Where to Go in Lviv, Odesa, and Kyiv: Routes Without Tourist Crowds

Rynok Square, Deribasivska Street, or Khreshchatyk — these are only part of a much larger story. If you step a few blocks away, you will find other routes: the quiet hills of Lviv, Odesa’s courtyards and the slopes of Shkodova Hill, Kyiv’s fortresses and necropolises. We рассказываем about walks in three cities that do not require a guide but allow you to discover interesting locations without crowds of tourists.

Lviv Without Tourists — From St. George’s Hill to a Quiet Square in the Center

Lviv is usually associated with Rynok Square, the Dominican Cathedral, and aromatic coffee. But if you step a few blocks away from the usual routes, the city becomes more intimate. It is worth starting the walk from St. George’s Hill — a place where you can see Lviv without the tourist bustle.

St. George’s Cathedral on the square of the same name is not only a church but an entire architectural complex with a bell tower, cathedral, and the Metropolitan’s palace. The residence of the Greek Catholic bishops stands surrounded by greenery, slightly removed from the busy central streets. Behind the walls of the archcathedral lie the Metropolitan Gardens — a space that was closed for a long time and is now gradually opening to visitors. From the garden terrace, one of the oldest panoramas of Lviv unfolds: already in the 17th century artists drew the city from here. In summer, concerts and creative events take place on the grounds, yet even at the height of the season the place retains a sense of intimacy.

From St. George’s Hill it is logical to descend toward the university quarter — to the old section of the Botanical Garden of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv on Kyryla and Methodiia Street. It was founded in 1852 by Professor Hiatsynt Lobazhevskyi on the territory of the former garden of the Trinitarian monastery. Already in the mid-19th century there were a greenhouse and several hothouses here, and the garden’s development involved Karl Bauer from Vienna, Adolf Weiss, Teofil Tseselskyi, and gardener Adam Blazhek.

Today it is a green space with an arboretum and greenhouses where tropical and subtropical species are collected — aroids, bromeliads, orchids, and palms. Among the oldest trees are European yew, European beech, European larch, Weymouth pine, and black walnut. A walk here is a chance to pause in the middle of the day, stroll along the alleys, and feel how the city changes its pace.

We recommend finishing the route in the historic center — at Koliivshchyny Square, a small square between Staroievreiska Street and Brativ Rohatyntsiv Street. It appeared in the early Austrian period on the site of the old Jewish quarter. It was once called Zhydivska and Veksliarska, and since 1944 it has had its current name. In 2021 the space was renovated: a well in the form of a fountain was restored in the center, greenery and lighting were added, and unusual street chairs were installed. Today it is a камерний public space with cozy restaurants around its perimeter.

Lesser-Known Odesa — From Starokinniy Market to Shkodova Hill

Odesa is known to everyone through Primorsky Boulevard and Deribasivska Street. But the city hides far more curiosities — in courtyards, at markets, and on the tops of steep slopes.

It is worth starting the walk at Starokinniy Market. Locals and antique hunters love it. Vinyl records, posters, coins, badges, porcelain — here you can find anything you need, or something that will become necessary after a few minutes of conversation with Odesa’s sellers.

From Starokinniy Market it is logical to move toward the historic center — to the courtyards near Preobrazhenska Street. Here you will find the Art Courtyard on Nekrasova — a mini-gallery in an ordinary Odesa yard. The idea for the space appeared after artist Kyryl Bondarenko moved here and began filling the courtyard with large and small exhibits. Thus an ordinary yard turned into an open stage for contemporary art. It is easy to stay here longer than planned — talking with residents or artists about their unusual home.

Next the route leads to Devolanivskyi Descent — one of the streets running along the bottom of the Quarantine Ravine in the historic center. The descent begins at Mytna Square and stretches to its intersection with Yevreiska Street. It is a steep street with complex relief and dramatically contrasting architecture.

The walk can end farther from the center — at the Cossack cemetery on Shkodova Hill. This is one of the oldest cemeteries in the city, preserving the history of the Sich. Shkodova Hill, which is now already within the city limits, received its name from the chumaks: when the Peresyp area flooded, they had to travel across the slopes where their wagons broke — a “shkoda,” meaning damage or loss.

The cemetery preserves 32 types of ancient Cossack crosses of various shapes and sizes. The oldest of them dates back to 1791. Among the burials stands out a grave shaped like a pillow with a Cossack mace. Most inscriptions on the crosses have been deciphered by Odesa historians and local researchers.

Despite its status as a monument of local significance, the houses and nearby historical objects on the hill are gradually deteriorating. In some places the area is turning into an informal dump, while certain structures suffer damage due to the lack of systematic protection and proper maintenance. One hopes the space will eventually be placed under full protection, provided with regular care, and gradually restored.

From Fortress to Necropolis — Kyiv Places That Most People Pass By

This route is short but насыщенный: it is worth starting with the Oblique Caponier on Hospitalna Street — part of the complex “Kyiv Fortress.” Built in 1844, the caponier received its name because of the angled position of its walls relative to the earth rampart — a design that provided flanking fire. Today the site preserves ditches, earthen embankments, cannons, massive brick walls, arches, and entrances to underground galleries.

In the past political prisoners were held within these walls; today there is a museum. But even without a tour it is worth walking around the grounds: it is a place that most Kyiv residents pass by. From the ramparts a panorama opens onto the city center and the roof of NSC Olimpiyskiy — especially expressive before sunset.

From the fortress the route naturally continues further — to Baikova Hill and Baikove Cemetery. The walk takes about half an hour and passes through the city’s old terrain with ascents and descents.

Baikove Cemetery was founded in 1833 and covers more than 70 hectares. It is one of the oldest necropolises of the capital and a monument of history and culture. Here are buried Lesya Ukrainka, Mykhailo Hrushevskyi, Bohdan Stupka, Valerii Lobanovskyi, and dozens of other figures whose names have been given to Kyiv streets.

But the main value of Baikove lies not only in famous names. It is a place of vaults, chapels, and sculptures. Dozens of mausoleums were built according to different religious traditions — Orthodox, Catholic, Lutheran, and Jewish. Some were designed by famous architects, including Vladyslav Horodetskyi. Many gravestones were created by renowned masters of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Unfortunately, some of the old chapels in the cemetery are now in poor condition: documentary records were destroyed during the Second World War, and many mausoleums have been looted or sealed.

In the upper part of Baikove stands the building of the Kyiv Crematorium and the columbarium. The architecture of the crematorium has almost no straight angles — in order to create a space that helps people cope with loss. Officially the author of the project is considered to be one of the students of Yosyp Karakis, the Kyiv architect Avraam Miletskyi. He invited the outstanding monumental artists Ada Rybachuk and Volodymyr Melnychenko to collaborate on the project.

Read more about how cities today are becoming platforms for literary events in the selection “From Lviv and Kyiv to Odesa and Zaporizhzhia: Key Literary Events of Ukraine.” It features festivals that support the publishing industry and shape a new culture of reading.