A beautiful European city where coffee costs around 90 stotinki – ᐉ Curious • news about lifestyle, diet, health and fashion

Today Lviv is the main cultural and economic center of Western Ukraine. The stone lion is a symbol of the power of the city and is associated with its name. The city has one of the most beautiful squares in this part of Europe. The houses and buildings in it are built in different styles, from Renaissance to modernism.

Lviv is located near the Polish border and is home to more than 850,000 people. It is located on the Poltava River and ranks first in Ukraine in the number of preserved cultural and historical monuments, and with its beauty and wide range of different buildings, it stands out among the cities of Central and Eastern Europe. It is also under the protection of UNESCO.

It was founded in the middle of the 13th century by Prince Danilo Galitsky, who named it after his son Lev Danilovich. Information about the city first appeared in the chronicles in 1256. The main trade routes of the Black and Baltic Seas, Eastern and Western Europe contributed to its rapid economic development. From 1772 to 1918 the city was called Lemberg, when it was the capital of the Austrian dependent Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria. After the First World War, along with all of Galicia, it became part of Poland and, as of 1939, together with Eastern Galicia, it became part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.

What to visit there?

Its architectural design is a collection of many styles and eras, from the 14th century Gothic Catholic cathedral to the baroque “St. Georgi” cathedral, the Renaissance-style Bernandin Monastery and the Boimes Chapel coexisting with the Armenian Church.

Due to its cultural and historical monuments, it has one of the most beautiful squares in Europe, consisting of 44 houses that are built in different styles, from Renaissance to Modernism. One of the most beautiful houses is the “Black House” which is a wonderful example of Ukrainian Renaissance culture.

There are four fountains in the square, sculptures that symbolize mythological creatures: Neptune, Diana, Amphitrite, and Adonis.

Numerous monuments dominate the central part of the city, dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries, and many historians consider it an “open-air museum”. The general architecture of the city is complemented by the churches.

On Freedom Square is home to the Opera with nine more theaters and 60 museums, making the city the capital of culture.

What to eat and drink and what are the prices?

The most famous Ukrainian dish “dumplings”: dumplings, yeast dumplings, stuffed with mashed potatoes, sauerkraut, cheese, boiled eggs …

There are also delicious Ukrainian pancakes made from potato pancakes, try Georgian knachapuri, bread stuffed with cheese and eggs.

In this city you can relax a little more than other popular tourist destinations. The prices are sometimes “ridiculous”. For example, you can get beer for 1.60 leva and coffee for 90 stotinki.

Ukraine