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Summer is the best time for small trips, new impressions and discovering places that often remain outside tourists’ attention. In order to see a medieval castle, walk among lavender fields, admire views of the Dnipro from above or visit a canyon with rocks billions of years old, it is not at all necessary to travel far from the capital.

Journalists of the culture department of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency have prepared a selection of interesting locations in Kyiv region and near it that are perfect for a weekend trip. Our route includes historical landmarks, natural wonders, picturesque parks and places where you can take a break from the noise of the city, take beautiful photos and simply enjoy summer.

In addition, a detailed list of cultural events in Kyiv can be found on the Instagram page ty_kyiv.
ty_kyiv is the official information partner of the Open4business website.

Buky Canyon

Distance from Kyiv: about 180 km, approximately 2.5–3 hours by car.

If it seems to you that for impressive natural landscapes you need to go to the Carpathians or abroad, Buky Canyon will easily change this opinion. It is one of the most beautiful natural locations in Central Ukraine, which is often called the Ukrainian Grand Canyon.

The canyon is located on the Hirskyi Tikych River in Cherkasy region. Its main feature is huge granite cliffs up to 30 meters high, which, according to geologists’ estimates, are about 2 billion years old. That is why the local landscapes look so unusual for Ukraine.

Another highlight of the location is the picturesque Vyr waterfall. Once an old water mill operated here, and today it is one of the most popular photo zones of the canyon.

Here you can:

• walk along the cliffs and observation platforms;
• have a picnic with a view of the canyon;
• photograph incredible landscapes;
• watch rock climbers who often train on the local cliffs;
• meet the sunrise or sunset over the river.

Buky is especially beautiful in June, July and August, when the cliffs contrast with the bright greenery of the banks. In sunny weather, the water takes on rich shades, and the views resemble shots from tourist brochures about Norway or Canada.

The ideal trip format is to leave Kyiv in the morning, spend several hours near the canyon, walk around the village of Buky and return home in the evening with a full gallery of photos and the feeling that you have been much farther away than three hours from the capital.

Radomysl Castle

Distance from Kyiv: about 90 km, approximately 1.5 hours by car.

If you want to feel like the hero of a historical novel for at least one day, go to Radomyshl. Here, among granite rocks and waterfalls, stands a real castle, which more resembles a medieval fortress somewhere in France or Germany than a tourist location in Zhytomyr region.

Once, the paper mill of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra operated on this site, where paper was produced for printing the first Ukrainian books. Today, there is a castle-museum here with the largest collection of home icons in Ukraine. In the halls you can see hundreds of ancient images, each of which has its own history.

But the main thing in Radomysl is the atmosphere. Narrow stone staircases, high towers, a bell tower with a panoramic view, bridges over the water, granite boulders and a park with waterfalls create the feeling that you have entered another era.

Here you can:

• climb the observation tower and see the city from above;
• walk through the landscape park among islands and waterfalls;
• visit the Museum of Ukrainian Home Icons;
• ride a boat in the warm season;
• take dozens of atmospheric photos without crowds of tourists.

It is especially beautiful in summer, when the territory is immersed in greenery, and the water around the castle reflects its towers, creating a truly fairy-tale landscape.

Mezhyhirya

Distance from Kyiv: about 25 km, 30–40 minutes by car.

If you want to escape from the noisy city but not spend half a day on the road, Mezhyhirya is one of the best options. Once this territory was the closed residence of fugitive President Viktor Yanukovych, and today it has turned into a huge park open to everyone.

The area of the complex exceeds 140 hectares, so it is quite difficult to walk around everything in one day. There are well-kept alleys, dozens of flowerbeds, lakes, fountains, the embankment of the Kyiv Sea and observation platforms with beautiful panoramas.

One of the most popular locations is the famous wooden house “Honka,” which became a symbol of the excessive luxury of the former authorities. The zoo, where ostriches, pheasants, peacocks and deer live, as well as the collection of retro cars, deserve no less attention.

Here you can:

• rent a bicycle or electric car and explore the territory;
• walk along the embankment of the Kyiv Sea;
• see the legendary “Honka”;
• visit the zoo and equestrian club;
• have a picnic on the lawns;
• take hundreds of beautiful photos among flowers and landscape compositions.

Mezhyhirya is especially impressive in summer, when the territory is literally immersed in flowers and greenery. Here it is easy to forget that the center of Kyiv is only a few dozen minutes away. That is why many visitors return here again and again: not for the history of political scandals, but for peace, nature and the opportunity to spend a day in the fresh air.

Korostyshiv Canyon

Distance from Kyiv: about 110 km, approximately 1.5 hours by car.

If you want to see a place that more resembles frames from a film or a postcard from a travel magazine than an ordinary location in Zhytomyr region, go to Korostyshiv Canyon.

Granite was once mined here. When the quarry stopped operating, it was gradually filled with water. This is how a lake with surprisingly clean water appeared, surrounded by high cliffs and a pine forest. It was the combination of turquoise water, granite shores and pine trees that made this place one of the most popular destinations for recreation near Kyiv.

In sunny weather, the water takes on an incredible emerald shade, which is why the canyon is often called the Ukrainian “Maldives.” That is why photographers, bloggers and everyone looking for beautiful recreation locations regularly come here.

Here you can:

• have a picnic right by the water;
• walk around the quarry and find panoramic points for photos;
• sunbathe on granite slabs;
• swim on a hot summer day;
• ride SUP boards;
• meet the sunrise or sunset over the lake.

A separate bonus is the atmosphere. Unlike many tourist places, there is no feeling of fuss here. The pine trees create natural coolness even on hot days, and the high cliffs add a special character to the landscape.

The best time for a trip is from June to September. Many people come here only for a few hours, but often stay almost for the whole day. After all, Korostyshiv Canyon is exactly the case when the road takes an hour and a half, while the impressions remain for a long time.

Kyivan Rus Park

Distance from Kyiv: about 45 km, approximately 50 minutes by car.

Do you want to travel back a thousand years for a few hours and see what Kyiv was like in the times of the princes? Then you should go to Kyivan Rus Park in the village of Kopachiv. It is not just an open-air museum, but a real journey through time.

Here, the citadel of ancient Kyiv of the 5th–13th centuries is recreated in full size. Massive wooden fortifications, princely chambers, watchtowers and ancient gates allow you to feel the atmosphere of the era when Kyiv was the capital of one of the largest states in Europe.

But the most interesting part begins when history comes alive. On different days, knight tournaments, theatrical performances, horse shows, festivals of medieval culture and reconstructions of historical battles take place here. Sometimes you can see real sword fights or hear how the ancient music of Kyivan Rus sounded.

Here you can:

• climb the wooden defensive ramparts and view the territory from above;
• visit the princely chambers and medieval exhibitions;
• ride a horse or in a carriage;
• try archery;
• see knight tournaments and horse performances;
• take atmospheric photographs as if you were in a historical film.

The park is especially liked by families with children, because here history can not only be read in a textbook, but literally touched with your hands. And adults often admit that they are no less fascinated than children.

If Buky or Korostyshiv Canyon is about nature, then Kyivan Rus is an opportunity to feel like a prince, a warrior of the princely retinue or a guest of ancient Kyiv for one day. And all this less than an hour’s drive from the capital.

Kaniv Mountains

Distance from Kyiv: about 140 km, approximately 2–2.5 hours by car.

If you want to see the Dnipro the way artists, poets and travelers saw it hundreds of years ago, it is worth going to the Kaniv Mountains at least once. This place is completely unlike the usual image of flat Ukraine. Here high hills suddenly drop down to the water, and the views are so large-scale that they take your breath away.

Taras Hill, the burial place of Taras Shevchenko, is located right here. However, the Kaniv Mountains are not only about history. This is one of the most beautiful natural locations in central Ukraine, where you can see dozens of kilometers of Dnipro slopes, forests and water expanses.

In clear weather, the observation platforms offer panoramas for which photographers come here specially. The mountains become especially beautiful at sunrise or before sunset, when the Dnipro begins to literally glow with gold.

Here you can:

• climb Taras Hill;
• visit the Taras Shevchenko Museum;
• take panoramic photos of the Dnipro;
• walk along the ecological trails of the Kaniv Nature Reserve;
• have a picnic with a view of the river;
• meet one of the most beautiful sunsets near Kyiv.

There is another reason why it is worth coming here. The Kaniv Mountains are a place where you can literally feel the scale of Ukraine. There are no loud attractions, food courts or crowds of tourists here. There is only the wind, the smell of grasses, the boundless Dnipro and a feeling of calm that is so lacking in a big city.

This is one of those locations people go to not for photographs, but for emotions. And only then do they return home with hundreds of shots on their phone.

Oleksandriia Arboretum

Distance from Kyiv: about 85 km, approximately 1 hour by car.

If you want to feel like the hero of a costume film about European aristocracy for at least one day, go to the Oleksandriia Arboretum in Bila Tserkva. It is not just a park, but a real green pearl of Ukraine, which has existed for more than 230 years.

At the end of the 18th century, the park was created by Countess Oleksandra Branitska, one of the richest women of that time. Architects and gardeners from different European countries were invited to arrange it. Today, Oleksandriia is the largest arboretum in Ukraine and occupies more than 400 hectares.

There are no attractions or loud entertainment here. People come here for beauty, silence and atmosphere. Ancient colonnades, romantic bridges, waterfalls, ponds, islands and hundreds of plant species create the feeling that you are walking through the grounds of an old European estate.

The park’s architectural monuments create its special atmosphere: the Luna colonnade, the Chinese Bridge, the Ruins, the Rotunda and numerous sculptures. Each location has its own history and legends.

Here you can:

• spend several hours among centuries-old oaks and rare trees;
• ride a boat on the ponds;
• arrange a romantic walk along picturesque alleys;
• take atmospheric photos near columns, bridges and waterfalls;
• watch ducks, swans and squirrels;
• have a family picnic in nature.

Oleksandriia looks most beautiful at the beginning of summer, when the park literally explodes with greenery and blooming. But even on a hot July day, it is easy to find coolness here under the crowns of old trees.

Many visitors compare the park with famous gardens of Europe. And the most pleasant thing is that for this you do not need to fly to France or Austria — an hour’s drive from Kyiv is enough.

This is a place for those who want not just to tick a box on a list of tourist locations, but to truly rest, slow down and enjoy beauty that has not gone out of fashion for more than two centuries.

The Flooded Church in Husyntsi

Distance from Kyiv: about 80 km, approximately 1–1.5 hours by car.

There are places that are difficult to explain with a photograph. They need to be seen with your own eyes. The flooded church in Husyntsi is exactly such a location.

In the middle of the huge Kaniv Reservoir stands a lonely old church, which seems to emerge directly from the water. From afar it looks like a set for a historical film or a frame from a mystical novel. In reality, however, it is a real landmark with a dramatic history.

Once there was the village of Husyntsi on this site. In the 1970s, during the creation of the Kaniv Reservoir, dozens of settlements ended up under water. People were resettled, houses were demolished, but the Church of the Holy Prophet Elijah miraculously remained. Today it stands on a small patch of land, surrounded by water on all sides.

It is this history that gives the place its special atmosphere. There are no noisy attractions or tourist entertainment here. There is only water, silence and a church that survived an entire flooded village.

Here you can:

• walk along the dam to the church itself;
• see one of the most unusual churches in Ukraine;
• take truly unique photographs;
• admire the views of the Kaniv Reservoir;
• meet the sunset over the water;
• feel the atmosphere of a place where history literally did not go under water.

It is especially beautiful here in the evening. When the sun begins to sink below the horizon, the water around the church takes on golden shades, and the church itself is reflected in the reservoir. At this moment it is easy to understand why many travelers call Husyntsi one of the most romantic and at the same time most mystical locations near Kyiv.

If you are looking for a place not only for beautiful photos, but also for reflection, calm and recharging, the flooded church in Husyntsi definitely deserves a place on your summer route.

Dobropark

Distance from Kyiv: about 30–40 km, approximately 40 minutes by car.

If you have at least once seen endless lavender fields, flower arches or photos among thousands of flowers on social networks and thought that this was somewhere in France, it is quite possible that in fact it was Dobropark.

In just a few years it has turned into one of the most popular summer locations near Kyiv. It is a huge landscape park that changes depending on the season. In spring people come here for tulips, in summer — for lavender, hydrangeas and roses, in autumn — for bright natural colors.

The main feature of Dobropark is its scale. Millions of flowers have been planted here, and each zone is designed to look like a separate photo location. That is why the park has long become one of the favorite places for family walks, romantic dates and photo shoots.

Here you can:

• walk among huge lavender fields;
• take photos at dozens of themed locations;
• relax in cozy open-air zones;
• ride bicycles or electric cars;
• visit food courts and recreation areas;
• spend the whole day with children among nature and entertainment.

Dobropark becomes especially beautiful during the lavender blooming period. At this time the air is filled with the scent of flowers, and the purple fields stretch so far that they resemble the landscapes of Provence.

Many people come here for beautiful pictures, but stay longer. After all, Dobropark is not only about photos. It is a place where you can take a break from the city rhythm, slowly walk along the alleys, lie on the grass, drink coffee among flowers and feel a real summer mood for at least a few hours.

If you are looking for a location where you can spend a weekend with the whole family, arrange a romantic walk or simply recharge among nature, Dobropark is definitely worth adding to your summer route.