Odesa beckons with its hospitality, enchanting tourists from all over the world with its historic architecture, exquisite cuisine and unique linguistic flavor. Visits to the pearl by the sea leave unforgettable impressions and love for this city. Learn more about the list of places in Odesa that every tourist should visit

Choose a tour in Ukraine for any taste

BUY

Odesa is a warm and hospitable Ukrainian city that conquers visitors with its bright sea, attractive architecture, cheerful character, delicious cuisine and a slightly specific accent.

As in any port city, many different nationalities lived together in Odessa - Greeks, Italians, Ukrainians, Turks, Albanians and Jews. This is probably why Odesa is so colorful and attractive. Everyone who visits here at least once will definitely fall in love with this Black Sea pearl.

What is Odesa famous for? Top places that tourists should definitely visit further in our list.

Top of the most popular places of interest in Odessa

● Primorsky Boulevard

Primorsky Boulevard is a business card and decoration of Odessa, as well as one of the most popular tourist attractions. All roads through historical Odessa lead tourists right here. You can get to the boulevard from the sea side by taking the Potemkin stairs or by taking the funicular. A monument to the first mayor of Odessa - Armand de Richelieu (he is often called simply Duke) rises majestically above the stairs. It is interesting that this monument is the first monument erected in the city.

In connection with the full-scale Russian invasion, Primorsky Boulevard was closed to visitors for a long time. However, in the fall of 2023, the authorities reopened it for guests.

● Deribasivska Street

Usually, every tourist begins his acquaintance with Odesa with Deribasivska Street, the main street and symbol of the city. Take your time to stroll along its cobblestone streets, admire the architectural details and listen to street musicians. The concentration of bars and restaurants per square meter here is probably the highest in Ukraine. Therefore, choose an establishment to your liking and taste delicious Odessa cuisine while watching passers-by.

● Odessa Opera House

The Opera House can rightfully be considered one of the most beautiful theaters in Europe. It was built in the 19th century in the Viennese Baroque style, and the auditorium is designed in the late French Rococo style. During your trip to Odessa, be sure to go to one of the productions and immerse yourself in this unusual atmosphere, or go on an excursion to the opera house, during which an experienced guide will tell you about every corner of this Odessa pearl and even take you behind the scenes.

● Import market

If you want to see the soul and heart of Odessa, as well as hear its true voice, head to the main market of the city - Privoz. According to local residents, you can buy everything and even a little more at the market. And don't forget to bargain.

In general, Odesa is known for its markets - Starokinny Market, New Bazaar, Hay Market, Kirovsky Square and Greek Bazaar. We invite you on an individual tour to explore them all. The main thing is not to overeat before the "Markets of Odesa" tour.

● Passage

Sculptures, stucco on the walls, a glass roof - the grandeur of the design of the Passage has no equal in all of Odessa. In fact, this is a shopping center that looks like an old museum. Now there are souvenir shops, shops and cafes on the first floor, and the hotel of the same name is located above. Be sure to look into the courtyards and enjoy the beauty of this historic building.

● Shustov cognac museum

Odesa is the first city in Ukraine where cognac was produced. Today, the Odesa Cognac Plant is the largest in Europe, and the Shustov Cognac Museum is the only museum in Ukraine dedicated to cognac. Therefore, we invite all connoisseurs of this strong drink and those who wish to learn more about the technology of creating cognac, as well as discover the peculiarities and secrets of its preparation, to a tour of the Shustov Cognac Museum.

● Chocolate Museum

In the Chocolate Museum in Odesa, you can see works of art made from this delicacy, listen to the history of its origin and enjoy its fantastic taste. Many different chocolate products are collected here, but the following should be highlighted: the Eiffel Tower, the Venus de Milo, a computer mouse and a marzipan sausage.

● Odessa catacombs

Catacombs in Odessa are 2,500 km of underground tunnels, some of which are even partially interconnected. They were created during the extraction of limestone for the construction of old Odessa. There are many legends about this unusual place, so it is better to go here as part of an excursion, it will be much safer that way.

● Odessa courtyards

You can feel the unique flavor of Odessa only during a walk through the local courtyards.

- On Gogol Street, 6, you can see a real well, which was built in the middle of the 19th century.

- You can admire the unusual architecture and numerous balconies located on the residential building at 8 Spyridonivska St.

- Walking on the forged spiral stairs is allowed right in the yard at 60 Pastera Street.

- Another spiral staircase was located at 16 Marazliivska Street. It is worth saying that you can climb directly to the roof with these stairs and take a stunning photo of the spiral they form.

However, getting inside the courtyards can be somewhat problematic, so those who are not ready to wait hours for the opportunity to enter the courtyard are invited to a tour of the Odessa courtyards.

Visit Ukraine on social media: Telegram | YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | TikTok

Unusual sights of Odessa

● Monument to Darth Vader

The artist Oleksandr Milov originally redesigned the monument to Lenin, now in its place at 28 Stoupova Street there is a sculpture of a character from the legendary "Star Wars". The monument is the only monument in the world in honor of Darth Vader.

● Monument to Steve Jobs

A monument to Steve Jobs was erected in Odesa in 2012 by students of the State Academy of Technical Regulation and Quality, it is located in front of a dormitory on Novoselskyi Street. It was opened on the first anniversary of Jobs' death. The sculpture is equipped with a device that distributes wi-fi.

● The smallest area in the world

In Odesa, there is Ostap Bender Square, which occupies only 5 m² and is recognized as the smallest square in the world. It is located on Deribasivska Street, around the monument to the 12th chair.

● The world's first perfume fountain

The perfume fountain is the first and only fountain of this type in Ukraine and the world. In addition to water, he sprays perfume every hour during the warm season. It was created and opened for the 210th anniversary of the founding of Odessa. Located in the historical center of Odessa on Deribasivska street

● Odessa Archaeological Museum

The Odesa Archaeological Museum is an architectural monument, but its exposition, located on an area of 1000 square meters, deserves special attention. m.

The most valuable objects in the museum of archeology are the collection of coins. Among the exhibits are unique electric coins from the village of Orlovka, rare coins of Greece, Rome, Byzantium, as well as amazing Swedish coins weighing 2 kg.

Also, it is in the Odesa Archaeological Museum that the gold coin of Prince Volodymyr is kept - the first gold coin of Kyivan Rus.

● The most unusual lighthouse

On the tower of building No. 5 on Preobrazhenska Street, there is an unusual Odesa lighthouse, which works "in tandem" with Vorontsovsky and helps ships entering the port. If the ship is on the correct course, then both beacons on the course line can be seen simultaneously visually above each other. Thanks to the difference in height, it is possible to clearly determine in which direction to adjust the course. The height of the lighthouse above sea level is 54.9 meters.

● Monument to the steam train on the roof of the hotel

Few tourists know that a steam train is installed on the roof of the oldest hotel in Odessa, "Passage", and Hermes is sitting on it. The landmark is a symbol of the fact that Odessa is not only a port city, but also an important railway junction, because the railway of the same name is connected to the city.

The history of Odessa is interesting and unusual, able to captivate and surprise even the most demanding tourists. Great poets created and worked in the city, satirists wrote their interesting stories, and the Odesa Film Studio presented the world with many favorite films.

Instead of hearing it 1000 times, it is better to see it all at least once. Fantastic architecture, various temples, legends and myths of the city, as well as interesting criminal stories - Odesa will surprise and make everyone fall in love with it.

Tours to the sea capital of Ukraine - Odesa. Choose your tour on the website!

• We remind you! Whether you're planning an active weekend with friends or a relaxing trip with your family, Odesa offers the best tourist options to make your weekend unforgettable. Find out about the best city tours that will give you an unforgettable experience here
  

Want to know more? Read the latest news and useful materials about Ukraine and the world in the News section.

We recommend purchasing it for a safe and comfortable trip to Ukraine: 

Visit Ukraine Insurance – safe travel in Ukraine (insurance covering military risks);

Visit Ukraine Legal advice – comprehensive legal support on entry to Ukraine;
Visit Ukraine Tickets – bus and train tickets to/from Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Tours – the largest online database of tours to Ukraine for every taste;

Visit Ukraine Hotels – hotels for a comfortable stay in Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Merch – patriotic clothing and accessories with worldwide delivery.

© 2018-2023, Visit Ukraine. Use, copying or reprinting of materials on this site is permitted only with a link (hyperlink for online publications) to Visit Ukraine.

All rights reserved.