Thread: Киев

A guy I work with is going to Kiev for the Euro 2011 football cup this summer.

I am really pleased because I managed to help him find somewhere to stay - they found an apartment to rent.
After that they'll travel back to Sweden buy train, through Belarus and Latvia.

I didn't see as much of Kiev as I would have wanted when I was there, so I couldn't tell him what the top 10 sites were.
What are the best tourist sites in your opinion?

My friend says he and his friends particularly want to see War-related sites, Soviet related sites, visit football games with local people and old castles or fortresses..... In Minsk, they want to see more of the same.... He also wanted tips on the nightlife...

They have almost the opposite interests to me, so I wasn't able to give any good tips! If anyone can think of great sites in Kiev and Minsk that fit into this category, then please tell me so I can pass on the info!

The Great Patriotic War museum in Kiev is, hands down, the most amazing war museum I've been to.



Museum is actually within/under the statue.

If he will have access to a car, or can get transportation, a 2-3 hour drive due south from Kiev is the Музей Ракетных войск стратегического назначения. By far one of the better experiences of my trip. They might have to call up and make an appointment to come in, and I'm not sure if there's a cost as I went with a school that provided everything. In terms of nukes, it was the hottest place in the Soviet Union (something like 2-3 thousand warheads). You can take an elevator down underground into the command center to check out the living quarters and command console that was manned 24/7, waiting for a call to push the button (you can even push the button if you'd like). So if they can find a way to get down there, they won't be disappointed. If you Google the museum name, they have a website. One problem might be that if your friend(s) don't speak Russian or Ukrainian, they might run into difficulties, as I don't think the tour guides at the museum spoke English.

I'll have to dwell on this and think of some of the other interesting places I went to.

Also, what kind of nightlife is he into? Bars? Dance clubs? Strip clubs? Concerts? Opera?