Odessa is immediate. According to a2zgov, it consists of thousands of bright little things that are pleasant to be surprised by, discovering wonderful courtyards with houses overgrown with ivy and grapes, unusual architecture, meeting the most colorful characters, literally descended from the pages of collections of classic jokes. Odessa is delicious and satisfying. Maybe it’s about her juicy fruits from Privoz, the famous mullet and such a homemade and slightly forgotten compote. Or maybe the southern sun and the wind from the sea make the traveler greedily taste this city.
There, everything breathes Europe, blows,
Everything shines with the south and is full
of living Diversity.
…
But the sun is southern, but the sea…
What do you need more, friends?
Blessed lands!
S. Pushkin “Eugene Onegin”
The first people settled here on the Black Sea coast already in the 5th century BC. e. And after all liked it! Today (oh, what can I say, it has always been like this) Odessa is the main Black Sea tourist resort in Ukraine. And also – the largest trade, important cultural, educational, sanatorium and medical and many other centers of the country. It is absolutely useless to count how many vacationers go and go to Odessa. And you come, everyone will be welcome!
Districts of Odessa
Odessa is glorified by its colorful streets, districts and courtyards, we know them from songs, anecdotes, books, we saw them in films, but we did not realize that this was not Paris at all, but she herself – Odessa-mother. Pushkinskaya, Gogol, Bazarnaya, Tchaikovsky, on Malaya Arnautskaya, they probably still do all the smuggling, but how can you not walk along Deribasovskaya, tell me? Moreover, this famous street was so fond of pedestrians – visitors and locals – that it was even partially closed to traffic. Primorsky Boulevard is also good for leisurely promenades, from here you can enjoy a gorgeous view of the sea, yachts and cruise ships lazily passing along the edge of the horizon.
Speaking of views. Walking around Odessa, you can take amazing and atmospheric photos, just looking into the arches and studying the old courtyards.
Of course, it’s good to settle in the Historical Center, walk in the mornings to Privoz, then go stare at the palaces, have a delicious lunch in popular establishments and relax on Arcadia or Langeron (staying there for an evening party). But do not underestimate the areas that can be called the outskirts. By sea to the south, almost to the very Chernomorsk, stretches the Kyiv region, divided into many small districts and towns. It is green and calm here, there are many good and not so crowded beaches and a pleasant promenade. To the north along the coast lies the Suvorovsky district. Having settled in the vicinity of the village of Kotovsky or Luzanovka, the traveler gets an excellent beach at hand with all the related infrastructure, as well as more affordable prices for accommodation, food and service.
Odessa Hotels
Odessa knows perfectly well that it is loved and understands what travelers need. There are enough temporary housing options in the city for every taste and budget. Please note that on many aggregators a decent part of the offers pass without “stars”. In fact, among these hotels there may be excellent expensive boutique hotels, and cute mini-hotels of the economy class, and decent guest houses for itinerant youth.
A place or a room in a clean and comfortable hostel will cost 100-350 UAH, some establishments are decorated very creatively, for example, in the spirit of popular detective stories, so that companies of young tourists will not only afford, but also enjoy. For 450-800 UAH you can find a good modern “three”, rooms in hotels with 4 “stars” and similar in quality, but without indicating the star rating, cost about 1000-1300 UAH. There are a dozen five-star establishments in the city and its environs, where the cost of a night starts from 2400-5400 UAH, as well as a number of premium villas and apartments on the seashore with a price tag of 7000-14 000 UAH.
Accommodation options in boarding houses and sanatoriums in Odessa will have to be looked for separately. They, like their colleagues on the Russian Black Sea coast, do not yet seek to get into the networks of hotel aggregators, although many have decent sites.
Cafes and restaurants in Odessa
The food is delicious, satisfying, if desired – budgetary, if possible – expensive and premium. Perhaps, an important sign of the quality of Odessa catering is the fact that the Top 100 cafes and restaurants in Ukraine included 11 establishments and chains of Odessa at once.
An important tip for adherents of gastronomic tourism is to order “halves” in Odessa cafes, part of the standard portion of the dish. So there will be a chance to deepen and expand acquaintance with local treats at least twice!
The cuisine of Odessa combines the cooking traditions of many peoples – Ukrainians, Jews, Russians, Armenians, Greeks, Bulgarians, Georgians. Therefore, certain national notes are felt in the menu of even highly specialized restaurants, say, for European cuisine. However, do not expect an abundance of spices, the local cuisine gravitates toward delicacy and naturalness, the natural taste of fresh products. In general, there are more than enough establishments where the guest will be sheltered and fed to satiety. In small cafes and fast food canteens, the average check will be 80-175 UAH. You can drink beer and have a cheap snack at Tyulka. You should definitely appear in Kompot to order your own jar of homemade compote, which is opened in front of a visitor and poured a delicious drink into a faceted glass, beauty! Here you can intercept fresh pastries along the way.
In higher class establishments, lunch for two will cost 300-400 UAH. If you want to taste the best Italian dishes in Odessa at the Tavernetta restaurant or dine in the entourage Dacha, be prepared for an average bill of 350-500 UAH.
Holidays and events
There are 7 theaters and a philharmonic society in Odessa. The city has several cultural centers operating in a variety of areas.
Every year in April, the festival “Two Days and Two Nights of New Music” takes place here – one of the largest festivals of its kind in Europe. For two days, Odessa is filled with the sounds of a variety of musical instruments. Festival participants are happy to experiment in different genres and try new forms of creativity.
Jazz Carnival in September is another significant event in the cultural life of the city. World jazz stars perform at the festival, performing both classical and modern.
In June, on the streets of Odessa, all other sounds are drowned out by the roar of engines – hundreds of bikers from different countries come to the annual international rally Goblin show.
July is the time of the International Film Festival in Odessa.
April Fool’s Day (April 1) and City Day (September 2) are celebrated in a unique way. The latter is even called the Odessa New Year.
Every evening in Odessa, the lights of bars, restaurants and discos are lit – it’s time for wild fun and dancing until you drop. The epicenter of club recreation is the seaside strip of Arcadia.
Weather
The climate of Odessa is temperate continental and relatively dry, the number of sunny days a year here exceeds 290. Summers are long and hot, winters are short and mild. The swimming season in Odessa lasts from the beginning of June (the water temperature at this time is already set at +19… +20 ° С) and until the end of September.
