This independent initiative was created to show Kyiv through the eyes of locals and with respect for the reality in which city residents live.
Ukrainians have launched VisitKyiv.com, an online guide for foreigners visiting the capital during the war. This initiative was created to show Kyiv as it is. The website features itineraries, tips, and recommendations from Kyiv residents.
Who is this initiative for?
The idea behind the project is to help foreigners — journalists, volunteers, travelers, businesspeople — who come to Kyiv to see the city not only as a war zone, but as a place of life, dynamism, and development. At the same time, it aims to suggest ways to spend time in Kyiv with respect for the context in which the city lives and while supporting its residents and businesses.
Why VisitKyiv.com is important right now?
Despite the ongoing war, life in Kyiv has not stopped. Even after shelling, residents go to work, take their children to kindergarten, buy coffee and treats, and in the evening listen to jazz or watch the sunset on terraces.
At the same time, foreigners visit Kyiv — whether on a business trip, to volunteer, or to witness the war in Europe.
“We don’t persuade people to come to Kyiv, and we don’t sugarcoat reality. But if foreign guests are already planning to visit the capital or are considering such a possibility, our task is to provide information on how to stay safe, where to stay, and what to do in the city. We want foreigners to feel like welcome guests while respecting the experience of Ukrainians,” says project founder Dmytro Bondar.
The website already offers:
- Walking routes for 1–2 days
- Places to eat well
- Museums, parks, excursions, and other interesting locations
- Accommodation options — from hostels to hotels
- Information about shelters, air raid sirens, curfews, etc.
The authors of the project are open to cooperation and continue to fill the website with content, so they encourage local businesses and Kyiv residents to write to the email address listed on the website and share places worth adding.
The project is independent, without advertising, funding from the state, donors, or any other stakeholders.
It was launched on May 25, 2025. In the future, the website will continue to develop so that more people from all over the world can get to know Kyiv.