Kiev is the capital of beleaguered Ukraine. Unlike post-reunification Germany, Ukraine has not done so well after winning independence from the communist Soviet Union. This is still a hard country to live in, and despite the warm welcome given to visitors. Toughened travelers might find some fascinating spots though.

This is a surprisingly difficult city to even access – the entire country is bordered by strict guards and even stricter immigration policies, and unlike the rest of Europe, it is impossible to get into Ukraine without a visa of some type.

Places to See

Most of the attractions in Kiev are stern at best and harrowing at worst. The Golden Gate, built in the year 1037 (can anyone from the US, Canada, or other Western countries even fathom that kind of history?) marks the city's original borders and is now the home of the Golden Gate Museum. This was once the wall built to keep out invading armies, and it mostly worked, although the toll on the city of being almost constantly at war meant that Kiev was plagued by famine and – well -  plague, for the better part of five hundred years.

Independence Square (like Golden Gate, this is located downtown) is blocked off to road traffic on weekends and is one of the most popular social promenades in the city. It is also the site of the 1989 mass hunger strike by students demonstrating their support for Ukrainian independence.

Chernobyl Museum

Located nearby is the Chernobyl Museum, a dedicated collection of photographs, written and recorded accounts and paraphernalia (non-radioactive, presumably) from the worst nuclear disaster in human history. Although 'tours' to the actual site of Chernobyl operate out of Kiev (these are highly frowned upon and if you are caught, being foreign is no protection), it is not possible to get closer than a few miles from the original plant, and only certain roads have been decontaminated to the point that they are drivable. If you do brave the repercussions and take one of these tours, don't be surprised to see locals living in the area again. These folk have 'snuck' back , despite the toxic levels of radiation, as they either have nowhere to go, or simply have no desire to live anywhere else. Despite being illegal to live in this area, the 'silent return' became so common that the government stopped trying, and merely passed a law that all residents must be past 'breeding age' (in other words, too old to pass on radiation-related genetic defects to their children).

The Babi Yar Memorial and the Museum of Fatherland War are two other downtown reminders of Ukraine's bloody history, with plenty of reminders of the genocide suffered by Ukrainians at the hands of Stalin and his crew.

Pechersk Lavra

There are some sights in Kiev that will bring a smile though, or at least some relief from the depressing specter of a country that has never had more than fifty years peace at a stretch. The Pechersk Lavra, or Caves Monastery is considered to be the most sacred place in Ukraine. Built by monks in the year 1051, this is both an above-ground monastery and a below-ground series of caves, that are the tombs of monks past. Not exactly a laugh a minute, but an amazing sight nonetheless and at least most of these guys died of natural causes.

Andriyivsky Uzviz is the oldest, and steepest street in Kiev. This is the place to go for markets, carnivals and festivals of all kinds, and the sheer angles of the road will keep you breathless and laughing, as well as entertained by the skilled and not-so-skilled roller bladers and skaters who brave its face.

Hotels in Kiev

Hotels in Kiev tend to be inexpensive, although not as cheap as one would imagine in a country where hot water is an irregular - if welcome - guest and running water in general is not always guaranteed. This state of affairs is pretty uncommon in the major hotels though, whose rooms rates average around €60 per night.

Use the Hotelsio Rate Finder to find top accommodation and cheap hotels in Kiev, Ukraine.

(Photo:iStockPhoto/mysticenergy)