Lviv Travel Guide
From Wikitravel
Львів (L'viv, Polish: Lwów, German: Lemberg) is in Western Ukraine. The biggest city of the region and major ukrainian cultural center. The historic city center is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
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Understand
The city has a multicultural history. It was founded in the 13th century and became Polish in the 14th century. Poles, Jews, Ukrainians, Germans and others lived there together for centuries. The Polish king John II Casimir founded the Lviv University in the 17th century and Lviv was by this time besides Krakow, Warsaw, Gdansk and Vilnius one of the most important cities in the Polish-Lituanian Commonwealth. In 1772 the city was taken by the Habsburgs and in Austrian times it was known under the name of Lemberg. After the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918 it was returned to Poland. After World War II Stalin moved the Soviet frontier westward so 'Lvov' (the Russian name) became part of the USSR. Since Ukrainian independence in 1991 the name was changed to L'viv again. L'viv is located in the most Ukrainian region of Ukraine; people tend to refuse to speak Russian here and are deeply patriotic as opposed to the still deeply russified east of the Ukraine. Because of its Polish and Austrian history, L'viv has a Central European flair in its architecture that make it one of the most beautiful cities in Eastern Europe. Its tourist potential is yet undiscovered because people tend to be very unhospitable and even hostile towards tourists, infrastructure is lacking and most people don't speak any foreign languages. But visiting L'viv is very rewarding for the pioneer traveller, as life is extremely cheap here and the place has a truly authentic feeling, unlike places like Krakow or Prague which are swamped with tourists.
Get in
By plane
Lviv has an international airport. See: Lviv Airport Website
By train
- The easiest way to get to L'viv from Western Europe is through Krakow in Poland. From there, take a train to Przemyśl near the Polish-Ukrainian border (train runs every hour and take 3 to 4 hours). From Przemyśl there are regular buses to L'viv, another 2 hours because of long border controls. Prepare to be in a bus full of smugglers :). There is also a direct train from Krakow to L'viv once a day, but this is not recommendable because it's a lot more expensive and takes longer because they have to change the wheels at the border (the railway gauge is different in the former Soviet Union).
- There are trains coming from whole of Ukraine and at least once a day (night) a train from Kyiv.
- Trains from Hungary and Slovakia come through L'viv, usually on their way to Kyiv. Trainfare from both coutries is approx $80 per person for a bed in a sleeping car. Make sure to bring enough food and water for at least 12 hours.
By car
By bus
There are daily buses from Polish cities: Warsaw, Przemyśl, Lublin, Wrocław. It is possible also to get there by bus from other European cities.
By boat
Get around
See
- Dormition Cathedral (Orthodox)
- The Dominican Cathedral
- The Bernardine Monastery
- Lychakivskiy Cemetery
- Jesuit Church
- Union of Lublin mound
- Market Square
- Lviv theater
- Lviv University
- Lviv Institute of Technology
Do
Learn
Work
Buy
Eat
Budget
Life in L'viv is very very cheap, it's not difficult to find a place where you can have a full meal for 1 or 2 euros. The challenge is rather trying to order if you don't speak Ukrainian.
Mid-range
Splurge
One of the most expensive places in L'viv is called 'Wiener Kaffeehaus'; it is located on the main square on the right-hand side if you are facing the Opera House. This place has menus in English, English-speaking staff and a very nice atmosphere; it tends to be a place where foreigners gather. The best thing is you get incredibly good food for little money, even though it's one of the priciest places in town. A main course is around 3 to 4 euros, a three-course meal 6 or 7. The Wiener Schnitzel is great, so are all the soups, the breakfasts, the potato pancakes and the Afpelstrudel.
Drink
Sleep
Budget
There's a very nice youth-hostel located not too far from the center. It's name is rainbow house (I forgot the ukranian name).
Mid-range
Though new hotels appear every year in the center of Lviv, there are still not too many of them. Therefore it is strongly advised to book early.
The best choice in the city center are: Wien hotel, Opera Hotel, Grand Hotel, Swiss Hotel
Apartments in Lviv: It is also possible to stay in an apartment - a privatly owned flat that has all the facilities of a hotel room.
Splurge
Contact
Stay safe
Ukranian cities are not as dangerous as they may seem, though a bit more precaution is required. Common trics include playing false police. In doubt ask an officer or tell him you're not following him. The first thing they try is to get you out of the tourists places. Openly robbing you or pickpocketting happens less as the risks are bigger. If you do not speak ukranian, polish nor russian try to stick to tourist places. It's less interesting but a lot safer!
Cope
It is essential to learn some Ukrainian before visiting, or at the very least, learn the Cyrillic alphabet. It is sometimes possible to figure words out simply by sounding them out, if they are derived from English. Any Slavic language will be very usefull, also German might be usefull. People selling you tickets at the train station will not speak anything other than Ukrainian and will have no patience or sympathy for you (and neither will the people waiting in line behind). And lines in Ukraine tend to be a chaotic mess, especially at stations. Assert your place with an elbow and mean stare, because everyone else will, including the fifteen babushki pushing you to the side.
Get out
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