Forget Paris. Visit Kiev

Tourism in Paris and in France is declining, due to civil disturbance and terrorism. Hotel tracking companies have reported occupancy declines of as much as much as 7% in Paris since November 2018.

But for the traveller looking to visit an historic capital city, they should consider visiting Kyiv in Ukraine. It’s a place with great architecture, impressive churches, charming historic streets and you simply space.

There are plenty of modern hotels to stay at, at affordable rates even in the city centre. Consider the 11 mirrors hotel, which is part owned by former heavyweight boxing champion Vladimir Klitschko. It has panoramic views of St. Volodymyr's Cathedral. Price about $200 a night for five-star accommodation.

For those on a budget, there are hostels for about $30 a night and plenty of mid-range hotels around $70-$80 a night.

Getting around is cheap too, with rides averaging between $2-4 for Uber X and $5-10 for Uber Black for 15 to 20-minute rides.

There are too many historic places to list here including the Golden Gate, National Museum of natural sciences, the Michael Bulgakov Museum, the famous St Michael’s Golden domed monastery, and the biggest site of all is Pechersk Lavra Monastery. This is a large complex spanning 28 hectares of cathedrals, caves, catacombs and grassy hills and is considered to be the most holy site in Ukraine.

If you seen the well reviewed HBO docudrama Chernobyl, it might be good idea to drop into the Chernobyl Museum. It’s only a dollar entry fee.

Eating out has plenty of options, from many cafeteria and fast food outlets to a wide range of restaurants offering a mix of traditional Ukrainian food and international style. Local beers cost around $1 and budget dinners around $10.

Kyiv hasn’t been fully discovered yet, so tourists are thin on the ground, which is great for the traveller as your business is appreciated more. Visit this fascinating place before that changes.