LVIV, UKRAINE:

Day Trips, In & Around Lviv:

Gateway to the Carpathian Mountains in western Ukraine, Lviv is the sister city to Krakow, Poland, with a medieval OldTown and historic architecture.
Visit the city’s many churches and museums, and enjoy one of the many cultural events that the city has to offer

A List of Day trips featured below represents the most popular tours. Trips are privately guided, and are priced on a minimum of 2 persons traveling together, with a private English-speaking guide

Day trips listed below represent the most popular tours. They are privately guided, and are priced on a minimum of 2 persons traveling together, with a private English-speaking guide

1. City Tour:                                                       

With narrow, medieval streets and contrasting architecture, Lviv is deserving of its World Heritage status. 

As you stroll through the city’s historic Old Town, discover many architectural styles, including Gothic, Renaissance, baroque, and classical. Admire magnificent views from the 14^th c. remains of the city’s castle, visit Assumptions Church and St. Yura’s Cathedral, and see St. Andrew’s Church with its landmark tower built in the 17^th century 

Departs: 01 Jan – 31 Dec, Daily                                  Duration: 3 hours

2. A 3-hour walking tour of the Old corners of Lviv:

The tour focuses on the historic center of Lviv which is strikingly reminiscent of Prague (before renovation).
Wander along uneven cobblestone streets, see a striking assortment of western architectural styles, stick your head into hidden courtyards, admire ornate churches and eat a cake in Austrian-style coffee houses

Departs: 01 Jan – 31 Dec – Daily                                  Duration: 3 hours

3. An Open-Air Museum of Folk Architecture & Rural Life:

The Museum consists of 100 old wooden buildings spread out over 165 acres.
The museum is divided into miniature villages representing historical-ethnographic areas of western Ukraine – Polisia; Volhynia, Lviv region, the Hutsul, Lemko and Boiko groups of the Carpathian Mountains; Zakarpaty; Bukovina and Podilia. Each village features 15 to 20 buildings – churches, school, windmill, cottages, and farm buildings. Household utensils, farm implements, tools, and articles of clothing are on display

 Upon request | almost daily                                        Duration: 5 hours       

ODESSA:

Odessa, Ukraine’s gateway to the Black Sea, is cosmopolitan and friendly city with a wonderful blend of culture and historical architecture.

Explore the city’s wide tree-lined boulevards, French and Italian inspired palaces and relax on one of the many Black Sea beaches



Privately Guided Tours:

Odessa City Tour:                                           

Odessa was founded just over two centuries ago as the ‘Southern window’ to Europe for the Russian Empire. Stroll down the city’s lovely Prymorsky Boulevard and visit the famous Potemkin Steps, historical Duc de Richelieu Monument and elaborate Opera House. Continue to the seaport and resort district of Arcadia, a popular and picturesque beachside suburb that is full of restaurants and lively activity

Departs: 01 Jan – 31 Dec – Daily                                  Duration: 3 hours

The Catacombs:                                                               

Odessa is riddled with tunnels (catacombs) created nearly 200 years ago during construction of the city. There is an estimated maze of 2500 km tunnels below the city which have used by smugglers, revolutionaries and partisans during WW II. Your tour starts with a walk through a reconstructed partisan camp before heading underground to explore a section of the tunnels

During the World War II, in 1941, when German and Romanian army occupied Odessa, the partisans fighting against the Nazis were based in those catacombs. 
Arms and food supplies that were  kept inside the catacombs were enough for partisans to stay underground for at least half a year
Departs: 01 Jan – 31 Dec – Daily                                  Duration: 3 hours

The Palaces of Odessa:
The Tolstoy House, Pototskiy House and Gagarin family House

During the excursion you will visit the Palaces of Tolstoy, Pototsky and Gagarin. 
When visiting Tolstoy’s palace, where one of the most famous family of Odessa history used to live, you will walk through the main hall where the Tolstoy family would hold private concerts with famous violinists, pianists and singers involved.
This is where you will see the legendary grand piano of the famous composer Franz List who had concerts in Odessa and presented his grand piano 

The House of the Pototskiy family today has a display of the Odessa Art Museum with a rich collection of paintings ranging from medieval icons to the works of contemporary Odessa masters.
The Gagarin House houses the Odessa State Museum of Literature

Odessa City Walks & the Assumption Cathedral:

During this tour you will visit the most noteworthy sights of Odessa. You will also visit inside the Assumption Cathedral.

The Cathedral was started in 1855. In those times it was among the biggest cult structures in the whole of Russian Empire. Its Bell Tower is 56 meters high. The cathedral capacity allowed to accommodate up to 5,000 persons.

During the years of war the Cathedral was the asylum for many religious people of Odessa 
Tour duration: 3 hrs

State Archaeological Museum

Established in 1875, it was the first museum of its kind in the former Russian Empire. There are more than 160 000 exhibits. They are the basis of one of the largest collection of information sources about ancient history of the North of the Black Sea region.
The museum displays a unique collection of archaeological relics of primitive and classical culture, relics of ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece and Rome.

The highlight of the museum is the Gold Room displaying the jewelry & coins from early Black Sea civilizations, including the 1st Slavic coins of St. Volodymyr (10th century AD)

 
The Fine Arts Museum

This former palace of Count Pototsky was built in 1805 and in many respects it is quite a noteworthy museum.

Housed in an exquisite setting of ornamental halls, painted ceilings, parquet floors and fine marble, the Museum houses an impressive display of paintings dating back to the 18th century and an even more amazing collection of icons from the 14th and 15th centuries. The full collection which also includes works by Odessa's contemporary artists truly reflects the full history of Russian art.

Among the famous names represented in the Museum are I. Aivazovasky, Savrasov,  Kramskoi, Repin and M. Vrubel

The Museum of Literature

The museum was opened in 1977 in the Palace of Counts Gagarins. The palace was built in late 19th century, and was later donated to the Odessa Literature & Theatrical Association. The collection of Museum includes over 40,000 exhibits.

It represents the works by Ukrainian, Russian, Polish, Jewish and Bulgarian men of letters and illustrates their close links with Odessa. A list includes over 300 names.

Tour duration: 3 hours