Dnipropetrovsk

Dnipropetrovsk is an industrial city, but still it's possible to relax and find some interesting places here. Convenient transport links make the city attractive to spend the weekend, so we did it. We went from Kyiv by the morning express train. The journey took about 5 hours and 45 minutes.

The main form of transport in the city is a minibus (marshrootka). Recreational areas and sights are concentrated in the downtown. The most beautiful place is the Dnipro river waterfront.

Near the right end of the waterfront is the Monastyrskyi (Monastery) island, which can be accessed via a pedestrian bridge. There is a nice park, a beach, a variety of rides and a small zoo on the island. Unfortunately, the zoo is too small. I don't think that the animals feel comfortable there.

After visiting the island, we crossed the road and went to the Shevchenko Park and then to the square, where stands the Spaso-Preobrazhenskyi (Savior Transfiguration) Cathedral. As in most parks of Ukraine, there are many squirells here. They are accustomed to people and take the food right out of the hands.

Then we returned to the downtown via the Karl Marx avenue and went to central park named after Lazar Globa (formerly Chkalov Park), where we took a ride on the ferris wheel. In the same park there is a unique children's railway. It was the first in Ukraine and the second in the world after Tbilisi (Georgia).

In Dnipropetrovsk, we also visited the first football game at the new Dnipro Arena stadium. The stadium is very cozy and comfortable, and the field is clearly visible. 

Not far from the stadium there are several cozy parks where the fountains are illuminated at night. After the football we visited these parks and then returned to the waterfront to enjoy the view of the fountains and bridges at night.

Interesting:
The city has a subway, but it isn't popular with the citizens. Daily ridership is approximately 25 thousand people. For comparison - in 2011, the airport "Boryspil" was used by 35 thousand people a day, Kharkiv Metro - by 700 thousand, and Kyiv metro - by 1.5 million.

Dnipropetrovsk metro map
Dnipropetrovsk tram map

Getting there: Dnipropetrovsk is a large city located in the heart of Ukraine, so you can get there by any means of transport. We went there by a daily express train from Kyiv. Also in Kyiv you can book seats in buses of the Autolux and Gunsel carriers. The buses leave from the central bus station (Demiyivska metro station).