The Weekend is Close

Hooray! The weekend is here! Oh crap! Why is there always so much month left at the end of the money? Here are some parks that you can enjoy, for FREE, around this fabulous city that we are lucky to live in.

Kyiv is one of the greenest cities in Europe, and you are never far from a park. The heart of the city is a favourite of dog walkers and lovers alike. This is where you will find Shevchenko Park. This wonderful space has a corner devoted to a pastime that will give your brain a workout and that is chess. For many decades people have gathered in this place and you’ll often find a player ready with board and pieces all laid out just waiting for a challenger. There’s no language barrier, pieces move the same way whether your native tongue is Mandarin or Greek.

Also in the centre of the city is Mariinsky Park, there you will find the Summer Theatre, and if you are lucky you may catch a performance underway. Even if there is nothing happening on that stage, there are still many hours that can be whiled away strolling through the many acres of this 130 year old green space. 

If you’re prepared to travel a little further to the outskirts of the city, have a look at either the Holosiivsky or Feofaniya parks, both are both massive and ancient. While Holosiivsky has trees that are as much as 200 years old and it covers 140 acres, Feofaniya park is larger still at 370 acres and a major attraction there (alongside the many lakes) is the St. Panteleimon Cathedral, which is over a century old.

One final option, back in the centre again, is the Peizazhna Alley sitting atop of Podil and offering spectacular views across the lower part of the city. This park is interesting for many reasons, it is a location favoured by many buskers, so the atmosphere is musical, and there are many tiled sculptures as well as play areas with swings and slides. If anyone tells you that you’re too old to go on the swings, the simplest answer is “well, you might be!”