Protasiv Yar – Ski centre
If you like skiing or snowboarding but for some strange reason you chose Kyiv over the Alps for your winter vacation, don’t worry. You still can ski and not even have to leave the city!
There is a place called Protasiv Yar not far from Palats Ukraina metro station. It is the only open-air ski centre in Kyiv and though I don’t really ski, I like it, and some of my friends spend lots of time there. The height of the hill is around 200 metres, there are four trails – one for children, two for beginners, and one for pros. There are also two drag lifts. It is possible to rent skis, snowboards, boots, masks and helmets. The only thing you’ll need is your snowboarding/ski suit.
Usually there’s plenty of snow in Kyiv during winter months, but don’t worry, even is it’s above zero, they have snow guns, so you can ride from late November until the end of March. If you don’t ski, you can still have a good time watching others and sipping mulled wine at the local cafe. That’s what I do :).