Vol Nice-Kiev

While Saint Petersburg and Moscow are today's largest Slavic cities, Kyiv will always be the oldest. Established nearly 12 centuries ago on the shores of the Dnieper, it was home to the first Russian state in history: Kievan Rus’. It’s a status that makes the city the arbiter of an incredible legacy, one that’s rich in both Orthodox and Byzantine churches, the oldest of which date back over a thousand years.
But churches aren’t the only things you’ll find here. Kyiv is a brilliant mosaic of museums, its Soviet heritage, and its remarkable architecture, which includes many Art Nouveau buildings. You’ll find the city centre full of couples and groups of friends enjoying the laid-back atmosphere.
But art and ‘art de vivre’ aren't the only tricks Kyiv has up its sleeve! The locals love to have a good time, whether it’s dining on local cuisine such as borscht or golubtsy, or music-and-vodka soaked evenings in taverns, bars and night clubs.

• Visit Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, also known as Kyiv Monastery of the Caves. No need to be a certified potholer. This is actually the country's most beautiful monastery. Nearly a thousand years old and listed as a World Heritage Site, it is named for its catacombs which are home to the mummies of monks.
• Discover Ukraine’s most famous cathedral: Saint Sophia's. Enlarged and embellished over the years, you’ll still find some of its original mosaics on display today, dating back to the 16th century.
• Take your time on the Maidan (the “square”), a nickname given by locals to the famous independence square which was the epicentre of the Orange Revolution of 2004. It’s not just a place for protests; it’s also, and more especially, a place for life.
• Linger on Andreevsky spusk, the “descent of Saint Andrew”, one of the oldest and most alluring streets in the city, nicknamed the Montmartre of Kyiv. Here you’ll find the exquisite Saint Andrew’s Church, gorgeous apartments, art galleries and cafés.
• Leave the beaten path and check out the Lypky district, formerly home to the Ukrainian aristocracy, but now home to embassies and the Mariyinsky Palace of Ukraine. You’ll also find beautiful buildings such as the House of the Weeping Widow and the House with Chimeras.
• Take in a museum. Kyiv has many, dedicated to an array of subjects: Decorative Arts, Pharmacy, Russian Art, Archaeology, Chernobyl, WWII, and many more
• Don’t miss The Motherland Monument. And how could you? Perched atop the Great Patriotic War Museum, she is over 60 metres tall with a sword in her right hand and a shield in her left.
• Get tickets for a ballet or opera at the National Opera of Ukraine. An incredible setting with a rich and varied program full of talented artists
• Take a day trip near Chernobyl. The infamous nuclear reactor has today become a tourist attraction, just like its neighbour Pripyat, a veritable ghost town. Truly unforgettable!
• Try vareniki, which are to Ukrainians what pierogi are to Poland: a beloved classic. These large raviolis can be savoury, stuffed with meat or vegetables, or sweet, with apples or cherries.