Things To Do

Kharkiv Theater of Opera and Ballet

Being a scientific and educational center, Kharkiv has a long history of rich culture. It is home to the regional philharmonic, various small theaters and six major theaters, including the Theater of Opera and Ballet, the Ukrainian Drama Theater, and the Russian Drama Theater. A circus and a zoo operate in Kharkiv year-round. There are 22 movie theaters in the city; and movie festivals take place throughout the year featuring foreign and independent films.

The city’s prominent scholarly institutions are the Astronomical Observatory, the State Scientific Library (est. 1886, with nearly 7 million volumes) and the Kharkiv National University Library (over 3 million volumes), both with Web-accessible electronic catalogs. Kharkiv supports over 30 museums including the Historical Museum, the Art Museum; and the Natural Sciences Museum.

Kharkiv is considered a green city for its 110 parks with beautiful fountains.  The largest parks are Gorky Park, Shevchenko Gardens (with a zoo), Artem Park, Forest Park, the University Botanical Garden, and Mayakovsky Park.

The large Schevchenko Park is located right in the center of the city next door to the main Freedom Square and the Karazin University. On a nice day, many people spend some time with friends walking in a park or having a quick meal or a cup of tea in one of many outdoor cafés. Entertainment options are always available such as roller blades rental, billiard games, or karaoke booths. In the evenings, you might see a free concert here, listen to live music in one of the cafes/clubs; or simply enjoy the beauty of water fountains that light up with different colors at night.

Great views of the city open up from the gondola in the "Gorky Park"

 

Gorky amusement park is just 10 miles away from the Karazin University and is a popular destination for people of all ages. The children’s railroad and the gondola (funicular) are located here.

 

 

 

 

 

Metalist Stadium

Sports play a big role in the life of Kharkiv like in the rest of Ukraine. The most popular sport is soccer (or football). Kharkiv is home to 4 major football clubs, of which Metalist is ranked the highest having won the bronze title of the Ukrainian Premier league three times in a row starting in 2006. The Metalist Stadium has recently undergone major renovation in preparation for the Euro 2012 championship co-hosted by Ukraine and Poland. After the final steps of reconstruction are completed, the stadium will be a modern recreational and leisure facility with a capacity to hold 43,000 spectators.

Kharkiv has a large variety of bars, clubs, and restaurants. Many visitors fall in love with Ukrainian cuisine, but there are many other options from Asian to North American food. The staff at the EESA Kharkiv center is available to help with any advice or directions.