Under $100: Kiev

Kiev has many fascinating sites to behold which are easy to fit in over the course of a day. Thankfully, this is not a very expensive city to visit so you won’t end up breaking the bank.
Start your day with a nice breakfast at Slavutych Shato Brewery where you can munch on delicious deruny, traditional potato pancakes, or even enjoy a morning brew. The prices here are a tad higher than average, so expect to drop between $10 and $20 for a meal.

Kiev Pechersk Lavra, Caves Monastery © Natalia Shavokina | Dreamstime

From there, make your way to the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, or Caves Monastery. There’s enough to do here to keep you busy for an entire morning and it’s the biggest tourist attraction in the city. The breathtaking building was once home to more than 1,000 monks who built the monastery over a system of caves; many are now buried. Entrance to the grounds costs roughly $1, while single entry into the caves will run you about $2 per person.

Locals in Kiev love their pizza, so head to one of best joints in town according to the people in the know: Il Molino. The boscaiola is a definite crowd pleaser, as is the cappricciosa, neither of which will cost you more than $10.

Andriyivsky Descent, Kiev, Ukraine © Alexander Verkhovtsev | Dreamstime

In the afternoon make your way over to the Andriyivsky Descent, a downhill street home to some of the city’s best landmarks as well as great handcrafted goods. The art bazaar is an excellent place to pick up some souvenirs for family and friends. You can also check out St. Andrew’s Church, a beautiful Baroque church open to the public or practice your hand at making one of the Ukraine’s crafts. Expect to drop $40 on goods in this area.

Finally, for dinner head over to Goodman where locals assure you they make steaks better than anyplace you’ll find in the United States. They might just be right. A T-bone here will run you close to $20, but it’s worth every penny.