Top 10 sights in Odessa

Opera House – the main attraction in Odessa. It is a historical monument of architecture, erected in 1884-1887 in the style of Viennese baroque (1 Tchaikovsky boulevard). The Odessa Opera House is unique for its architectural design, layout, and for its technical equipment. It is included in the list of the best operas in Europe. The Odessa Opera House is a three-tiered structure, decorated with columns, fancy stucco and sculptures of theatrical muses. On the side of the theater there is a fountain, and on the back side there is a famous in the city opera theater canteen. It’s worth mentioning that acoustics of the theater allows the audience to hear even whispers from the stage. World-famous artists used to perform on the stage of the Odessa Opera. Among them: P. Tchaikovsky, S. Rachmaninov, F. Chaliapin, E. Caruso, Isadora Duncan and others. In 2008, Forbes named the Odessa Opera and Ballet Theater one of the extraordinary objects of Eastern Europe.

Derybasivska Street – a pedestrian street in the city center and one of the main attractions of Odessa. It appeared at the beginning of the XIX century and was named after the founder, José de Ribas. At the beginning of the street there is a monument to de Ribas, depicted with a plan of the city in his hand. Today Derybasivska is the most popular place for celebrations and various events. City holidays, such as Odessa Humorina, City Day, etc. take place here. There are many cafes, restaurants, boutiques, and a souvenir fair on Derybasivska. At the end of the street you will find Gorsad – the first park in Odessa, built in 1803.

Gorsad – the oldest city park, located in the center of Odessa on the Derybasivska street and founded in 1803 by the brother of de Ribas – Felix. In 1806, the park was granted to the city. In the City Garden there is a rotunda pavilion, as well as a light and musical fountain. A summer theater, where the Symphony Orchestra of the Odessa Regional Philharmonic Society plays in the evenings, is also open here. Near Gorsad you will find monuments, which have become the hallmark and symbols of Odessa. This is a monument to the Twelfth Chair, established in honor of the “The Twelve Chairs” by Ilf and Petrov, and a monument to the world-famous Odessa citizen – the legendary artist Leonid Utesov.

Potemkin Stairs – one of the main structures in Odessa (Prymorsky Blvd.), erected in the first half of the XIX century by order of Prince Vorontsov as a gift to his wife. Its length is 142 m. It has got ten spans and 192 steps (!). The uniqueness of the stairs lies in its construction. So the lower part of the staircase is wider than the top, so if you look at it from above, it seems that it has an equal width, the parapets are parallel, and only spans are visible to the gaze. If you look from below, you get the impression that the staircase is longer and only a cascade of steps is visible. The Potemkin Stairs is one of the most beautiful and most famous historical sites in Europe. This is a legendary place where a lot of films were shot. Those films were marked by the European Film Academy that granted it the “Treasure of European Cinema Culture” title.

Monument to Duke – a bronze monument, erected in 1828 in honor of the mayor and governor-general of the dutch (duke) de Richelieu. It was the first monument opened in Odessa (Prymorsky Blvd., 7-8). It was thanks to de Richelieu that the city became a major trading port. The monument is a bronze statue of de Richelieu wearing a Roman toga with a scroll in his hand and three high reliefs, symbolizing agriculture, commerce and justice. The figure of de Richelieu is facing the sea, and the monument itself is located in front of the Potemkin Stairs. The monument to Duke is one of the main attractions of Odessa.

Sea port – the business card of Odessa, the most beautiful and modern sea terminal not only in Ukraine, but also in Europe (6, Prymorska St.). It was built in 1968 and reconstructed in 1993. Here is the largest port of Ukraine. Odessa Sea Port is a commercial port of international importance, recognized as the main cruise port in Ukraine. Every day thousands of passengers arrive here, hundreds of cargo ships and international airliners moor here. Sea Port is not only one of the largest passenger terminals in Europe, but also a favorite place for walks of citizens and tourists. From here you can see the port of Odessa and feel its mightiness. On its territory you will find the “Odessa” hotel, the building of the commercial port, the anchors museum, the summer concert venue, a restaurant, souvenir shops, St. Nicholas Church, a yacht pier and a XIX century cannon that participated in the defense of Odessa in 1857. From the pier, the boat trips depart to roam along the sea shore. So, there is an opportunity not only to enjoy the sea breeze, but also to see Odessa-Mama from the sea.

Moldavanka – a historic place that emerged at the end of the 18th century. Today it is a district of Odessa. Originally, this place was a Moldovan village. In 1816, with the acquisition of the right to trade, Moldavanka started to be actively settled, mostly by the poor workers and binderyards. Here, they were vigorously trapping smuggling goods, which led to the formation of criminal gangs in the area. So, the Odessa king of raiders Mishka Yaponchik and the legendary adventurer Sonya the Golden Hand appeared. Over time, Moldavanka was built up and became part of the city. It was a multinational region where Ukrainians, Bulgarians, Moldovans, Greeks, Armenians, and Serbs lived. However, the main inhabitants of the Moldavanka were not wealthy Jews. Small squalid houses of 1-2 floors, streets buried in mud, courtyards where religions, traditions, and languages mixed up – this is the Moldavanka of the 19th century. Babel wrote about Moldavanka, Utyosov sang about it, as well as quite a few movies were shot about it. Moldavanka became the highlight of Odessa with a truly Odessa flavor. Today it is one of the main attractions of the city and a popular place visited by tourists.

Privoz – the food market, located near the Odessa railway station. It’s a hallmark of the city and the “must visit” place (Pryvozna str.). It appeared in 1827, when a large bazaar, where they sold imported goods, was opened. Hence the name of the market – Pryvoz. In 1913, the Fruit Passage was erected on the territory of the market, the buildings of which today are an architectural monument. In the 1990s, a major reconstruction was carried out – new pavilions were built. In 2007, shops were opened and were called “New Pryvoz”. Privoz is an authentic place. Here you can buy anything you want. Just do not forget to bargain.

Langeron – a famous city beach in the center of Odessa, named after Governor-General Alexander Langeron. Since the end of the XIX century, the beach has become a popular holiday destination among the townspeople. Due to its proximity to the city center, it is the most visited beach among holidaymakers. You can get to Langeron from the center through the Shevchenko park. Before the entrance to the beach there is an arch, built in 1830. Once there was the summer residence of the governor Langeron, and the arch itself served as the main entrance. Today this preserved object is an architectural monument. Langeron Beach, as before, remains the most popular one, with a developed infrastructure, a lot of entertainment, cafes and restaurants. Nearby, there is the best in Ukraine Dolphinarium “NEMO”.

Arkadia – the most popular resort area of Odessa. It appeared in the XIX century and is named after the greek mountain region. Due to its location and gentle slope to the sea, Arcadia has become a favorite leisure place among citizens. Today it is here that the best beaches, summer cafes, restaurants and nightclubs, as well as entertainment for every liking are located. Its territory houses water park, rides, souvenir shops, boutiques and some food places. In the evening, you will see a light and musical fountain, which has long been a decoration of Arcadia. In the warm season, famous “Ibiza” and “Ithaca” disco are open here, where mega bright parties, shows, and concerts of both Ukrainian and foreign stars take place. You can get to Arcadia from Langeron along the Health Track or by tram No. 5, which runs from the city center.