There are visa-free and Euro-free countries on the radar of travelers making travel plans these days.. As such, one of the first countries that comes to mind is Ukraine.. Although it is overshadowed by Kyiv and Lviv, Kharkiv is one of the cities worth exploring. If you are looking for a different place for a weekend getaway, I would say do not ignore Kharkiv.
Kharkiv was the second city I saw in Ukraine.. After welcoming the new year in Lviv, I made up my mind to see other cities of Ukraine.. Ukraine is one of the rare countries where our money is worth a little while the exchange rates are rising like crazy.. Rather than going to Europe and multiplying our expenses by 6, the idea of going to Ukraine and dividing by 5 was much more appealing, and we chose Kharkiv as the starting point for our 10-day trip to Ukraine.. How about getting to know the city better with the Kharkiv travel notes and eating and drinking recommendations we spent 3 full days?
Before writing, Lviv travel guide, Kyiv gezi guide, Odessa travel guide and Ukraine travel guide.
Those Planning a Trip to Kharkiv during the Pandemic Period Updated Information for
Ukraine, which closed its borders for a while after the coronavirus epidemic, started to lift travel restrictions. As of January 15, 2021, quarantine is not required for the citizens of the countries in the list created with the name of the Safe Zone (Green Zone) to enter Ukraine with the Covid 19 test. Turkey is also among the countries on the safe zone list.
The only condition for those who want to travel to Ukraine during the pandemic period is that it is arranged by an insurance company registered in Ukraine or a foreign insurance company with a representative office in Ukraine. health insurance. Note that this health insurance must be arranged to cover your travel time. You can check the full details of the entry requirements to Ukraine on the official website of the Embassy of Kyiv. It is not mandatory to wear masks in open areas in Ukraine, but you do need to wear masks indoors and in public transport.
Where is Kharkiv?
Ukraine after Kiev Kharkiv, the second largest city of the country, is located in the northeast of the country.. Russian is mostly spoken in the city, as it is quite close to the Russian border.. The name of the city is pronounced as Kharkiv (Kharkiv) in Ukrainian and Kharkov (Kharkov) in Russian.
How to Get to Kharkiv?
From Istanbul to Kharkiv THY and Direct flight with Pegasus. Journey time is 1 hour 45 minutes. Ukraine Airlines provides transportation to Kharkiv via Kyiv. If you want to buy your ticket from Pegasus, I recommend you pay attention to the flight time.. Pegasus often ships to Kharkiv twice a day. One is at 15.35, like our flight, and the other is at midnight.. If you are worried about how to get to the hotel around 02:00/03:00 at night, it would be useful to choose daytime flights.
We bought our ticket with the 1+1 campaign of Pegasus during the summer period.. We gave 350 TL per person for Istanbul-Kharkiv flight ticket within the scope of 1 ticket free campaign.. Thus, we bought two tickets for 350 TL.. Pegasus organizes frequent campaigns to Ukraine line. If you follow the opportunities, it is possible to catch tickets at affordable prices.. You can also reach Kharkiv by train from other cities of Ukraine.. If you buy your ticket at least 1-2 months in advance, you can buy Kharkiv train tickets with prices starting from 30-40 TL.. If you wish, you can take a look at my article How to travel by train in Ukraine, in which I talked at length about train travel in Ukraine.
Transportation from Kharkiv Airport to the City Center
As soon as I landed at Kharkiv Airport, the question came to my mind: “Will we be taken to the interrogation room like in Lviv?”. But our entry into the country took less than a minute.. The passport officer just asked us to show our return flight ticket. After showing the ticket, we immediately entered the country. We were experienced in our trip to Lviv, after passing passport control and receiving our luggage, we called Uber to connect to Wi-Fi and go to our hotel.. If you are traveling to Ukraine for the first time, keep in mind, do not lose your money to the taxi drivers at the airport.. They will ask you for at least 200-250 hryvnia, remember that even if you bargain, you can pay above the average.
Update Note for 2019: The entry procedures to Ukraine have been increased, especially as of 2019.. If you are planning to go to any city in Ukraine, be sure to read the up-to-date information note prepared by the Embassy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kyiv.. The practices that everyone encounters when it comes to entering the country are different. Some can enter without any query, while others can be sent back by the first plane.
This is a little bit about the passport officer you come across. Still, keep the required documents with you for a hassle-free travel.
Download the Uber and Uklon applications to your phone before your travel, and get peace of mind.. If you ask what a Uklon is, the taxi calling system used in countries such as Ukraine and Georgia. You can think like Bitaksi with us.. You can get transportation for almost the same prices with Uber, but we mostly prefer Uber for our trips to Ukraine.. Kharkiv Airport is located 8 kilometers from the city center.. The journey takes an average of 15-20 minutes by car.. We paid Uber about 100 UAH to go from Kharkiv Airport to our hotel in the city centre.. (18 TL)
For those who say they can go to the city center by public transportation, the vehicles that provide transportation from Kharkiv Airport to the city center are as follows:
- The trolleybus number 5: Kharkiv Airport-Prospect Haharyna metro station
- Bus number 119 E: Kharkiv Airport-Prospect Peremohy metro station
- Bus number 152 E : Kharkiv Airport-Barabashova street
- Bus number 255 E: Kharkiv Airport- Akademika Barabashova metro station
In Kharkiv You can get cheap transportation from water by using the above public transportation vehicles according to the address you will stay.. One-way trolleybus fare is 3 UAH (58 kuruş), bus fare is 6 UAH (1.10 kuruş) One-way metro ticket is 5 UAH (0.97 kuruş) Public transportation vehicles depart in front of Airport Hotel, which is 200 meters from Kharkiv Airport. doing. You can get your ticket from the driver.
Where to Stay in Kharkiv?
Accommodation fees in Kharkiv are much more affordable than other Ukrainian cities. We book our hotel as soon as we get our flight tickets.. We set it via com. We chose As Hotel, which is about a 10-minute walk from the Opera House and Thermometer.. If you do not expect much from the hotel you will stay in, if you say that you will come to the room to sleep without sleeping, you can reduce the accommodation fees.. We paid 334 TL for 2 people for 3 nights accommodation in Kharkiv. (2018, July) We paid the lowest fee in Kharkiv, with a fee of 55 TL per person per night, staying in the summer season.. If you want to be close to the center, look for hotels, houses or hostels near Sumskaya Street, Kharkiv Opera House or Thermometer.. Even if your accommodation is far from the center, there is no need to worry if there is a metro station.. You can reach every part of the city in a short time by metro.. You can click here to take a look at all Kharkiv accommodation options.
If you are considering choosing Airbnb to maintain the comfort of your home on your trip, click here. By creating a new membership, you can get a discount of 130 TL on your house reservation.
Transportation in Kharkiv
City transportation in Kharkiv is provided by metro, trolleybus, bus and minibuses.. If you are staying in a central place, it is very enjoyable to explore the city on foot.. When you are tired of walking, you can take a short break in the green parks.. As in other Ukrainian cities, public transportation vehicles are quite old in Kharkiv.. Although at first sight you feel like you have traveled through time, you get used to it later.. There are buses and cars from the 1970s and 80s everywhere.
Kharkiv metro has 3 lines, green, red and purple.. Derzhprom, Pushinska, Radianska metro stations closest to popular destinations. By giving 5 UAH to the metro, you can reach your destination in a short time.. Moreover, transfers are free.. You buy the metro ticket from the machines at the entrance. What you need to pay attention to here is that you have a coin with you.. Because ticket machines only accept 1, 2, 5 and 10 UAH.
When to Go to Kharkiv?
Kharkiv has temperate continental climate characteristics. The weather surprised me a lot.. During our trip at the end of July, the weather turned black and it was raining hard, and two minutes later, the sun was shining as if nothing had happened.. In the evenings, we slept very comfortably because it was cool.. Since the weather is unstable, I recommend you to take your umbrella and cardigan with you, even in summer.. You can choose the period from May to October to visit Kharkiv, which is very cold in winter because it is located in the east of the country.
How Many Days to Stay in Kharkiv?
I think Kharkiv is one of the most ideal addresses for a weekend break. If you have a permit problem, if you want to get tired of the city life and distract yourself for a few days, you can easily visit in 2 days.. We planned our trip to Kharkiv for 3 days, we wished we could spare 2 days here and add 1 day to Kiev.
Places to Visit in Kharkiv
Your first trip to Ukraine in Kharkiv Honestly, you might be disappointed at first.. Because next to Lviv and especially Kiev, Kharkiv is pretty dull.. Our biggest chance was to go to the city in summer.. In this way, we had the opportunity to spend time in the parks.
Photograph the Buildings That Keep the Soviet Spirit Alive
Kharkiv, the first capital of Ukraine. The city was the capital of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic during the USSR Era.. For this reason, a Soviet atmosphere still prevails throughout the city.. If you’re interested in Soviet architecture, I’m sure you won’t be able to get enough of photographing Kharkiv’s buildings.
The first stop where you will feel the Soviet influence in the city is Svobody Square.. (Liberty Square) This is Ukraine’s largest and Europe’s 3rd largest, built during the Soviet Union Era.. known as the big square. Svobody Square, which is said to be 5 times larger than the Red Square in Moscow, is a huge place where people gather on special occasions.. If I am to compare as someone who has also seen the Red Square, the square in Moscow is much more magnificent and beautiful.. Because it was the colorful architecture that made Red Square attractive.
Next to Svobody Square, you can see Kharkiv Karazin University. By the way, Kharkiv is a university city.. The city, which has 13 universities, is known for hosting the highest number of students in Ukraine in this sense.
Derzhprom greets you right across Svobody Square.. This structure, which bears the traces of the Early Soviet Period, was built at the end of the 1920s.. Standing out as the tallest skyscraper of the USSR Era, Derzhprom consists of a single concrete piece.. Even so that II. During World War II, when the city was under German occupation, many buildings were blown up, but not a single crack appeared in Derzhprom.. There are offices of public and private companies in Derzhprom, which is said to have been built in 3 years.
How to Get to Svobody Square?: The square is in the city center, but if you want to come by metro, it is located on the purple line. You can get off at the Universytet or Derzhprom stops on the green line.
Take a Walk on Sumskaya Street
One of the most famous and long streets in Kharkiv, Sumskaya. You can find everything you are looking for in the street surrounded by restaurants, cafes, shops.. If you choose the house or hotel close to here, you will be more comfortable.. We walked the whole of Sumskaya Street during our three days stay in Kharkiv.. There’s nothing like exploring the city on foot!
Kharkiv’s Meeting Point: Constitution Square
Another place I recommend you add to your list of places to see in Kharkiv is Konstytutsii (Constitutional Square). square). Kharkiv Independence Monument, Thermometer and Kharkiv History Museum are located at the Constitution Square at the end of Sumskaya Street.. Thermometer made by the Meteorology Institute in 1976 is known as the meeting point of Kharkivians.. We can say it’s kind of like Taksim Burger King 🙂
Kharkiv History Museum (Istorychnyi Muzei) is one of the best alternatives for those who like to visit museums.. Unfortunately the museum was closed when we wanted to visit so we couldn’t enter. You can visit the Kharkiv History Museum between 09:30 and 17:00 on all days except Mondays.. The entrance fee to Kharkiv History Museum is 6 UAH for adults and 4 UAH for students.
*I would like to make a small reminder about visiting museums in Ukraine.. If you already have a student ID and want to visit museums in Ukraine, make sure to bring your ID with you.. Most of them did not even ask for ID, we showed our old student IDs to those who did, and we visited museums by taking advantage of the student discount.
How to Get to the Constitution Square?: Constitution Square, located at the end of Sumskaya Street. If you want to come to the city by metro, you can get off at the Istorychnyi Muzei and Maidan Konstytutsii metro stops.
The Symbol of Kharkiv: Mirror Stream
Right opposite the Kharkiv Opera House. Mirror Stream has been the symbol of the city since 1947.. Mirror Stream Fountain, located in Victory Park in the greenery, is also protected by UNESCO.. When you come to Mirror Stream, which offers an insatiable view especially towards the sunset and in the evening, you can also visit the Orthodox church across it.
How to Go to Mirror Stream?: On Sumskaya Street Opposite Kharkiv Opera House.
Kharkiv’s Famous Cathedrals and Monasteries
If you like to visit religious buildings in the city you are visiting, the most important cathedral you can add to your list is Annunciaton Cathedral.. This place is a little far from the city center, on the opposite bank of the Lopan River.. The cathedral, which draws attention with its colorful patterns, is among the largest Orthodox cathedrals in the world.. You can visit the interior of the cathedral free of charge.
Another religious building among the places to visit in Kharkiv is the Pokrovsky Monastery.. If you want to visit the religious structure that resembles the golden-domed monasteries of Russia, we want you to cover your head with the veil at the entrance.. If you’re wearing short shorts or skirts, there are also long shawls to cover your legs.. Rules apply to men who wear shorts, too.. You can visit the Pokrovsky Monastery for free. The monastery is located behind the Constitution Square.
How would you like to be filled with green in the huge parks?
Before you come to Kharkiv, I did not expect such a green city. There is a park where you can relax almost every step of the way.. Everyone is sitting on the wide benches under the trees, reading their book, riding their bikes. I think what makes Kharkiv attractive is definitely its parks! Oh, there is no Maxim Gorky Park, you can enjoy your day and make sure you don’t get bored at all.
One of the most beautiful parks in the middle of the city, Maxim Gorky is both a recreation and entertainment center with its 130-hectare area.. If you have children, the first address you should come to should be Maxim Gorky, because everything is thought for the fun of children here! Each part of the park hosts a different activity.. The only thing in common is that it’s forbidden to step on the grass. I’m just laying around and having a picnic mentality doesn’t exist in Kharkiv 🙂
If you’ve come to Maxim Gorky, don’t forget to take the cable car. You can cross to the other side of the city with colorful cable cars, or return to the park if you wish.. One way cable car boarding fee 30 UAH. If you want to ride on the way back, you pay an additional 30 UAH.. Definitely try it for a pleasant 30-minute ride on the greenery!
Shevchenko Park is another park in Kharkiv where your eyes will be filled with greenery.. The park, which you can easily access because it is located in the center, takes its name from the famous Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko.. Another feature of this park is 50. the meridian line passes here. Taras Shevchenko Monument, Soccer Ball Monument and Kharkiv Zoo are among the things you can see in Shevchenko Park.
How to Get to Maxim Gorky Park: A 30-minute walk from Freedom Square to the park
How to Get to Shevchenko Park: It is located on Sumskaya Street next to the Kharkiv Opera House.
In Kharkiv An Extraordinary Museum: The Museum of Sexual Cultures
If you want to see a different place on your trip to Kharkiv, perhaps you can visit the Museum of Sexual Cultures of the World, one of the most interesting museums in the world.. In the two-floor museum, you can see the photos representing the sexual cultures of different countries of the world and examine the objects.. You will see money on most of the objects.. The museum official said that money was thrown because it is believed to bring luck and health.. There is an age limit of 18 years to enter the museum.. Entrance is 40 UAH per person.
How to get to the Museum of Sexual Cultures: The museum is located on Mayakovskoho Street, in apartment number 5.
Metro Is it a work of art?
I will suggest you two metro stations in Kharkiv: Arkhitektora and Sportvyna. Make sure to visit these two metro stops, both of which are stunningly designed, and take pictures of them discreetly.. They said that photographing is prohibited in the subways, but we took both photos and videos of the stops, there were no police around.
As you can easily see on the Kharkiv metro map, Sportvyna metro stop is located on the red line.. If you take the metro from Radianska, which is the metro stop in front of Termometre, you can get off at Sportvyna after two stops.. Since this is the stop of the Metalist Kharkiv stadium, if you are fond of football, you can also find the chance to see the stadium outside.
Akhitektora metro stop is located on the green line.. You can easily reach Arkhitektora after 3 stops by transferring the red error from Sportvyna.. Arkhitektora is also very close to Derzhprom, the main square of the city.. Don’t forget that you can transfer free of charge with a metro ticket for 5 UAH.
Kharkiv Food and Drink Notes
You can find delicacies that appeal to every taste in Kharkiv.. The places we experienced during our three-day trip are as follows:
*Kharkiv food and beverage prices are for the period of July 2018.
Trattoria 104
On the first evening of our trip, we wanted to choose Italian cuisine and we chose Trattoria 104.. Located within walking distance of the center, the place has a wide menu from salads to pasta, from pizza to sushi.. Pizzas are priced according to their size. We ordered a 35 cm margarita pizza (half) and a 60 cm four cheese pizza.. We ordered Czech beer Staropramen next to it.. Although I don’t like the margarita much, the four cheese pizza was delicious. We paid 70 UAH (13 TL) for a half Margarita pizza, 33 UAH (6.5 TL) for a four-cheese pizza (23 TL) and a beer.
Is there an English Menu?: Yes
Do the waiters speak English?: Enough to understand
Is there Wi-Fi?: Yes. Password is 12345678.
Have Credit Card?: Yes
click for Trattoria 104 location.
Kulinichi
This is one of the most frequented addresses for those who want to have an affordable breakfast in Kharkiv or have a snack during the day.. A full student place. We stopped by here before starting our Kharkov trip on our second day and had a quick breakfast to recharge.. Kulinichi has branches in different places. We preferred the one next to Shevchenko Park, which is the closest to the hotel we stayed.. The interior of the place is large and spacious, the only problem is that the waiters do not speak English and all written is in Russian.. We were not surprised by the tastes we know and we ordered chocolate croissant and cheese puff pastry.. Chocolate croissant 8 UAH (1.5 TL) Cheese pie 12 UAH (2.3 TL) Tea 8 UAH (1.5 TL), Americano 16.5 UAH (3.20 TL) If you want to start your day with a practical breakfast in your Kharkiv trip, you can choose Kulinichi.
Is there an English Menu?: No
Do the waiters speak English?: Very little
Is there Wi-Fi?: Yes, but it’s very difficult to get in.
Is there a Credit Card?: Yes
For Kulinichi location click.
Freshline
Another place we stopped for breakfast in Kharkiv was Freshline.. This is a place in the Subway concept. If you choose your bread, they prepare your sandwich by adding the ingredients you want.. They also offer options such as unlimited ingredients or just vegetables and cheese.. Prices also vary accordingly.. Freshline will appear frequently in other cities of Ukraine.. 2 sandwiches with unlimited ingredients 2 teas 106 UAH (20 TL). You can also make a sandwich during the day, put it in your bag and eat it wherever you want.
Is there an English Menu?: No
Do the Waiters Speak English?: Very little.
Is there Wi-Fi?: Yes
Is there a Credit Card?: Yes
Click for Freshline location.
Some Like It Hot
Some Like on Sumskaya Street It Hot became my favorite place in Kharkiv. Although the prices are slightly above the average, I think it is one of the ideal places to spend a few pleasant hours.. We tried beef sandwich, pineapple cheesecake and cereal cake at Some Like It Hot, which we discovered on our way to Maxim Gorky Park.. I have tasted all of them.. Don’t be fooled by how small the beef sandwich may seem at first, it’s very filling.. Price 125 UAH (24 TL). Pineapple cheesecake 89 UAH (17 TL), cereal cake 35 UAH (6.5 TL), tea for two 45 UAH (8.5 TL) Americano 25 UAH (4.5 TL). The interior of the place is also very stylish, if you like concept spaces, I say stop by.
Is there an English Menu?: Yes
Do the waiters speak English?: Yes
Is there Wi-Fi?: Yes, password somelikeithot
Is there a Credit Card?: Yes
click for Some Like It Hot location.
Georgia
With Georgian cuisine in Lviv I met you, I loved your food. We wanted to stop by Georgia, one of the best addresses for Georgian food in Kharkiv.. Georgia’s giant ravioli Khinkali and cheese pita Khachapuri officially enlivened our dinner. Khinkali is prepared with different options such as cheese and pork.. We preferred the one with cheese.. Khachapuri is served with cracked eggs on request.. We were lucky to have live music the night we went to Georgia.. We enjoyed our dinner and listened to music outside.. The interior decoration of the place is also quite stylish, but we did not want to sit inside because we went in the summer.. If I talk about the prices, khinkali with cheese comes in 3 pieces and is quite filling.. Price 99 UAH (19 TL) Same price in Khacapuri. We preferred to drink Georgian wine and Georgian beer with it.. The glass of wine was 59 UAH. (11 TL) 50 beer is 39 UAH (7.5 TL) If you are looking for a place suitable for Turkish taste, you can add it to your list.
Is there an English Menu?: Yes
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Do the waiters speak English?: Yes
Is there Wi-Fi?: Yes, the password is georgia_kh
Credit Card?: Yes
Click for Georgia location.
Gostinaya
If you are tired of visiting the city and you think it would be nice to have a sweet-coffee duo, I recommend Gostinaya, which is right across Shevchenko Park.. Definitely try the strawberry cheese crepe, I’m sure you’ll want to order another one.. Tea 35 UAH (6.5 TL), coffee 27 UAH (5.5 TL). Tea comes in a small teapot. There are also breakfast options in the venue.
Is there an English Menu?: Yes
Does the Waiters Speak English?: Yes
Is there Wi-Fi?: Yes
Is there a Credit Card?: Yes
Location to gostina click here.
Immigrant Fine Dinner
This is my second favorite place in Kharkiv. Immigrant Fine Dinner was one of the newest venues in the city.. We used our food preference for cheeseburger.. The sauces were very tasty.. We preferred Cellier du Roy Rouge wine as a drink.. We paid 120 UAH (23 TL) for Cheeseburger and 55 UAH (10.5 TL) for 1 glass of wine.. The bar area is also very lively and very close to Ave Plaza.
Is there an English Menu?: Yes
Does the Waiters Speak English? ?: Yes
Is there Wi-Fi?: Yes, the password is immigrant
Is there a Credit Card?: strong> Yes
Short Short Notes on Kharkiv
- Kharkiv is a safe city in general. Even though the side streets were deserted in the late hours, we did not encounter anything to be afraid of.
- Kharkiv train station is 5 minutes away from the city center by car.. If you want to go by metro, just get off at the Pivdenny Vokzal stop on the red line.
- You can reach cities such as Kyiv, Odessa, Lviv from Kharkiv by train.. We took the train from here to Kiev.. The journey takes 5 hours.
- If you want to fill your stomach in Kharkiv at an affordable price, there is McDonald’s in Ave Plaza.. Big Mac Menu price 86 UAH. (16.5 TL)
- You can choose ATB near Ave Plaza for grocery shopping.. Water prices start from 9 UAH, beers range from 12 UAH to 35 UAH.
*Text or Do you have something on your mind about the subject? I would be very happy if you write your thoughts in the comments 🙂
