Kiev What to Pack

Luggage and bags: Remember to pack only as much as you can carry for a mile, by yourself. Don't plan on anyone else to carry any of your bags. After you first pack everything, then, take out at least a third! After a couple of trips, you'll get it right first time!

Miscellaneous: Regarding good guide books about Kiev or Ukraine I have two recommendations.

Scheer and Schmidt: Die Ukraine entdecken
Trescher Verlag, Berlin
ISBN 3-928409-68-9

For Engish speaking tourists I strongly recommend another one. It is available in ENGLISH or in GERMAN and has obviously been produced with absolute commitment and affinity for the detail. This second lovely book has everything you ever wished to find: many detailed maps, lots of photos and illustrations, comprehensive texts about history, food, sightseeing, accommodation, entertainment and so on. It is excellently designed, of superb paper and printing quality and in consequence absolutely well done. Yet the highlight is that the publisher is a company from Kiev. So buying this book will also contribute a bit to the prosperity of this amazing city.

The book has been published by Baltia Druk, Kiev and is 7 EUROs (plus shipment). It can be ordered directly from baltija@ukr.net.

Guidebook Touring Kyiv
Baltia Druk, Kiev

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Warm clothing. Kiev is nearly always freezing cold.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: In short supply and not up to western standards, taking your own toiletries is to your advantage. Leave them for the maids at your hotel when you are checking out, it will be greatly appreciated.

Camping/Beach/Outdoor Gear: You are joking.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: If yopu travel in winter - it is better to have something really warm - sometimes it can be -20C - 30C, but not often. Be aware of snow in winter. Also, it often happens that after cold weather, warm weather is comming. It is not the best times in Kiev - too wet.
In summer, the weather changes - rain and sun. Usually it is not cold. In august can be really hot, up to 35 C. May is usually sunny and warm.
Shoes should be comfortable for walking as well as your clothes. But I guess you all know this.

Miscellaneous: If you will be cold, you can drink vodka to get warm. But not too much.

Luggage and bags: Somethink like rucksack or a small easy bag. Be ready to walk a lot and it mostn't make you feel non-comfortable.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Spare shoes. It's absolutely necessary, they must be comfortable. The landscape of Kyiv is very nice as a view but exhausting for tourists.
Don't try to observe the city in 1 day, which is perhaps possible for any other town in Ukraine, but definitely not Kyiv. Lying on the high hills, it makes you go up and down dozens times a day. You won't feel your legs after that.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: I think, as usual, you should keep some medicins rom the headaiche.
And yes.. the very important point. For the people suffering of allergy! If you come in June in particular.
In Kyiv there are many trees and one of them is Lombardy poplar. When they're bloomy, the city is covered with poplar fluff, of which people with allergy almost suffocate. So just bear it in mind.

Photo Equipment: Photo or video camera,, usual tourists stuff

Camping/Beach/Outdoor Gear: If you come at summer time, take the swim-dress.
In this point Kyiv is the unique city where there are absolutely no problems with beaches and swimming.
Apart Dnipro river, there are a lot of lakes in all the districts of the town, so, wherever you will stay (in a hotel of at friends, private appartment) you'll find a place to escape the summer heat which is often almost unbearable.

Luggage and bags: Bags are being packed regularly in Ukraine. In my travels I met a number of people who I would to some degree call friends. I recently began to think of what became of those people and with a few exceptions almost all have moved elswhere....places like Argentina, Spain, Germany and United States.

Miscellaneous: This is the best map Ive found of Ukraine. SUMMERY...In all Ive seen over 20 cities troughout the country and have done eveything from attend a wedding in a small unnamed rural town to almost being thrown in jail because my papers werent 'in order' to missing trains on a regular basis to being stranded in a small town over half my vacation to meeting some very nice people. The experience changed my life forever.........

Miscellaneous: Bring your mobile phone and charger, as ukraine sim cards are quite cheap to buy.

Miscellaneous: (text removed)