Kyiv is one of the few capitals in Europe that can boast of having miles and miles of beaches right in its center. The long and wide Dnipro River, which bisects the city, has several large, mostly unspoiled islands, fringed with banks of sand. These are perfect places for an urban escape from the crowds and all just a few minutes’ drive or metro ride away.
On top of that, the capital also boasts a range of outdoor swimming pools and rooftop clubs have opened in recent years where clients can relax in a resort hotel-like environment without having to even leave the city.
The Kyiv Post checked out the most popular spots for swimming, relaxing on the beach, or sunbathing beside the pool.
Sandali Trukhaniv Resort
The newly opened Sandali beach resort lets visitors enjoy the summer sun on Kyiv’s Trukhaniv Island, on the Dnipro River, right in the center of the city. The resort of 4,000 square meters has a restaurant, a pool, a parking lot, a volleyball court, wooden arbors with braziers for barbecuing, a playground for children, and a beach zone with chaise-lounges and umbrellas for rent. While entrance is free, renting an umbrella for a day costs Hr 50, a chaise-longue costs Hr 100 and a towel — Hr 50. This place also hosts parties (check facebook.com/SandaliBeach for a detailed schedule) and offers a beautiful view of Kyiv’s right bank and the People’s Friendship Arch.
Sandali. 3 Parkova Rd. Mon-Thu, Sun 9 a. m. — 9 p. m. Fri-Sat 9 a. m. — 2 a. m. +38–097–631–0000
UBK
Another place to sunbathe near Sandali is UBK or Uzhnyi Bereg Kieva (Southern Kyiv’s Bank), which is a bar located on a beach, equipped with chaise-longues, bean bags and hookahs. This place also frequently hosts summer parties, theater performances and movie screenings on weekends.
Renting a chaise-longue for a day costs Hr 50, and it costs Hr 200 to rent a brazier. The bar has an extensive choice of cocktails for Hr 80–110, and there is a food court with various dishes, such as mushroom soups, salads, burgers and snacks for around Hr 60–130. To get to UBK, cross the Pedestrian Bridge from the right bank of Kyiv and then turn right.
Uzhnyi Bereg Kieva (UBK). 11 a. m. — 6 a. m. Trukhaniv Island. +38–098–928–4913
People relax in a hammock at the Uzhnyi Bereh Kieva (UBK) bar located on the beach at Trukhaniv Island. (Volodymyr Petrov)
City Beach Club
City Beach Club is a stylish swimming pool and bar located on the 7th floor of the Ocean Plaza shopping mall. The place offers clients sunbathing on chaise-longues (Hr 250–350 per day) or beach beds (Hr 700–1,200 depending on the type of bed and day of the week). For parties, clients can rent a private zone with a separate bar for Hr 1,500 per person.
Breakfasts are available for around Hr 100, snacks and burgers cost Hr 95–300, and cheesecake, ice-cream or pancetta for dessert goes for Hr 45–110.
City Beach Club. 17B Antonovycha St. 9 a. m. — 12 a. m. +38–066–629–5555
Mayachok
Mayachok Beach Club is located in the outskirts of the city, on Zhukiv Island in Holosiyvskiy district, to the south of Kyiv. The club has places for around 350 people, chaise-longues with towels and umbrellas, as well as areas for football, beach volleyball, badminton, ping-pong and trampolining.
The entrance fee is Hr 100 on Monday-Friday and Hr 200 on holidays and weekends (chaise-longue and umbrella are included). Entrance for children under 13 is free, and the place has a child-minder to entertain kids. The restaurant offers salads (Hr 72–179), grilled meat (Hr 140–210 per portion) and wine for Hr 240–375 per bottle.
Mayachok. Zhukiv Island, 58A Lutneva St. 10 a. m. — 10 p. m. +38–066–450–7238, +38–073–065–2079
People paddle standing on boards at the Mayachok beach club on Zhukov Island in southern Kyiv. (Courtesy of Mayachok beach club) (thorstenindra.com)
Pirs 39
Pirs 39 is an outdoor swimming club in the VDNH exhibition center in southwestern Kyiv. The center has a 25-meter swimming pool and a pool for children with a small water slide, chaise-longues with umbrellas, a bar, and burgers from Ukrainian street food vendor Burger Farm. On Saturdays, the bar holds DJ-sets and parties near the swimming pool starting from 7 p. m.
Prices start from Hr 25 for children per hour on weekdays, and Hr 50 for adults. On weekends, prices rise to Hr 50 per hour for children, and Hr 100 for adults. One can also rent a towel for Hr 25, and tents are available to rent for Hr 600 per day.
Pirs 39. VDNH (1 Akademika Hlyshkova St.) Mon-Fri 7 a. m. — 9 p. m. Sat-Sun 9 a. m. — 9 p. m. +38068 352 64 55
A child sleeps as people relax in the outdoor pool at VDNH expocenter on June 27. (Anastasia Vlasova)
Sky Family Park
There is another large outdoor swimming pool at the Sky Family Park entertainment complex, which is located near SkyMall shopping center on the left bank. The park has a 1,500-square-meter pool and a beach area on Dnipro River with chaise-longues, an amusement park, food court and a stage for musical performances. Access to the pool costs Hr 100 on weekdays, and Hr 200 on weekends, while access to the beach is free. Renting a chaise-longue or a pouffe costs Hr 100, while a beach bed costs Hr 1,000 per day to rent.
For those seeking more active leisure time, the park offers catamarans, kayaks and boats for rent for Hr 100 per hour, and water scooters for Hr 50 for 10 minutes. The park also has a trampoline water park for kids from the age of 12 for Hr 100 per day on weekdays, and Hr 150 per day on weekends.
Sky Family Park. Skymall (2 Henerala Vatutina Ave), 10 a. m. — 10 p. m. +38095–283–6555
Trukhanov Beach Club
Trukhanov Beach Club is yet another beach club on Trukhaniv Island, which has a private beach, swimming pools, a water slide, showers and changing rooms, a tennis court, and areas for volleyball, table tennis, mini-football and badminton.
Women relax at the recently opened Sandali beach club located at Trukhaniv Island. (Volodymyr Petrov)
Access to the pool costs Hr 150 on weekdays and Hr 200 on the weekends. Children aged under seven can enter the pool for free, and for those aged 7–14 years there is a discount of 50 percent. A chaise-longue and an umbrella are provided as part of the entrance fee, but the complex doesn’t have towels to rent, so make sure to take one with you. The complex also has a café near the pool that serves grilled meat for Hr 110 for 200 grams.
Trukhanov Beach Club. 12 Parkova Rd. 10 a. m. — 8 p. m. +38050–353–4109
