Step back in time in lovely Lviv

The brutalist Soviet architecture that dominates Ukrainian cities is almost entirely absent in Lviv (or Lvov in Russian). Instead, this city’s cobblestone streets and historic buildings look like they could have been lifted from the heart of medieval Europe — transporting visitors into the heart of a fairytale.

Lviv has a rich and diverse history. It was the heart of the Ukrainian national resistance movement, and previously the Kingdom of Galicia-Volhynia — part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. King Daniel named the city Leopolis, in honor of his oldest son Leo.
(Photo courtesy: Shutterstock)