Odessa Travel Guide, Ukraine

Odessa, a city located in the southern part of Ukraine, is considered to be the administrative centre of the province of Odessa Oblast and is also known as a major seaport situated on the shore of Black Sea. The city of Odessa is considered to be the fourth largest city in the state having a population of around 1,029,000 as per the 2001 census. Cost of living in Odessa is comparatively cheaper when compared to the other cities of the region. The city also has a good employment percentage.

Location

The city of Odessa is located on terraced hills, which overlook a small harbour. The harbour is approximately 19 miles from the north of the river Dniester and 443 km south of Kiev, the capital of Ukraine.

Climate

Tourists are very comfortable staying in the city, as it has a fairly mild and dry climate having average temperatures in the whole year. The city receives lesser amount of rain, as it averages just 14in of annual precipitation.

Culture

Odessa has a rich culture, as it is a mix of people belonging to many nationalities and various ethnic groups such as Germans, Georgians, Ukrainians, Russians, Bulgarians, Americans, Moldovans, Jews and Koreans. Russian is primary language spoken in the region, whereas the official language is Ukraine.

Transportation

The city of Odessa has a fairly good transport for its residents and the tourists. The city is well connected by all the three modes of transport, although the public transit of the city is represented by trams. Odessa has an electric tramway, which started to operate in the year of 1907. Since then, all the trams operating in the city was imported from Germany. Apart from these, the city also has a cable car, a recreational ferry service and a cableway. Residents also travel via buses, trolleybuses and fixed route taxis, which operate in plenty around the city.

Odessa is served by Odessa International Airport, which is one of the largest airports in the region. Austrian Airlines, Aerosvit, Turkish Airlines, Ukraine International and El Al are the important carriers operating in the region. Tourist can also take the help of various flights provided by these carriers to move to numerous locations in Asia and Europe. There is also an excellent network of passenger trains connecting Odessa, besides an Intercity Bus Service connecting the city to other towns in Germany.

Odessa is currently a popular and major tourist destination having many therapeutic resorts around the city.