Kaniv

At the time of writing this article Kaniv was at the stage of active construction. During preparation to Euro 2012 large amounts of money were allocated to the town, and it's being transformed right before our eyes. A large modern bus station and two new river ports have already been opened. Besides, the central part of the town has been changed. Reconstruction of the Taras Shevchenko museum was completed at the beginning of 2011. In summer it's also possible to take a boat tour along the Dnipro river banks.

In 2005 the area near the bus station looked like this.

In 2014 appeared a small beautiful fountain. It is located a stone's throw from the bus station.


Kanіv is a beautiful town. Its geography resembles the one of a beach resort: water and miles of sandy beaches on one side, hills on other side, and among them is the town as a narrow, long stripe. The only difference is that instead of sea is the Dnipro river.




But even the town beaches are excellent and, most important, there are no crowds of people and trash, as in Kyiv.


And if you go to the outskirts, for example, in the direction of the Taras Shevchenko grave, you can relax on the vast beach alone.


Upon arrival, take the taxi or bus #1, 2, or 5 and go to the Lenin Square. It's better to take a taxi, it's cheap and for $3-5 you can reach any part of the town. From the Lenin Square go to the Motherland statue, a beautiful park and the 900-year-old Assumption Cathedral, one of the oldest in Ukraine.

There is an observation deck behind the Motherland.

If you go straight ahead from the entrance to the cathedral, you'll see the library of Gaidar and find an interesting monument. This is a time capsule that will be opened in 2045.

Kaniv is a new town and only several historic buildings remained here. You can find them if you walk from the Lenin Square to the downtown. The main transport is buses that run regularly and on schedule.

There is Hitriy Rynok (Tricky Market) in the downtown under the hill and behind the bus stop. Go through it and climb the hill that has the flag of Ukraine on its top. This is a secret viewing point. Near the market you can take a bus #2 and go to the Taras Shevchenko grave.

Next to the building of Ukrtelecom stands an unfinished palace of culture. In the late 80s and early 90s Kaniv was actively built, but when the Soviet Union collapsed, all construction projects were stopped.

Another point of interest is an armored train at the entrance to the town. You can approach it either by buses ##1 and 5 or by taxi.

But the main tourist attraction is, of course, the grave and museum of Taras Shevchenko. And this place will be interesting for everybody. It's clear that not everyone likes museums, but the museum in Kaniv differs from other Ukrainian museums because of modern technologies, and the building itself is in perfect condition. Tarasova Hill is a complex that includes parks, nature reserve and hills. This is the place to walk, breathe fresh air and look at the wonderful scenery.

300 stairs lead to the museum. Every year government officials go this way to honor the great Kobzar.

A drinking fountain with water is waiting for you at the top of the hill.

Be sure to walk in the park around the museum and find a dreamhouse of Taras Shevchenko. 

By the way, you can go down not by the stairs. Behind the house find a parking place and a road. This road goes down through the reserve. The Kaniv reserve is the oldest historical and cultural reserve in Ukraine. I recommend going down this way, if you want to walk alone in nature.

Spring is the best time to visit the Tarasova Hill. At this time, the territory is well-groomed and full of flowers.

If you enjoy walking in nature, you can return to the town on foot along the beaches. They are usually deserted (not when the weather is hot) and very beautiful.

On the way to the Taras Shevchenko grave you can get off the bus at the stop "Shkola Nomer Shest" ("School №6") and walk another 3 km. The nature is gorgeous, and you can take a look at the Shevchenkova ​​Alley: a sculpture alley devoted to Taras Shevchenko's poems.

Interesting place: If you're not tired yet, you can do the following: go 20 meters back from the stop "Shkola Nomer Shest" ("School №6") and turn to a little path between the private houses that will lead you to the top of the hills (the start is marked by a red arrow).

A couple of times the path is split in two, and each time you should go right or forward (not left). At the top you'll find the most picturesque views of the town, Kaniv Power Station, the Dnipro river, and the boundless left bank of the reservoir. And if you want to walk in the forest, then go in the opposite direction from the town a little more up the gravel road. In 400 meters you'll see the entrance to the reserve. Be cautious: there are many animals in the reserve, e.g. wild boars.

Kaniv hydroelectric power station (HPS) is also an interesting place. We asked the taxi driver to take us to the entrance to Kaniv on the left bank. It's near the monument to Kobzar and a huge sign "КАНІВ". Then we walked along the dam and returned to the town by the bridge over the HPS. Besides, before reaching the HPS we went down to the water on the left side of the road. From there opens a beautiful view of the railroad bridge that was exploded during the war.

In general, Kaniv is a perfect town to spend a weekend in, staying not far from Kyiv. Kaniv stands out among the faceless small towns scattered across the Central and Eastern Ukraine.

Kaniv from above:

Webcam in Kaniv

Getting there: By minibus that runs every 30-45 minutes from the Vydubychi metro station. Travel time is 2.5 hours.