33 Best Kyiv Cultural & History Tours 2021

M

Alinka’s “Awful Kyiv” tour was the quirkiest tour I’ve ever taken. The weather “helped” us with a rain, but I’m used to it, and it could not spoil this very unusual walk. I did not have any expectations before the tour, I just wanted to experience something more than the guidebooks are recommending. And I got it – a feeling of living one day as a local (since I’ve booked 2 tours with Alinka, we spent quite some time together). I’ve got a chance to see how many contrasts Kyiv has to offer: just imagine seeing almost ruined wooden buildings (inhabited ones!) and super fancy penthouse right next to it, and then – a garbage dump, surrounded by strange yet beautiful graffities and amazing views of the city from this same garbage dump. Church that looks as a factory in Chernobyl, the radiotower built on the cemetery and so much more! I especially loved taking that old red tram and walking among buildings that Alinka funny called “inhumane architecture”. We finished our tour in the district full of bars, where I spent my last hours in Kyiv. Alinka showed me her favorite bar, and we were sitting there for some time talking like good old friends! Alinka even helped me calling cheap local taxi to deliver me to the airport. Thank you for a perfect last day of my trip! I’ll be back for more!

Reviewed by Maria / Airbnb • June 10, 2019

Awful Kyiv Walking Tour

B

Mezhyhirya Residence Tour

We toured the Viktor Yanukovych residence, also known as "the house of corruption" and had our collective minds blown. Our guide/driver arrived early, was intelligent, informative, and spoke perfect English. He was also well versed in US politics, which helped give context to our tour and made everything very present.

If you had seem the house on the news, be prepared that it's all so much worse in real life.

There is no way that we could have explored the expansive grounds, health club, house, etc. without a guide. And, hard to imagine a guide who was a better fit for our interests.

Reviewed by baltoellen / TripAdvisor • October 06, 2019

Mezhyhirya Residence "Musem of Corruption" Private Tour with Local Guide

H

An excellent experience

We headed to Chernobyl for a 1 day tour with Green tour, which was fantastic. Chernobyl as you can imagine was an amazing experience and I highly recommend using Green tour to do so. We was picked up promptly outside of our hotel in Kiev city centre. We were greeted by Konstantin and Jane, both of which were very knowledge and both are a credit to your service. They went above and beyond what was expected of them and gave us information of other things to do around Kiev. Both of them made the trip that little bit extra special.

Reviewed by Holly0707 / TripAdvisor • September 11, 2019

Chernobyl & Pripyat Small-Group Day Trip from Kyiv

Simply Awesome-The guide and the tour

If you want to tour churches, this is not the tour for you. Want military history, nope not for you either.
Do you want to see the real Ukraine, the real Kviv, Han this is the tour for you. We spent the day walking though the real Kviv most tourist never see. We spent time where the real Ukrainians live not just where the tour buses go. We saw the underbelly, we saw the beautiful graffiti, we saw amazing city views from high above the city.
The best part wasn’t even the tour itself, it was the guide. We talked we conversed, I learned about many different topics from an expert. We discussed politics, history, economics, jails, guns, art, how the youth live, how other lives. We talked about everything under the sun.
She was magical, we saw the rich and we saw the poor. Great tour but the guide was even better than the tour itself.
I cannot rate this high enough, 10 stars would barely scratch the surface. The guide is lovely, knowledgeable, fun, laid back and beautiful.
Towards the end of the tour she will show you a bunch of bars, restaurants and cafes and many other things that will turn your good trip into a great trip. 15 stars!!

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Reviewed by David • July 23, 2019

Awful Kyiv Walking Tour

Yanna is so sweet!

It was my third time in Kyiv and this time I brought friends with me to Ukraine. We enjoyed the walk very much and even though I had done also another walking tour from Like A Local it was awesome that the two routes had very little in common. Yanna showed us some beautiful buildings, little statues of Kyiv symbols, took us to the cafe with best eclairs and shared her personal feelings and opinions about Ukraine and was flexible to finish a bit earlier when we got hungry. Thank you, Yanna, for a lovely day!

Image by Ülane who visited Kyiv Hidden Gems Tour with a Local.

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Reviewed by Ülane • October 15, 2019

Kyiv Hidden Gems Tour with a Local

Hidden Gems, the title of this tour fits !

Yanna speaks English fluently. She isn't pushy, knows how to handle in a perfect way with visitors to her city (what is generally called 'tourists').
After her tour I performed the walk mentioned in the Lonely Planet. Besides the starting point + about 300 metres + the end of her walk, nothing was common !
So I recommend to everyone visiting Kiev to book her walking tour !

Reviewed by Eric • August 01, 2018

Kyiv Hidden Gems Tour with a Local

MUST SEE in Kyiv - so much fun

Yanna is friendly and very knowledgeable. We walked around the central area for a good 4 hours, but she told these stories that really brought the city to life. After the tour you'll probably know a lot of interesting places that even the locals haven't heard of. This was a great way to spend my first day in Kyiv. 10/10 would recommend to a friend.

Image by Martin who visited Kyiv Hidden Gems Tour with a Local.

Activity in Kyiv: Kyiv Hidden Gems Tour with a Local. Photo by Martin who visited that tour.

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Reviewed by Martin • July 02, 2018

Kyiv Hidden Gems Tour with a Local

True hidden gems

I would like to thank Yanna for her fascinating stories on the old and modern history of Kiev. She is enthusiastic, mobile, intelligent person.
I am firmly suggest Yanna as a guide for her deep and factual knowledge and wish her all the best.
Oksana Soul

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Reviewed by Oksana • June 17, 2019

Kyiv Hidden Gems Tour with a Local

Great Tour

We did the Hidden Gems Tour with Yanna and it was great. She showed us around the city, pointing out the not so obvious and provided us with a lot of information.

Reviewed by Kristin • June 16, 2019

Kyiv Hidden Gems Tour with a Local

Great tour

We had a great trip! Guide was very knowledgeable.

Reviewed by Anne • May 27, 2019

Chernobyl & Pripyat Small-Group Day Trip from Kyiv

D

Awesome "Awful Kyiv Tour"

I always seek for the unique experiences, and Alina's " Awful Kyiv tour" really stands out of the crowd. Full of irony, her stories get a whole different view on Kyiv (the city I visited a couple of times). First of all, it was fun and entertaining, secondly, it felt like an adventure, we loved it. We are in awe of the sparkling ones, so it really provokes many thoughts: which of these are really ugly places, and which ones are beautiful ones. It was a gloomy weather, and I guess it was a very good time to stay in the city. I remember Alina laughing at me. , abandoned plants and factories, the strange sculptures and towers. Locals were sometimes so curious, that's how I understood that it's really a local place where they almost never see tourists.

We took a walk through the industrial part of the city, Alina showed me some cool cozy bars, where I loved it and met many friendly locals. That was a fantastic experience, considering the fact that I would love to relocate to Kyiv, and finally, I stopped feeling as a tourist here. Thanks Alina, keep in touch!

Reviewed by Dmytro / Tripadvisor • June 12, 2019

Awful Kyiv Walking Tour

L

2 excellent half-day tours

We did 2 separate private tours with Katerina of Green Tours - to the Yanukovych estate and Pecherska Lavra. Both went very well, worth the premium paid. Quick & easy booking via email. Payment via Paypal. Punctual pick-up and flexible drop-off. We'd highly recommend Katerina as guide. She was very professional, open, knowledgeable, and her English was the best of the several guides we had in Ukraine. She also went above & beyond - showing us how to take the metro and buying the tokens for us, helping us get a picnic lunch before dropping us off at Babi Yar park on the way back from Mezhyhirya, taking us to a nice restaurant after Pecherska Lavra and helping us order lunch there. And she reminded me to bring a scarf to cover my head at the monastery. While you could tour the Lavra on your own, it's highly advisable to engage a guide for Mezhyhirya as the tours of the (utterly astounding) mansion & spa etc are only in Ukrainian and opening hours can be erratic.

Reviewed by lantauloafer / TripAdvisor • August 12, 2019

Mezhyhirya Residence "Musem of Corruption" Private Tour with Local Guide

H

Excellent day out

There were 11 people in our group in total with a driver and tour guide. Our guide spoke excellent English and was able to give us plenty of information about Chernobyl and Pripyat. The transport was very comfortable and the documentaries about the disaster before arrival was a great way if breaking the journey and learning more before arrival. The whole day felt well managed and at no point did we feel hurried along. Looking at some of the larger groups we were really pleased we booked with Green Ukraine. Whilst there are other companies with more Trip Advisor reviews our group really felt that this trip was value for money. Thank you again for the opportunity to visit a place which we need to learn from

Reviewed by Hethbum / TripAdvisor • August 19, 2019

Chernobyl & Pripyat Small-Group Day Trip from Kyiv

K

The quirkiest tour in Kyiv

I live in Kyiv for a few years and know all the major sights. However, Alina's Awful Kyiv was delightful and exceptional. She showed me places that I never knew existed, even if some of them I pass by daily. She showed another lense to look at certain buildings or places. Alina has a deep knowledge of the history of the city, but she does not bore you with unremarkable names and dates. Her guiding style is very entertaining and flexible to your needs. She is a charming guide with constant curiosity and hunger for knowing more about her beloved city and passionately shared her knowledge with you. I would recommend to anyone who wants to explore the beautiful or the 'awful 'Kyiv.

Reviewed by Krisztina / TripAdvisor • May 13, 2019

Awful Kyiv Walking Tour

C

One of the best tours I have ever taken! Book it now!

Yanna was our guide on this tour and I'm not exaggerating when I say that it was one of the best tours that I have ever taken. Her enthusiasm, knowledge, interest, passion and friendly persona were fabulous.
This tour will suit anyone who wants to know some of the basic tourist information but who would also like to - as the title of the tour suggests - see a deeper side to Kiev that most tours do not cover.
Yanna gave us so much information and also suggested places to eat and shop.
Real value for money.
Thank you Yanna
(future Minister of Tourism?!)

Reviewed by Catherine • July 04, 2019

Kyiv Hidden Gems Tour with a Local

R

Perfect!

I cannot say enough good things about Iryna and the Countryside tour. She asked a few questions about what I wanted to see and tailored a special itinerary - in one day we did everything I had hoped and more. I saw farm life, traditional villages, beautiful churches and parks, learned alot of history and had some terrific food. We laughed, danced in fields of yellow flowers, bought fresh milk from the farm and prayed in churches 1000 years old. If you want to 'get local' and see the real Ukraine, I would highly recommend Iryna as a guide.

Image by Robert who visited Full-Day Ukrainian Countryside Tour from Kiev.

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Reviewed by Robert • May 18, 2017

Full-Day Ukrainian Countryside Tour from Kiev

A

What a nice experience!

A really good tour to start your visit in Kyiv. Yanna is very passionate about her heritage. She has a wide knowledge of Kyiv or Ukrainian history in general. During the tour you learn a lot about the little things you would probably overlook and get closer to the big context of the highly interesting backgrounds of this vibrant city! Yanna, due to her young age, has also showed us hip places and modern initiatives as street art! The tour is very fluent and yiu get a good overview of the city. Thank you again Yanna, we really enjoyed it!

Activity in Kyiv: Kyiv Hidden Gems Tour with a Local. Photo by Andreas who visited that tour.

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Reviewed by Andreas • April 23, 2019

Kyiv Hidden Gems Tour with a Local

J

Wonderful Solo Tours in Kiev

Recently did the Kiev City Tour, Food tour and Mezhyhirya tour with Konstantin. He was an excellent tour guide. Gave great insight into many different things of Kiev. Ate some wonderful food. I think I was the first person to do the food tour who doesn't drink alcohol, it puzzled Konstantin initially but everything was delicious. The Mezhyhirya tour was eye opening, some of the opulence was almost disgusting. Would definitely Konstantin and Green Tour Ukraine. wonderful customer service and great tours of a fascinating city.

Reviewed by Jake W / TripAdvisor • June 09, 2019

Mezhyhirya Residence "Musem of Corruption" Private Tour with Local Guide

J

Away from the City

This tour was fabulous! Our guide was Iryna and her joie de vivre was so catching! We were able to experience sites outside of Kiev that we would never have known about. It was a delight being in the Ukrainian countryside, from a vast field of bright sunflowers, to an exquisite church, to a small village inn (with the best homemade lunch), and other cool things in between, we were transported to a simpler, peaceful lifestyle, and pace. Get away from the bustle of the city, and book this tour! It was charming!

Reviewed by Judy • July 27, 2018

Full-Day Ukrainian Countryside Tour from Kiev

F

Mezhyhirya Residence Tour

Konstantin gave us a great tour of Honka. He was fascinating to chat to, and made a great effort to offer an unbiased account of recent events in Ukraine. He was extremely knowledgable about the property and had lots of interesting stories about the rooms of the mansion. A fascinating insight into the world of oligarchs and extreme corruption. I would highly recommend both the trip to Honka, and Green Tours. Thank you Konstantin :-)

Reviewed by FlyingFoodie / TripAdvisor • March 22, 2019

Mezhyhirya Residence "Musem of Corruption" Private Tour with Local Guide