Finally! Almost eighteen months to the day since our last overseas trip together (a lovely short weekend in Wroclaw, Poland), the time had come to jet off again. So, at long last, here’s our account of a whirlwind three nights in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv.
The first dilemma – where to go?!
It’s been a crazy time. The pandemic forced us all to look at travel differently. For us, this meant re-evaluating our relationship with the place we call home. It certainly helped us realise that there’s plenty of adventure waiting for us on our doorsteps. From road-tripping around stunning Scotland to discovering beautiful walks a stone’s throw from our home in Leeds, we’ve appreciated the opportunity to explore more locally.
However, as international travel started to open once more (painfully slowly, for the most part), we hadn’t lost the urge to jump on a plane and throw ourselves into somewhere new.
After hours spent scouring the internet over the summer, trying to make sense of the myriad of different entry requirements, we finally landed on a route that could work. We would be starting in Lviv, getting to see a city considered by many to be one of Ukraine’s finest. From here, we’d make our way across the Ukrainian Carpathians before hopping over the border to complete the second half of the trip in Romania – a new country for both of us. We couldn’t wait to be on the move again.
Easing back into it – the journey to Lviv
It’s remarkable how easy it is to slip back into the rhythm of travel. We weren’t quite sure what to expect when we arrived at Luton airport for our flight, but it proved surprisingly straightforward.
Aside from needing to report to the check-in desk for a quick review of our travel documents, the airport process was exactly as we remembered it. We even got a full complement of clichés to tick off the bingo card. Stressed parents trying in vain to fold down a buggy whilst going through security? Check.
Before we knew it, we were touching down in Lviv. We encountered minor confusion here, as officials needed to check vaccine passports and proof of health insurance. However, these formalities added barely ten minutes to our journey through the airport. It wasn’t long before we had thrown ourselves in the back of a taxi and were heading towards the city.
We arrived after dark, and it was far too late to head into town for dinner. So instead, our host – Oksana – kindly made us a quick plate of sandwiches and plied us with piping hot tea. It was exactly the warm welcome we needed ahead of a packed schedule.
Day 1 – The Lviv Marathon (Nearly)
A cursory glance at our Fitbits at the end of the first full day in Lviv told us everything we needed to know. Matt had managed to amass 45,000 steps, whilst Lucy broke the 50,000 mark. We were just one mile short of having walked a full marathon.
Thankfully, our day had gotten off to the perfect start. Ukraine, it turns out, can deliver breakfasts fit to fuel any day.
Sampling Lviv’s Coffee Culture
Lviv’s UNESCO-listed old town is a maze of cobbled streets and beautiful buildings. A myriad of different influences and empires has shaped the city’s history. Perhaps the most influential were the Austro-Hungarians, who gave it the name Lemberg.
Much of the architecture of the old town dates back to this period. Anyone who has been to Vienna will undoubtedly have spent a happy few hours in one of the city’s classic cafes. Stepping into Cafe Centaur on Lviv’s main square, it was easy to imagine ourselves back in the Austrian capital. Well-dressed waiting staff led us to a back room, where framed sketches and newspaper clippings adorned the wood-panelled walls.
There was one dish we just had to sample. Lviv is famous for its cottage cheese pancakes known as ‘Syrniki‘, and these delicious little bundles were pride-of-place at the top of the menu. We ordered a plate each, one with a pistachio base and the other with a traditional sugar coating. Both were delicious. We washed it all down with a pot of black tea before hitting the streets of the old town.
Exploring Lviv on Foot
Lviv is a brilliantly walkable city, particularly if you intend to hang around the old town. We spent our first morning burning off the breakfast calories and exploring the streets without a plan. Of course, there’s always a time for maps and tours. Occasionally, however, the day lends itself to simply getting lost and seeing what you find.
The city was alive with activity. From flea markets to church services, something was happening everywhere you looked. Even the trams, powered by an endless network of crisscrossing cables, kept you on your toes as they hurtled around the corners with impunity. We needed to keep pinching ourselves that we’d made it overseas again. We were here, and we had nothing to do except walk and admire. It was glorious.
Visiting the Lviv Museum of Folk Architecture and Life
After a quick lunch stop, we stepped back out to a pleasantly warm afternoon. We had decided to make the most of the weather and spend the afternoon checking out the snappily-named Lviv Museum of Folk Architecture and Life, located in one of Lviv’s forests. We trodded along the route towards the museum, enjoying the sunlight streaming through the trees. A light breeze blew, steadily dislodging a smattering of golden leaves which drifted down to the floor below.
Lviv is a very green city. Surrounded by thick forests, its urban sprawl reaches right up to the very boundary of the tree line. We had walked for less than an hour from the old town square, plodding up a gentle hill. By the time we arrived at the forest, the hum of the city had disappeared. In its place was the eerie quiet of a sleepy Sunday in the suburbs.
The folk museum introduces visitors to life in this region through the centuries. Dozens upon dozens of buildings – wooden, without exception – from across the area have been dismantled and painstakingly reconstructed in this vast park above Lviv.
Folk Baptisms and Painted Eggs
It’s a fascinating place. Local artisans and stallholders occupy many of the dwellings. The quality of the goods on offer seemed to vary – some were clearly handmade, whilst others looked suspiciously mass-produced. Indeed, we spent the best part of an hour deciding whether to buy a hand-painted egg from a ‘master egg painter’. Eventually, we took the plunge and – much to Lucy’s incredulity – walked away with a very breakable souvenir on day one of the trip.
The museum also offered the occasional glimpse of everyday life here in modern Lviv. For example, we watched a baptism party – all immaculately dressed – cram themselves into St. Nicholas’s Church, which dates back to the 18th century. Meanwhile, at an activity hut, families could enjoy a hog roast and hot chocolate before trying their hand at the traditional sport of shooting a crossbow at a poster of Vladimir Putin.
The Folk Museum is located at Chernecha Hora Street. It is open from 9am to 6pm most days, and entry at the time of visit cost 70 UAH. One-hour tours for English speakers are available at a cost of 500 UAH.
Read next: Exploring Rakhiv in the west of Ukraine
The buzz of a city at night
With dusk approaching, we waved goodbye to the folk museum and walked back into town. By the time we arrived in the old town square, darkness had descended and triggered a party atmosphere. The sound of trumpets filled the air, and we made our way over to a large crowd gathered by the town hall.
A brass band consisting of half a dozen musicians – possibly students – were blasting out a setlist of popular classics. The hundreds of onlookers were loving it, and we couldn’t help but be swept up in the revelry. The audience saved the biggest cheer of the performance – somewhat unexpectedly – for a very funky version of Blue by Eiffel 65.
After the band’s final bow, the crowd dispersed into the night. We decided to wander down to Lviv’s opera house, a stunning highlight of the old town’s Austro-Hungarian architecture. A long, tree-lined boulevard called Freedom Avenue leads the approach to the grand building, and the benches here became a firm favourite whenever we needed to take a break from exploring.
Much like the old town square, Freedom Avenue had also come to life on this autumnal Sunday evening. More musicians – including another brass band – were dotted sporadically down the boulevard, and the crowds greeted them with similar enthusiasm. Only when the final instrument had been packed away did we finally wrench ourselves away and head back to our guest house.
Day 2 – Views, Towers, and Sunsets
Our second day in Lviv began in much the same way as the first – with a hearty breakfast. This time, however, we took Oksana up on her kind offer of a home-cooked feast.
Donning our slippers, we shuffled through to the kitchen, where a week’s worth of tea and coffee immediately appeared in front of us. We were the only guests, and our entrance prompted a flurry of activity from Oksana. A tornado of pots and pans whirled around the room, and the kitchen rapidly became engulfed in a symphony of sizzles and steam.
The food arrived quickly, and it never stopped coming. An omelette followed by fried eggs. Bacon and toast piled high. An entire fried tomato each. More cottage cheese pancakes. A jug of orange juice was thrown in for good measure. Then, just when we thought we’d eaten our fill, two heavy slices of sugary cake emerged. It’s a good job we work up an appetite on these trips.
Admiring Lviv from the town hall tower
If there’s a tower to climb, we’re climbing it. Much to Lucy’s continued exasperation, this continues to be one of the unwritten rules of our trips. Thankfully, Lviv is not left wanting when it comes to bagging an aerial view of the city.
The main square in the old town is home to Lviv Town Hall. For the most part, this is a maze of corridors and offices – the beating heart of bureaucracy in the city. However, visitors can also climb up the 400 stairs to enjoy the view from the 65 meter-high clock tower.
After a cloudy morning, we found ourselves wandering in circles waiting for the weather to clear before climbing the tower. Eventually, after declining a promotional leaflet from the same street vendor for the fourth time, we decided to cut our losses and go for it.
We joined the steady throng of locals and tourists trying to squeeze through the desperately small entrance to the town hall. Many clutched folders and reams of paper, looking stressed ahead of their meetings somewhere in the bowels of the building. We allowed ourselves to be carried along by the crowd, shuffling through the bland entrance lobby, before spotting a sign for the tower and darting off down a corridor to our right.
Reaching the observation deck
With tickets secured, we began the long, winding walk up. The staircase clung to the sides of the tower, leaving an alarming drop in the middle. Metal netting stretched out across the chasm at regular intervals. This wasn’t a climb for those who suffer from vertigo.
We emerged at the top to find the sun trying its best to break through the blanket of clouds. It never quite succeeded, but this mattered little as we admired the view beneath us. The city of Lviv reached out towards the horizon. We were struck by the relative absence of tall buildings. Occasionally a church tower or a grey, Soviet-era apartment block would stand conspicuously tall. Otherwise, however, the cityscape was dominated by low-rise structures.
There were superb views of the old town, with its beautiful mix of architectural styles. We caught a glimpse of the opera house peeking out above the rooftops. We snapped a selfie – the first photo of us together overseas for nearly two years – and drank it all in.
Suddenly, the deafening clanging of the tower’s bells shattered our blissful moment. I’m sure the shockwaves would have been enough to knock us over the edge had we not gorged half our bodyweight at this morning’s breakfast. A girl next to us was halfway through changing her camera lens when the first note struck, and barely managed to keep hold of all her kit. I suspect she’ll be checking her watch next time.
A golden sunset from the High Castle Hill
We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the old town’s cobbled streets once again. The morning clouds eventually gave way to glorious sunshine, which streamed through the buildings. In this light, Lviv looked as magnificent as any of Europe’s ancient cities.
We simply had to take advantage of the improved conditions and started to research places to watch the sunset. High Castle Hill stood out straight away – just a short walk from the old town and enjoying 360-degree views across Lviv.
We began the walk to High Castle Hill just as golden hour began. When we reached the top, only a little out of breath, we realised we hadn’t arrived a minute too soon.
Thick woodland surrounds High Castle Hill and obscures the view as you trudge your way to the top. Only at the very pinnacle do you break free from the treeline and see the city stretched out beneath you. Unfortunately, this does mean that everyone is heading to the same place.
The top of the hill is nothing more than a small round platform. An enormous flagpole rises from the very centre, with the Ukrainian colours fluttering in the breeze above the city.
Joining the crowds at the top
When we arrived, we squeezed ourselves onto the last free slab of rock. It seemed like half of Lviv had come to join us. Families, couples, friends – everyone was out to watch the show.
And what a show it was! The sky was almost cloudless, and the sun turned a deep crimson as it dropped down towards the horizon. The whole scene took on a pink glow as bottles clinked and guitar strings were plucked. I’m sure I heard the opening refrains to Wonderwall, although this nonsense was quickly snuffed out.
The sun had no sooner disappeared out of sight than a mass exodus began. Everyone rose at once – perhaps conscious of the imminent plunge in temperature – and the crowd made their way in unison back towards the city. We passed a few stragglers who were still heading up, too late to catch the sunset. In each group, someone was inevitably getting loudly berated for slowing the group down.
By the time we had descended into the old town, darkness had fallen, and a chilly breeze had picked up. We decided to settle in for the evening at one of the traditional restaurants near the main square. Borscht, dumplings, and a glass or two of vodka were the ideal way to sign off our final evening in Lviv before an early departure the next day.
A late-night cash hunt
Unfortunately, our evening was not destined to end quite yet. We arrived back at the guest house and informed Oksana that we would be leaving early in the morning. We would, therefore, need to pay this evening.
Obligingly, Oksana reached for the card machine. The screen flashed briefly into life before cutting out completely. No amount of shaking or furiously hammering the keys could bring it back to life.
Unperturbed, Oksana grabbed her car keys and beckoned me towards the door. She explained in Russian that we could drive to the supermarket nearby, and I could withdraw the money from an ATM. “Nedaleko”, she assured me – “it’s not far.”
At the pace Oksana drove through the streets of Lviv, it certainly wasn’t far at all. We swerved in and out of traffic, our horn blaring each time a vehicle had the temerity to follow the speed limit and slow us down. Less than five minutes after screeching off from the guest house, we parked up – but not before a brief shouting match with a rival for our spot. With Oksana at the helm, there would only be one winner of that stand-off!
Our return journey was slightly less frantic. Perhaps the massive wadge of cash – the machine only had the smallest denomination available – was weighing us down.
Day 3 – Beautiful Sunrises
We had had a wonderful time in Lviv. Our stay with Oksana was a particular highlight. Nothing was too much trouble for our host, and her hospitality was a promising sign of things to come.
We had booked tickets for the 08:04 train from Lviv to the small city of Ivano-Frankivsk. This in turn meant a less-than-sociable departure time from the guest house. Despite the early start, Oksana surprised us in the morning with a hearty bag of sandwiches and snacks to send us on our way.
We ordered a taxi and watched the city come to life as we bounced along towards the train station.
Admiring the station and waving goodbye to Lviv
Like many in this area of Europe, Lviv train station is beautiful. As we drove up the sweeping street towards the main entrance, it looked like we were approaching a palace. The ornate architecture is a world away from the ‘functional’ design of many modern transport hubs.
The sunrise, too, was sublime. A fiery red sky blazed above us as we stepped out of the taxi. It continued to glow as we stood on the platform and watched a series of imposing engines rolling past us, spewing filthy black fumes into the morning air.
Our train arrived after a short wait – a classic eastern behemoth with huge carriages split into compartments. It looked perfect for a night train adventure, but alas we were only destined to spend a few hours on the tracks. Next stop, Ivano-Frankivsk!
