Freezing in the Shadows of Lutsk: A Budget Student's Winter Escape

okay so i just landed in this random city called lutsk, ukraine. never heard of it before, but someone said it was cheap and had "character." spoiler: they weren't lying.

first thing i noticed? the cold. like, really cold. i just checked and it's -2.95°C there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. apparently it feels like -5.96°C with the wind, so yeah, bring a jacket or three.

i'm staying in this tiny hostel near the old town. it's basically a room with a bed and a radiator that sounds like it's about to explode. but hey, it's 10 bucks a night, so i'm not complaining. the guy at the front desk told me the castle is the main thing to see, so i dragged myself out into the freezing air to check it out.

"the castle? yeah, it's old. sometimes they do plays there. but honestly, the real magic is in the side streets."

that's what some random local said to me while i was trying to warm my hands on a coffee. speaking of coffee, i found this little place called *kavun that does a mean latte. it's on kravchenko street, super easy to miss but worth it if you need to thaw out.

lutsk isn't huge, but it's got layers. like, you'll be walking past a modern supermarket and then suddenly there's a 500-year-old church staring you in the face. the lutsk historical museum is supposed to be good, but i heard from a backpacker that the exhibits are all in ukrainian, so... good luck if you don't speak the language.

if you get bored, lviv and rivne are just a short drive away. but honestly, lutsk's got enough to keep you busy for a couple of days. just don't expect anyone to speak english everywhere. i used google translate like a crutch.

one weird thing: the lesya ukrainka street at night. it's lit up with these old-fashioned lamps and feels like you're in a different century. someone told me that's where all the couples go to "stroll," so i felt a bit like a third wheel wandering around alone.

food-wise, i hit up bilyi bar* because a drunk guy at the hostel swore it had the best pierogi in town. he wasn't wrong. also, super cheap. like, 3 bucks for a full plate.

oh, and the weather? yeah, it's cold. like, really cold. i just checked and it's -2.95°C there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. apparently it feels like -5.96°C with the wind, so yeah, bring a jacket or three.

anyway, here's a map so you don't get lost like i did:

and a few pics i stole from unsplash because my phone died:

if you're into offbeat, cheap, and slightly frozen destinations, lutsk's your spot. just layer up and bring a sense of humor. you'll need both.

p.s. if you get bored, lviv and rivne are just a short drive away.