“The city of coffee drinkers, leisurely strolls and bizarre restaurants.” That’s how the authors of the new English-language guidebook “Awesome Lviv” describe this Ukrainian city some 540 kilometers west from Kyiv.
“Awesome Lviv” is the third book in a series of English-language travel guidebooks by Osnovy publishing house. Like its two predecessors, “Awesome Kyiv” and “Awesome Ukraine,” the book lists most famous places and tourist attractions in the city but also mentions non-mainstream places popular among Lviv’s natives.
Lviv, the city at the crossroads of Eastern and Western Europe, is one of the Ukraine’s most popular tourist destinations – probably the main reason why the authors decided to publish a book about it right after the one about Kyiv.
Each book of the series has a city’s symbol on its cover. The one about Lviv has a cup of coffee as the city is famous for its passion for this drink. One can easily find there coffee-themed places such as Kopalnya Kavy (Coffee Mine) in the heart of the city.
Apart from history and places to visit, the book also gives a reader a sense of Lviv’s prominent venues, such as Virmenka Café at 19 Virmenska St. that was a popular spot among artists during the 1980s. The guidebook also mentions some must-tries for foodies: Galician borscht, sweets from Bun Shop on Slovatskoho Street and liquor Staryi Rynok.
“Awesome Lviv” also mentions must-see modern art spaces like Agrafka Art Studio and cultural events such as annual Lviv Jazz Festival and Book Publishing Forum.
The book’s authors, Anna Kopylova and Dana Pavlychko, say in the introduction that “Awesome Lviv” isn’t a traditional tour guide.
That is true: The book doesn’t have any maps, and the addresses of the venues are written in small letters on the margins. Strangely, the first must-see section for a newcomer to the city – “Places to visit” – is put in the middle of the book.
On the other hand, “Awesome Lviv” will be interesting not only to foreigners. Kopylova and Pavlychko filled the guidebook with things that aren’t commonly known even among Ukrainians, let alone foreigners.
For instance, in a chapter dedicated to the city’s history during World War II, one can find a heart-breaking story about a group of imprisoned Jewish musicians who were forced to play during the mass executions in a concentration camp. The song they played later became known as “Death Tango.”
The book praises famous historical characters and artists who were born or lived in Lviv. Few know that Franz Xaver Mozart, the youngest son of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, lived in Lviv for and even established the first music school in the city, the Institute of Singing.
Although the “Awesome Lviv” might be a bit puzzling for those who visit the city for the first time, its strongest point is a non-banal approach that gives a reader a feeling that he knows the city’s secrets.
Where to buy:
“Awesome Lviv” can be purchased online at the publisher’s website www.osnovypublishing.com for Hr 150 or in the Knyharnya Ye and Bukva book store chains for Hr 170 and Hr 225 respectively.
