Lviv, Ukraine
After a nine hour train ride from Poland, which was an experience in itself, I arrived in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv. The “City of the Lion” or “Little Paris of Ukraine” is home to over 700,000 people and is well known for its many universities, architecture styles, and artistic venues.
One of the first things I have to mention is that while there was (and still is) trouble in the East of Ukraine, I didn’t feel threatened or like I was in a war zone the entire time I was in Lviv. Now that we got that out of the way, let me tell you about this wonderful city.
I’m not sure if you have heard of Lviv before, but let me tell you that the people make this city amazing. Whether it was attending a business networking event hosted by Fryday or having a meal at a local restaurant, I somehow made friends and ended up having a great time everywhere. So, don’t feel shy around in this city and please don’t feel intimidated by the thought of traveling to Ukraine alone.
Must see places:
Old Town: Now, just as a rule, anywhere named “Old Town” is pretty much a must see. Lviv’s Old Town is no exception. UNESCO World Heritage site, great architecture, museums, churches, trolleys, restaurants, shopping, entertainers, and a great place for people watching.
Cost: ? More Info: Here
After descending some stairs into the “bunker”, you will once again be questioned and assigned a seat. The decorations are anti-Soviet and pro-UPA in nature. The food is alright, but the booze is even better and reasonably priced. As with any good secret location, you do not enter the same way you came in. Rather, you go through another door, ascend multiple levels, go through a courtyard, pass through the gift shop and finally leave. It’s more expensive than most places (a whole $5.75, in US Dollars) for drinks and three course meal, but the novelty makes it fun
Cost: $5-10 USD More Info: Here
Lviv Chocolate Factory: Sometimes I go somewhere and think, “oh, so and so would really enjoy this place.” At the Lviv Chocolate Factory, I think the list would be too long to count! You get to see the whole process of how the chocolate is made, which is cool, but is that really why you visit a chocolate factory? If you are like me, you can just skim that part and head right on up to where they sell the hand made chocolate. MMMM. And yes, I bought a spoon made out of all chocolate. Why? Have you ever seen a spoon made out of all chocolate before? Cost: $2 USD – Infinity and Beyond! More Info: Here
The Latin Cathedral: Officially known as the Archcathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, these grounds have been home to a church since 1344. Originally built as a wooden church dedicated to the Holy Trinity, this church was lost in a fire and rebuilt. Since then the grounds have been rebuilt, visited by kings, home to Holy Relics, allowed to stay open during Soviet times (1 of 2 such churches in Lviv), blessed by Saint John Paul the Great (Pope John Paul II).
This church has witnessed a great deal and is ever bit as beautiful as many more well known churches in the world. Cost: Free More Info: Here
House of Legends restaurant: Interested in experiencing the different legends of Lviv? Just say yes. Visiting the House of Legends is awesome. Five completely unique floors, each themed with their own legend, and a great panoramic view of Lviv on the roof top. I highly suggest this very non-traditional type of restaurant.
Cost: ? More Info: Here
Other Stuff:
There are a ton of other things to do in Lviv, but it really depends on what you would like to do (don’t worry, they are all pretty close together). So, I will just let you take a look at some of the top things to do, according to TripAdvisor.
Fryday Networking Events: http://www.fryday.net/ukraine/lviv/
Roofland, a site my friend runs that documents all of the amazing adventures, and views, of the roofs she has walked: http://roofland.esy.es
Food in Ukraine: http://www.tryukraine.com/society/food.shtml
More about Lviv: http://lviv.travel
Language: Ukrainian
Currency: Hryvnia (1USD = approximately 21 Hryvnia)
Emergency Phone Numbers: Fire 101, Police 102, Ambulance 103.
You Are Awesome!
-Mike
Comments? Questions? Suggestions? Please leave them down below.
Mike The Migrant 