Where to Go for a Walk in Kyiv: A Guide to the Best Places in Kyiv for Walking and Relaxation

Ancient Kyiv always attracts visitors with its rich history and variety of cultural landmarks and natural places for recreation. Even during the war and uneasy times, this city has many places where you can walk and see something interesting. For those looking for different places to stroll, we offer several places where you can walk in Kyiv and see plenty of interesting things.

Where to walk in Kyiv during the war?

Would you like to look at unusual locations somehow connected with wars, then we offer an overview of the most mysterious places that played an important role during military events in Ukraine at different times.

Green Theater. Even in hard times, Kyiv remains a city that invites new discoveries and exploration. One of these special places is Green Theater. It was originally a defensive structure built at the end of the 18th century. Over the course of its existence, it played different roles - from a warehouse to a cinema hall and an amphitheater. After World War II, this place became a popular amusement park and open-air concert venue. Today Green Theater is used as a summer club and a place for small concerts, although the site needs restoration and a number of repair works.

Address: Parkova Doroha, 2

Lysohirskyi Fort. Another interesting location is Lysohirskyi Fort, built in the 1870s. It was part of the Kyiv Fortress, built to defend the Darnytsia railway bridge. At this place you can find tunnels, bastions, powder magazines, even a prison. A great many historical events are connected with this fort. At present, it is a pagan shrine with pagan totems and an altar, which satanists and people who believe in evil spirits like so much.

GPS coordinates of Lysa Hora: 50°23’39.8″N 30°33’09.2″E.

Shchekavytsia Hill. No less fascinating historical place became Shchekavytsia Hill. According to the chronicles, it was named after Shchek - one of the founders of Kyiv. This hill has a rich history and incredible views that open at sunrise. And this location is also known to every Kyiv resident thanks to the loud invitation to join the «orgy», which local prankster-activists planned to hold because of the threat of a nuclear strike by russia. GPS coordinates: 50.4671515, 30.5036945.

Unusual architectural landmarks of Kyiv

If you are interested in where to walk in Kyiv today and admire the beauty of unusual architectural landmarks, then we draw attention to the following locations:

Baron's Castle. Of course, the city of Kyiv has many beautiful buildings and structures worth visiting while walking. One of them is Baron’s Castle. This refined building was constructed during the era of the construction fever in Kyiv and has an interesting history of transformation, from a warehouse to a cinema and communal apartments. Today Baron’s Castle is preparing for reconstruction, which will restore its former glory.

Address: Yaroslaviv Val St., 1

House of the Weeping Widow. Another special building is the House of the Weeping Widow. This house was built for a merchant from Poltava. The building has an interesting legend associated with the woman on the facade. It is known that after her husband’s death, this woman studied mysticism and learned to communicate with his spirit. Before her death, she asked the sculptors to depict her face on the facade so the spirit would not think that she had left him. The sculpture looks as if, in rainy weather, tears were streaming down her cheeks.

Address: Luteranska St., 23

Arab House. If you are looking for something more exotic, Arab House will definitely attract your attention. This house in the style of Arab architecture was built to order by the homeland of the Kovalevskys. The original design made it possible to combine two facades of the corner house without sharp angles. The building is now being restored and will become a large art gallery.

Address: Pylypa Orlyka St., 1/15.

The best parks of Kyiv: oases of nature and recreation

Kyiv parks are not only a place to rest from the city’s noisy streets, they are also an opportunity to admire the beauty of historic places. We offer a selection of popular parks of Kyiv.

Holosiivskyi Park. Holosiivskyi Park was opened in 1957. Since then, it has quickly become a favorite refuge for Kyiv residents and city guests. The park covers an area of more than 140 hectares and is set within a natural forest massif, which makes it an ideal place for peaceful walks and many other kinds of recreation.

The park has four ponds. You can rent an oar and set off on a cheerful ride on the water, or have a picnic on the shore. For more adventurous visitors, there is the option of cycling or rollerblading along the park’s scenic paths.

The park is known for its natural beauty and variety of plant life. In spring, dozens of varieties of tulips bloom here, and in summer you can enjoy fragrant flowers and green forest. For those interested in sports, Holosiivskyi Park offers many opportunities for active recreation. There are sports grounds for volleyball, basketball, football, as well as outdoor exercise machines. Sometimes mass sporting events are held in the park, such as runs and cycling races.

Apart from that, Holosiivskyi Park has several playgrounds where children can have fun. There are also amusement rides, including a Ferris wheel and attractions for children. The architectural jewels of the park are the Holosiivskyi Palace of Culture and many other historic buildings worth visiting.

Overall, Holosiivskyi Park is a place where everyone can find something. It offers the chance to rest in nature, enjoy sports, and explore historical and cultural landmarks. So when you visit Kyiv, be sure to stop by this park and enjoy all its natural and cultural treasures.

Address: Holosiivskyi Avenue

Mariinskyi Park. One of Kyiv's best-known parks is located in the very heart of the city, along Mykhailo Hrushevskyi Street, between the Verkhovna Rada building and Arsenalna metro station. The history of this natural art oasis spans more than two centuries and is full of interesting twists and turns.

The green area here was founded back in the second half of the XVIII century by order of the Russian Empress Maria Oleksandrivna, who wanted to develop the empty area of the time next to the Tsarskyi Palace (known today as Mariinskyi Palace). But time and history did their work, and in 1919 the Soviet authorities decided to rename the park in their own way. The original name was restored in 1993 after Ukraine's independence.

Walking through Mariinskyi Park, you feel an atmosphere of comfort and calm created by old linden and chestnut trees. Paved paths lead you through centuries-old trees, and in the central part of the park there is a charming fountain made in 1900. The park is also decorated with sculptures, convenient benches for resting, and a playground for little visitors.

Mariinskyi Park is not only a place to relax, but also part of Kyiv's history, combining the charm of the past with the city's modern rhythm.

Address: Mykhaila Hrushevskoho St.

Heydar Aliyev Square. Amid the city's noise and bustle, Heydar Aliyev Square is located on Hlybochytska Street. This small green oasis has become a refuge for Kyiv residents who care where to go for a walk in Kyiv, where excessive noise from cars and people cannot be heard.

The square was recreated thanks to the initiative of the nearby Embassy of Azerbaijan. It is dedicated to the memory of former President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, whose statue can be seen immediately at the entrance to the square. Go further, and you will enter a fairy-tale world. Neat paths help you step away from the noisy city and open up a green gallery before you, where well-tended plants silently speak of nature's echoes. Everything around breathes order and care, and the benches here invite you to pause for a quiet moment of rest.

In the square, you can admire different kinds of trees, flowers and shrubs, which make this place a true oasis in a big city. In spring, many flowers grow here, and in summer you can sit on the grass and rest from the city bustle. There is also a small fountain in the square, which creates a lovely atmosphere on a hot day. You can relax near the fountain, enjoying the sound of water and the freshness of the air.

At the back of the square, a wall of the Baku Fortress has been recreated, one of Azerbaijan's calling cards. It looks especially striking at night under the beams of light from the spotlights.

So, Heydar Aliyev Square is a place where history and nature coexist, where the city's noise dissolves into the calm, melodic murmur of plants and a fountain. It invites you to experience rest in a big city and enjoy the refined art of Azerbaijani culture.

Address: Hlybochytska St.

Kyoto Park. Between the Chernihivska and Lisova metro stations, on the left bank of the Dnipro, in the very heart of Kyiv, lies a true far east — Kyoto Park. This remarkable natural amphitheater, filled with the spirit of Japan, bears the name of our sister city, Kyoto. Its history is linked to the genuine friendship between the two cities, although the park itself was founded only in 1972, shortly after the signing of the friendship treaty.

At the heart of the park, you will find a gift from Japanese friends — an impressive five-meter granite pagoda, made in the finest traditions of Eastern sculpture. But the main highlight of Kyoto Park is undoubtedly its sakura alley, planted in 2011. The city authorities call it the longest in the world, and although we cannot confirm this in official records, it sounds quite intriguing. So anyone looking for where to walk and take beautiful photos in Kyiv should visit here during sakura blooming season — from late April to early May.

Kyoto Park is adorned not only with sakura, but also with centuries-old pines, Japanese maples and other plants that create an atmosphere of true Japanese harmony. Here you will find an ornamental lake and a stone garden, where every stone has its own story. However, the huge construction site that, unfortunately, has swallowed a small part of the park near Lisova station cannot be ignored. At first, they planned to build a shopping center here, but construction was halted because of the lack of the necessary permits and other difficulties. So this partly unfinished site adds a touch of mystery and incompleteness to Kyoto Park.

Kyoto Park is the true aroma and beauty of Japan, available to everyone in the very center of the capital.

Address: Lisova metro station

Partyzanska Slava Park. Where to go in Kyiv with children? One option is Partizanska Slava Park. In a secluded corner of Kyiv’s Darnytskyi district lies Partizanska Slava Park. This is an impressive forest complex stretching from Trostianetska Street in the north to Chervonyi Khutir in the south. The park has a rich history that began in 1970, when it was created on the basis of a pine forest that was already giving the area its special atmosphere. In Soviet times, Partizanska Slava Park was a meeting place for former partisans of World War II and for similar events. This park is filled with history and memory of the heroic times of the past.

In 2018, a major reconstruction of the park began, making its grounds even more attractive and comfortable for relaxation. At the main entrance, a charming pedestrian fountain was installed, resembling five tall arches with colored lighting.

There are many different children’s attractions in the park, as well as areas for walks and sports. Here you can find sculptures, a football stadium, a summer stage for concerts and events, several playgrounds for young visitors, an amusement park for those seeking adrenaline, a rope park for active leisure, and three picturesque lakes where you can relax on the shore and even have a picnic. Partizanska Slava Park is not just a park; it is an oasis of adventure, calm, and memory. It is a place where history intertwines with nature, creating an unmatched mix for anyone who wants to escape the city bustle and enjoy the incredible beauty of nature.

Address: Borova St., 2.