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Lviv
Lviv (also spelled L'viv, Львів in Cyrillic; Russian Львов or Lvov; 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.
Culture and History
The city has a multicultural history. It was founded in 1256 and fell under Polish control 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 one of the most important cities in the Polish-Lituanian Commonwealth, along with Krakow, Warsaw, Gdansk and Vilnius. 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 Lviv again. Lviv 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 Ukraine. Because of its Polish and Austrian history, Lviv 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 infrastructure is rather undeveloped and most people don't speak any foreign languages except Russian and Polish. This is changing among young people, all of whom will speak at least a little bit of English. Nevertheless, visiting Lviv 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.
Travel to Lviv, visa requirements
Flights to Lviv, airtickets
Lviv has an international airport just 7km from the beautiful downtown. Lviv is served via direct international routes including flights from Vienna (Austrian Airlines), Frankfurt (Ukraine International Airlines) and Warsaw (LOT Polish Airlines).
It is inexpensive (around 50 USD including taxes and fees) to fly from Kyiv to Lviv, with multiple daily flights operated by Ukrainian International Airlines and Aerosvit. These carriers also operate flights to and from other major Ukrainian cities, although it is still more common to travel by train domestically.
See: Lviv Airport Website. The airport is very basic, without an ATM or currency exchange.
By train
- The easiest way to get to Lviv 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 takes 3 to 4 hours). There is also a direct train from Krakow to Lviv once a day, but this is not recommended 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 throughout Ukraine, including multiple daily trains (including overnight trains) from Kyiv. Timetables can be found at poezda.net.
- Trains from Hungary and Slovakia come through Lviv, usually on their way to Kyiv. Trainfare from both countries 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
From Poland: take the E40, this will end at the city center. Keep in mind that all formalities at the border take about an hour, there will be a big waitingline for trucks, you can pass this if you travel by car.
Ukrainian roads are bad, and Ukrainian drivers have a rough driving style. When you drive into Lviv, make sure you have a good map because getting lost in this town is very easy.
Buses to Lviv
There are daily buses from Polish cities: Warsaw, Przemyśl, Lublin, Wrocław. It is possible also to get there by bus from other European cities.
From Przemyśl there are 2 types of buses that regularly travel to L'viv. The first is the PKS (Polish Coach Buses) and the second is private buses.
The private buses are found just ouside of the train station on the opposite side from the main station. They head to the border when they are full, which takes about 20 minutes and travel to the border is about 15 minutes. The price is 2 PLN (June 2007). The bus drops you off at the foot way to the border. On the Ukraine side private buses can be taken to L'viv; these take from 2 to 3 hours, and can be found up the main road on the right. They price is around 20 UAH (June 2007); the buses are often packed and can be uncomfortable at times. It is an adventure. Prepare to be in a bus full of smugglers.
Get around
Lviv has an extensive tram and mini-bus network.
- Mini-buses (1 UAH) are known as marshrutki and follow a set route, but without a fixed timetable or stops. To indicate a desire to board, extend one arm as the marshrutka approaches; simply ask the driver to stop when you would like to get off.
- Trams cost .50 UAH (students .30 UAH), and tickets are purchased on the tram from the conductor who roams throughout the tram to collect money and distribute tickets. It's interesting to note that mostly all of the drivers of the trams are women.
- Taxis are available throughout the city, and the city center is swarming with them at night. They are rarely equipped with a meter, so you must agree on a price with the driver ahead of time.
Lviv attractions and sightseeing
Churches
- Latin Cathedral
- St. George's Cathedral
- Armenian Cathedral
- Dormition Cathedral (Orthodox)
- The Dominican Cathedral
- The Bernardine Monastery
- Jesuit Church
Landmarks
- Lychakivskiy Cemetery
- Union of Lublin mound
- Market Square
- Lviv theater
- Lviv University (named by Ivan Franko)
- Lviv National Polytechnic University
Museums
- Pharmacy Museum
- Museum of Religion
City tours
Learn
Work
Shopping, Lviv souvenirs
The Ukrainian currency is known as the hryvnia (you may also hear the pronunciation "grivnia"). It was introduced in 1996. The exchange rate hovers around 5 UAH to 1 USD.
Both ATMs (known as "bankomats") and currency exchanges ("obmin valyuti") are ubiquitous throughout Lviv, particularly in the city center. Most, but not all, ATMs will accept Visa and Mastercard. Currency exchanges will often only accept foreign currency in pristine condition. Travellers' checks are not very useful in Lviv; however, there are still a few hotels and banks that will cash them for you.
Do not expect to be able to use a credit card everywhere you go. Their usage is becoming more widely accepted, but is still somewhat limited to large, upscale stores and a few restaurants.
You should be aware that attempting to pay for something inexpensive with a large denomination (50 UAH and above) will often at the very least annoy the shopkeeper; salespeople may even refuse to sell to you if you do not have any smaller denominations. Grocery stores and other high-volume shops are an exception to this rule.
Good restaurants and cheap meals
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.
Lviv nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs.
- Club Metro
- Millenium Club
- Kult
Hotels, youth hostels, lodging
Budget
Your best bet may be Lviv Backpackers, 37 Kotliaesvshoho, Lviv. Located just above the town center at the Kievskaya tram stop, this modern, comfortable, backpacker-run hostel offers budget comfort in a quiet leafy neighborhood. Friendly English-speaking staff are able to recommend local sights, hot spots, side trips and accurate travel advice.
There's a very nice youth-hostel located not too far from the center. Its name is Rainbow House in English.
Hotel Lviv is located right on the main strip, two blocks north of the Opera. It is inexpensive and no-frills, with average rooms for one and two person occupancy. Many rooms offer a nice view of Lviv center; pick the ones facing the street (obviously). There is also a restaurant/bar and a currency exchange kiosk inside the lobby.
The Host Families Association (HOFA) [1] based in St. Petersburg will find you accommodations with an English-speaking host family beginning at 19 EUR per night.
Mid-range
Hotel George (Жорж), pl. Mickiewicz 1, +380 322 725 952 (fax 297 11 44) [2]. $38-$121 (rooms with private bathroom beginning at $73.50).
Wien Hotel (Відень Готель), pl. Svobody 12, +380 32 244 43 14 (email wienhotel@mail.lviv.ua) [3]. $70-$140 (breakfast included).
Hotel Dnister (Дністер), Mateyka st. 6, +380 32 297 43 17 (fax 297 10 21) [4]. $80-$260.
Hotel Eney (Еней), Shimzeriv st. 2, +380 322 768 799 (email eney@mail.lviv.ua) [5]. 69-187 EUR.
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
Grand Hotel (Гранд Готель), pl. Svobody 13, +380 322 724 042 (fax 769 060, email grand@ghgroup.com.ua) [6]. $126-$360 (breakfast included).
Opera Hotel (Готель Опера), pl. Svobody 45, +380 32 225 90 00 (fax 225 90 00, email reception@hotel-opera.lviv.ua) [7]. $96-$336 (breakfast included).
Contact
The dialing code for Lviv is +380 32(2). The telephone system was recently modified; thus, to dial 6-digit numbers, use the city prefix 322, but for 7-digit numbers, use only 32.
All calls to and from cell phones are treated as long distance calls. Thus, you must dial an 8 followed by the city/mobile prefix, followed by the phone number. Some frequent mobile prefixes are 050, 067, 066, 096, and 097. The main mobile operators are Kyivstar, Beeline, and UMC. You can buy a SIM card or a balance replenishment card at many stores throughout Lviv.
Internet cafes are plentiful. Centrally located is Pavuk (Spider), 7 Prospect Svobody, open 24 hours.
Stay safe
Ukrainian cities are not as dangerous as they may seem, though a bit more precaution is required. Common tricks include impersonating a police officer. 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 pick-pocketing happens less as the risks are bigger.
Cope
It is essential to learn some Ukrainian before visiting, or at the very least, learn the Cyrillic alphabet. Everyone understands Russian, as well, though some people prefer not to use it. As a tourist struggling to be understood, you should be exempt from any anti-Russian hostility. It is sometimes possible to figure words out simply by sounding them out, if they have an English cognate. Any Slavic language will be very useful. With older people, in particular, German might be useful.
People selling you tickets at the train station will most likely not speak anything other than Ukrainian or Russian and may have no patience nor sympathy for you. (Neither will the people waiting behind you in line). If you speak Polish then surviving in Lviv shouldn't be a problem, as many people understand some Polish. Some sales people will not know the Latin alphabet, so make sure to carry a small note with your name written in Cyrillic! Queues 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. Make sure you get in the line for foreigners when you want to buy train tickets. No, the cashier will NOT speak English. But if you go to a different line they'll just tell you to go to the foreigner's line, and then you will have wasted a lot of time waiting for nothing.
Get out
There are many possible day trips from Lviv. Some options include nearby monasteries Krekhiv and Univ; the beautiful Carpathian mountains and their accompanying ski resorts are also not far.
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