If you are in Lviv for more than a couple of days, please make the effort to go on a day trip from Lviv and visit some of the castles around Lviv. Lviv castles are some of the greatest you’ll see in this part of Europe and are well worth renting a car and discovering the area around Lviv, Ukraine.
There are agencies offering such tours as a 1-day trip from Lviv.
If you are staying in Lviv for more days, check out the places and things to do in Lviv.
I have to say Ukraine has become one of my favourite destinations, after visiting Kyiv and Odesa last year.
So how are you going to visit the castles around Lviv, Ukraine?
If you are travelling with friends or family, it would make sense to rent a car for the day and do this road trip by yourself. I did it, and we had a blast.
Day trip from Lviv: What to do and visit around Lviv, Ukraine
Talking about the places to see in Lviv, Ukraine, it can take forever, and I even haven’t started on the restaurants and bars. Maybe this is a topic for another post.
Lviv has beautiful and history-rich surroundings and it would be a pity to not rent a car and go on a day road trip around Lviv!
Car rent Lviv: Don’t get scammed!
Renting a car to explore the surroundings of Lviv, Ukraine is one of the best ways to explore the Lviv castles and get the most out of your Lviv day trip.
However, you have to pay attention to the rental company you’re using in Lviv!
I used a local Ukrainian company and it was a disaster, as they had a condition I didn’t understand because they speak poorly English and the contract was in Ukrainian.
Well, the good part was that I saw some beautiful and undiscovered castles around Lviv.
The bad part was that I rented a car with a mileage condition. It was 100 km but I drove more than double. And the extra km have to be paid per km at a fixed price.
Luckily, it wasn’t the end of the world, since it is Ukraine and the prices are small. But it was frustrating trying to explain it to the company. And the customer service is non-existent.
That was the moment I realised they don’t have our laws are rules and it was just a waste of time trying to explain.
The company I am talking about is rental.ua (Rental (Оренда авто у Львові)) and I hope you will stay away from them. Their website is in English, but the disaster behind it will strike in Ukrainian and will cost you money.
I recommend renting from an international company, if you want to organise a day trip from Lviv, one that has international call centres which you can call in case of need. Hopefully, you will not need to.
When I was road-tripping in Jordan, I used Sixt, and I was utterly pleased with their service. I don’t know why I didn’t rent from them this time.
Lviv castle: Itinerary for Discover the Castles around Lviv, Ukraine
If you are curious about the history of these lands, you must know Lviv has been under many different occupations. This is visible in the city, but also in the countryside.
The most influences come from the former Polish empire, and the castles were built and belonged for a long time to Polish leaders and important families.
I am not a history fan and I am really bad with dates, so please feel free to read more about these places.
This is my itinerary suggestion for a 1-day trip from Lviv: (1-5 are a must)
- Pototski Palace (located in Lviv, listed as things to see in Lviv)
- Brody Castle
- Oleskiy Castle
- Pidhirtsi Castle
- Zolochiv Castle (The Chinese Palace)
- Pomoriany Castly (ruin)
- Berezhany Castle (ruin)
- Svirzh Castle
- Stare Selo Castle
Brody Castle
In the city of Brody, after walking through the local marketplace, you will find yourself on what seems to be the abandoned place of a former fortress.
There is no moat or drawbridge, and what remains of the pentagonal plan is a 2 story tall building, surrounded by what used to be the dungeons. Besides the building, which was obviously reconstructed. It hoasted a military unit during the Soviet times, and today is a school. I was surprised to see children playing on the grounds of it, in the dungeons, among all that dirt and ruins.
The centre of it remains to be some sort of a park, with trees and a couple of alleys for kids to run about.
Oleskiy Zamok
The Oleskiy castle is regarded as one of the most beautiful and valuable castles in Ukraine and possibly in Europe and has to be part of your day trip from Lviv. This could be one of the oldest castles in the area, as the first written testimonies are from 1327.
As for all the other castles and settlements from the area, this castle wasn’t spared from all the wars and invasions of Poland and the Lithuanian empire, Tatar, and finally the Soviets. During the Soviet occupation, it was used as an agricultural school for women and then a military warehouse during the war.
Today, the castle is a museum and it hosts famous pieces of art. They have a medieval-themed restaurant on the ground floor and a nice souvenir shop.
Pidhirtsi Castle
Pidhirtsi Castle is 80 km away from Lviv. It was built between 1635 and 1640, at the wish of the Polish-Lithuanian military ruler.
Back then, these lands belonged to Poland. Pidhirtsi Castle is one of the most valuable palaces from the former Polish-Lithuanian empire.
It was built on the grounds of a fortress, using brick and stone, and overlooks a valley. Probably the location was strategically chosen. To this day, the entrance reminds its visitors of a fortress, having a moat and a drawbridge, bastions and cannons.
At that time, the interior was luxurious, with over 200 paintings, and the floor was made of marble titles. It had several halls, a library and a chapel.
But this castle carries a long and sad story. After WWI, it was captured by the Russians, who used it as a headquarter, after rubbing all its precious items. Although the building itself, was spared from destruction, Russian soldiers destroyed its interior.
During the many wars going around it, it was damaged multiple times, and in 1956, the Pidhirtsi castle almost burned down.
Today, it is a museum. They have a small fee. The inside is mostly empty, with white walls. They have some photographs to remind its visitors of how it used to look like.
I remember reading on one of those photos that someone once called one of the most beautiful castles, a Versailles of the East.
A beautiful place and such a sad story.
Zolochiv Castle (the Chinese palace)
The Zolochiv Castle was built between 1634-36 using the labour of enslaved Crimean Tatars. This is actually a fort, having towers at each corner and a medieval gate and drawbridge on which you have to step to get in.
The garden and small Chinese palace alone are worth the day trip from Lviv, so make you visit the Zolochiv Castle.
The castle had many different owners: Polish, Turks, Austrian. It was used as a hospital, barracks and prison. In the building to the right is a chapel that commemorates the victims of the Soviet Union which were held here.
The Chinese Palace is the small rotunda at the end of the garden, which was recently opened for the public. Photos are not allowed inside, but the exhibition is mostly made of Asian objects such as carpets, paintings, crockery and religious items.
Other Lviv castles on the way to include in your Lviv day trip: Pomoriany Castle XVI century, Berezhany Castle, Svirzh Castle, Stare Selo Castle. The other small cities around Lviv may surprise you with beautiful churches or just with their natural beauty.
I would love to go back and explore some more of this fascinating part of Ukraine. After you are done visiting the castles around Lviv, make your way back to the city and see what you’ve missed in Lviv.
Tell me what you think!