What to do while in Ukraine

Situated 70 km from the Polish border in western Ukraine, Lviv is a vibrant cultural and historical center famous for its picturesque old town and easy-going coffee-house culture. The area around Ploshcha Rynok (Market Square) is a UNESCO world heritage site, its cobbled streets and stunning architecture a proud symbol of the city's rich past. Lviv, has long been a focal point for tourists, whose experience will now be enhanced by the investments made in infrastructure in the build-up to UEFA EURO 2012. While the crowning glory is the newly constructed Area Lviv, with a tournament capacity of 30,000, fans will feel the impact of regeneration work throughout their stay - from the new terminal building at the airport links and excellent hotel accommodation. And aside from the stadium itself, there will be few stunning places from which to watch a match than the beautiful surrounds of the official fan zone in front of the Lviv Opera on Svobody Square.

The Arena Lviv was inaugurated on 29 October, with a concert by Ukrainian and international pop stars. Work had begun in November 2008 on the 30,000 - seat stadium, which will stage three Group B matches during UEFA EURO 2012 before becoming home to local side FC Karpaty Lviv. While the stadium pays homage to the past with traditional Ukrainian ornamentation enhancing the modern exterior, inside, its two-tiered stands offer the perfect sightliness for watching a game. A transparent roof protects fans from the elements, while a walkway at the back of the lower tier provides a sense of space and comfort. With the seats in the upper deck predominantly blue and those below mostly yellow in the design of the Ukrainian flag, the stadium's allegiances were firmly aligned when Oleh Blokhin's team played their first match there against Austria in a friendly on 15 November.