Explore More UK Autumn 2021

VIKING.COM 49
DID YOU KNOW?
Kiev is the capital of Ukraine
and one of Europe’s oldest
cities. From the 9th century
on, Kiev was the main Dnieper
River trade centre on the route
from Scandinavia to the
Black Sea and Constantinople.
We’d already enjoyed our orientation tour and
trip to the art gallery but it was the catacombs
that captivated me. Hundreds of miles of
tunnels were dug in the 19th century to mine
limestone to construct Odessa’s handsome
buildings. Leaving Odessa late in the evening,
Viking Sineus cruised along the Black Sea coast
before turning into the sprawling delta of the
Dnieper, Europe’s third-largest river.
Image of Kyevo-Pecherska Lavra, John Wilmott
We awoke to a vista of lush riverbanks speckled
with ramshackle homes, soon arriving in the
shipbuilding city of Kherson. It turned out that
many of the ship’s crew were from Kherson and
they took the opportunity for a quick catch-up
with their families while we visited a riverside
park and were treated to a mini-concert by
three ladies in traditional dress under a tree. The
scenery changed regularly as we sailed north.
Apart from the occasional factory, village and
lonely church, I was intrigued by how empty
much of this vast country was, but what amazed
me the most were the beaches. Pockets of
sand along the shore were invariably occupied
by families splashing in the water and waving
at our passing cruise ship. I spent much time
taking in the views from the Sun Deck of Viking
Sineus, retreating to the air-conditioning of the
forward observation lounge with its wraparound
windows when the sun became a little too hot.
Dnipro was my favourite port of call along the
river. The fact that this bustling city is a bit
battered in parts added to the appeal – it’s a real,
living entity with few nods to tourism. After our
introductory tour and visit to the museum, I
walked along the splendid esplanade that runs
for miles along the river. Here is where city
Top St. Sophia
with its thirteen
glittering domes
is a distinctive
feature of the
city Above The
resplendent
Kyevo-Pecherska
Lavra monastery
in Kyiv