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St Andrew's Descent St Andrew's descent (Andriyivsky uzviz), is a magical cobble stoned street where theatricality, fantasy and history create a heady mix. It is fitting that Michael Bulgakov, author of the phantasmagorical novel Master and Margarita, lived here. Join Olyanna Travel for a city-break or mini-break holiday in and around Kiev. 
An example of the extraordinary Ukrainian artistic imagination. The paintings are a strange brew of sophisticated surrealism and child like flights of fancy
From the hill upon which once stood pagan idols, before Vladimir converted the locals to Christianity, the street snakes its way steeply down to the old docks area in Podil once a thriving merchant community and now offering a great range of restaurants, cafes and bars. Actually the street was not the easiest route down from the upper town before it was paved with cobble stones 200 years ago. It is still a bit tricky to negotiate after a downpour as water tumbles down over the glistening stones. It became reknowned for its craftsmen and artisans of all description. The market stalls that at weekends occupy its length keeps this history alive by offering bargain priced art and craft; pottery hand painted with simple but vivid naturalistic motifs; hand woven carpets whose colourful designs show influences from the world of Islam; fine embroidered flax shirts and table mats; and other things that defy classification such as wall clocks that seem to emerge from the twisted roots of a tree. For those who have read Master and Margarita it would not seem out of place to see the gentleman magician Woland (Satan), his weirdly dressed valet Koroviev, and Behemoth, the talking cat, wandering down this street! 
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 Kiev City Break4 days to enjoy the buzzy beautiful green capital of Ukraine set by the majestic Dnieper river Find out more Lvov & Kiev City BreakSee the best of Kiev together with the magical centre of old Galicia - Lvov - Prague's self-effacing rival! Find out more
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