Kyiv's main drag is named after a river, which these days runs underneath, enclosed in an underground pipe. Getting gussied up and strolling Khreshchatyk is Kyivans' number one pastime. Don't hesitate to join them for a few laps, pausing occasionally at one of the many streetside cafes and kiosks that line the boulevard. It's at its best during weekends, when the section south of Maidan Nezalezhnosti is closed to traffic and various events and contests take place.
During WWII the retreating Soviet army mined the buildings here, turning them into deadly booby traps for any German soldiers setting foot inside. Most places exploded or caught fire, and it was subsequently rebuilt in the current Stalinesque style.
