Our holidays in Ukraine in July 2005: Starting in Kiev we went by train for over 19 hours to Yalta on Crimea peninsula. There we also visited among other the palast in Liwadija and Sewastopol. Afterwards we drove back over Odessa to Kiev.
Kiev was definitely the most impressive station during our round trip through Ukraine. Amazing how fast the city is and scaring so how great the differences among the people are there. Also for us prices were at the end of what we expected and near Warsaw prices, whereas quality of life was so different.
First we managed to do a great bargain for the taxi from the airport downtown (UAH 95 agreed – I paid him UAH 100 in the end for the good service). Then we also got last tickets for the following night to Simferopol – wondering how cheap tickets are – UAH 60 for the two of us. Tired we checked in at Express – now comes the downside – for over USD 100 (including breakfast :)) for a double room, but the view from the 16th floor somehow compesated it. Saturday night and Sunday night in Kiev is just marvellous with the closed Khreschatyk with parties everywhere and enjoying ourselves in the end at night at the beacht at the other side of the Dnieper. We also managed to see everything you told us to see and much more.
The train ride was horrible at first with 60 others in your wagon, but for the following two train rides (Simferopol – Odessa, Odessa – Kiev) you somehow get used to the 3rd class. We never asked for the 2nd – maybe a failure, but an experience for sure.
At Simferopool we also did a good bargain with a taxi driver – UAH 70 for driving us to Yalta and getting us an apartment. The apartment turned out to be very luxurious and near to the sea. Costed USD 50 per night for us which was OK. But Yalta was not that pretty than expected beside the strand boulevard and the mountains in the back. Not really the tourism place which you find somewhere in the world – but we did not expected this. However, a shame for this lovely region, which could easily attract more visitors if they renovate some places and create a bit more atmosphere.
After understanding the bus system there – pretty confusing – we made a trip to Sewastopol. Not knowing, that there is nothing up there. Somehow a forgotten place of Russian marina and some old Greek pillars. But our short trip to the “Schwalbennest” and the palace in Liwadija, where Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin met, before also showed us the different sides of Crimea.
For our way back to Simferopol we also took the Maschrutka and saved some money again 3rd class train to Odessa, where we stayed one day. First not knowing what to do there, as again not really much is up there. We discovered the few renovated stress in the centre and spend there about 14 hours at all – from 06.00 am to 7.50 pm. A bit too much…
Back in Kiev we followed your advice to go to Kozatsky, but it was booked out. It also turned out that they did not picked up the phone a few days before because they already know that they were booked out – really customer friendly as the whole Ukraine ;). So we stayed in an apartment nearby for USD 80 for the night from a guy cooperating with Kozatsky. Not too bad, but we were too tired of finding something better for our last night.
All in all, the trip was a great experience, but I do not think that I will go back for holidays in Crimea. As it also was not that cheap than expected. But for sure, Kiev has caught my interest. Pictures can be found here.
