Traveling in Ukraine and you do not know what you can do in Kiev? The capital of Ukraine is an ancient and modern. This town is loyal to the grumpy grandmothers, to oligarchs in expensive jeeps, surrounded by parks and noisy highways, first-class supermarkets, hostels, which are waiting for visitors to show them the way to a real adventure.

There are so many places to see and visit in Kiev, that it is often confusing which point for start to select. At the same time, some of the best sights of Kiev is not in the traditional guidebooks, although the locals love them. In order to manage to get to the most authentic and genuine experiences, we made a short list of amazing things in Kiev, and we hope ZigZag Hostel would be for you as an ideal base for exploring Kiev.

           1)      St. Cyril's Church (Church of Saints Cyril and Athanasius of Alexandria).

This small and at the same time the old church was built after the ascent to the throne of Kiev in 1139 Chernigov Prince Vsevolod II, and then became the family tomb of Chernigov princes Olegovich. In 1950 during excavation under the church there was discovered an underground passage leading to the numerous burial caves. But 10 years later the entrance to the cave was littered with stones and poured with concrete. On June 14, 2011 the parish was transformed into St. Kirillov Monastery

            2)      Take a walk through the parks of Kiev.

Kiev is undoubtedly considered to be the green capital, and has dozens of beautiful parks for short walks. Mariinsky Park is one of our favorites in the list of things to do in Kiev! Not only because it is in close proximity to the ZigZag hostel, but also you can see the beauty of the Dnieper from it. At the same time, the Mariinsky park has beautiful architectural landmarks as the Mariinsky Palace, the building of the Kyiv Academic Puppet Theatre, and the bridge of lovers - popular with honeymooners.

            3)      Find out more from the National Museum of Chernobyl.

Chernobyl tragedy is the worst nuclear accident in the world. Pripyat, the town closest to the reactor (3 km distance), had around 49,000 residents before the disaster. Now nobody lives there. The city of Chernobyl is only 4 kilometers south from the reactor. Traveling to the exclusion zone is very popular among tourists. And ZigZag hostel will arrange for any tourist excursion on any day, with English-speaking guide. But if you still do not have the opportunity to visit Chernobyl, you can visit the museum, which is located in Kiev.

4) Explore the museum of one street and buy handmade jewelry on the Andrew's descent.

One Street Museum is definitely one of our favorite places in Kiev! It has the fascinating and rich history of the capital of Ukraine. Andrew's descent is a small hill which is used to connect the Upper Kiev with a commercial district of Podol, located on the Dnieper river banks. The street is packed with historical attractions: St. Andrew's Church of the 18th century in baroque style, mysterious Mikhail Bulgakov house in the style of "The Days of Turbines" and the castle of Richard the Lionheart. Andrew's Descent is also famous for its Art bazaar, craft shops and local artisans. Take a stroll down the street or take a master class in one of the Ukrainian crafts!

5) St. Sophia Cathedral (UNESCO World Heritage).

St. Sophia Cathedral is considered an outstanding architectural monument and the leader of the most visited attractions in Kiev. Although we have tried to get away from the traditional lists of things, but St. Sophia Cathedral just need to be visited. It is beautiful, serene and calm.

6) Take a walk on the Landscape alley.

This is the kindest place in the capital: probably no one ever gave it without a smile. The mall was built in 1980 by architect Abraham Miletsky. In 2009, she began to grow with the addition of funky modern art sculptures.

And finally, come to ZigZag hostel to share your emotions and experiences with us.

Dishes which will make you return to Kyiv again and again

If you ever find yourself in Kyiv then you must try these dishes. Only after that you will be able to understand why so many people are ready die for Ukrainian kitchen.

• Borshch: Most people think this is a dish of Russian kitchen. However, this soup was created in Ukraine. The delicious combination of meat, carrots, beets and other vegetables will make you roll your eyes with happiness. Borsch is served with scones (donuts) or rye bread.

• Varenyky "Big delicious dumplings" – the way we explain to tourists in ZigZag hostel what varenyky is. The filling can be different. Starting varenyky with potatoes and mushrooms that would be as a main dish and ending with cherries that would make varenyky part of the dessert.

• Golubtsy: Different people prepare them in different ways. Some cook them small, some large. It is an original analogue of the Armenian "dolma" but in Ukraine they are wrapped in the cabbage leaves with rice mince instead of grape leaves. It is an ideal dish for the winter months. It is served with sour cream.

• Kyiv meatball: If you want a chicken, then nothing can be better than the chicken with butter and garlic, wrapped in the form of meatball. This dish is quite popular both for locals and tourists.

• Pancakes: Ukrainian pancakes are thin, that giving them contrast to American Pancake. You can choose your own toppings that you like. Pancakes even belong to a separate festival "Maslenitsa", during which you can be treated with pancakes with different fillings.

• Kvass is a soft drink which has very low alcohol content. This drink is made from wheat, sugar and apple. The drink was very popular even 500 years ago. It is also called Monk drink. It is ideal for a hot summer day, and even sale on the streets.

• Kiev cake: the cake popular for tourists, as it is possible to buy only in Kiev. You will find nuts, meringue and custard in this cake. If you're worried about calories, then stay away from this dessert. This cake will melt in your mouth. You can buy it at any store, and train stations.

Enjoy your stay in Kiev not only by excursions and also by food :)