getting there is an adventure by itself: first you have to push open the time – and weatherworn iron gate, then walk past the guard's booth. Don't let the sight confuse you; walk on to find the right door in a corner at the back of the yard. The former factory's premises escape looking just too squalid by the skin of their teeth. And yet the place suits the concept of the venue perfectly: retaining its style and not following the stream. Tsekh is very much its own art gallery, focusing on Ukrainian art and steering clear of excessive obsessing with world-renowned names and mainstream stars; the gallry has spunk enough to look for its own new stars. In a way it is an experiment with the objective of recording the current state of Ukrainian art here and now, the way it is today. It is also definitely the place to go if you care to see an altogether different, alternative Kiev.

Regardless of the level of your interest in contemporary art, stopping by at Kiev's PinchukArtCentre is a must. It is a place that already has earned the status of an institution and, in a sense, is one of the symbols of the new Kiev. The 2006 opened exhibition space is one of the most ambitious in Eastern Europe; its owner, the son-in-law of the Ukrainian ex-President Leonid Kuchma, the shark of the country's metal industry Victor Pinchuk, is the second richest man in the Ukraine. Paul McCartney's gig in Kiev's Independence Sqaure is also among the numerous feathers on his cap. PinchukArtCentre gallery is something of an entertainment show boasting some globally well-known names – from the British troublemaker extraordinaire Damien Hirst to the German photographer Andreas Gursky – as its hightlights. The gallery occupies four storeys and features a permanent exhibition of projects by the German video artist Julia Stoschek, presenting a 7 hour video story.

Late 2008 saw the gallery close its doors for several weeks to get ready for the two mega projects launched simultaneously in mid-January: the first Eastern European show by the Britsh artist Sam Taylor-Wood and the Russia 21 group exhibition featuring luminaries of Russian contemporary art – the well-known Blue Noses group among them. Incidentally, Sam Taylor-Wood was also one of the artists whose works were shown at the 52th Venice Biennale as part of the Ukrainian exhibition. Although local gallerists tend to accuse PinchukArtCentre of exaggerated interest in global stars and indifference towards local artists, there is no denying that Ukraine has to thank it for the fact that more and more prominent “names” are brought to Kiev and the general furore is provoking an increased interest in art.

While Kiev – like Moskow – is still obsessed with sushi, the contemporary life of the city is, to an extent, echoed by its restaurants. To sample some truly delicious and inspired culinary variations on the Ukrainian national theme, head for the Decadence House. Although said establishment, owned by the Carte Blance restaurant chain, it has already earned the fame of the epicentre of the local glamour circles, it is here that they serve up the most briljant versions of the traditional Ukrainian borscht or Chicken Kiev. If, on the other hand, you would like to have an authentic Ukrainian meal in the traditional envirement, do plump for O'Panas in Kiev's centrally-located Shevchenko Park with its slightly kitschy national-themed decor- or for Pervak featuring eight different themed dining halls and a design inspired by the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.