Vilnius
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The tiny Vilnius city is a nice weekend getaway destination in Eastern Europe. The capital of Lithuania is known for a medieval vibe and an unhurried way of life, much like Lviv. Given the city's size, it's pretty easy to make a walking tour for one or two days, occasionally hopping on the vintage trolleybuses.
The must-see sightseeing spots include the brick Gedimina’s Castle Tower, which once used to be a part of the 15th-century fortification, the iconic 1500s Gate of Dawn that hosts a Catholic chapel, as well as Vilnius Cathedral, built on the old pagan temple site. Vilnius boasts several museums like the Museum of Occupation and Freedom Rights and the National Museum of Lithuania, which showcases the country's cultural heritage.
The Užupis neighborhood is the UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most bohemian spots of the city. Often compared to Freetown Christiania in Copenhagen, it also has its own set of rules and numerous art installations. Those who'd like to enjoy local cuisine can try potato dumplings didžkukuliai, cold soup šaltibarščiai that resembles Ukrainian borsht and salted herring.
Novotel Vilnius Centre, AirInn Vilnius Hotel, Radisson Blu Hotel Lietuva, Artagonist Art Hotel and Grand Hotel Kempinski Vilnius are the most popular housing options in Vilnius on TripAdvisor. The price for a round trip with Wizz Air starts as low as UAH 1800. The flight is non-stop and takes about 1 hour to get to the destination.
Frankfurt
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Frankfurt is one of the world's busiest transportation hubs thanks to its big airport. It is also fifth-largest German city and the key area on the river Main. Frankfurt has everything the respectable big European city has - an Old Town filled with old-time architecture, museum site, shopping malls and the financial district full of skyscrapers.
Palmengarten - the 19th-century botanical garden with vast plant and flower collections is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Frankfurt. The city's financial district and its peaks, Main Tower and Commerzbank Tower, attract visitors as well. Those who seek the old spirit of Germany visit Römer, a medieval-style town hall with a balcony, as well as a Gothic Frankfurt Cathedral with numerous Renaissance frescoes.
Art lovers can explore the local museum site that showcases everything from an Ancient Egypt collection and the Middle Ages art from Europe to the 19-20th-century art and contemporary installations. Frankfurter sausage is a must-try when it comes to local food. Frankfurt also has a strong cheese culture and opposed to the stereotype about Germany focuses on apple cider more than on beer.
The top 3 most popular hotels in Frankfurt - Hilton Garden Inn Frankfurt Airport, Sheraton Frankfurt Airport Hotel & Conference Center and Hilton Frankfurt Airport Hotel - are conveniently located near the airport. Wizz Air offers a non-stop Lviv-Frankfurt Hahn flight. The price for a round trip is as low as UAH 900 for numerous dates in winter 2019.
Gdansk
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While Warsaw stays the leader in the number of tourists that travel from Lviv to Poland, Gdansk is worth mentioning as well. The reason for its popularity, apart from the cozy small city vibe, is that Gdansk is a port located on the Baltic coast. Numerous ships that harbor there take people in cruises across Europe or other continents.
Like in many Polish cities, the trademark of Gdansk is its colorful Main Town, full of fairytale-looking houses. The area hosts numerous restaurants and shops filled with souvenirs and amber, another trademark of the city. Landmarks in Gdansk can be toured in one day: take a walk in the city's 10-hectares Park Oliwa, visit 1560 Green Gate and take a walk to the 17th-century bronze Neptune Fountain. Gothic St Mary's Church is a stone throw away from there.
Polish cuisine is similar to Ukrainian in many aspects: to name but a few, fried lard smalec, beetroot barszcz and stuffed cabbage leaves gołąbki are classic. PURO Gdansk Stare Miasto, Hilton Gdansk, Hotel Sadova, Hampton by Hilton Gdansk Old Town and Celestin Residence are among the most-booked hotels in Gdansk according to TripAdvisor. The low-cost flight to Lviv from Gdansk is provided by Wizz Air. The price starts at UAH 2100.
Milan
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While Milan is largely known as Italy’s shopping capital, in fact, it’s much more than that. Take the city’s most prominent landmark — Milan Cathedral or Duomo. The huge Gothic cathedral with numerous details on the inside and outside is the third largest in the world. Milan is also home for one of the most iconic frescoes in the world — The Last Supper by Da Vinci, located in the church of Santa Maria Delle Grazie.
Italian cuisine doesn’t really need an introduction: pizza and pasta can be found in any tiny corner of the country. Milanese specials include costoletta, a veal cutlet, and risotto alla Milanese, best topped with Aperol Spritz. Relaxing with a cup of classic cappuccino in the morning is another must-do in Milan.
The top 5 hotels in Milan according to TripAdvisor are Hotel Berna, Grand Visconti Palace, NYX Hotel Milan, 43 Station Hotel and Hilton Garden Inn Milan North. Italian Ernest Airlines offer non-stop flights to Milan starting at UAH 8000 for a round trip. Other companies that fly to Milan from Lviv include LOT, Austrian Airlines and Lufthansa.
Madrid
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The capital of Spain is full of so many things as shopping malls and history museums that it might be hard to pick a tourist route. Some say that Madrid is a city you must look at in a different light every time you visit it. Nevertheless, the must-visit spots for the first time in Madrid include the city center - Plaza Mayor with numerous cafes and the statue of Philip III, Museo de Nacional del Prado that boasts works of Goya, Velazquez and El Greco, and the grand 19th-century El Retiro Park with roses garden and multiple fountains.
To combine art, history and beautiful architecture, one can take a walking tour starting from Ancient Egypt Temple of Debod in direction of the city center: visit the Sabatini Gardens, the 1600s royal monastery Real Monasterio de la Encarnación, the grand Royal Palace of Madrid and the luxurious Baroque Catholic Catedral de la Almudena.
The local restaurants will offer iconic foods like Pincho de Tortilla or Churros with chocolate as well as the fried squid sandwich Bocadillo de Calamares, the Madrid classic. Ibis Madrid Aeropuerto Barajas is the bestseller among the hotels in Madrid. ApartoSuites Jardines de Sabatini, Hotel Francisco I, Artiem Madrid and Hotel Regina follow Ibis' popularity on TripAdvisor. Ukraine International Airlines offers non-stop flights to Madrid. The price for a 3-hour flight starts at UAH 6800 depending on the season.
Cover photo: unsplash.com.
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