BRAMA Travel to & in Ukraine

Our tour begins in the center of town at our favorite (and most easily located) landmark -- the L'viv Opera Theatre in the name of Ivan Franko. You will find it at the north end of Prospekt Svobody (a.k.a. Freedom Boulevard), a tree-lined median strip with a statue of Taras Shevchenko. This little park is a favorite meeting place for locals. A place where you will see chess players and on-lookers deep in thought about the next move on the board, a well-known spot for demonstrations, an easy place to arrange to meet one's friends.

Starting at the Opera Theatre, move south (2 blocks) along Prospekt Svobody along the west side of the street. At the corner, #15 Prospekt Svobody, you will find the Museum of Ethnography and Applied Arts. Here's your first shop-op for gift items to bring back home. The kiosk on the ground floor has lovely locally made items for sale at reasonable prices. The Museum itself has a rich collection of artifacts, and when last we were there, the top floor displayed a fantastic array of Pysanky ("batiked" Easter eggs). We weren't quite able to figure out the Museum's system of "donations" as we were asked to pay small additional fees as we entered the various galleries in the museum.

Continue south from the museum (same block), and stop to make note of #13, our favorite hotel and restaurant, Grand Hotel. Go back there for lunch and/or dinner. The prices were reasonable and the atmosphere lovely with windows overlooking the Prospekt. The last time we were there, men were required to wear jackets (the restaurant provided one), but ties were optional. During dinner in the evening, an excellent Ukrainian band provided pleasant musical entertainment. Don't be afraid to ask them to lower the volume if it gets too loud.

Still on the west side of the street, keep going south and you will find yourself at Ploscha (Plaza) Mytskevycha where you will see a monument to author Adam Mickiewicz. On your side of the plaza, make a note of #1 - Hotel George (transliterated - Dzhorzh), formerly the Intourist Hotel. I stayed here back in the 70's, and fondly recall the old world charm of this wonderful hotel. Take a moment to step inside for a glimpse of the majestic staircase.

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Ploscha (Plaza) Mytskevycha:

#1 - Hotel George (translit.: Dzhorzh), formerly the Intourist

Halytska Ploshcha:

Halytskiy Rynok (bazaar)

Follow the sidewalk turning east into Halytska Ploshcha and don't cross to the other side of the plaza. After crossing a couple of small streets, you'll find yourself at vul. Kniazia Romana and on your right you will see the entrance to the Halytskiy Rynok (bazaar). Do walk in to see the goods that local farmers and residents are selling. Everything from fresh fruit (in season) to flowers to knit hats are offered for sale here -- a perfect foto-op.

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Teatral'na vulytsia (Theatre Street):
#10 -- Druzhba bookstore

Boyim Chapel

Now, cross to the opposite side of the plaza, and swing back towards Prospect Svoboda, but move north along the parallel street (one block east of Pr. Svoboda) called Teatral'na vulytsia (Theatre Street). At the very bottom tip of Pr. Svoboda where it meets Teatral'na vulytsia, you will find yourself standing in front of the bookstore Druzhba at #10 Ploscha Mytskevycha. This is a good place to purchase maps and books for gifts.

Walking north on Teatral'na, go one block and turn into a little street on your right called Staroyevreys'ka vulytsia. As you follow the building wall on your left side, you will arrive at the Boyim Chapel, easily recognized by its ornately carved stone walls and heavy doorway. The chapel is built into the structural edifice of Roman Catholic Cathedral at Ploscha Katedral'na. The chapel interior is spectacular and well worth a few minutes of your time to take in the carved walls and decorative cupola.

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Ploscha Rynok (Old Market Square)
#4, 6, 24 -- Museum of History

#20 Pid Levom

After exiting the chapel: <either> turn right and return to Teatral'na to continue north 1 block then east (right) 1 block <or> turn leftwards as you exit the chapel, following the walls of the cathedral to Halyts'ka vulytsia, where you turn left and go north one block. Either path will bring you to the corner where the streets open up into Lviv's Ploscha Rynok (Old Market Square) with structures that date back to the 16th and 17th centuries.

Follow the square to the right along the south side. Pass the restaurant Cafe Pid Levom (Cafe Under the Lion) at #20 Ploscha Rynok, notice the marvelous detail in the building facades and in particular the portals as you walk around the square. #1 is the City Hall, and make special note of the Museum of History which is housed in three of the buildings at #4, #6 (Korniakt Tower), and #24.

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Vulytsia Lesi Ukrayinky

Art Market

Swing around the north side of the square, and head back to the northwest corner of the square where you'll pick up Krakivs'ka vulytsia. Turn right and follow Krakivs'ka north for 3 blocks, until you reach vulytsia Lesi Ukrayinky. There you will find a small park which hosts the Art Market, an open air bazaar where you might just pick up the best deal (another shop-op if you haven't found exactly the right gift for family and friends) on whatever you buy in L'viv: traditional embroidered costumes, antique books, stamps, money, pins, jewelry, posters, and of course, paintings. Be sure to get here early as some merchants like to get home in plenty of time for dinner.

Turn one block west and you'll see that you've come full circle to the back side of the Opera Theatre where you started. You'll have passed by all kinds of shops, and interesting places to eat if you do this little tour, so it could take anywhere from a mere 2 hours to an entire day if you're a browser to complete this walk.

If you're fortunate enough to spend another day in L'viv, we recommend these
other points of interest:

any church you come across, especially Sobor Sviatoho Yura (St. George Cathedral) at #5 Ploscha Sviatoho Yura, near the southwest end of vulytsia Mytskevycha.

Lychakivskiy Tsvyntar (Cemetery) - fabulous monuments, many well-known Ukrainians are buried here, among them poet Ivan Franko. Tourists are welcome to walk along the designated paths to view these marvelous memorials. The Cemetery is situated tothe east of the city, and tram #7 will drop you right at the gate.

Ivan Franko University on Universytets'ka vulytsia.

National Muzeum on vul. Drahomanova for 15th and 16th century icons.