Lviv and the Golden Horseshoe. The Old Town and the castles of Olesko, Pidhirtsi and Zolochiv over a weekend from Kyiv
3 days (Fri 23:00 – Sun around 23:00) · Meet on Friday at 22:45, departure at 23:00
Kyiv, Zhytomyrska metro station
The Golden Horseshoe of the Lviv region is three castles close to one another: Zolochiv, Pidhirtsi and Olesko. Each has a royal story behind it – from the birth of John III Sobieski to the palace he built for his wife. This FantoTravel signature tour adds a day in old Lviv to the castles – with an overnight drive and a night in a hotel.
Why go
- Three castles of the Golden Horseshoe in one day: Zolochiv, Pidhirtsi and Olesko, each with its royal stories
- Lviv’s UNESCO-listed historic center – Rynok Square, the cathedrals and the Opera House on foot
- Olesko Castle, where the future king of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, John III Sobieski, was born in 1629
- The 17th-century Pidhirtsi palace-fortress with bastions and terraces, built for Hetman Koniecpolski
- The Chinese Palace at Zolochiv Castle, which the king built for his wife Marysieńka
- An overnight drive to Lviv, a night in a hotel with breakfast and a guide throughout the tour
Route
Starting point:
Kyiv, Zhytomyrska metro station
Departure on Friday at 23:00
Overnight drive to Lviv
~540 km, 8–9 hours with stops
Saturday: Lviv Old Town
Walking tour: Rynok Square and the Town Hall, the Latin and Armenian Cathedrals, the Dormition Church, the Opera House
Free time and hotel check-in
Cafés, museums, Lviv in the evening
Overnight in Lviv, breakfast included
Sunday: transfer to Zolochiv
After breakfast, ~70 km
Zolochiv Castle
The Grand Palace and the Chinese Palace, built for Queen Marysieńka
Admission is paid separately
Pidhirtsi Castle
A palace-fortress built in 1635–1640, terraces and a park; St. Joseph’s Church is nearby
Admission is paid separately
Olesko Castle
The hilltop castle where John III Sobieski was born, and its museum exhibition
Admission is paid separately
Return to Kyiv
~470 km, 7–8 hours with stops
Kyiv, Zhytomyrska metro station
Expected return on Sunday around 23:00
Good to know
What’s included
Travel by tourist bus Kyiv – Lviv – Zolochiv – Pidhirtsi – Olesko – Kyiv, a night in a double room at a hotel in Lviv with breakfast, a walking tour of Lviv and a FantoTravel guide.
Paid separately
Admission to Zolochiv, Pidhirtsi and Olesko castles, lunches and dinners. A single room costs an extra UAH 1,200, which you can add when buying.
Documents
Bring your passport or ID card for hotel check-in.
What to bring
Comfortable shoes for the cobblestones and castle stairs, warm clothes for October evenings and a pillow for the overnight drive.
Tour language
The tours are conducted in Ukrainian.
Schedule
No upcoming dates yet – check back soon for new ones.
Organized by: FantoTravel · Guide: Shevchuk Taras Olehovych
