I Spent 48 Hours In Ukraine's Most 'Western' City Where Tourism Is Rising |
Reading the news, you might expect Ukraine to be a pretty bleak place this winter, but five minutes walking around Lviv will prove you wrong.
Ukraine’s western hub and gateway to Europe has been dealing with relentless air attacks, loss, and fear for nearly four years now, but locals are determined to keep things as normal as they possibly can. Their lives have been altered more than enough already.
It’s this unyielding spirit, combined with a unique blend of history, culture and food which is making the city an unlikely travel destination for people inside Ukraine and out. Visit Ukraine data shows the nation has seen tourism tax revenues rise to 27% more than pre war levels this year, with Lviv responsible for the largest contribution after Kyiv.
Just an hour’s drive from Poland, the city is considered relatively safe in Ukrainian terms; it’s subject to regular aerial attacks but is over 600 miles from the front line, about the same distance as London to Berlin. It’s easily accessible from outside by car or train if you’re willing to brave the loosely organised chaos that is the border.
Once you make it through the lengthy paperwork process and arrive in the outskirts of Lviv you’ll be greeted by Soviet style apartment blocks and roads which haven’t seen a second of maintenance since they were built, but the city centre is one of Europe’s hidden gems.
The old town, originally built in the 1200s, is an architectural marvel blending stunning churches, narrow cobbled streets and plenty of street art and murals, many of them........