20 Best Things to do in Lviv, Western Ukraine
/You must have heard about this unique city before, but why you should visit Lviv? Everyone associates Lviv in Ukraine with different things - romance, alcoholic oblivion, gastronomic discoveries, or classic tourism.
For us, Lviv means cafes and restaurants of the Old Town, endless walking around cozy side streets, and tasting various delicacies. All this does not negate the fact that Lviv is always full of adventures and fun acquaintances. In this article, we have collected 20 exciting things to do in Lviv that will help make your trip even better.
Wondering what language is spoken in Lviv, Ukraine? Unlike cities in the east, like Kharkiv, people in western Ukraine speak predominantly Ukrainian.
1. Old Town and Rynok Square
Of course, we can't ignore the popular Lviv tourist attractions, so let's start with them. The Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that includes four giant cathedrals, three "ethnic" quarters (Armenian, Rusyn, and Jewish), several dozen houses from the 16th century, fragments of the fortress. Rynok Square in Lviv is the most famous market square in the city, which is located in the very center. It's a starting point for many side streets that are dotted with various themed cafes and restaurants.
The best advice we can give you is to turn into the first courtyards you come across, explore the nooks and crannies, and don't think about where it will lead you. Let the spirit of adventurism guide you!
Next - get acquainted with the locals! Wonderful Ukrainian people of Lviv would never refuse to help or keep you company. In the evening, young people gather on Market Square and play music, and on weekends the city is bustling. Meaning you may or may not be able to find a seat at a street-side restaurant. Do they speak English in Lviv, Ukraine? Your best bet will be young people between 20 and 35 as they’ve most likely learned a bit of English in school. Alternatively, meet other travelers through one of the apps.
2. Ascend 408 steps up to Lviv City Hall
One of the most popular excursions in Lviv, which many guides and travel agencies offer, is called "Roofs and catacombs of Lviv." There are several observation platforms in the Old Town, and there is also a whole network of underground tunnels. It would be a shame to skip these local mysteries, especially since you don't have to take a guided tour to do this. You can visit them by yourself if you’ve done your homework and know where to go. Let's start with the rooftops.
Just look at the panoramas that open up from the local Town Hall. At the same time, you can lose a couple of kilos and stretch your knee joints, climbing the 408 steps to the top.
Address: Rynok Square, 1.
Price: 40UAH ($1.60).
Working hours: from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (entrance until 6:30 p.m.)
Useful information: At 12:00 on weekdays and every hour on weekends, trumpeters appear in the tower window and play the melody of the city anthem.
3. Climb the High Castle and see Lviv through the bird's eye
We have to extinguish the excitement of lovers of fortifications right away: the High Castle is just the area's name. There really was a fortress here, and the first chronicle mention of Lviv, dating back to 1256, is even associated with it, but in the 19th century, it was dismantled. More precisely, just its remnants were taken apart. Now the High Castle is a park on the Castle Hill, which offers a panoramic view of the city. The difference between this observation deck and the previous one is in the view: from here you can see the hills and more modern buildings while the old part of the city is already far away.
Address: Vulitsya Zamkova
Price: Free
Useful information: On the way up the mountain, you may come across stalls with souvenirs. The magnets here are the cheapest in town.
4. Explore the underground passages of Lviv
Update: temporarily closed
One of the most famous dungeons in Lviv, Ukraine, is located under the Dominican Cathedral and monastery. There, you can see the remnants of the residence of Prince Lev. If you didn’t know already, the city was named after him.
But without a guided tour, it won't be very interesting, just the mini-exposition in the cathedral's basement without explanation. Tours take place 3 times a day: at 11:00, at 14:00, and at 17:00. On a tour, you can learn more about Prince Leo and Princess Constance, hear a couple of tales about ancient Lviv, and some info on the medieval city's history.
Address: Muzeina Square, 1
Price: 50UAH ($2.00).
Working hours: Tue-Sun from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
To be honest, we liked the dungeons of the Garrison Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul much more (aka the Jesuit Church). These catacombs are more imposing and have some kind of mystical entourage due to more space, scarier passages and stories.
Address: Teatralna, 11
Opening hours: Sun-Thu, the dungeons are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Fr-Sat from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tours are held 2 times a day: at 14 p.m. and at 6 p. m.
Another Lviv underground is located under an old pharmacy, but we will tell you about it separately.
5. Don't miss these Cathedrals
Dominican Cathedral and Monastery
We just told you about its dungeons, but we also recommend you to peek inside. It is a Greek Catholic church built in the Baroque style and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Address: Muzeina Square, 1
Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (Latin Cathedral)
This is the main temple of the Lviv Archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church and the only Gothic architectural landmark of ancient Lviv.
Address: Katedralna Square, 1
Church of St. George
The main Orthodox church is an example of neo-Byzantine architecture in Lviv, Ukraine.
Address: Volodymyra Korolenka St, 3
St. George's Cathedral
If you have time, take a look at the Cathedral of St. Jura, which is also included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The church is the Main Greek Catholic Cathedral of Lviv, Ukraine.
Address: Ploshcha Svyatoho Yura, 5.
6. Armenian Quarter
Lviv location became a refuge for Armenians in the distant XIII century. Expelled from their lands, they searched for a new home and arrived in Lviv.
The most famous architectural monument is the Armenian Cathedral, built in 1370. The Armenian Quarter is one of the oldest in Lviv, located next to Rynok Square and Svobody Avenue in Lviv city center.
Address: Virmens'ka Street.
7. Gas Lamp Restaurant
Located in the center of the city, you'll find this one of a kind, Alice in wonderland "Esque" acid house. Well, not really, but you will find some of the coolest cocktails in the city. We weren't the biggest fans of the food or the service, but we can tell you that the experience inside was well worth the visit. Everything that is served and visible inside the establishment is unique down to sufficient detail.
Things to try: Cocktails
8. Lviv Coffee Manufacture Experience
Another place in Lviv that is quite unlike any other place you can visit in Ukraine! Probably the most exquisite and prestigious coffee shop you'll find in the city, but also the most mysterious! Most people don't realize that aside from the hundreds of seats upstairs, they have a basement. Not only do they have a basement, but it also features a bar with a live pyrotechnic coffee-making experience! The "dungeon," as we like to call it, has another hundred or so seats spread out downstairs through the winding tunnels! One of the coolest things you cannot miss on your trip.
Things to try: "sealed coffee" in the basement for 70UAH for an unforgettable experience in Lviv. Or just any coffee upstairs, they all taste great!
9. Tour Lviv Beer Museum and Brewery
The Museum and cultural complex of beer history "Lvivarnya" is among the best things to do in Lviv if you not only like to enjoy beer but also want to know how it is prepared. The museum was equipped back in 2005 on the territory of the Lviv beer museum. The collection consisted of various exhibits: beer barrels, bottles, mugs, old books with beer recipes, and so on. Visitors liked the museum so much that in 2017 it was significantly improved.
Address: Kleparivska St, 18
Price: 90UAH for visiting the museum, 50UAH for beer tasting (4 beers as on the picture). You can wait for the tour or take an audio guide for 30UAH, but everything inside is written in English so its convenient to explore at your own pace.
Opening hours: Sun-Wed 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., Thu-Sat 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
10. Insomnia Haunted House
If you want to diversify your stay and try some scary things to do in Lviv, then visit Insomnia Haunted House, which is nothing like children's attractions. This is a survival game for the most daring Executive Thrillseekers of dangerous adventures where you will become participants of a horror film. In complete darkness, with one flashlight, you must go through all the rooms and, most importantly, survive...
Address: Valova St., 31.
Price: check and book in advance.
11. Count the City Lions
Still thinking what is Lviv famous for? The answer is in its rich history that had started in the 13th century when King Danylo Halytskyi founded the city. He named it after his son Lev (also known as Leo). In the Ukrainian language, it means "Lion." However, it is also known as "Lwów", "Lvov," and "Lemberg" due to different historical periods.
Therefore, Lviv without lions would not be real Lviv. Made from bronze, marble, cast iron, stone, they look at you from pedestals, bas-reliefs, doorknobs, and sometimes even balconies. They say that if you set the goal of counting all Lviv lions, you can get about 4500. Of course, you don't need to look for that much. Just turn on the "attentive tourist" mode and start noticing more than others.
Address: anywhere.
12. Chapel of the Boim Family
This building cannot be missed due to its black facade clearly standing out against the background of light buildings. The chapel of the Boim family was built in the 17th century on the site of an old cemetery. The representatives of the Hungarian Boim family rested here. Do not worry, all the tombs were moved to another cemetery in the 18th century, and the chapel became open to the public. The best part is that this work of art just stands in the middle of Lviv city center.
Address: Katedralna Square, 1 (next to the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary).
13. Visit the Local Flea Market
This is one of the most curious markets in Lviv a kind of alternative Lviv local attraction. Firstly, there you will not find super-valuable antiques, but there is a lot of curious junk. It is noteworthy that this flea market is located around the monument of Ivan Fedorov, who was a book printer. This might be the reason why people sell a large number of old books here.
Address: Pidvalna St, 13.
Opening hours: daily 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. with no fixed hours.
14. The Yard of Lost Toys
This typical alley between old buildings became an open-air exhibition by complete coincidence. It's just that someone living in Lviv found two lost toys on the street and put them under a canopy in the common yard in case the owner showed up. The owner has never returned for his plush companions, and the number of toys began to grow. This collection of exhibits looks partly cool and partly creepy.
Address: Vulytsia Knyazya Leva, 3 (you can peek in here on the way to the High Castle).
15. Look into the Pharmacy "Under the Black Eagle"
There are old pharmacies in many cities that have preserved historical centers. For example, there is a very colorful pharmacy in Tallinn, where cans with canned animals are on the shelves, and a crocodile hangs from the ceiling. But the Lviv pharmacy turned out to be even more colorful, and you can venture "behind the scenes".
Pharmacy "Under the Black Eagle" has been operating since 1735, and you can buy the most common modern medicines there. But you can also get into the closed rooms, which have been turned into a museum with jars, vials, and various instruments for preparing medicines, which were used in the Middle Ages.
Address: Vulytsia Drukarska, 2/Vulytsia Stavropіgіyska, 3.
Price: 15UAH ($0.60)
Opening hours: Mon-Fri: daily 9 a.m. – 7 p.m., weekends and holidays: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
16. The Pototsky Palace
It's like a little Versailles in the center of Lviv that was built in the style of French classicism in 1880. For example, the movie "The Three Musketeers" was filmed here. Today the building belongs to the Lviv Art Gallery, so there is an impressive collection of paintings inside and a park of miniature buildings in the backyard.
Address: St. Copernicus, 15.
17. Lychakiv Cemetery
Usually, cemeteries are not a place for tourists, but when discovering alternative Lviv – think outside the box. Lychakiv Cemetery is not just a burial grounds, but a historical and cultural museum-reserve with tomb sculptures being real works of art.
The oldest burials in Lychakiv Cemetery date back to the end of the 18th century. Most of the famous people were buried here, for example, Polish writer Arthur Grott and his beloved Baroness Wanda Monnet. Ivan Franko, Solomiya Krushelnytska, and Markiyan Shashkevych also found their rest in the Lviv cemetery.
Address: Mechnykova St, 33.
Price: 50UAH ($2.00)
Opening hours: daily 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
18. Shevchenkivskyi Hai Park Museum
Not far from the Lychakiv cemetery, there is another must-see place for Lviv nature – Shevchenkivskyi Hai, also known as an open-air museum. This is something like Pirogovo Kyiv, at times even more colorful thanks to the exterior and interior of huts, churches, wooden bridges, wells, barns, stables, etc., along with the incredible landscape of the Carpathians. The museum on the spot constantly holds exhibitions, and on weekends, local craftsmen offer their homemade liqueurs.
Address: Chernecha Gora, 1.
Price: 50UAH ($2.00)
Opening hours: daily 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
19. Plasticine house
The creation of modern designers, "plasticine house", resembles the work of Gaudi. The house is located not far from Lychakiv Park. Initially, the owner inherited a completely inconspicuous mansion, which he gave for renovation to the local architect Mykola Senyk. And now the building looks utterly unrealistic against the background of ordinary houses.
Address: Tsetnerivka, 16.
20. Art center "Dzyga"
In short, this place is a bohemian hangout. If you didn't get tired of them in Kyiv yet, then welcome to Dzyga! There is a concentration of all kinds of modern art - performances, paintings, sculptures. An excellent opportunity to join the urban underground.
Address: St. Virmens'ka 35.
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