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Odesa Sights and Landmarks Guide, Ukraine

Odesa (or Odessa) is an important cultural and economic center in Southern Ukraine, as well as a major port at the Black Sea (check out the Odessa Travel Guide for more details on the city’s location, economy, climate etc.). Due to its favorable location and numerous health care facilities, Odesa attracts thousands of tourists each season. Once the third largest city in Russia, Odesa has had all the privileges of a Porto Franco, a status that is still reflected today by the city’s architecture, culture and captivating nightlife (in this sense, Odesa sights and nightlife can only be compared to those in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine).

Odesa sights – Museums and Historical Landmarks

There are plenty of museums to choose from in Odesa: history museums, literary museums, science museums – many of them hosted by historic buildings. One of the largest and oldest museums in town is the Archeological Museum, founded almost two centuries ago and displaying about 160000 objects related to the history of the Black Sea region. Odesa’s active cultural life is demonstrated by the existence of Odessa State Literary Museum, Pushkin Memorail House and Museum, The Museum of Western and Eastern Art and Fine Arts Museum of Odesa.

There is also a Maritime Museum and a Museum of Numismatics that might reveal amazing facts about Odesa’s history as a port and trade center. If there’s one sight in Odesa that can be considered the emblem of the city (in the same way as the Eifel tour is for Paris and the Statue of Liberty for New York), those are definitely the 192 majestic Potemkin Stairs. The architect F. Bofford designed the stairs descending to the sea so that the difference in length between the first and last step would create an optic illusion and emphasize the sumptuousness of the construction. Nevertheless, the most famous of Odesa’s sights are the Catacombs, a labyrinth of tunnels at the city outskirts, used by smugglers and partisans alike in the previous centuries and highly appreciated by foreign tourists.

Odesa Sights – Cultural Institutions and Architecture

Another piece of architecture that makes the citizens of Odesa proud of their native city is the Odesa Opera and Ballet Theater. The impressive building was built in a mix of Louis XVI, Baroque and Rococo styles and can easily compete with the most prestigious institutions of its kind in Europe. Other remarkable pieces of architecture are the City Hall, the Philharmonic, and the two majestic cathedrals, Spaso-Preobrazhenskiy and Svyato-Pantelemonovskiy.

Odesa Sights – Entertainment, Leisure and Health Care Centers

Odesa has no less than 20 kilometers of beaches, surrounded by hotels, restaurants and kilometers. People visiting Arkadia, Otrada and Delfin resorts come here not only for the pleasant climate in Odesa Bay, but also for the curative effects of the salty breeze and the miraculous properties of the river mud. You can always try bargaining in Privoz, one of the largest framer’s markets in Europe, stroll along the city’s main boulevards like Frantsuskij or Deribasovskaya or relax in one of the numerous parks, like Gorsad or Shevchenko Park.

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