The 11 essential things to do in Odessa

Are you leaving for Ukraine? Choose to visit Odessa rather than Kiev! Here are our 11 essential things to do in Odessa!

Top tourist destination in Ukraine and economic center of the country, Odessa is the third largest city in Ukraine located northwest of the Black Sea. Odessa is one of the richest cities in the country, nicknamed the “Mille d’Ukraine”.

Odessa, whose population rose to 1,010,783 inhabitants in 2017, is also a multicultural agglomeration, by Mediterranean culture and French and Italian styles, renowned for being open to foreigners. What are you looking for in Odessa? Between historical monuments – witnesses of a rich past – that you can discover during a guided tour of Odessa , cafes and restaurants, beaches and its southern living climate, you will certainly not be bored in Odessa.

Founded officially in 1794 by the Russian empress Catherine II , 4th largest city of the Russian Empire in the 19th century, it is here that the revolt of the sailors of the Potemkine during the Russian Revolution of 1905. If you plan your trip, here is our guide of the best things to do by visiting Odessa!

1. The stairs of Potemkine

A true emblem of the city, stairs of Potemkine are a must-see for all travelers who come to visit Odessa.

In fact, all the world climb the 192 steps of this imposing staircase. A total of 10 steps is to be taken, up in the Istanbul Park , after which we will have a spectacular view of the port of the city.

Built between 1837 and 1841 to allow direct access to the port, they are the entrance to Odessa if you arrive by the sea. The staircase seems much longer than it is because of an illusion of optics: from below you can only see the steps and from above you can only see the bearings!

2. Derybasivska Street

What to do in Odessa? Derybasivska Street I don't know. A popular and frequented artery in the city centre, it is very animated by day and night and is just a stone's throw from the historic monuments of the city.

To visit Odessa, to eat in restaurants, to stroll through the terraces of bars and cafes, to shopping, and finally to dampen the bustling atmosphere of the city, this is the place to go.

3. Primorsky Boulevard

Do you like Spanish ramblas and pedestrian streets? If you only know what to do in Odessa, enjoy a sunny day to stroll along the road Primorsky Boulevard . It is the seaside promenade of Odessa, the seafront boulevard, located at the top of the stairs of the Potemkine, in continuation of the statue of Pouchkine .

The aisle is surrounded by neo-classical-style buildings – dating from the beginning of the 19th century – while on the other side you look towards the Black Sea.

4. Les catacombes d’Odessa

Here is another essential emblem if you come to visit Odessa: the catacombs. You can see that the city of Odessa is swamped on a porous underground gruyère like an orange skin! Several thousand kilometers of underground galleries flow into the ground of Odessa and its surroundings, dug at 60 meters deep during the foundation of the city, more than 200 years ago.

Odessa’s catacombs are one of the longest labyrinths in the world: those of Rome 300 kilometers and those in Paris, "only" 500 kilometers. This network of interlacets of tunnels is so long and complex that it was used by smugglers, then it favoured resistance to Nazi occupation during the Second World War. Caution: great caution, because tunnels are not all secure and many accidents have already been recorded.

5. L’Opéra Académique National d’Odessa

Do you like classical music? Rather than seeing the churches coming to visit Odessa, why not stop for a small ballet concert? The oldest theatre in the city was built in 1810, destroyed by fire in 1873, rebuilt in 1887 in a rucoco style and finally renovated in 2007.

Renowned for its acoustics, there is a less whisper on the stage in any part of the room. Don’t miss seeing a performance there: the opera opens every day from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

6. L’Odessa City Garden

It looks beautiful today, but the streets are noisy? What to do in Odessa, otherwise go strolling, watching passers-by, reading, or picnicing in the oldest public garden in the city? Located in the city centre near Derybasivska Street, Odessa City Garden was founded in 1803 by a rich Spanish owner of the city.

Designed in the city in 1806, the garden is 1.86 hectares and offers a lung of greenery in the middle of the urban setting. Another advantage: the garden is literally surrounded by bars and restaurants.

7. The Park Tarasa Shevchenka

We continue with parks and gardens: visit Odessa without going to see the park Tarasa Shevchenka is a pity: this green lung founded in 1954 is the central park of culture and leisure dedicated to Taras Shevchenko a Ukrainian poet and writer who marked the literary history and culture of the country.

The park is easy to find: it closes beach of Lanzheron , east of downtown.

8. Museums of Odessa

Odessa, a multicultural city with very rich history, houses a plethora of museums. Do you want to visit Odessa and see its cultural assets? Don’t miss visiting its museums in large numbers: the Fine Arts Museum, the Archaeological Museum, the Heroic Defence Museum of Odessa, the Pouchkin Museum The Alexander Bleshunov Museum, the Museum of Military History, the Museum of Local History, the Literary Museum, the Western and Eastern Art Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, the Roerich Museum, the Museum of Jewish History and finally, to crown this cultural marathon, the Museum of Numismatic Currency.

The Archaeological Museum of Odessa is worth the detour: founded in 1825, it is the oldest in the city. It contains more than 160,000 pieces that trace the history of the cultures of the Black Sea from the Neolithic to the classical antiquity (Egypt, Greece and Ancient Rome are represented there), until the creation of the Slavic peoples.

9. The Privoz market

Privoz Market , it is the largest and oldest market in all of Ukraine. If you are looking for what to do in Odessa, go through it, it is an emblem of the city.

Located south of the city centre, it is full of bright colours and fresh products. Since 1827, it has been a renowned trading and trading place in the city, where more than 6,000 merchants have brought customers on 8 hectares every day. Lard, sausage, boiled pork, dairy products, cheeses, brynza, poppy rolls, smetannyky and other Ukrainian specialities are to be tested.

Even without buying anything, markets and their popular atmosphere often reflect the local social environment: it’s always interesting even if you don’t understand anything about the Cyrillic alphabet...

10. The beaches of Odessa

And yes, the Black Sea may be a closed sea – by the Strait of Bosphorus – it remains a sea. So there are beaches in Odessa, and even a lot! Lanzheron beach is a popular beach in Odessa because it is the closest beach in the city centre. It is located near the beach Nemo delphinarium and Tarasa Shevchenko Park. beach of Otrada is located at the level of the neighbouring area, southerly.

Careful, in the summer, the beach is literally crowded when it's hot. Keep going Arcadia area to find one of the most popular and popular beaches of Odessa. If you like to party, this is where you have to go!

11. The Odessa Zoo

Here is a must-see activity that will appeal to children: by coming to visit Odessa, why is your zoo? Founded in 1889, the Zoo d’Odessa has been a natural reserve since 1992 and has more than 800 animals of 150 different species, out of 5.9 hectares.

How to get to Odessa?

Going to Odessa is rather easy: it is possible by plane, train, bus and car. By car, the journey from Paris is 2,667 kilometers: from what to do a good little road trip through Eastern Europe.

By plane, know that there is no direct flight from France: you will have to go through Kiev (Direct flight from Paris). To find your flight at the best price, the best thing is to get to the Compare Ulysses . To travel from Kiev to Odessa, the train is the most reliable (night trip).

Where to stay in Odessa?

Finally to visit Odessa, you have to stay somewhere: with the neighborhoods of the center, the seaport, in Langheron or Arcadia, you will be in a central position while enjoying the attractions of each neighborhood: beaches, holidays, bars, restaurants and historical monuments! At the level of the type of accommodation, you will also have the choice: at home, in Airbnb or at the hotel there will be for all tastes!

To help you, please read our article “ In which quarter house in Odessa? and use this Compare hotels .