Lviv & Western Ukraine Львів і Західна Українаpop 5.85 million / area 75,847 sq km

Why Go?More quintessentially Ukrainian than the rest of the coun-try, and distinctly more European, the west is all about its largest city, the Galician capital of Lviv. An emerging tourist magnet, the city is a truly captivating place, rich in historic architecture and with an indulgent coffeehouse culture, but only a fraction of the tourist hordes who choke similar city-break destinations such as Kraków and Prague. Piece-meal gentrification has made only small dents in its shabby authenticity.

The Soviets ruled for only 50 years here, making the west the most foreigner-friendly province with less surly ‘no-can-do’ bureaucracy than in eastern regions. People here speak Ukrainian (rather than Russian) and show greater pride in Ukrainian traditions than elsewhere.

Away from Lviv, the moody Carpathian Mountains are a short hop by bus, as are historic Lutsk, the olde-worlde spa at Truskavets and the golden domes of Pochayiv Monastery.Best Places to

Eat & Drink¨¨ masonic restaurant

(p109)

¨¨ Dim lehend (p108)

¨¨ korona Vitovta (p119)

¨¨ kupol (p109)

¨¨ kabinet Cafe (p110)

Best Places to Stay¨¨ Vintage (p107)

¨¨ leopolis Hotel (p108)

¨¨ old City Hostel (p106)

¨¨ Hotel Zaleski (p119)

¨¨ reikartz medievale (p107)

When to Go

May A great time to be in Lviv with simultaneous festivals filling the early part of the month.

Jul Experience a Ukrainian summer of love at Pidkamin’s Ethnofestival.

Aug Pilgrims flock to Pochayiv Monastery during the Feast of the Assumption.

F DNOSAJJMAMJ

Lviv°C/°F Temp Rainfall inches/mm

0/32

-10/14

-20/-4

20/68

30/86

10/50

0

8/200

12/300

4/100

Lviv . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95Zhovkva . . . . . . . . . . . 113Drohobych . . . . . . . . . 113Ternopil . . . . . . . . . . . 114Pochayiv . . . . . . . . . . . 115Kremenets . . . . . . . . . 116Volyn & Rivne Regions. . . . . . . 117Lutsk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117Shatsky National Nature Park . . . . . . . .120Dubno . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

©Lonely¨Planet¨Publications¨Pty¨Ltd

Lviv & Western

Ukraine

Lviv & Western

Ukraine

HistoryMongols overrunning Kyivan Rus in 1240 never made it as far west as the powerful province of Galicia-Volynia. They did occa-sionally knock on its door, but the region was largely left to enjoy self-rule under King Roman Mstyslavych, his son Danylo Halyt-sky and his descendants.

This idyllic state was shattered in the 1340s when Polish troops invaded, but western Ukraine never lost its taste for in-dependence. Several centuries of Polish domination saw the rise of a unique Ruthe-nian identity, which is the basis for much contemporary Ukrainian nationalism. Many Galician boyars (nobles) – often sent from

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1 Do a spot of cobble-surfing in Lviv’s historical centre (p96), packed with churches, museums and eccentric restaurants.

2 Make a caffeine-and-cake halt at Lviv’s coffeehouses (p110), some of the best in the country.

3 Pay your respects to Lviv’s great and good of

yesteryear at the city’s amazing Lychakivske Cemetery (p101).

4 Join the Orthodox faithful for a pilgrimage to Pochayiv Monastery (p115) to find Ukraine’s most devout atmosphere.

5 Take a turn around Lutsk’s old quarter (p118)

for a blast from western Ukraine’s past.

6 Head uphill to Kremenets Fortress (p116) for trip-stopping views of the town’s many churches.

7 Catch a festival (p102) in Lviv – not difficult as there’s something happening almost every day of the year.

Lviv & Western Ukraine Highlights