ODESA, Ukraine — Locals claim that Odesa, the port city 500 kilometers south of Kyiv, is not just a city, but rather a small world within Ukraine, with its own culture, traditions, and sense of humor.
Odesa is the largest city on Ukraine’s Black Sea coast, and third most populous city in Ukraine, with over a million inhabitants. Influenced by French, Italian, Greek, and French culture, it bears a resemblance to a Mediterranean city.
The city was founded in the 6th century B.C. as a large Greek settlement, but it only really started to develop in the 18th century, when Russian Empress Catherine the Great in 1794 ordered the construction of a new city on the Black Sea coast. It was initially named after the ancient Greek city of Odessos, but the empress decided that Odesa was a more appropriate version of the name, and the city has borne that name ever since.
Under the Russian Empire, of which Odesa was a part of from 1789 to 1917, Odesa was famous for its healthy climate and food, so wealthy people from around the Russian Empire liked to travel to the city.
Centuries later, Odesa still is one of the most attractive cities for tourists in Ukraine and Eastern Europe.
Odesa cuisine
Odesa cuisine is a mix of Greek, Ukrainian, Jewish, Georgian, Armenian, German and Uzbek meals. Coming to Odesa, most people would recognize influences from several countries blended into local flavors.
Considering that in the 19th and early 20th centuries Jewish people made up some 30 percent of Odesa residents, Jewish cuisine is also a feature of this coastal city.
Rozmaryn, a small cozy venue with old furniture and white lace doilies on each table, is a typical Jewish restaurant with a kosher menu.
Address: 5 Uspenska St. +38067 518 7030
Pick of the menu:
Sefard Platter, a mix of three vegetable souses with hummus, chickpeas and sweet pepper, Hr 108
Meat platter with vegetables, Hr 310
Tajin beef with vegetables and small lamb patties, Hr 350
While Armenian restaurants are less common in Odesa, one of the best ones, Ararat, is popular with both tourists and locals. It’s located close to the sea and charms visitors with it breathtaking views and high-quality food.
Address: 5/4 Haharinske Plateau. +38048 7991211
Pick of the menu:
Pork tenderloin shashlik, Hr 300
Veal with cherry sauce, Hr 250
Grilled trout, Hr 350
But to get an overall feel for Odesa cuisine in one place, Gogol-Mogol restaurant is the No.1 destination. To make it easier for the guests, its menu includes an item called Odesa Table – for Hr 1,500 guests are served forshmak (a Jewish cuisine appetizer of salty mince herring), pike caviar, boiled goby, seven liqueurs and other treats common for Odesa.
Address: 2 Nekrasova St. +38048 784 5384
Not by bread alone
The Black Sea region and the city’s varied cuisine are not the only attractions to make people fall in love with Odesa.
Mariya Yuzich, 24, moved to Odesa from Kyiv right after her graduation in 2017. She says that, on one side, Odesa is much quieter than Kyiv, but at the same time it is still highly industrialized and has all the perks of a big city.
“I can go out of the apartment and just walk and stare at the architecture,” she says. “Everything seems so magical here.”
The city has lots of buildings to be proud of, such as the Odesa Opera. It was built in 1810 in French rococo style, and is richly decorated with stucco figures and designs. Locals like to say that theirs is the second most beautiful opera theater in the world, after the Vienna Opera.
But although Odesa Opera is the No.1 attraction listed in every tourist guide, there are many less conventional places to spend time in, such as the Green Theater (Zeleny Theater), an outdoor theater in the city’s Shevchenko Park. Odesa resident Tatyana Mylymko insists that this place should be on top of every tourist’s list.
“Coming to Odesa, you should go there straight away,” she says.
There are concerts, shows, parties and movie screenings in the Green Theater. Find the schedule of events at www.facebook.com/greentheatreodessa.
But even the enticements of the Green Theater won’t stop most people from going to lie on the beach near the sea. Odesa is spoiled with several great beaches, both private and public ones.
The best-known ones for tourists are the Lanzheron and Arcadia beaches. Lanzheron is free, but sunbeds cost Hr 150 to rent, and prices can increase during the high season. Arcadia has both public and private beaches, and a variety of restaurants nearby to suit every taste and budget.
Motorcycle Racing
Those in search of more lively entertainment can watch one of spectacular motorcycle races held at the city’s racetrack. The season started on April 21.
Igor Zavyalov is one of the racers. He says there is no better place in Ukraine for racing drivers than Odesa.
“Of course, there is Chaika car racing track in Kyiv, but Odesa has its own vibe, and I like to race here the most,” he says.
Zavyalov recommends visiting Odesa on June 30 for the Bike Cars Rock and Roll Festival of retro and custom-made cars. Entrance is free of charge, “and the show promises to be spectacular,” Zavyalov adds.
Check the racing schedule at www.moto.kiev.ua/events.
Gangster Odesa
Not every city likes to brag of its criminal past, but Odesa does. Locals love retelling legends of the gangsters of the early 20th century, like Moisey Vinnitsky, or Mishka Yaponchik, and Sofia Blyuvshtein, or Sonka Zolotaya Ruchka (Sonka the Golden Hand), mobsters immortalized in popular culture.
The best way to learn about this part of the city’s past is to take one of the popular “criminal Odesa” walking tours.
The tours can be booked on www.excurs.od.ua/kriminalnaya or www.lodessa.od.ua/around-the-city/criminal-adventurous. An average price of a tour is Hr 250 per person.
