Spread over a number of floors with erm gas lamps providing illumination, this bar has a really nice vibe and a great roof terrace with views of the Armenian Cathedral and Town Hall.
The beer was good and the cocktails bizarrely came served in laboratory beakers, but the beer snacks were excellent. One word of warning: the very steep stairs after a few!
Open 11 - 02

20 Virmenska Street
+380 32 235 7550

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Dzyga is an arty cafe-bar at the northern end of Virmenska. You can't miss it as the street is a dead end and the bar is at the very end! It's only a stones throw from the Rynok and is quieter and has some nice views. It's a nice place to start or end the night sitting outside in the atmospheric old Armenian quarter. If it's not the weather to sit outside the inside was cool too with lots of local art on display. The beer was a good local wheatbeer and washed down the pork fat in chocolate perfectly - which is not as bad as it sounds - I had to give it a try. The rest of the food that we tried (the bar was located just below our apartment) was good - the breakfast and ice-cream mainly!

35, Virmenska street, Lviv, Ukraine
+38 32 276 7420, dzyga.com

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This mid-range hotel set right in the historic centre of Lviv is excellent value for money (about 40 euros for a double room). There's free wifi throughout the hotel and you can indulge in a hearty breakfast in Cafe Wien downstairs, which includes delicious Austrian desserts. Yes - for breakfast!

12, Svoboda Avenue
Lviv, 79008, Ukraine
tel/fax: + 38 (032) 244-43-14

www.wienhotel.lviv.ua/index_en.htm

Google map: tinyurl.com/yf5nzjb

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An independent apartment rental agency with some fantastic flats in Lviv.

We stayed in one for four nights on Virmenska, it was beautiful and the pictures of the sight did not do it justice at all. The price was excellent value for such an atmospheric and central location.

We changed travel plans and stayed in Lviv again on our return journey and stayed in another of the agency's apartments on The Rynok. This was a modern airy apartment with a great view over the main square.

Both apartments were spacious and well decorated. They had TV, DVD and kitchens as well as a washing machine.

Svetlana, the company contact in Ukraine was very very helpful throughout and gave me some other tips for our trip into the Carpathians and Ivano Frankivsk.

The preferred method for payment of deposit was Western Union, but if you don't like that then I negotiated to use a company in the UK to pay by credit card.

www.rent-in-lviv.com/en/city.html

+380971938610
+380935654873

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A series of tunnels dug under the city - the mines from which the stones for the city's construction were taken. The city is riddled with catacombs - normally the haunt of junkies and down and outs - but outside the city the catacombs operate as a museum.

These tunnels were used by partisans as a base to launch raids against the German and Romanian occupiers. The tunnels are dark and dank and still contain the personal belongings and equipment of the partisans who lived, fought and died there.

The walls are carved with graffiti that is either political or personal (and sentimental) and overall a visit is both a moving as well as interesting experience. It is only possible with a guided tour as the tunnels are confusing and it is easy to get lost.

Above ground is a rather down at heel museum with a few rusty weapons and some interesting, but faded, photographs. Sadly both the tour guide and museum captions are Russian language only.

The only way to get there is by an excursion bus from Odessa city centre. The buses leave at about 1000hrs from outside Odessa Railway Station - little old ladies in the square outside the station sell tickets and can be quite helpful (though generally they only speak Russian). The journey to the catacombs by minibus (included in the ticket price) takes about 40 minutes and the tour itself is about an hour.

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Built for the 1980 Moscow Olympics this cable car takes you down hill to the beach in Odessa. It is Soviet era, 1970's engineering and you have to hop onto what looks like an individual, oversized, rusty metal bucket hanging from a cable. It then takes you on a squeaking, jolting, wind blown ride down the hill, over the woods and to the beach. A nerve-wrecking five minute trip - what a blast! A great view, but you're so terrified you hardly notice.

On Francuski Boulevard, Odessa - on the number 5 tram line towards Arcadia. Ask or look out for 'Kanatnaya Doroga' ('Rope Road').

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A wonderful restaurant in the grounds of a Santorium along Fransuski Boulevard (take the number 5 tram towards Arcadia). An old summer residence of the rich and powerful that was incorporated into one of the many Soviet-era sanitoria in the city. Now it is renovated and operates as one of the best restaurants in Odessa.

The style is Csarist-era country house and the food is upmarket, fine dining versions of Russian/Ukrainian favourites such as borsch, pelmeni and shashlik. A perfect place to have a long summer lunch in the garden with friends - and don't forget their wonderful home made lemonade.

Francuski Boulevard, Odessa, Ukraine. Take the number 5 tram towards Arcadia and get off the tram near the 'Vash Sad' garden centre.

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