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Lviv Guide – Travel to Ukraine with Guide me UA – Kiev Private Tours
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Lviv Travel Guide
16 Feb

Lviv Guide – Travel to Ukraine with Guide me UA

Cultural sites, coffee shops, classic and latest fashion places, showrooms with Ukrainian brands – find all the best in Lviv in our guide.

TRANSPORT IN LVIV

The easiest way to get to your destination is direct train Kyiv-Lviv. If you chose to first fly from abroad to the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv.

You can also get from Kyiv to Lviv by Ecolines buses. However, this way to get to the coffee capital of Ukraine has two big disadvantages. Ukrainian roads are hell, and this is not an exaggeration. Therefore, get ready that for a long road of bumps and potholes; normal road begins only on Rivne – Lviv. If you sleep soundly, and this does not scare you, pay attention to the second feature of the route.

Trains from many cities of Ukraine go to Lviv; for example, five or six trains depart from Kiev every day, which means you can plan your route from almost any Ukrainian city (schedule and tickets available for purchase on Ukrzaliznytsia website).

If you are in Kyiv – Kyiv Tours

 

The fastest way to get from Kyiv or from anywhere else to Lviv is by plane.

It is not difficult to get around Lviv: all the most interesting sights are located within walking distance. Moreover, a leisurely walk with stops in city coffee houses is the best way to experience the atmosphere of the city.

When you are in Lviv – Lviv Tours

 

To get to the center, use tram – routes No. 1, No. 2, No. 6, No. 9, No. 10 connect different parts of the city and its center. Tickets cost $ 0.3 per trip, sold at Lvovelectrotrans and Interpress kiosks; you can also ask tram driver to sell you one. Same as in other cities of Ukraine, minibuses are very popular in Lviv ($0.2 regardless of distance).

There are several taxi services in Lviv. The cheapest is Economy taxi. It costs $0.6 for the first kilometer of the way, and then the rate is $0.2/km; other services price first 2 km at $0.6 per kilometer. Economy taxi does not charge extra for luggage unlike many other taxi services ($0.6). However, their pick-up time is not so fast – up to 25 minutes. Pay attention to the following: sometimes in Lviv if one taxi service has no available, they transfer the order to another service. Therefore, it may add extra $1.2 to the price you pay. You can also order a car online.

  • Since February 2017, Uber has been working in Lviv. The minimum cost of the trip is $0.5.
  • Since recently, there is city bike rental available in Lviv.

ACCOMODATION IN LVIV

If you have a company for the trip, it is better to rent apartment for your group. Well-equipped and with great views, apartments cost starts at $10 per night for 2-4 people.

Hostels in Lviv

City center has dozens of hostels, each with really cool location. If you are looking for quick access to attractions, excellent view of the city and the opportunity to meet similar-minded backpackers, check in at Central Square Hostel (5 Rynok Square). Location in the heart of Lviv in old house, the invariably warm welcome from the owners, who even cook food with you in the kitchen – all this for $8 per day.

GHOSTel (9 Copernika Street). Not only fancy place with antique interior, but also the opportunity to spend an evening by the fireplace. The kitchen, however, is modern and completely does not fit into the concept – but this is only for the best. The price of all this starts at $10 per bed in a dormitory room.

Soviet Home Hostel (3 Drukarskska Street, top floor) – unexpected (as for Lviv) opportunity to plunge into the Soviet past. Despite the central street, here you can enjoy the silence surrounded by Soviet gizmos familiar from childhood and drink tea from electric samovar; be aware – Lenin is watching from the posters.

Old City Hostel (3 Berindi Street) is another old house two-minute walk away from Rynok Square, where you can have budget and quite comfortable stay. If you like night parties, the place is perfect for you. Sometimes it is pretty hard to fall asleep before midnight.

DREAM Hostel Lviv (5 Krakovska St.) is a large European-style hostel in the center of Lviv. Like its Odessa, Poltava and Kiev counterparts, the hostel is cozy, bright, clean and international. On the ground floor of the building, you will find Druzi Café (we will tell more about it below). There is coworking at the hostel. The building is a recently restored architectural monument of the 18th century.

A&A Hostel (6 Tugan-Baranovsky St.) is great for those who do not want to listen to the sounds of tourist boom around the clock. The hostel is located on a quiet street 10 minutes from the center towards the High Castle. Fresh and stylish interior decoration will delight travelers.

Shelter (8 Kurbasa St.) differs from other hostels by “naked” walls in the rooms and original heating stoves decorated with enameled tiles. Another advantage you will enjoy is their modest price of breakfast (€1).

Z-One Hub (27 Tchaikovsky St.) is an individually designed apartment and hostel with 30 beds in one bottle. Beds have curtains and personal lighting. The hotel has a patio with hammocks where you can have a private breakfast.

Hotels in Lviv

Lviv Hotel (7 Chornovola Avenue). Accommodation at the hotel costs a little more than the hostel – the price for a single room with breakfast is $15 per night. Crossing the avenue, you will find yourself in a large beer restaurant Kumpel – the hardest thimg here is to find your room after few liters of delicious local beer.

Hotels in Lviv are very affordable even for those who are used to staying in hostels. For example, for $27 you can rent a simple room at George Hotel (1 Mitskevich Square) – with a good breakfast and mesmerizing view from the window.

The Lviv Central Jam Hotel (18a Copernik Street) has nice freshly renovated rooms for $43. Really good breakfast (order the day before!), wide beds and a jar of jam for all guests as a present are included.

Etude Hotel (20a Ivan Franko Street). The interior of this hotel looks like illustrations from Swedish fancy magazines and spacious rooms have everything you need. Breakfast includes fresh pastries, granola and yoghurts. However, do not expect good sound insulation – feels like the walls are made of cardboard.

Budget Hotel Family (14 Tadeusz Kosciuszko Street) is a lovely place near the Opera House. The room in the basement with red brick walls is particularly impressive. Room prices range from €26 to €48, there are special rooms designed for a family or a large company.

Astoria Hotel (15 Gorodotska Street) – a luxurious option in a historical building in the city center. There are rooms with great city views.

Budget Family Hotel (14 Kostyushki St.) is a family-style hotel a short distance from the center. The nearest tourist point is Lviv National University. The hotel is good for group travel, as the most atmospheric room here is for eight people. It has two rooms, rounded ceiling, brickwork, large vintage bed and three bunk beds.

Blum Hotel (4 Drogobichka St.) is a hotel with a fresh Central European design without vintage and other trash. Pleasant features are you stay with pets and food (all rooms have a refrigerator). This is solid European three star hotel. It is only 1o minute walk to get to Opera House.

Danylo Inn (20 Galitska St.) is a recently opened hotel with a pleasant design and view of the monument to Danil Galitsky, that is, in the very center of the city. The building was constructed in the XVIII century, but it was fully renovated.

Lviv Loft Construction (3 Vuzka St.). If you have not helped building a summer cottage for your parents and miss seeing the pipes and cords hanging out of the walls, this place is best for you. However, if you are looking for unusual sensations – this place is also good for you. The mini-hotel is stylized as an unfinished building, but at the same time, it is clean and equipped with everything necessary for life, including hotel slippers and coffee maker in the room. In addition, administrative staff of the hotel wears construction helmets. There are more than enough places for a good selfie.

If you find yourself in Lviv at night and only for a couple of hours, and the weather doesn’t allow you to stroll along the night streets, do not worry – you will find a roof over your head, cozy sofas on the windowsills, Wi-Fi and coffee with sandwiches in 24/7 anti-cafe Communa (1 Halytska Street) in the city center. The price is $0.3/hour. Cocoa, sandwiches and Internet are included.

Social Events and Entertainment in Lviv

Where to go in Lviv during the day?

Latin Cathedral (1 Catedralna Square) is an architectural monument of several eras, which was originally built as a Gothic, and was completed in the Baroque style. Here you will plunge into the bewitching world of icons, sculptures, stained-glass windows and listen to beautiful organ music.

Armenian Cathedral (7 Virmenska Street) is the heart of the Armenian quarter that was once here. Unusual feature of this building is the three interconnected courtyards connecting the buildings belonging to the Cathedral. It attracts believers and city guests with its magical power, which is hidden in the old Armenian paintings, the mosaic vault and the old bell tower.

City Arsenal (5 Pidvalna Street). Here you can see one of the largest collections of cold steel and firearms of different times and peoples – from Arab sabers to European two-handed swords, guns, armor and even military awards. The building with windows-loopholes, surrounded by a moat, creates an atmosphere of militancy and seems to protect the city from enemy attacks even today.

Lviv Opera House (28 Svobody Avenue). The legendary symbol of the theater in Lviv, where world-famous opera performers have their best shows. You can look at the exquisite interior decoration during tour of the theater, but to get a complete picture of one of the favorite places of Lviv citizens, it is better to go to the opera (tickets from $10). Around the theater, life is always in full swing, and therefore people often gather here; often, there are fairs and small festivals.

This is where you can also enjoy festive and crowded Liberty Avenue (Ukr. Prospekt Svobody). Here you feel a strong contrast with the small streets of the old city: scope, large space, lots of cars and people, street shows, fairs, souvenirs and cafes for every taste.

Stryisky Park (Striyska Street) is one of the most beautiful parks in Western Ukraine, where you can ride a bicycle, feed squirrels and swans, admire the ponds and fountains, or simply get lost for a while among the many paths. If you want silence, peace and fresh air, head straight there.

Ancient sculptures, ancient chapels, reflections on famous and talented people and their fate in history – if you are looking for inspiration, be sure to visit the Lychakiv Cemetery (33 Mechnikova Street), more like an open-air park museum than a cemetery in the usual sense of this the words.

There is another must-see place not far from the Lychakiv Cemetery – Shevchenkovsky Gai (Chernecha Gora, 1), which is also an open-air museum. This is something like Kiev Pyrogovo, only several times more colorful, because not only the exterior and interior of Ukrainian huts and places of worship, wooden bridges, wells, barn, stables, etc., but also incredible landscape of the Carpathians are replicated with noticeable pedantry. Exhibitions are constantly held in museum buildings; lambs graze in corrals, and on weekends, local craftsmen treat tourists with liquors. Admission price to the museum is only $0.8.

For the highlights of Lviv, go to Tarkovsky Street, which is also known as Fellini Street, and it also has four other names. All this is because five years ago during the KinoLev festival, a tradition was born – annually adding a new name to the street in honor of the one to whom the festival is dedicated that specific year. To find the place, go to Archivna Street, closer to Staroevreyska Street.

If we are talking about the atmosphere, it is time to mention a very short, but very picturesque street, or rather the passage – Kryva Lypa (Ukr. Curved linden). You can get on it by turning into one of the courtyards from Liberty Avenue. The street is paved with paving stones, and in its very center stands a 150-year-old linden, which has remained here to grow from the time when the Maer Botanical Garden was in this place. There is a bench for those in love near the linden. There are several interesting cafes on the street.

You will find another Lviv landmark at 88 Zelena Street. Here you will meet Pablo Picasso, barefoot and in shorts (which for some reason are often called underpants) and holding a cigarette in his hands. Lviv residents say that it was in this uniform that he walked along the streets of the city when he lived here. Therefore, this is the way they captured him.

However, in Lviv they honor not only artists, but also travelers. To make sure of this, go to 41 Doroshenko Street. There, in the courtyard of the Geographical Faculty of Lviv University, you will find monument to a backpack that is more than a meter high. Next to it, you will find a stand that tells the history of the evolution of a backpack.

In the First Tram Depot (185 Gorodotska Street), you can see the city tram of 1909, which is still operational or climb into sixty-year-old snowplow. Depot’s hangars were built almost two centuries ago and are perfectly preserved: a glass roof, a six-meter ceiling and wooden paving stones help to feel the bygone era. The public organization “Lvivites for Electric Transport” sometimes negotiates with the management of the Depot and arranges open door days – then you can not only look, but also drive the retro trams!

A portrait of Bandera, an old radio, wheels, paintings and many lost, forgotten or simply already unnecessary toys – all this you will find in the courtyard of the most ordinary house (3 Knyazya Leva Street), which looks like a real exhibition of things from childhood. That is why it is called Yard of lost toys. This is entourage and a bit mystical, although made by the most ordinary people. By the way, if you have fluffy hare back from your childhood lying on a shelf, you can bring it here.

Nevertheless, do not rush to leave the district under the Castle. Nearby, at the address of 2 Knyazya Leva Street, there is another interesting place – the Yard-Museum of the USSR. Here at the entrance you will meet sad Putin, who will explain who is moskal; from around the corner Comrade Stalin will look menacingly and young Pankratov-Chorny will grin at you. Be careful, because “there are evil dog and crazy fleas in the yard”.

It is worth checking into another Lviv courtyard – the Italian courtyard on Rynok Square (6 Rynok Square). This is a small harmonious Italy in the very center of Lviv – it where Shakespeare plays were staged in the 17th century. In the courtyard, you can enjoy a cup of coffee in the summer cafe or listen to live jazz.

The courtyard of the Theater of Young Spectators (11 Gnatyuka Street) will impress not only young, but also quite adult guests, especially those who like arthouse and a riot of colors. It all started with theater workers assembling a collection of props here, dressing and arranging dolls in a very bizarre way. Then Bulgarian artists added their drawings to this psychedelic composition. It looks more impressive than many galleries of contemporary art.

When you walk around Rynok Square, look at one of its courtyards (13 Rynok Square), there is “Shchos Tsikave” (Ukr. Something interesting); this is what the creators of this creative space promise and they do not lie. Here you will find a shop with hand-made products, a cafe and an art gallery – the only open-air gallery in Lviv where young artists from Ukraine and Poland exhibit their works. In addition to exhibitions, Shchos Tsikave holds workshops and acoustic concerts.

Kastelivka. Garden City (and now the district of Lviv), built in the 80s of XIX century by the main city architects of that time – Ivan Levinsky and Julian Zakharevich. Budapest Art Nouveau, Transylvanian castles, Transcarpathian architecture – you will easily find something familiar here. In warm weather, it is worth simply hanging out and taking pictures in this area — no one will ever guess where you are if you turn off geolocation on your gadgets. The most interesting houses are 27 Kotlyarevsky Street and 50 Chuprynky Street.

The Potocki Palace (15 Kopernika St.) in the style of French classicism and the neighboring exhibition building of the Lviv Palace of Arts with columns are a photogenic ensemble. If you are lucky, you will see interesting relevant art projects or the Book Forum (Lviv Forum of Publishers), the country’s most significant book festival. It is held in early September.

Lviv Art Gallery (3 Stefanyka St.) is considered the largest in Ukraine and owns an impressive collection of works. Among the 58 thousand exhibits, there are works by Goya, Rubens and Titian, as well as Repin and Levitan. The stunning central building is a stone’s throw from Rynok Square, but there are 11 more interesting departments of the Gallery. Pay attention to the Church of the Clarics of the 16th century. Today it is Johann Georg Pinzel museum of Lviv Sacral Baroque Sculpture (2 Mytna Square). Incredibly plastic sculptures of the “Ukrainian Michelangelo” are displayed in a separate room. Admission fee is €1.

Lviv Les Kurbas Academic Theater (3 Kurbas Street) is a relatively young Ukrainian theater and at the same time an interesting building with a small stage, semicircular second floor, open balcony, columns and informal atmosphere. There are very few spectators’ sits here, so buy a ticket online in advance.

Lviv Organ Hall (8 Bandera St.) is still a rare cultural phenomenon in Ukraine. It is modernized organ hall with a fresh program, love for the visitor and energetic youth approach. Today, events are held here in 20 of the 30 days of the month: cartoons and films to live music, lunches with classical accompaniments, choir plus performance, visual installations and much more. Tickets are sold fast.

The Sheptytsky Center (29 Striiska St.), also called the Library of the Ukrainian Catholic University is the best place to read a book close to Striysky Park. This cultural center is the only case of the construction of a new building for the library in the modern Ukrainian history. However, built in the form of a stylized book pile, the Sheptytsky Center is not entirely about books. There is a large terrace with colored tables and chairs, and greenery; cultural events and exhibitions are held. The entrance is free.

Observation Decks

The observation deck of the High Castle (Vysokyi Zamok, Ukr. High Castle) is the place with the best views of the old city. If you are not afraid of a long climb, then this is just right. Incredible panoramas of the city fully justify the climb, which can be combined with a walk in the park. Now there is a television center and transmitting tower on the mountain, which can be seen from anywhere in the city.

When walking to the High Castle, pay attention to another mountain – the one with a sandy cliff; this is Bald Mountain or Lion Mount, a place full of legends and never overflowing with tourists, which is why it is very attractive. However, there is another explanation for such popularity. The history of the mountain began in the XIV century, when a second castle was built here – the palace of King Leo of Galicia. After the castle was destroyed, a gypsy camp lived on the mountain for a long time. Later (as the legends say), it became a meeting point for the witches’ covens. Now there is a cross on the mountain, and the view from there is magical. You can get to the top along paths from Krivonos and Dovbush streets.

To get panoramic view of the city, walk up the tower of the Gothic church of Olga and Elizabeth (1 Kropyvnytskyi Square) near the railway station. This is ideal place for sociophobes: tourists never get there. This is the tallest building in Lviv – 88 meters!

You can also see Lviv from a height by climbing to the observation deck of the Town Hall, unless, of course, you are afraid of climbing 408 steps. However, the view from there is gorgeous – you will see all the main attractions. It is also worth approaching the Town Hall at a certain time, even if you don’t plan to climb the observation deck. At 12pm on weekdays and every hour on weekends, trumpeters appear from the window on the tower and play the melody of the city anthem.

It is best to admire Lviv’s tiled roofs from the upper terrace of House of Legends Café and Restaurant (48 Staroevreyska Street). You can go to the observation deck free, even if you are not going to hang out in a cafe with a cup of coffee and dessert. Although, how can you help doing it?

Where to go in the evening in Lviv?

Lviv residents prefer coffee to strong alcohol and a book to a noisy disco. Therefore, Lviv is not the place to go for nightlife. However, this is perfect place for creativity and inspiration. Moreover, in addition to street musicians, many cafes and bars turn into creative space every night here.

One of such places is the pub-restaurant L’UFT (17 Kopernika Street) – here in the evenings local progressive youth hang out and concerts of non-pop musicians take place. Admission is free, and the prices on the menu are more than affordable.

Another gastro-creative place is the art-cafe “Kvartyra 35” (Ukr. apartment) (right above the gallery “Dzyina”, 35 Virmenska Street). Every Thursday, Jazz Club Lviv gathers here with jazz concerts and jam sessions. On other evenings, they also have live music.

Another cultural space of Lviv is the popular Kopalnya Kavy Cofee Manufacture (10 Rynok Square), where music groups play every Friday to Sunday evening. They also held intellectual conversations with smart people in the format of a public meeting.

In the evenings, to find live music (orchestra!) go to Pravda Beer Theater (32 Rynok Square). They also held occasional themed parties and board games competitions here. However, with real brew beer, any activity goes perfectly.

If you want to get acquainted with the local theater, go to the most non-glamorous, but creative and social one – “I lyudy, I lyalki” (Ukr. both people and dolls) (6 Fedora Street). Here they use the game with dolls to speak on adult topics.

Quick Meals and Snacks

In a gastronomic paradise like Lviv, do not waste your appetite for all kinds of fast food – only if you are walking around the Christmas or Easter fair. Nevertheless, for those who like quick snacks, we still have a couple of places to check out.

Korova Kol’orva (15 Tchaikovsky St.). Adherents of burgers, that is for you! American, Italian, Chilean, well-fed “cows” are all excellent beef burgers to eat there or to-go. There are even options with tofu! The motto of the place is “first grab a burger, and then conquer the world” and it does not lie – after a couple of bites, you feel ready for new exploits.

In the moat near the Arsenal, there is a street food market where you can check out the flavored fish and meat cooked on fire, as well as taste the famous Crimean Tatar pilaf.

In the summer on weekends, the Ivan Franko Park hosts the Snidanok Fair (Ukr. Breakfast Fair), where you can also taste traditional local and European meals. However, it is best to taste street food during fairs – then the city center is literally filled with aromas of fried home-made sausages, sharp ribs, delicious baked potatoes and mulled wine. At this time, in all the shops of the city you can order a traditional mushroom soup made of porcini mushrooms, which they will pour into a large plastic glass. Lunch consisting of such soup, fried sausages, baked potatoes and mulled wine cost $4-5.

For those who like to eat a lot and yet not overspend, there is Puzata Hata chain of cafes (12 Sichovih Striltsiv Street /10 Shevchenka Avenue). Lunch costs a maximum of $4-5. Be sure to order the dumplings, they are simply delicious!

Sweet tooth and those who do not imagine their lives without good bakery should definitely go to Lviv Plyacki (13 Rynok Square). Here you can try delicious cakes with a variety of stuffing: from chicken and spinach to cherries and chocolate – and drink aromatic coffee or herbal tea. Generously pour pies with incredible sauces from large pots – all this is already included in the price.

If you need to have a bite very quickly, right on the go, make sure to check 7 Krakivska Street. Here in Mlinets and Kava, they make incredibly delicious French pancakes and coffee (1 pancake – $1). For pancakes, there is often a long queue lined up, but don’t be afraid – it moves quickly. Honestly, while you wait, you change your mind several times from “with chicken and mushrooms” to “with Nutella and banana”.

To eat incredibly cheap and tasty, go a little further from the center towards the railway station – in the Cisar Cafe (67 Gorodotska Street). They perfectly cook signature Ukrainian pans, pizza and pita bread with toppings. The atmosphere of a well-groomed post-Soviet canteen. For lunch, you will spend no more than $2.

Dogs Like Ducks (27 Valova St.) is a small fully vegan establishment with hot dogs, sweets and coffee. Here, buns are filled with tofu, seitan, pumpkin, beets and corn in unexpected proportions. The placenhas several seats and a small desk.

Marusя (3 Kriva Lypa Passage and 5 Shevchenko Avenue) is a place where dumplings with seductive names and incredible colors are considered street food. There are chicken with black parmesan, and there is green with spinach, tomatoes and pine nuts. You can also find fresh salads on the menu. Meals are packed in boxes; there are tables on the street.

Salalat (7 Kriva Lypa Passage) – a salad-bar-window with a view of the picturesque and lively patch near the crooked linden. Tastes are pretty unexpected. Just think about combination of mandarin-spinach-feta-persimmon!

TikiThai (9 Kriva Lipa Passage; 4 Staroevreyska Street) – café chain with Thai food. The menu includes traditional soups tom yum and milk tom kha gai, as well as ramen, wok and a variety of noodles. As befits an Asian institution, there are many ingredients and spices.

KaVa (10 Konovalets Street) – they offer tomato soup, hummus, shakshuka, salads, coffee, caramel tarts and there are no tourists at all. Konovalets Street is a quiet place with old villas, many of which have been preserved in their original form. Sit by the panoramic window and enjoy.

COFFEE HOUSES AND COFFEE SHOPS

Coffee houses should certainly be separate line in your Lviv-to-do-list. In this city making and drinking good coffee has been turned into art. That is why in every cozy nook of Lviv you will find a small coffee shop or even a coffee manufacture. With coffee, you should try the most delicious Ukrainian cheesecake.

Lviv Coffee Mining Manufacture (10 Rynok Square) is three in one: coffee house, bookstore and mine. The smell (and taste!) of aromatic coffee, branded liquors, the history of coffee and its inextricable connection with the city, romantic atmosphere on the ground floor and a mystical mine in the basement where you will certainly be given a helmet, because the passages here are really narrow and dark. Prices for a cup of coffee start at $0.8.

Na Bambetli Coffee House (29 Rynok Square) is located in the former passage of Andreolli, where the first Lviv cake-shop was once located. Quiet, cozy, decorated in a European style – a place where you can relax without pathos and claims, eat a traditional cheesecake with a cup of always-delicious coffee.

The coffee shop Pid Klepsydroyu (Dzyga) (35 Virmenska Street) is a meeting place for the avant-garde public, savvy tourists and local bohemians. It is located directly in the gallery, where the exhibition of contemporary painting is constantly held. In such a place, one always wants to get a get-together in a vintage armchair with a glass of wine and talk about art or history. In addition, here you can try the lard in chocolate, although to be honest this thing is not for everybody – the taste is pretty particular.

Golden Ducat Cafe (20 Ivana Fedorova Street). Stylish, authentic coffee shop in the basement, with a wide selection of drinks, including even such exotic things as coffee with egg yolk. A great place for cozy gatherings and intimate conversations away from the hustle and bustle.

It is impossible to end up in Lviv and pass by the Lviv Handmade Chocolate (3 Serbska Street/ 5 Sichovih Strilsiv Street). Here you can hang out for an hour with a cup of hot chocolate and dessert, and at the same time buy a piece of Lviv in the form of divine hand-made sweets and chocolate for every taste. In the building of the coffee house, which is located at Three Serbska Street, there is a 4th and 5th floor overlooking the roofs, so feel free to walk past the summer terrace and tables at the entrance; the higher the tastier.

Alternatyvna Kava (45 Doroshenko St.). One of the first places in Lviv where they first started freely using such words as purover and French press. You must definitely visit!

Kava on the Spatzer is bicycle coffee shop (Rynok square, near Neptune). Be sure to stop for coffee with your bike on Rynok Square. If you have thermo mug, take it with you and they will make you flat white into your mug and give you a discount. It is both environmentally responsible and profitable!

Pid syniou plyashkoyu Coffee Shop (Ukr. Under the blue bottle) (4 Ruska Street) is a small Austrian café that serves one of the best coffee in Lviv. The atmosphere and recipes for making coffee and desserts are also old-fashioned; coffee with fire is especially popular. There are few tables here, so it is better not to arrive at rush hour. You can taste coffee in Galician, Polish and Turkish style, and even from unique antique dishes. The place is comfortable, chamber and authentic.

If you want to relax in a cafe where there is no crowd of tourists, you should go to Tepliy Piets Coffee House (50 Staroyevreiska Street). The cafe is located directly opposite the famous restaurant “Under the Golden Rose”, which is probably why it goes unnoticed by tourists. There can be no other explanation, because it is incredibly authentic and tasty here, like at home. It is especially nice here in wintertime, because it is not only a place where coffee is prepared on the stove, but also a small museum: the walls of the upper hall are decorated with a collection of rare stoves of the 18th century; there is even a stove in the toilet. In addition to coffee, the cafe pleases its guests with hearty Galician cuisine. Here you can try a duck with apple and order sauce with cranes for meat dishes.

Urban coffee (12 Galytska St. and 17 Sichovykh Striltsiv St.). These are two very special places for connoisseurs of coffee perversions – for example, here they can chop half a packet of Oreo in your coffee or pour half a can of whipped cream in half with liquid caramel, which is both coffee and dessert at the same time.

Blackwood Coffee (16 Rynok Square, 21 Lesya Ukrainka St.). These guys have the strangest ever offer – coffee and burgers. With Raf or ristretto they suggest several sandwiches to choose from (veal, fish, chicken – the selection is pretty wide). Choose the place on Rynok Square – there are incredible panoramic windows and space for people watching.

Black Honey (ул. Костюшко 2). Стильный маленький кофешоп с огромным окном, хорошим выбором напитков и творческой атмосферой.

Palyarnya Chekhovich (72 Heroes of Ukrainian Insurgent Army Street). Coffee loft near Business City ideal for office employees. If you want to work in a place with a good atmosphere with a cup of strong lungo, the place is best for you. It opens at exactly 8:29am.

Black Honey (2 Kostyushko St.). Stylish little coffee shop with a huge window, good selection of drinks and creative atmosphere.

Vіrmenka (19 Virmenska Street). If you are looking for the most iconic among hundreds of Lviv coffee houses – stop here! It is in front of you. By the way, it is this coffee house that owns the largest number of titles in its category (Best Coffee Shop in Lviv in 2016, 2017 and 2018). Vіrmenka exists since 1979, at different times it was visited by musicians, artists and other famous people (you will find photos of them on the walls). Coffee is brewed in an oriental way: in Turkish coffee pot on sand.

Atlyas (45 Rynok Square). Probably, only this coffee house could compete with Vіrmenka for the title of the most-cult one. Located a couple of minutes from the rival, Atlyas belongs to another generation of the aristocracy and the bohemian city of Lviv. Since the XIX century, the institution has maintained the division into halls: White, Green, Gray, Barreling and Artistic. Despite the fact that Atlyas is mainly called a coffee house, its menu also includes Galician meals and beer.

Lviv Coffee and Chocolate Tour

 

CAFE AND RESTAURANTS

The most famous and already quite “poppy” establishment of Lviv is Kryivka (14 Rynok Square). Stylized as a dugout of Ukrainian Insurgent Army, this famous Kneipp is located in one of the cellars of Rynok Square. There is no sign, but it is not difficult to find it – look for hype and entry line. Do not forget the passcode “Glory to Ukraine!” – “Glory to the Heroes!”. This is the only way to enter and get a mead from a guard. Then the most interesting part begins: you look around and really feel like in a dugout from the time of the UI; the waiters in military uniform carry aromatic national meals with interesting names: Fries from Tommy Panas, Dinner of the Wood Gauleiter. The food is very tasty and satisfying and perfectly fits vodka, which is best drunk in a fun and noisy company. If you wanted to buy a T-shirt with the inscription “Goddamned God, I’m not Muscovite,” then you can do it in a gift shop right on the spot.

Those who like something hotter in Lviv should definitely go to the Masoch cafe (7 Serbska Street), named after the Lviv writer Leopold von Sacher-Masoch. This is another place that seems to be known far beyond the city limits. Before ordering, take time to look around: there is a variety of provocative accessories on the tables, and waiters with whips may spank you! The menu is also erotic in style – here you can try meals with aphrodisiacs and exciting cocktails with a surprise: ordering a cocktail, you get a whole show with you in a leading role.

House of Legends (48 Staroyevreiska Street) is a place where you can touch the secret. Each hall of a seven-story cafe is dedicated to one or several Lviv legends, so it is better get ready and have patience, curiosity and a camera. You also gonna like home-made sausages and fragrant baked ribs. In the warmer months, guests can stay directly on the roof – there is a small terrace with bewitching views of Lviv tiled roofs.

Under the Golden Rose (37 Staroyevreiska Street) is great for those who like home atmosphere, as well as for everyone who is interested in Jewish culture. “Galitska Zhidivska Kneipp” – this is what the staff and the owners call this cafe. In the menu, you will read stories from the life of the Jews of Lviv and you will not even notice how you get to the meals. The prices are not set, and at the end of the meal, you will have to bargain with the waiter about the bill.

Gas Lamp Gastropub (20 Vіrmenska Street) is another place from the same creators as the four previous institutions. There are large screens for watching football, a good selection of beer and snacks. We advise you to go up to the top floor and enjoy the view of Lviv rooftops.

The first Lviv grill restaurant of meat and justice (20 Valova Street – Bernardinsky Yard). According to legend, restaurant was opened by the executioner at the place of the torture; due to his profession, the owner was good at meat. This results in pretty unusual theme for the interior and the menu with incredibly delicious meals. Steaks and sausages deserve special attention, and they come with a good selection of red and white wines. The restaurant also has its own guillotine – with its help, they cut sausage. Those who want to taste not only meat masterpieces, but also extremes will be able to try the tortures!

In Kumpel (26 Chornovola Avenue) you will find delicious beer, one meter sausage and other beer snacks. The portions are so large that the waiters are always ready to pack half-eaten to-go. It is better to book a table in advance – locals adore the place. The price is slightly higher than in other similar institutions.

For one of the best steaks of the city and fresh dark beer of their own manufacture, go to Mons Pius (14 Lesi Ukrainky Street). After the obligatory meat, the fragrant platter of homemade cheese and a glass of signature linden tincture, dark medieval interior of the restaurant becomes pleasant and mysterious, and the gloomy faces from the portraits on the walls begin to look approvingly. Before you go to Mons Pius, be sure to check the map: the venue is located outside the wall of the Armenian Church and finding it right away is kind of complicated.

Now to visit champagneria one no longer has to save up for a ticket to Barcelona – you can start your morning with a glass of sparkling wine in Champagneria X&X (29 Lesi Ukrainky Street). For a snack, they offer hot dogs (our $3 favorite is with blood sausage) and khachapuri. If this combination seems strange to you, order oysters – and let it be the most luxurious breakfast of the year.

Delicateka (11 Drukarska Street). Eleven types of burgers for a nice $3. Vegetarians will like burger with a cutlet of green beans, and those who like meat – American breakfast with fried eggs, bacon and sausage. Perfect for a hungover breakfast – they are waiting for you from 9:30am.

You can find out how many dishes can be prepared from a modest river trout (better known in Ukraine as “pstrug”) in the cozy restaurant “Prug, hlіb i vyno” (Ukr. Trout, Bread and Wine, 49 Bratіv Rogatintsіv Street). They serve warm French baguettes and young white wine with the fish. If you desperately decided to feel the local flavor, we advise you to order river trout filled with lard.

The main place of power for Lviv vegetarians is Green cafe (5 Bratіv Rogatintsіv Street) – will also appeal to tourists. Especially for those with feet hurting with endless walks around the city. On the second floor, you can take off your shoes and sit on green pillows right on the floor. Try ratatouille, spaghetti or cheesecakes – almost every meal costs not more than $2-3 here.

In Kryva Lypa culinary studio (8 Kryva Lypa Passage), you will find impeccable cuisine, huge portions and a great sense of humor of the menu compilers. Be sure to try borscht in bread, “fire at the tower” (gazpacho) or “memento more” (pasta with seafood). Another reason to pay a visit to Kryva Lypa is their regular screening of arthouse films in the original language.

Real Belgian waffles in Lviv are cooked in the cafe “Familia wine & waffle” (7 Staroyevreiska Street). This is one of the few gastro places in the center where locals like to go. At first, Lviv residents fell in love with this cafe for divine pasta and black burgers, and now they come to savor delicious waffles with fillings and drink a glass of wine. They also serve good hummus here.

However, if you are looking for truly wine place, then your option is Zakarpatske vid Kovacha Restaurant (6a Drukarska Street). It offers 24 types of original wines from Transcarpathian winemakers, Hungarian-Transcarpathian cuisine, grill menu and selection of homemade cheeses.

OM NOM NOM (10 Rimlianyna St.) is a vegetarian pet friendly cafe with a fun design. Peppy slogans adorn the walls; the place has vinyl player that visitors can use. The menu offers huge bowls, hot dogs, rolls and salads. All recipes are truly original.

Bachevsky Restaurant (8 Shevska Street) is an absolute long-playing hit in the Lviv gastronomic playlist. Queues at any time of the day have already become its highlight. Therefore, here is our lifehack: book a table for at least a week in advance. Inside the restaurant, you will find an authentic interior of the early twentieth century with three floors, a conservatory, a terrace and a veranda. Galician, Austrian and Jewish cuisines are originally perceived, and eat – literally – to the sounds of the harp.

MolodoZeleno (20 Dzherelna St.) is a modern gastro-cultural place 20 minutes’ walk from Market Square. The institution has two floors; there is a picturesque front and back yards. From time to time, they hold parties, events of fashion world and business fields here. The restaurant is located on the site of the legendary nightclub Coyote.

Rebernia (5 Pidvalna St.). “The best ribs in the whole world” – this is how the founders write about themselves. To verify this accurately, it is better to book a table in advance. The ribs are cooked on the grill, and you need to eat them with your hands; make sure you drink beer! The best places are right by the stonewall near the Lviv arsenal.

Cafe 1 (5 Cathedral Street) – a cozy European street restaurant with candles, wine and beautiful cathedral in the neighborhood. The place is more suitable for romantic dates than for friendly gatherings with beer. The menu is Central European with Italian accent.

36 PO (36 Rynok Square). Food as art and art as food – this is what they say about new Lviv venue in the very heart of the city. The restaurant has five floors, and each of them promises unprecedented taste experiences. The most popular Ukrainian meals are rethought and modernized here. You can indulge in gastronomic delights sitting near the huge aquarium, on the roof or in the greenhouse. There is also the Khmilniy PO beer house located in the same building.

Druzi Cafe (5 Krakiwska St.) is a part of the chain but it is full of charm. Same as in Kiev, Druzi Cafe is located in the same building as the hostel. The menu has Ukrainian meals and burgers, there is a bar. On a hot day, you can spend time in the backyard of the venue – it is quiet and shady there.

Pretty High Kitchen (14 Rynok Square) – the newest in the guide! Another odious establishment of the !Fest company, opened on New Year 2019. They say its main feature is “food and music without intermediaries” in the literal sense. Well, when it comes to music, you’ll figure it out: jazz pours from huge white curved handmade speakers. However, the question with the menu is more complicated – there are no waiters or a list of meals here. Every guests is served directly by the cook who made the meal. You can discuss the type of the meal, method of preparation, serving size and price with them.

BARS AND CLUBS

Pravda Beer Theater (32 Rynok Square) is a pub brewery where you can taste eight types of their fresh-brewed beer with live music. It is worth coming here if you want to drink beer directly at the brewery – it is in this style that the interior is decorated. Guests can also enjoy unusual beer-themed snacks such as caramel hot malt.

Banka Fun-bar (7 Kryva Lypa Passage) is a place where you will plunge into the world of party and drive, which is constantly fueled by various shots, longs or just beer in glass jars, flasks and tubes of appropriate size. In addition to world cocktail trends, you will also find Ukrainian delights here: cocktail on borsch or Shot “Garden”. Prices are quite loyal – you can have a great evening here for $10-15 per person.

Tired of the hustle and bustle of Rynok Square? Head to the Dniester Hotel (6 Mateyka Street). There, on the top floor, there is a Panorama bar with great views of the city. Coffee is pretty decent, but don’t expect gourmet cuisine: you can go only for the sake of gorgeous view from the window.

4friends Whiskey Pub (2 Dudaieva Street) – easy whiskey bar with a friendly atmosphere. Here you will find unusual interior with a decor in the form of bottles of whiskey, easy communication and watching football. The pub is good for starting a long evening.

44 Tart Flambe & Bar (44 Rynok Square). Basement bar with impressive cocktail menu, bartender, friends and unobtrusive music. They have happy hour; the price for cocktails is $4–5.

The Room Wine Bar (18 Lesya Ukrainka St.). Pleasant bar with the concept of “wine and snacks”, visitors with liberal opinions, summer terrace you never want to leave.

For a beer and sausages, head to Dublin bar (1A Virmenska Street) – Irish pub where they watch football and talk about life. If you’re not a fan of beer, don’t skip this place anyway – there is no other place in the city where you can find better cherry punch.

Libraria Speak Easy Bar (Armenian courtyard). You will find a win-win combination of cocktails and jazz in this first Lviv speak-easy bar. There is no sign, and therefore look for a large mahogany door with a glass, wrought-iron grill and a bell on the left.

Choven” (33 Virmenska Street). A place for beer bros: 16 types of Ukrainian craft beer, homemade burgers, falafels and a variety of snacks. Join FB to get updated info on what they pour today.

Drunk Cherry (11 Rynok Square and 1/3 Krakivska St.) is a charming mono-alcoholic establishment in the center of Lviv. It serves sweet cherry tincture in beautiful glasses. The project is extremely successful – Cherry has already been opened in Kiev, Odessa and WarsawAlcohol by volume is 17.5%.

If you want party, karaoke, pleasant company and your favorite music, you should check MusicLab (27 Bratіv Rogatyntsiv Street). Rock, electronic, indie, various themed parties, and emotional atmosphere with portraits of famous rock-stars on the walls – all this in a cozy club-cafe, especially when you want to unwind after a busy day of sightseeing.

Metro (3 Evgen Petrushevich Square) is a club in the classical sense of the word. Dance flash mobs, bartender shows, glamorous girls at the bar, music all night, and two dance floors. A place for connoisseurs of a truly “club movement.” The entry price is an average of $4-5 for gents, and free for girls.

SHOPPING 

When you want a classic shopping experience with all the fashion boutiques at once, head to Kings Cross Leopolis (Striiska Street), the largest mall in Western Ukraine. Here everything is in the familiar scenario: Zara, Bershka, Reserved, Stradivarius – and further down the list. When you get tired of new cloth, you can go to nearby Praktiker or Auchan.

Another shopping mall is located right in the center of Lviv; it is called FORUM LVIV (7B Pіd Dubom Street). If we speak about brands, it is same as in Kings Cross, but getting there is far more convenient. This is also where you find the biggest grocery in the center of Lviv – Shopping Center Silpo, although the assortment consists mainly of quality and expensive items.

If you need to buy something simple, check the first floor of the Magnus Shopping Center (1 Spitalna Street – the beginning of Gorodotska Street) or take a walk a little further along Gorodotska Street to the store chain “Blizenko” (44 Gorodotska Street), here the food and prices are absolutely Ukrainian.

It is impossible to visit Lviv and not try the cheese prepared by the Lviv residents with Ukrainian soul. To buy it, go to the oldest market in the city – Galitsky Market (12 Soborna Square, next to the Dominican Cathedral). Here, look for indoor pavilion where you will see large Sirni Mandri shop. Get ready – there are so many options to choose from! Here you will find different varieties of feta cheese and ricotta with additives, sheep’s cheese, chevre, brie, camembert, several types of sauces – from pesto to honey – and fresh bread.

Shchos Tsikave” (Ukr. Something interesting, 13 Rynok Square) is an open-air art gallery and a small handicraft shop where you will definitely find something interesting for yourself and at the same time look at the creations of young and courageous Ukrainians who challenge the canons of the classical painting. Products that you can buy here are made of metal, ceramics, glass and even feathers.

If walking along the streets of Lviv you become infected with a book-like atmosphere, go to the YE Bookshop, which has gained a reputation of a store with the largest selection of Ukrainian books and pleasant service (there is a cozy reading place and Wi-Fi here). In addition, here you can find books by foreign authors in the original language.

Sister’S Dress Gallery (9 Bratіv Rogatyntsiv Street) is a cozy world of designer dresses and accessories under the modest motto “clothes from the outskirts of Europe”. Here you can see, try on and buy things that you always wanted to have, but for some reason no one but Sister’s thought of making them. The styles are simple but non-standard; colors and patterns seem to remind us that clothing is also an art. While you will try on your favorite things, you will be offered to treat yourself to tea with sweets. To make it short, you will definitely want to come back and buy something else.

SKLAD (5 Drogobycha Street). The chamber showroom, opened by Nana Tenetko, maker of glass jewelry. Come here for things of local designers: Soberay clothes, Parade Men’s Goods hair products and of course Nana Accessories jewelry.

Rhizome Store (24 Bratіv Rogatyntsiv Street). 45 brands from fashionable Ukrainian manufacturers – Celestial Body clothes, minimalist jewelry from Starinsky, perfume from Datura Parfums and many other worthy people.

MAYA (9 Yana Zhyzhky Street). Come in for designer jewelry made of different materials – glass, wood, metal and plastic, delicate accessories and handmade utensils. A separate section is dedicated to interior items – you may have to buy an additional suitcase.

Book shop on Fedorova (4 Stavropigiyska Str.) offers art publications, collection and antique books, etc. plus authentic Lviv interior. The bookstore is opposite the stately Dominican Cathedral. Two steps from the store you will find second-hand book dealers – right in the street.

Flea market near the monument to Ivan Fedorov (13 Pidvalna Street). There is no old city without a real flea market with all sorts of trinkets, books and long forgotten old things from childhood! In Lviv, you most likely without knowing it yourself will wander into the central flea market, because it is located very close to the Arsenal, near the monument to Ivan Fedorov. Are you looking for where to buy old, but still quite suitable for shooting Zenith camera? This place is right for you.

It is definitely worth bringing something warming from Lviv, so go to Liqueurs from Lviv store (8 Ruska Street/ 24 Staroeivreyska Street). Fragrant tinctures made of fruits, berries, vegetables, herbs following old recipes are perfect as a souvenir from Lviv. They will help to warm up on a cool winter evening, if of course these sweets survive until winter.

LVIV TOURS

Lviv Old Town Tour is a private walking tour with Lviv local who will take you along the narrow brick streets of the Old City of Lviv and wıll share exciting stories of each amazing attraction. This tour is ideal for those who are for the first time in Lviv and want to see the main attractions and understand the history from A to Z.

Lviv Nightlife Tour is a 3-hour walk with a local from one Lviv bar to another. The tour is private; it will be organized only for you and your friends. Lviv has the best bars in Ukraine, and we are going to show you the best places. During this short bar crawl our local guide will become your friend, will share stories about the city and tell about the life of ordinary Lviv residents. Our guides are regular visitors to local bars and know where and when to go to get the best of the night.

Lviv Underground Tour is a 2-hour walk with a local through the dungeons of Lviv. No, you won’t have to crawl.

Let’s discover the secrets of Lviv dungeons together! Legends say that earlier people could travel under the old city using the underground tunnels.

On our Lviv Underground Tour, you will see the most intriguing places in Lviv. Guests can see interesting catacombs under the churches, the Pharmacy Museum and the Opera House.

Coffee and chocolate tour is a gourmet treat! Lviv is already the most famous coffee city in Ukraine, but there is a huge variety of how coffee can look and how it can taste. Coffee Lviv Tour is an overview of the best coffee houses in the city with incredible stories of coffee stories and coffee tasting. During this tour, you will drink more coffee than you ever had in two hours so make sure to skip your usual morning coffee on the day of the tour.

Lviv Lychakiv Cemetery Tour is a 2-hour walk with a Private Lviv Guide in a very unusual but interesting place.

Someone calls it an open-air museum, others – a necropolis. The cemetery was established back in 1786 by order of the authorities of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This is one of the oldest cemeteries in Europe. Over 400 thousand people are buried here! Moreover, every monument, chapel or tombstone is a work of art.

INFO

In the restaurants of the Lokal chain (which are many themed restaurants in the city), ask for Lokal card, and each time you pay the bill, you will be credited with bonuses that you can use to pay next time.

Lviv is a tolerant and hospitable city; here they do not oppress anyone because of the language one speaks.

Many one- and two-day excursions to the Carpathians and Transcarpathia go from Lviv. Such a tour will add variety to your trip, because the places are really marvelous.

If your bike needs to be fixed, find one of the street bike kits: on 32 Rynok Square (near Pravda Beer Theater Lviv) or near 5 Pіdvalna Street (near the Market of weapons and armors Pіd Arsenalom).

You can bike around Lviv; the city offers state bicycle rental. In the center, there are several rental spots:

  • 18 Slovatskogo Street,
  • 1 Rynok Square,
  • 14 Svobody Avenue,
  • 1 Museum Square.

Contact to Book Lviv Private Tour:

Kate Dobromishev

Tour Guide in Guide me UA / English language / Private Tours in Kyiv

Comment
  • Joseph Gabryel
    16.02.2020 at 23:42

    Beautiful city. Are there any swimming pools or beaches to swim?

Post a Reply to Joseph Gabryel Cancel Reply

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