Plans for New Year 2011

Dear colleague, Alexander has come up with an idea of going to Kiev for New Years ... Here is the content of his mail.

I’m planning to spend part of Christmas and New Year Eve 2010-2011 holiday in Kiev, Ukraine (however not yet commited).

Some people told me they would be interested to join me. If you’re interested to get to Kiev for New Year Eve 2010-2011 (around 5 days from Dec 29 to Jan 2), please let me know by Sunday next week (17^th October).

Background information about Kiev.

Kiev or Kyiv (Ukrainian: Київ [ˈkɪjiw] ( listen); Russian: Киев; Polish: Kijów); (see also Cities' alternative names), is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press.^[1]

Kiev is an important industrial, scientific, educational and cultural centre of Eastern Europe. It is home to many high-tech industries, higher education institutions and world-famous historical landmarks. The city has an extensive infrastructure and highly developed system of public transport, including the Kiev Metro. Kiev was classified as a Beta global city as of 2004.

The name Kiev is said to derive from the name of Kyi, one of four legendary founders of the city (brothers Kyi, Shchek, Khoryv, and sister Lybid). During its history, Kiev, one of the oldest cities in Eastern Europe, passed through several stages of great prominence and relative obscurity. The city may have been founded in the 5th century as a trading post, perhaps part of the land of the early Slavs. It gradually acquired eminence as the centre of the East Slavic civilization, becoming in the tenth to twelfth centuries a political and cultural capital of Rus', a medieval East Slavic state. Completely destroyed during the Mongol invasion in 1240, the city lost most of its influence for the centuries to come. It was a provincial capital of marginal importance in the outskirts of the territories controlled by its powerful neighbours; first the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, followed by Poland and Russia.

The city prospered again during the Russian Empire's industrial revolution in the late 19th century. After the turbulent period following the Russian Revolution of 1917, from 1921 onwards Kiev was an important city of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, and, from 1934, its capital. During World War II, the city again suffered significant damage, but quickly recovered in the post-war years remaining the third largest city of the Soviet Union. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Ukrainian independence of 1991, Kiev remained the capital of Ukraine.

For more information about Kiev, please, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiev

Approximate budget and costs:

Return flight London-Luton – Kiev (29 Dec 2010, 02 Jan 2011) – £300-£350

Taxi from and to airport (return) – £30.

Hotel in very center of Kiev with amazing view to Central square of the city (***) – £55, single, £72, double or twin)

There are lots of private apartments in the center of the city available for rent which can save up to 50% of the budget.

Taxi in city center is around £3-£4 a ride to almost everywhere.

Public transport – 20p. (price is usually fixed)

Lunch/Diner – £5 on average (up to £15 if you go to a superior restaurant). Ukrainian cuisine is very good and inexpensive.

New Year Eve Diner (£30-£100).

Prices may vary (you know, It’s new year time).

Consular and visa issues:

You don’t need visa to get to Kiev if you’re a citizen of European Union, United States, Canada, Japan or Korea.

This quote is from site of Ukrainian Embassy in the UK:

Ukraine has set visa free regime for citizens of the United States of America since the 1st July 2005, citizens of Canada and Japan since 1st August 2005, citizens of the European Union countries (citizens of Republic of Bulgaria and Romania starting with the 1st January 2008), Swiss Confederation and Liechtenstein since the 1st September 2005, citizens of the Principality of Andorra, Vatican (The Holly See), the Principality of Monaco, the Republic of Iceland, the Kingdom of Norway, the Republic of San Marino since the 1st January 2006, the Republic of Korea.

This regulation establishes visa-free regime of entry Ukraine and transit through its territory for the USA, Canada, Japan, EU (citizens of Republic of Bulgaria and Romania starting with the 1st January 2008), Swiss, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Vatican, Monaco, Iceland, Norway, San Marino, the Republic of Korea passport holders who may stay in Ukraine up to 90 days within 180 days.

For more information please query the Embassy http://www.mfa.gov.ua/uk/en/news/top.htm