Nightlife

Throughout the early 1990s Kiev had one of the former Soviet Union’s roughest and toughest nightlife scenes full of faux diamond-encrusted super clubs dominated by stiletto sporting ‘Ultra Natasha’ femme fatales and brazen bandits who lorded it over the plebs with an abandon not seen in peacetime Europe since the 1920s.

It was a heavy drinking scene where the lawlessness of the age gave the city a Wild East edge that was both thrilling and unnerving. Today’s Kiev has matured somewhat and is now a city of superbly groomed WAGs and metrosexual man-boys, but nevertheless the nightlife scene retains echoes of its 1990s heyday. Kiev’s nightlife may not offer much in the way of adventurous or alternative subcultures, but the many mainstream venues it does boast offer a great night out for a surprising variety of tastes.

Decadence

There is no nightlife region as such in Kiev – clubs are dotted around the city in line with its rather haphazard modern development. High-rollers should head for the bling emporium that is Decadence House (16 Shota Rostaveli Street, Tel.: 044-206-4920) where you will be able to watch some of the most beautiful people in this city of wannabe catwalk models in their evening finest.

Middle-of-the-market

For a more democratic evening you might like to try Shooters (22 Moscovska Street. Tel.: 044-2542024) – this Scottish-owned disco bar is famed for its riotous witching hour dancefloor action and has one of the highest flirt factors in town.

Irish pubs

If you’re looking for expat company or want to tap long-term foreign residents for a bit of local know how then the best place to start would one of Kiev’s growing number of Irish pubs. This genre first arrived in Kiev in 1995 and it has proved a big hit with local audiences – at last count there were eight Irish pubs in Kiev, with more apparently on the way. Try Rosie O’Gradies (8/14 Velyka Zhytomirska Street. Tel.: 044-2344734) for a particularly friendly atmosphere.

• Where to drink?

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