LVIV FAQS
All you need to know about travelling from east Poland to Lviv can be found here but keep in mind that new rail links are being constructed and track gauges converted. When new routes connecting Poland with Ukraine open, we'll publish all the details here.
2) Are hotels in Lviv inexpensive? Can you recommend anywhere?
There are many inexpensive hotels in Lviv, so use your head to save your wallet. We like simple "Sovietesque" hotels such as Hetman and Helikon, very Ukrainian with very little frills.
Neither are central, (both sit south of the centre), but bus and tram connections are close enough to take you where you want to go without drama.
If you want to pay improper prices, book with Hotel George, Atlas, Rius, Grand Hotel, Ibis Styles, Leopolis, Best Western, Feder, Nobilis, Bank, Swiss, Chopin, Fest or Astoria. If you want to pay proper Ukrainian prices, book anywhere else.
Aparthotels are criminally priced with wafers for walls (cheap partitions). Our hostels are good, but read the reviews first. You will not find an elevator if you book an aparthotel or hostel bed.
Avoid booking a hostel at weekends as they are a magnet for thieves and drinkers. You won't get any sleep either.
DO NOT BOOK at "Citadel Gastro Boutique Hotel", it was Stalag 328 between 1941-1944 and thousands of people were killed there. That's about respect.
3) How does Lviv public transport operate, what are the daily options?
Bus and tram, from the yellow boxes on wheels we call "Marshrutkas" to modern trams funded by the EU and old trams from the 1970s. You can pay the driver in cash or scan the terminal using your phone. It's cheap to use public transport in Lviv.
4) Do people in Lviv speak English or is Google translate on standby required?
Many people in Lviv speak English so you will not need to have Google translate on standby.
5) Is Lviv a safe city in the sense of pickpockets, thieves and random acts of violence?
Very safe day and night and people here look out for each other.
6) Is Lviv hilly, flat, or a bit of both?
Generally flat around Rynok Square. Walking eastwards and westwards from there in the direction of our most central parks means a little extra effort.
7) Are there any nice parks or green spaces in Lviv?
There are many beautiful and peaceful parks in Lviv. Use your maps app to find them.
8) Are there supermarkets in Ukraine?
Blizenko, ATB, Auchan, Silpo and Rukavychka are everywhere. You'll also find small Soviet-era shops that are more expensive. No English spoken.
Let's not forget the villagers who sell flowers, fruit, vegetables, milk, even meat and fish on the city streets. Buy the fruit and veg, don't buy the milk, meat or fish for obviously queasy reasons.
9) Ukraine at war with russia since 2014, what's the deal on the ground in Lviv?
Many countries neighbour russia and most of them face omnipresent risk and threats. The russian mentality is negative and pervasive but don't panic, whatever russia thinks it can do to Lviv matters not.
Install the Telegram messaging app on your device, follow one particular channel (we'll tell you how to do that), then take shelter according to updates from the channel which is a few minutes ahead of the actual air alarm. Easy.
10) At what time in the morning does Lviv wake up as in when do the shops open?
Lviv opens somewhat half-heartedly near 10am, but a few coffee and pastry shops are on the ball much earlier at 8am or 9am. Most places open closer to 11am. Lviv is a very relaxed city and a good night's rest matters most, so rushing around before noon doesn't happen.
11) Does Lviv have free public Wi-Fi?
There is no free public Wi-Fi in Lviv but it's easy to buy a pre-paid SIM card without ID. SIM cards are very cheap so you can get online in minutes. Look out for Lifecell, Vodafone and Kyivstar phone stores or buy from any modern retail outlet.
You can walk around the entire old town in less than a few hours. It would take much longer to see everything and a lifetime to understand everything.
13) Do many foreigners live in Lviv? Is there an expat community or places where expats hang out?
Not many, several thousand at most of a population approaching one million. International volunteers and foreign military trainers are visible from time to time.
There are a few English language clubs in Lviv and they meet in cafés. Some Lviv pubs attract European, British and American residents as to be expected.
14) Can you advise about visiting other places in Ukraine and how to get there?
Of course we can. Message us from the contact form below and we'll do our best to help you reach your destination cheaply and safely.
15) Your Lviv tours are unique and very interesting, who created them?
Pete Gr created all of them.
16) Is it true that customers can be flagellated in a Lviv coffee shop?
Yes, it is true. Having seen the scars of those who partake on many occasions, all we can say is please make the right decision. The flagellators are always very pretty petite girls who will expect a small tip for their whip. It's not a sexual service, more rather buy a coffee and get a potentially bloody bonus.
17) Lviv has a reputation for being an ultranationalist city where antisemitism is acceptable. True?
The former, yes; the latter, not quite. Antisemitism is not rampant in Lviv, but it definitely exists, just like in any other European city.
European and British cities have been taken over by millions of migrants from Muslim countries and pro-Palestine demonstrations have become a day out, so religious divisions are real, antisemitism an inevitable part of that. We don't have those people in Lviv, ergo our antisemitism is homegrown, as it were.
18) Lviv is known as the "Soul of Ukraine", why?
Good question, considering the fact that architecturally and culturally, Lviv is more Polish and Austro-Hungarian than Ukrainian.
19) Lviv is also known as the "Little Paris of East Europe", why?
We're not sure, suffice to say Lviv is infinitely more beautiful and more romantic than Paris.
20) Is tap water safe to drink in Lviv?
Not really, but it won't kill you or might not even make you feel bad. However, it's better to be on the safe side. Always buy bottled water and don't drink from taps. Many apartment buildings in Lviv have clean water dispensers near the entrance. There is a reason for it.
21) Is heating a problem in Lviv?
No. The unsightly pipes that wrap around all our buildings carry gas, and as such, are marked yellow. They can be seen wrapped around buildings all over east Poland and in every other country that was once part of the USSR. A constant reminder of pre-war reliance on russian energy.
22) How are the roads, traffic, pavements and pedestrian crossings in Lviv?
Roads in Lviv are being resurfaced gradually but badly, while those around Lviv are potholed so swerving is standard. Traffic lights are the same as in any other developed country, ergo 15 seconds to cross after waiting 45 seconds.
Pedestrian crossings painted red give the pedestrian right of way, but raise your hand towards oncoming traffic before making a move. Traffic accidents in Ukraine are common so watch your step.
23) Nationwide minute of silence
In Ukraine, stop what you are doing at 9am and bow your head to remember the dead. One minute of your time for lives lost to russian aggression.
24) Is it true that most people with a job in Lviv work for the security services?
Not quite, but we need a lot to find and neutralize russian subversives. They do exist in Lviv and some are even Ukrainian. The police and SBU do a tremendous job keeping our city and citizens safe. Having said that, Lviv is significantly safer than London and other British cities that have become normalized to Islamic terror.
The second point is that males over 25 years must serve. When this law was passed, tens of thousands of Ukrainian men approaching 25 years of age applied to join the police to avoid serving.
Many Ukrainians have issues with rookie policemen helping mobilization squads (some of whom are ex-Berkut) drag civilians into vans. Why don't the police and mobilizers (ТЦК) fight russians? After all, they already have the training.
Lviv has been around since c. 1256 and walking through our old streets is quite the time machine. Overtourism is a long way off and there's no time like the present to visit Lviv at a crossroads in history.
26) What about live music events? Opera, theatre etc.
We can point you in the right direction in every case, just let us know when you'll be coming.
Never approach a line of cars at Lviv railway station near midnight or early morning with luggage. Why?
These drivers are crooks, they will demand that you pay in dollars, euros, or pounds, and that means you'll have to fork out 10 x normal taxi cost.
We have Bolt and Uklon taxi apps here in Ukraine so download one or both before you arrive, and when you arrive, make sure your phone is fully charged then get to a wifi area and book. Lviv railway station lounges have wifi 24/7.
If that doesn't work, ask a bystander to book a cash payment taxi for you on their phone, give them 50 hryvnia as a thank you, then wait to be picked up.
ATMs / cashpoints in Lviv work normally without problems unless there's a blackout, in which case you must wait until power comes back on, and then wait another 30 minutes for the system to reset before withdrawing cash.
Avoid cashpoints on the street in front of Lviv railway station (Gorodotska), use the one inside the station or wait until you're in the city centre.
We've never seen a "service charge" when eating out in Lviv. In pubs, drop a coin in the glass container on the bar. In restaurants, leave a coin on the table.
Many establishments expect tips from foreigners. In these cases, erase the expectation and don't tip at all.
30) Public impressions - both sides
Try to speak a few Ukrainian words when you're out and about in Lviv. Many Ukrainians still turn around and look if you speak English - don't be alarmed, they just want to listen and learn.
There are thousands of cars in Lviv with tinted windows, again, don't be alarmed. Many Ukrainians here want to look but not be seen, it's a Soviet thing.
LVIV TOUR FAQS
Everything you need to know about requesting tours. If anything is unclear, do drop us a line.
In front of Lviv Regional Academic Puppet Theatre or at your accommodation address in Lviv.
2) Who are the guides and are tours 100% private?
Our guides are local experts from Lviv. Some tours are led by our founder, Pete Gr. All tours are private.
3) What is the refunds or cancellations policy?
We always issue a full refund in the very rare cases when we are unable to fulfill a tour booking.
Cancellations are not possible less than 72 hours before travel date (we do not issue refunds in cases of short notice cancellations).
Cancellation requests received more than 72 hours before travel date qualify for a 50% refund.
4) Can more than one tour be booked?
When you send us a message from our website or write on WhatsApp, let us know how many tours you want to book, you may qualify for a discount.
5) How flexible are your tours?
If you have a specific set of interests, we listen then take them on board. We welcome custom tour requests.
50% by bank transfer to our IBAN / SWIFT (BIC) before travel date, then 50% in cash (British pound sterling - Ukrainian hryvnia equivalent) to your guide on the day.
ASK US ANYTHING
More FAQs will be added in due course. Use the form below if you have any specific questions that are not answered above.
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✍ by admin on September 21st, 2025.