The two-day tourist route “Ghosts of the Shtetls” has been officially presented on the national tourist platform “Travel Ukraine” of the State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine. This makes it possible to promote the trip at a nationwide level and attract more visitors to the northern part of Lviv region.
The route, around 200 km long, runs through Lviv, Zhovkva, Velyki Mosty, Sheptytskyi, Sokal and Belz. For centuries, Jewish communities lived and thrived in these towns and small cities, significantly influencing the economic, religious and social development of the region and leaving behind a valuable cultural heritage.
The journey introduces travellers to the history of the shtetls and Jewish sacred heritage, and also draws attention to areas that are currently undergoing a path of just transformation. The route is intended to showcase their tourism, cultural and economic potential.
“Ghosts of the Shtetls” was created on the initiative of the Association of Coal Communities of Ukraine in partnership with the State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine and the Department of Sport, Youth and Tourism of the Lviv Regional State Administration. Including the route on the “Travel Ukraine” platform is expected to help communities present their cultural heritage more widely and unlock new opportunities for tourism development.
The organisers emphasise that the “Ghosts of the Shtetls” trip is designed not only to popularise the little-known history of northern Lviv region, but also to help people see communities in a new light as they shape their future while preserving the memory of the past.