The rich architectural heritage, the contrasting culture, the extraordinary history of the city, the ancient streets, the smell of centuries of coffee traditions, and the special atmosphere will remain in your memories for a long time. We have chosen places and routes that will amaze you during your three-day stay in Lviv.
Old Town: Churches and Quarters
Before you get to explore the city, we advise you to enjoy the panorama of the city center from the height of the tower of the city administration building – Lviv City Hall. It offers a magnificent view of the High Castle Park, the Dominican Church, the Church of the Assumption, the Latin Cathedral, the Boim Chapel and the Austrian part of the city.
Lviv was located at the crossroads of trade routes and played an essential role in trade in the Middle Ages. This is why more and more representatives of different nationalities arrived in the city. After receiving royal privileges, the city was divided into quarters: Latin, Armenian, Ruthenian, and Jewish. We suggest you start your walk from the Jewish quarter. Across the Staroyevreyska street, you will get to "The Space of Synagogues" with its slogan "shared heritage and responsibility".
Bypassing the secession building, the former insurance company "Dnister", you will find yourself in the square in front of the Church of the Assumption and the Kornyakt Tower. (We advise you to enter the courtyard, and from there – inside the church through the Renaissance portal). Next to the second-hand (flea) market around the Fedorov Monument and the Dominican Church, you will find the medieval Armenian quarter. An Armenian street is an attractive place for Lviv artists. To get acquainted with the contemporary art of the city we recommend you visit the Dzyga, IconArt, and Green Sofa galleries. Look for more interesting and unknown places at the end of the article. While walking through the old town, do not forget to visit every yard for a sense of the authentic atmosphere.
You can get a free map at the Tourist Information Center to avoid getting lost. For more information, see the publication about Weekend in Lviv.
Galician cuisine
Among the dozens of well-known downtown locations, we recommend you visit restaurants that specialize in Galician cuisine. Not too long ago, the Galician Cuisine Club, an organization that aims to develop Galician gastronomy, was established in Lviv. Traditional dishes that have not only a unique taste but also a rich history you can taste at the following locations: Trapezna Idey, Gwara, Baczewski Restaurant, Kumpel, and others.
Museums
Lviv Historical Museum will help you to understand better the history of the city. Perhaps the most interesting department is the Kornyakt House on 6 Rynok square. Here you will have the unique opportunity to see the royal chambers and drink coffee in the famous Italian courtyard.
We recommend you to visit the dungeons of the Saints Peter and Paul Garrison Church to immerse into history. In the premises under the church, you can see 3 panoramas of Lviv of different eras, as well as the sarcophagus of the 18th century. Why was he left in the dungeon? The answer to this question can only be obtained in the crypt. More information about museums you can find here.
The Austrian part of Lviv
Tourists often do not pay attention to the "new city". These are buildings that arose when Lviv was under the Austrian (later Austro-Hungarian) crown. You can get there by crossing Svobody avenue. By the way, the avenue was created in same period of history. More than a century ago the Poltva river was hidden in a dungeon by order of the city authorities.
The next step is to walk between the two dome houses of the "Bank Gate" and move along the Hnatyuka street. Perhaps the most interesting location in this quarter is the House of Scientists, which is also known as the "Noble Casino".
The interior of the building can not leave you indifferent. We also recommend you to take a walk in the park of Ivan Franko and to visit the magnificent neo-baroque cathedral located on St. George's Hill.
To fully enjoy the Austrian Lviv, you should visit the Potocki Palace, near which, by the way, the main department of the Borys Voznytsky Lviv National Art Gallery is located. A great idea to complete the walk and experience the "classic" of Austro-Hungarian heritage will be a visit to the Organ Hall, Lviv National Philharmonic, and Opera House.
Cafés
One of the associations that the city evokes is coffee. The culture of drinking coffee is undoubtedly an important heritage of Lviv and an integral ritual for its citizens. Unfortunately, coffee does not grow in our latitudes, but here people know exactly how to brew it and have known for centuries how to consume it properly.
We recommend you to drink a cup of coffee made on the sand in the legendary Virmenka coffee shop or with sugar and lemon in the café "Na Bambetli", with spices in the café "Under the blue bottle" and even soldered coffee in the dungeon of Lviv Coffee Mining Manufacture and many others options for you. By the way, do not forget to take advantage of discounts by purchasing Lviv City Card. On the second and third days discover the Third Wave Cafés.
Craft beer
Another associative drink of Lviv is, of course, beer. Not too long ago, several local breweries and pubs have appeared in the city center, where you can taste products from different breweries of our country. The unique recipe and methodology of preparation are those distinctive features of craft beer that make it special. If the words "IPA", "Ale", and "Stout" still cause you a lot of questions, then we invite you to immerse in the high culture of craft beer in the heart of the city.
Loud orchestra concerts take place every night at the Pravda Beer Theater. We recommend you to enjoy music with a few glasses filled with different types of craft beer.
The aroma of Carpathian herbs is a characteristic feature of beer from Tsypa Pub. Here you can taste the real Hutsul beer from the village of Kvasu in the Zakarpattia region.
The next location on the tasting route is Craft & Kumpel Restaurant, where craft beer tastes best in combination with Galician cuisine.
The nightlife of the city
We think that the end of the day does not mean the end of the walk. After all, with the setting of the sun, the city opens its other side. Night city is bustling with life: dancing in the Rynok square, singing of street musicians, and parties in nightclubs. The epicenters of the city's nightlife are Malevich, Rafinad, Split, Fashion, Club151, and other night clubs.
In addition to club parties, there are often underground raves by TEXTURA, TusaMyaso, and Inrush Team. We recommend you to attend special alternative events organized by Night Ambassadors. Their events often take place in such unique locations as the Armenian courtyard, the High Castle Hill, or even a Tram Depot.
Follow the trends in the development of tourist attractions in Lviv and don't forget to visit the Tourist Information Center for advice on individual routes.
