With its feet in the Black Sea and the Sea of Asov and the rest of the country spreading over almost 700,000 sq kms of eastern Europe, Ukraine is the continent's second largest nation behind Russia, which shares its north-eastern border. With Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova as next-door neighbours as well, Ukraine certainly isn't short of company, and despite a certain amount of ambiguity regarding its true identity that has instigated a number of changes to its official name since as far back as the 10th century AD, Ukraine has maintained a constant and stable state of independence since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, and is now simply known as 'Ukraine'.

The topography of Ukraine is largely flat with vast areas of fertile plains - or steppes - and windswept plateaus that are crossed by several rivers, most of which flow southwards to the shores of the Black Sea and the Sea of Asov, one of the largest being the Dneiper around which the capital city of Kiev has evolved in a north central area of the country. Besides where the Carpathian Mountains account for much of the far western corner of Ukraine, high peaks and rugged, upland landscapes are few and far between anywhere else except in the far southern Crimean Peninsula where the Crimean Mountains rise dramatically from the Black Sea to a height of up to 750 m.

Enjoying almost Mediterranean weather along this southern Crimean coastline, the climate soon changes to a more temperate continental one the further north you travel into the main body of Ukraine, and even though winter temperatures across the open northern steppes can plummet in January to -10°C, the thermometer regularly reaches around 25°C during the balmy summer days of July. Rainfall levels are generally higher in the north and west of Ukraine and despite conditions being that bit kinder overall in the south and east, not even a few winter downpours can deter the growing number of tourists keen to investigate the unique natural environments and wealth of history and culture that awaits discovery in and around the magnificent northern city of Kiev.

What began life as the hub of the Slavic super-state of Kieven Rus still remains one the largest and most powerful cities in eastern Europe, and with a population of around 3 million people now inhabiting the central and suburban areas of Kiev, this is one metropolis that stands shoulder to shoulder with almost any other major city in the world in terms of industry, education, science and culture. Where world heritage sites like St Sophia Cathedral and Kiev Pechersk Lavra live happily in an atmosphere of modern cosmopolitan vibrancy, and with more historic theatres, museums and art galleries, stylish restaurants and chic shops than you'd expect to find in one city, holiday apartments in Kiev are highly sought after at any time of the year by anyone whose idea of vacation heaven is an extended city break, as it will take you much longer than a weekend to experience the sheer magic of Kiev, let alone explore what lies in the diverse countryside and abundance of other historic cities, towns and villages that lie beyond this fascinating city at the heart of Ukraine.

Back to holiday rentals in the Ukraine