Rest and Entertainment in Kyiv during NEW YEAR and CHRISTMAS 2019
DAYS OFF IN KYIV IN DECEMBER
In total, there will be 11 days off in the last month of this year, and in the first month of the next year there will be 10. Since 2017, Ukraine celebrates Christmas not only on January 7, but also according to the Western rite. On this holiday, Ukrainians will be able to rest for three whole days — December 23, 24 and 25. Saturday, December 22, is working day: all government institutions and banks will work as usual. Since the New Year is on the night from Monday to Tuesday, you can relax on December 30, 31 and January 1. Saturday, December 29th is a working day — for the day off on December 31st.
FREE MUSEUM ENTRANCE IN DECEMBER
Cognitive leisure can be organized on days when museums and galleries do not require admission fees. It is never too late to study, it is also very interesting.
DECEMBER 3, 2018
- Museum of the History of Kiev, 7 Bohdan Khmelnitsky Street (11am-3pm)
- Literary and Memorial Museum of Mikhail Bulgakov, Andreevsky Descent, 13 (free for schoolchildren and retired)
- National Museum “Memorial to the Victims of the Holodomor”, 3 Lavrska Street
DECEMBER 4, 2018
- Museum and workshop of Kavaleridze, St. Andrew’s Descent, 21
- Pushkin Museum, 9 Kudryavskaya Street
- Sixties Museum, 33A Oles Gonchar Street
- Sholom Aleichem Museum, 5A Bolshaya Vasylkovskaya Street
DECEMBER 5, 2018
- Art Center “Chocolate House”, 17/2 Shelkovichnaya street (11am-02pm)
- Kiev Art Gallery, 9 Tereschenkovskaya Street (till 2pm)
- National Museum of Natural History, 15 Bogdan Khmelnitsky Street (10am-1pm)
- Khanenko Museum, 15/17 Tereshchenkovskaya Street
DECEMBER 15, 2018
- Museum and workshop of Kavaleridze, St. Andrew’s Descent, 21
DECEMBER 20, 2018
- Museum of outstanding figures of Ukrainian culture
DECEMBER 26, 2018
- National Museum of Literature of Ukraine, 11 Bogdan Khmelnitsky Street
- Taras Shevchenko Literary and Memorial House and Museum, 8A Taras Shevchenko Street
Going to a museum or gallery is a great way to add knowledge.
DECEMBER 27, 2018
- National Museum of Taras Shevchenko, 12 Shevchenko Boulevard
- Memorial House and Museum of Taras Shevchenko, 5 Vyshgorodska Street
- Mikhail Grushevsky Historical and Memorial Museum, 9Pankovska Street
DECEMBER 28, 2018
- Museum of the Ukrainian Diaspora, 40 B Moskovskaya Street
- National Historical and Architectural Museum “Kiev Fortress”, 24A Gospitalnaya Street
- National Center of Culture “Ivan Gonchar Museum”, 19 Lavrskaya Street
DECEMBER 29, 2018
- Maria Zankovetskaya Literary and Memorial House and Museum, 121 Velyka Vasylkivska Street
DECEMBER 30, 2018
- Pavel Tychyna Literary Memorial Museum, 5 Tereschenkovskaya Street
- National Art Museum of Ukraine, 6 Mikhail Hrushevsky Street,
- Maxim Rylsky Literary and Memorial Museum, 7 Maxim Rylsky Street
DECEMBER 31, 2018
- Museum of Theater, Music and Cinema of Ukraine, 9/26 Lavrskaya Street
- National Museum of Ukrainian Decorative Art, 9 Lavrskaya Street
- National Museum of History of Ukraine, 2 Vladimirskaya Street
- Hetmanate Museum, 16 Spasskaya Street
- Kosenko Museum, 9/4 Mikhail Kotsyubinsky Street
St. Michael Square in Kyiv
NEW YEAR AND CHRISTMAS IN KYIV 2019
RESIDENCE OF SAINT NICHOLAS
Until 31 December, the residence of St. Nicholas will work in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. You can get into the world of fairy tales by entering the Great Bell Tower. Near the entrance, little visitors are greeted by flickering angels from garlands and a luminous team with deer. In the building of the bell tower on the first floor, you can write a letter to St. Nicholas and make a wish under the magic arch.
Kyiv Pechersk Lavra Monastery in winter
Having passed the spiral staircase, we go in a more spacious hall, where the saint will receive his little guests. In the center of the room near the Christmas tree there is a huge armchair, where Nicholas will listen to the kids, play and chat with them. Also hand-made figurines of angels and fairy-tale characters are placed around the hall. This is the exhibition of author dolls “Angels, those … that are always there.” In the same room you will find the exhibits of the “Museum on the Wings” from the city of Kreminne of the Luhansk region and the scenery of the film “Only a Miracle”, staged by filmmakers in the residence.
WHEN WE BEGIN TO CELEBRATE
On December 19, Christmas trees will be solemnly lit — on Kontraktovaya Square at 5:00 pm and on Sophia Square at 7:00 pm. Also on this day, New Year trees will shine in all 10 districts of the city. New Year’s fairs start on December 15. On this day, on Kontraktova Square at 4pm, the city greets the first visitors of the New Year’s town.
SOPHIA SQUARE IN KIEV
The height of the main Christmas tree of the country, which will be placed on the Sophia Square, will be 25 meters. It will be decorated by 1000 toys. In addition, the tree will become interactive, as in addition to the dynamic light structures around it there will be a special screen. The square will be decorated with 3 kilometers of bright garlands, and a train of desires will run near the monument to Bogdan Khmelnitsky.
Christmas Market on St Sophia Square in Kyiv
Also there will be a closed 12×6 meters concert stage on the square; the air will warm up to +20 degrees on that stage. Here 15 concerts will be held for residents and guests of the city. Also 16 houses where you can buy Christmas souvenirs will be installed on the square; 35 food courts, 23 of which will be located on Vladimirsky passage will be waiting for guests. The passage itself will be decorated with light installations in the form of large snowflakes that will illuminate the road and create a festive mood.
KONTRAKTOVA SQUARE
Get ready for a Christmas tree with a height of 22 meters on the Kontraktova Square! The tree will be decorated with about 250 toys, made in the style of works by the famous Ukrainian artist Maria Primachenko. Also fantastic animals from Primachenko’s paintings will appear on bright photo zones decorated with garlands. In addition, make sure to see festive installations on Petro Sagaydachny Street and in the park near the monument to the Ukrainian hetman. The residence of St. Nicholas will be located in the park area.
Kontraktova Square in Kiev
Artists and musicians will perform on a closed 12×8 meters stage; it will warm up to +20 degrees. Here, viewers will be able to watch 19 concerts. In addition, 13 huts and 9 food courts will be placed on Kontraktova Square.
New Year in Kiev will not get boring
PRICE FOR ATTRACTIONS AND INTERNET
Free wi-fi will be available on the territory of the holiday locations. The price of attractions will start from 50 UAH, but the organizers will provide children of disadvantaged groups with free tickets.
CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS IN DECEMBER
On December 24, on Christmas Eve of the Catholic Christmas the Sophia Square hosts a large-scale concert with performances of various musicians, as well as locations with creative and educational events.
TRANSPORT IN THE NEW YEAR NIGHT
On December 31, 2018 — from 8pm to 3am on January 1, 2019, traffic will be blocked along Vladimirsky Passage and Vladimirska Street (starting from house №23 on Sophievska Street to Rylsky Lane). It is also known that on New Year’s Eve city traffic will be extended by 3 hours, and the funicular will work around the clock.
PROHIBITIONS
This year, same as during the previous New Year holidays, the use of pyrotechnics and fireworks are banned. Organizers of all events, as well as residents of Kiev must adhere to this rule.
BUYING CHRISTMAS TREE IN KYIV: WHERE AND HOW MUCH
In Kiev, the sale of holiday trees has already begun, namely, ordinary and blue spruces, pines and sets of spruce twigs. Ordinary spruce or pine (up to 1 meter high) costs 78UAH. For a 1–2 meter high New Year tree one has to pay177UAH, and if you want a tree 4–5 meters tall or even higher, het ready to pay 1500UAH. Blue spruce is twice as expensive. For example, up to 0.7 meters such a tree costs about 200UAH, for 1meter high you’ll have to pay 360 UAH, and trees two meters and more cost from 1248UAH. If you just want to buy a spruce bouquet, it costs 45UAH for 7–9 twigs.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I CUT DOWN THE NEW YEAR TREE
Depending on the situation, violators are provided with different fines. According to the decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the amount of damage caused to greenery within cities and other localities, the cost of compensation depends on the diameter of the tree at root collar:
- Up to 10 centimeters — 1152UAH
- From 10.1 to 14 centimeters — 1500UAH
- From 14.1 to 18 centimeters — 1852UAH
If you are going to visit Kyiv on Christmas, take a local to show you all the secret and well known sights.
Contact Private Tour Guides in Kyiv:
- +38 (066) 067 90 89 (whatsapp)
- info@guideme.com.ua
* rate 17–20 euros per hour works for 1–2 guests
