Ivano-Frankivsk - the gateway to the Eastern Carpathian Mountains and many attractions.

Iwano-Frankiwsk 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 Stanislawow. After the subsequent partitions, the city came under the rule of Galicia. Stanislawow was again within the borders of Poland after the end of World War I, but was incorporated into the USSR after World War II. 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 gateway to the Eastern Carpathians", as it lies in the foothills of this range.

World War II and the incorporation of Ivano-Frankivsk into the USSR meant that many mementos of the Polish presence in the area were irreversibly destroyed. However, many Polish accents can still be found, such as the Adam Mickiewicz monument and the former Potocki Palace. It is worth starting your tour of the city with Polish traces from it. The palace has survived although in a deplorable condition. We can admire the palace buildings and the surrounding garden only from behind the gate. A few decades ago it housed a military hospital, but now it is a private area and is not open to the public.

Another Polish trace is Mickiewicz Square, where, surrounded by trees and flowers, there is a monument to our great writer. 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 that it might be melted down, but it has survived to the present day and today you can relax or take a stroll in the park that surrounds it.

Another Polish accent in the city is the Collegiate Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, created here at the request of the Potocki family. After World War II, it served as a carpentry workshop, a geological museum and now 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 eye and encourages you to take a closer look.

In the very center of the city is the market square and this is where life is concentrated. The market is surrounded by unassuming, multi-colored townhouses. The most distinctive building to be found here is the town hall. The town hall is impressive in its architecture - it is the only such building in Eastern Europe with a gilded dome.

Walking around the city, look out for wrought-iron sculptures - the Festival of Blacksmiths has been held in Ivano-Frankivsk for more than a dozen years. Blacksmiths come from all over the world to Ukraine, who together create a unique work of art for the city. It's worth looking at the baroque Sheptytskyi Square, where you'll find the aforementioned Collegiate Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as well as the Greek Catholic Resurrection Cathedral and the buildings of the former Jesuit monastery. By the square is one of the wrought-iron sculptures of the "Arch of the City Rights."

From Sheptytsky Square, it's only a few steps away from the bastion, a place where the city's former defensive walls 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 promenade in the center of the city. It was created in the 1980s and was the first pedestrian zone in Ukraine. It is a meeting place for locals and ideal for strolling. 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. Moments 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.

Architecture lovers will certainly not be disappointed either - it's 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 its characteristic blue color with gilded domes.

In Ivano-Frankivsk our buses stop at the bus station at 14 Gorbachevskogo Street.

You are welcome to board our buses!

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