Ivano-Frankivsk - the gateway to the Eastern Carpathians and many attractions.

Iwano-Frankivsk now lies within Ukraine, but was once a Polish city. In the 17th century, Andrzej Potocki settled here with his family and founded the town of Stanislaviv. After the subsequent partitions of Poland, the city fell under the rule of Galicia. Stanislawow became part of Poland again after World War I, but after World War II it was incorporated into the USSR. In the 1960s the city was named after the famous writer, Ivan Franko, who actually had little to do with the city itself.              Ivano-Frankivsk is referred to as "the gate of the Eastern Carpathians", because it lies on the foothills of this range.#World War II and the incorporation of Ivano-Frankivsk into the USSR left many reminders of the Polish presence in the area irreparably damaged. However, you can still find many Polish accents, such as the monument to Adam Mickiewicz or the former Potocki Palace. It is worth starting your sightseeing tour of the city with Polish traces. The palace survived although in a poor condition. The palace buildings and the surrounding garden can only be admired from behind the gate. Several decades ago there was a military hospital here, now it is a private area and is not open to the public. Although Mickiewicz never personally visited Ivano-Frankivsk, the site has become extremely popular with the city's residents. The monument also suffered heavily - it was cut in half, and also spent several years in hiding for fear of being melted down, but it has survived to the present day and today you can relax or take a stroll in the surrounding park.

Another Polish accent in the city is the collegiate church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, commissioned here by the Potocki family. After World War II, it served as a carpentry workshop, a geological museum, and now as the Museum of Carpathian Art. 

Walking around Ivano-Frankivsk, it turns out that this city has a lot to offer. Almost behind every backstreet there is something that catches your attention and encourages you to take a closer look.

In the very center of the city is the market square and it is here that life is concentrated. The market square is surrounded by low-rise, multi-coloured townhouses. The most distinctive building to be found here is the town hall. The town hall is impressive in its architecture - it's the only such building in Eastern Europe that has a gilded dome. 

Walking around the city you should look out for wrought-iron sculptures - for more than a dozen years in Ivano-Frankivsk the Festival of Blacksmiths has been held. Blacksmiths come from all over the world to Ukraine, and together they create a unique work of art for the city.  It's worth checking out the Baroque Sheptytsky Square, which houses the above-mentioned St. Mary's Collegiate Church, as well as the Greek Catholic Resurrection Cathedral and the buildings of the former Jesuit monastery. By the square there is one of the wrought-iron sculptures "Arch of the city rights".                                                                                                               

From Sheptytsky Square, it is only a few steps away from the bastion, a place where the former defensive walls of the city have been preserved. Nowadays there are also restaurants, cafes and stores here, so it's a good place to relax for a while while sightseeing. 

Stometrivka is a pedestrian zone in the city center. It was created in the 1980s and was the first pedestrian zone in Ukraine. It is a meeting place for locals, ideal for walking. Full of cafes and restaurants, it is here that life is vibrant in the evenings. 

At Vichevyj Square there is a musical fountain, so constructed that we can dry walk under its streams. A moment of silence and relaxation can be found in Shevchenko Park, which is famous not only for its magnificent trees, but also a small island of lovers, located in the middle of the lake.

And architecture lovers will definitely not be disappointed - it is worth going and seeing the railroad station building with the longest platform in Ukraine, the monumental administrative building commonly known as the White House or the former Armenian church in the characteristic blue color with gilded domes.

In Ivano-Frankivsk our coaches stop  at Gorbachevskogo street bus station 14.

We invite you to board our buses!  

Are you interested in the city description? Check details of connections to Ivano-Frankivsk from your location in the search engine on the home page.