Feature photo source CCL
Magnificent temples, cozy streets, longstanding paving-stones, streams of coffee, and the sound of music, filling up every moment. The largest city in western Ukraine welcomes guests from all over the world. While thousands of foreign visitors arrive in Ukraine to visit Lviv, the other part of the country remains undiscovered. If you want to see Ukraine, you should go to Lviv, especially if you want to feel Ukraine.
Lviv is not only the soul of the country but also the 7th largest city and the biggest cultural center in Ukraine. Danylo Halytskyi International Airport welcomes passengers from Istanbul to Lviv, Madrid to Lviv, Vienna to Lviv, Munich to Lviv, and New York to Lviv flights every season and week of the year. No matter what country you are from, Lviv has something special for everyone.
5 Things to Know Before Visiting Lviv
Book a place to rest in advance
The high number of hotels and hostels doesn’t mean you will be able to find a free room anytime. Holiday seasons are particularly busy. You can choose traditional Ukrainian hotels, international hotels, or small and cheap hostels. Everything depends on your budget.
Visit the most beautiful buildings
Lviv has a lot of beautiful places to see. So, if you don’t want to miss something special, make a detailed plan. Among those must-see places are two parts of the city: Old Town and Market Square.
Have a cup of coffee in one of the local cafes
Lviv is famous not only because of its magnificent architecture but also for its coffee reputation. You can’t imagine a typical day in Lviv without a cup of coffee and a piece of Lvivsky Syrnyk (an authentic Ukrainian cheesecake). Every year local citizens organize a coffee festival to learn how to cook, serve, and to treat professionals and simple coffee enthusiasts.
Listen to music and truly relax
If the second name of Lviv is coffee, then the third one is music. The food festivals are smoothly turning to music festivals. It doesn’t matter whether it is winter, spring, autumn, or summer, the city holds music festivals all year round. Here you can visit Christmas Fair, Organ Music Festival, Lviv Music Festival, Zahid Fest, Night Lviv Festival, and Jazz Bez Festival. But the most famous is probably Alfa Jazz Fest.
Plan a 1.5-hour trip to Ukrainian Carpathians
You don’t have to visit spa salons or expensive hotels to feel relaxed in Lviv. Just 1.5 hours and you are in one of the most beautiful places on the planet – Carpathians. An infinite variety of nature, horse riding, walking, and floating excursions are waiting for you. Here you will find small villages in the mountains and rejuvenating water spa.