Euro 2012 Host Cities: Kiev, Ukraine
Kiev tends to surprise many when they first see it, and especially so in the summer, and thankfully you will possibly be visiting it during the summer if you’re going there for the 2012 European Football Championship.
The capital of the city is oftentimes a place of extremes, and Kiev is not an exception from this rule, however setting aside the new wealth, crooked politicians and gangsters, the city is a beautiful place, and that is the main thing that will entice you to visit it in more detail and gaze upon its golden domes.
The city has been around for about five hundred years, and in that time span it has seen a lot of cultural and political changes, nowadays the place is a mishmash of Soviet history, Ukrainian nationalism and capitalist mayhem. This is best reflected in its architecture where you’ll see the signs of Soviet-style monumentalism mixed in with modern new office buildings made of glass and steel. This mixture of influences can be seen in the varied statues which dot the city, characters which range from Lenin and Lobanovsky to Lesi Ukrainka.
We didn’t mention gangsters earlier for naught, there is a nugget of truth to every legend and it is a well known fact that anybody who is anybody in the shady world of Ukrainian business will maintain an apartment in the capital. Also late-model BMWs and aggressive drivers are something of a norm here as well, so keep that in mind.
However chances are that you’ll be much to busy exploring the architecture, parks and history of the place to busy yourself with the underworld that much.
You can visit the mummified monks of the Lavra and then visit the charming street of Andriyivsky uzviv, basic tourist things, but make sure you take in the local atmosphere a bit as well by just sitting down at a terrace, bar or pub and taking in the local atmosphere.
Considering the weather when you’ll visit, you may want to head for the city beaches of Hydropark, it’s an option despite the country’s geographical location.
