About Ukraine
Kyiv is the chief city and capital of Ukraine. It is a city with an ancient and proud history. Kyiv is one of the most beautiful cities in the world that picturesquely spreads on the Dnipro river hills.
There are 2,148 historical and cultural objects located on the territory of Kyiv. Among them are over 100 museums, 33 theatres and theatres-studios, 53 cultural buildings, 140 libraries, and 20 concert halls.
Amazing parks, both ancient and modern districts and squares, great forests, green and entertaining zones, and picturesque places are worth seeing. Our city Kyiv is always glad to welcome you here!
Safety
Kyiv is located 723 km (450 miles) away from the current fighting between the Ukrainian Government and Pro-Russian terrorists. Kyiv is a safe place to visit, as safe as any major city in the world where you would expect to exercise a degree of caution in your regular activities.
Arrival
The ICSI Clinic Coordinator or an interpreter can pick you up at the airport (any of both) upon request, get you to the apartment or directly to the clinic.
There are two airports in Kyiv: Boryspil and Zhuliany. Boryspil airport is situated 30 km away from Kyiv. You will be able to get to the city in under 30 minutes. The Zhuliany is about 7 kilometers (4.3 mi) southwest of the city center.
Aside from facilitating regular passenger flights, Kyiv International Airport is also the leading business aviation airport in Ukraine and one of the busiest business aviation hubs in Europe.
Accommodation
During your visits, you can stay in comfortable hotels or apartments. One of the hotels you can stay in is Oberig Hotel, which is situated not far from the clinic and it will take you not more than 10 minutes to get here. It offers visitors a peaceful, friendly atmosphere in a unique, refined setting. Away from the noise and bustle of the town center, and yet only a few minutes by bus or car from the most breath-taking Kyiv sights. Our Kyiv hotel has a quiet and comfortable environment with all the facilities that you may need for a pleasant stay. Oberig Hotel is the perfect hotel for a stay in Kyiv.
There is a metro station and a bus stop near. When you have free time, you can see the historical and the cultural part of the city, get to know our traditions and try our national cuisine.
Sightseeings
There are plenty of fantastic places in Kyiv that are worth seeing, and here are some of the most popular ones.
Great Belltower (Belfry) of Pecherska Lavra Monastery – is a symbol of spiritual power and architectural challenge. It was founded in 1051 by the monks Anthony and Feodosiy as an underground cave monastery. Since the foundation, it became the greatest spiritual, political, and cultural center. Most of the Monastery buildings date from the 17th to 18th centuries. But the only one of those churches has been preserved from the twelfth century, with very few architectural changes introduced since that time. The territory of Lavra is 28 hectares and includes a complex of temples, kilometers of caves with underground churches, and unique museums such as the Museum of historical treasures, the Museum of the Book and printing, the Museum of the Ukrainian decorative-applied art, and many others. This greatest monument is a national heritage site and one of the four UNESCO World heritage sites within Ukraine. The complex serves as the official residence of Metropolitan, the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
On the south from Kyivo-Pecherska Lavra, you can see the blue domes dotted with gold stars and gold crosses of the churches in the Vydubytsky Monastery. It is located at the foot of the Dnipro hills. During its long history, the monastery has seen and suffered from numerous fires, inundations, and even a collapse. The contemporary ensemble of the Vydubytsky Monastery was formed in the late-17th-early 18th centuries. Today, Vydubytsky Monastery is declared one of the most worthy monuments and one of the masterpieces of Ukrainian baroque.
Kyiv is also known as one of the greenest world cities. The city has always been famous for its large number of parks, squares, and boulevards. The symbol of Kyiv, the chestnut leaf, is not in vain.
The main downtown thoroughfare, Khreshchatyk, is located considerably close to the Conference palace. That is a place of all festive events: parades, festivals, concerts, and celebrations. Needless to say that Khreshchatyk is a popular place to stroll on the weekends, and listen to street musicians, watch performances by mimes, dancers, and caricature artists. In the middle of the Khreshchatyk is the Square of Independence – the main square of the Ukrainian capital. The streets disperse from the Square fan-shapely and lead to Prince Hill.
Ukrainian cuisine
Ukrainian cuisine is the collection of the various cooking traditions of Ukrainian people accumulated over many years. The cuisine has been influenced heavily by the rich dark soil (chernozem) from which its ingredients come and often involves many components.
Ukrainian dishes are known for their variety and high taste qualities. It includes hundreds of recipes: borscht and pampushki, flat cakes and dumplings, mushroom sauce, banosh, vareniki and sausages, drinks from fruits and honey, etc. Some dishes have a centuries-old history, for example, Ukrainian Borshch – a soup based on beets, which gives it a distinctive red color. As a rule, the Borshch is cooked with fresh vegetables (cabbage, beet, tomato), pounded lard, garlic, and parsley. The combination of all these groceries gives the borscht its piquancy, aroma, and unforgettable taste. Here are more than 70 recipes for red Borshch. It tastes better with the famous Ukrainian salo. Salo can be offered to you as a separate dish, in baked form, in the form of different seasonings, and a fat base of various dishes. It was one of the most common products of long-term storage. One that was used in travels and during lunch on a working day as a source of energy – bread, salo, and onions was enough for a whole day of hard work.
Here are several more tastiest Ukrainian dishes:
Varenyky, Holubtsi, Kholodets, Deruny, Halushki, Banosz, Bograch, Lviv Syrnyk (Cheesecake)
There are many cafes and restaurants where you can try our famous dishes. Kyiv also has many cozy places with Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Georgian, and other cuisines. The atmosphere in our cafes is always warm and friendly.
Currency and exchanges
The hryvnia (UAH) has been the national currency of Ukraine since the 2nd of September, 1996.
Currency exchanges are everywhere, and it is almost impossible to walk down any street without stumbling across a currency exchange. All of them accept euros, dollars, sterling, and rubles. Worn and tattered ones, as well as coins, are usually not accepted, so don’t bother trying to change them.
Banking cards like MasterCard and Visa are accepted in most hotels and restaurants in Kyiv. In small establishments, be ready to pay in cash.
Language
The Ukrainian language is one of the most widespread Slavic languages in the world, second only to Russian. Ranked by the number of native speakers, Ukrainian is the 26th most spoken language in the world. It is native to around 37 million people, and additionally, it’s the second language for another 15 million.
Although many people here speak English so if you ask somebody on the street a question in English, this person will more likely answer you in English too.
For more convenience, our English-speaking coordinators will help you to cooperate with the doctors, fertility specialists, and guide you throughout the treatment program, if necessary. Also, an interpreter can be provided upon request and for the additional cost.
