Usually we got the same questions from people. Here are the answers on most frequently asked questions. If you want to ask something more - don't hesitate to do it, just use the form on Contact page. We will answer you personally. If we are asked some question often - we always put the answer here too.
1. Who are the people on the photos under the smiles?
We are on all photos: Oleksii and Tanya.
2. What are the names of your smiles?
"His" name's Veredunchyk - it created from word meaning naughty, "Her" name's Varechka - from name Varvara, we've chosen it to consonant and sounds well with Veredunchyk.
3. How do you make photos then, if you both are on photo - who makes a shot?
We use tripod and timer in photo camera to make photos. Tanya goes to the point of photo, Oleksii makes all operations with the camera, turning on the timer for 10 seconds delay and run to Tanya:) Then we back to camera to check the photo, some times we make many takes. Or even repeat it on other day to make better photos.
4. Can we make a photo with you?:)
Sorry, but no. We make only photos of sightseeing or some events.
5. Who created the website for you?
We've done all the job by ourselves. All photos and site development done by ourselves and we keep going, work is not finished, there are still a lot of beautiful places in our city to show.
6. Is it a commercial project?
No, it is not. We make it as our hobby - art and hospitality project, we did it on our own cost.
7. Who choose places to show in your guide/on your site?
We pick them on our own opinion. Most of them are well known and you can find them in any tourist guide to Kyiv, others is more hidden, but sometimes even more interesting than places from routine tourist routes.
8. Does Kyiv and Kiev means the same?
Yes, Kyiv is a capital of Ukraine and sounds in Ukrainian language as "Kyiv". But about last 300 years Ukraine was suppressed, first by Russian empire than by Soviet Union. In both cases Russian language was official and used in geographical names as well. In Russian language Kyiv sounds as "Kiev". So both Kyiv and Kiev are the names of one city, just transliterated from Ukrainian and Russian language. Now Ukraine got independence and original name was come back.
So it's more correctly to use Kyiv - original name of the city.
9. Who makes all this nice flowers for Varechka?
Tanya does! You can see small gallery of Varechka's hairflowers at the left:)
10. Can we use your site as a real tourist guide - is places from your list accessible for everyone?
Yes - you can visit any of them. We went to each place to make a photo there, so all places are accessible for everyone.
11. Why do you put almost all Kyiv bridges on your list?
Our nice city Kyiv, that historically was situated on the right bank of the Dnieper River, covers both banks of the river whose width, as
it flows through the city, reaches some several hundred meters. Old proverb says "Not every bird can fly to the middle of the Dnieper".
Due to the location and the width of the river, the bridges have always been a very attractive and hard to realize option throughout
the long history of Kyiv.
12. Where do you get description and information about places?
There are three main sources of info we use:
1. Our own knowledge, we are Kyivans and our ancestors lived here in many generations. So we have a lot of info from them told to us personally and of course we see a lot of things on our own eyes;
2. We use different tourist guides, historical books about Kyiv and so on.
3. We use information from Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org
If it's possible in most cases we use info from Wiki - because we try to be objective and this source is good for that reason compare to historical books or tourist guides from different times. Because last 300 years Ukraine was suppressed by Russian Empire and Soviet Union, so a lot of books and other sources is really not good, they have a lot of propaganda from period, when book was published. Find right answers today is not so easy thing, that's why we try use Wiki, where it's possible. In cases we have our personal knowledge, got personally or from our ancestors we use this info, even if other sources says other version.
13. Does this 5 routes cover all places from the list?​
​No, they don't. Routes were created to assist guests of the city easily visit "must see" places in the shortest time period and in the most comfortable way. Kyiv is a city on hills, so it's sometimes you need to go uphill, if do it often - it will be difficult. Routes were created to reduce moving uphill as less as it was possible in most cases you will move straight or downhill. We don't recommend you to use only this ways, create your own routes and go to places you want. Use this 5 ones only if you really in Kyiv for a few days and don't know how to see more places in short period of time.
14. Why all routes start and finish near metro (subway) stations?​
Because nowadays Kyiv is a overcrowded and fast growing city - traffic jams is common thing. So metro (subway) is only the transport works well enough to use at anytime. Metro (subway) is overcrowded only on rush hours 8 to 10 in the morning and 6 to 8 in the evening on working days. All other time it's the best way to travel throughout the city. All other moves you will make on foot.