TOP 10 Interesting Things to see in Odessa

10 min readDec 24, 2018

Using the TripAdvisor rating, we have set a list of the most interesting and sought-after sights of old Odessa. List of TOP10 attractions of the center of Odessa is as follows:

TOP 10 Things to see in Odessa

1. Deribasovskaya Street

Having arrived to Odessa, each tourist and guest of the city is primarily obliged to visit one of the most famous streets of Ukraine and the most celebrated street of Odessa — Deribasovskaya. Having walked through it, having enjoyed a huge number of attractions and memorable places with a long history, at the very beginning of the street one sees the monument to the founder of the city of Odessa — de Ribas, standing there like a guard. From Deribasovskaya Street, it is convenient to walk further to the Odessa City Garden to admire the singing fountains, see the monuments to the lion and the lioness with lion cubs, the monument to Leonid Utyosov and the Twelfth Chair monument.

If you want to learn more about Odessa, to understand why people of Odessa are so famous all over the world — just walk along the famous street. It is unique! Deribasovskaya Street is the heart of the city. Many memorable places, streams of people walking, a sense of celebration! In the evening, everything is transformed here, become colorful and mysterious…

2. Odessa National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater

If you visit Odessa, you can’t ignore the symbol of the city — the Opera and Ballet Theater.

The interior and decorations of the theater are truly fascinating! Here you will notice elements of the Viennese Baroque, the Italian Renaissance, and the classical Rococo and Baroque: at this all of the style components are inseparably linked to each other and create an integral composition. It is unlikely that during the intermissions you will have enough time to consider the beauty of the building! Waiting for the beginning of the performance in the house, visitors admire the ceiling arches, the extraordinary golden pattern of the velvet curtain!

The building itself looks like a palace, full of heroes of favorite stories that the theater team is offering you at every performance. Every show and in general every visit to the Odessa Opera House will make you tremble in anticipation of magic. The theater is beautiful, it touches every heart, it will make you a fan of opera and ballet!

3. Primorsky Boulevard

One of the most beautiful streets of the city stretches over a cliff parallel to the sea. You will not find a place more suitable for quiet walks, because everything here is filled with atmosphere of lightness and romance!

The buildings of the boulevard that form the ceremonial seaside facade of Odessa are built in the style of classicism and the early Italian renaissance. Street musicians, spontaneous political speakers, and interesting characters — all this complements the wonderful green alley. Romantic Pushkin, the magnificent Duke, the famous Potemkin Stairs, the unique view of the Marine Station will not leave you indifferent.

Do not deny yourself the pleasure of walking on a warm evening along the Primorsky Boulevard and breathing the clean sea air! At the same time, you will be truly delighted with what is happening around you. Life boils and celebrates its existence. The feeling of lightness and pleasure creates a wonderful mood and everything that is pressing you down will be forgotten!

4. City Garden

City garden is located in the heart of Odessa! From the side of Deribasovskaya Street, its entrance is guarded by a bronze lion family, which was brought to Odessa from France in the 19th century. The City Garden is one of the few places that do not lose romanticism, refinement, the opportunity to retreat despite the large number of people! In the garden you can sit on a bench with famous Leonid. Utesov, take a few photos with Kisa Vorobyaninov and Ostap Bender, and also see their main stumbling block — one of twelve chairs.

City garden is a great place to relax after walking through the picturesque streets of Odessa. Walking along the picturesque, park-lined streets, you will notice that somewhere in its depths there is a fountain of spirits; Christopher Lancaren, French perfumer is the author of idea of the fountain.

You can relax near another fountain — the musical one, which is located in the center of the garden. On Saturdays a brass band plays in the rotunda, so Odessa residents and guests of this beautiful hospitable city can also dance. In addition, right in the park there are many restaurants that have the special Odessa atmosphere: there you may often hear famous songs about the city.

5. Odessa Sea Port

Odessa Sea Port is beautiful regardless of the time of the year, perhaps due to the fact that all the time here is full of its own special life. Looking at the marine station, many have a desire to buy a ticket and float beyond the horizon, towards future happiness! From here there is a wonderful view of the Potemkin Stairs, which has incredible beauty, and the monument to Duke de Richelieu.

You will enjoy sitting on a bench near the water, listening to the sound of waves and cries of seagulls, and if you’re lucky, you can even see a pod of dolphins swimming in the water! In addition, there are many yachts, ships that enchant with their magnificence. This is truly unforgettable! Residents of the city like observing the life of the port while enjoying the sea air, because they know — this is sheer pleasure!

6. Potemkin Stairs

Monumental and enormous, colossal and aspiring to the sky… The list of epithets and comparisons various authors used to describe the Potemkin Stairs is really endless! It can be called both a symbol of Odessa and one of the brightest sights of Ukraine.

Boffo, who heritage in Odessa can be clearly seen in many buildings in the style of classicism, is also the architect of the Potemkin Stairs. Nowadays, this landmark is used as a spectator stands at various concerts, shows, holidays.

They say that every flight of stairs is like a milestone in your life, and each step represents a day, a month or a year. And when you live your life, you do not see each day separately. There are only memories of the formation of your personality. The same is the situation with the stairs. When you go down — you do not see every single step, but only its flights, which form the steps that have been passed. And the one who correctly counts them will be the happiest man in the world!

In the summer heat, there is always the opportunity to relax on Primorsky Boulevard, which is close by, in the cool shade of age-old chestnuts and plane trees. This is a must-visit place. This is the story of Odessa!

7. Odessa Catacombs

Odessa catacombs are not only outstanding sight and landmark of Odessa, but also exceptional geological, historical, and paleontological monument. They will not only tell you a lot about the history of Odessa, but also enrich your knowledge about the interesting past of the Odessa region.

Excursions to the catacombs are quite impressive, they are held both outside the city and under the historical center of Odessa. Here you can see the various wall drawings that have been preserved since the Second World War, as well as a real underground lake!

The catacombs are a rather unusual place and at the same time an interesting museum that combines a variety of expositions and their history. Low temperature, no echo and dusk give this place a mystical atmosphere. The catacombs will amaze you with their history. You should definitely go there!

8. Odessa Passage

The Passage is a place that enchants with its beauty! The creator of this extraordinary historical and architectural ensemble is Lev Lvovich (Leon Leonovich) Wlodek. The passage is one of the few places in old Odessa that have retained their former beauty. The architecture is so rich and beautiful that it can be looked at for hours! It combines sculptural modern, baroque and elegant classics. The Passage is one of the best architectural structures in the style of typical Odessa eclecticism.

Above the two entrances to the building, one sees its guardian statues: from the side of Preobrazhenskaya Street it is the statue of Mercury on a steam train, and from the side of Deribasovskaya Street it is the statue of Fortuna on the ship.

The magnificent building pleases the eye with its interior and exterior decoration — exquisite bas-reliefs, ornaments. The interior of the Passage generally conveys the sense of space and flight.

9. Monument to Catherine the Great and the founders of Odessa

The monument will impress you with its greatness. It can rightly be considered one of the best monuments that were raised in honor of Catherine II. The location of the monument was chosen perfectly: both the Primorsky Boulevard and the Potemkin Stairs are very close.

The monument yields a flavor of Ekaterininskaya Square and is quite popular among both residents of the city and for tourists. The figure of the sovereign dressed in a royal mantle stands tall on the pedestal. Her left hand is raised and points towards the port, in her right hand she holds a decree on the foundation of Odessa. The monument is cast from bronze, which adds to its incredible beauty.

The monument is truly impressive, and is surrounded by beautiful flower garden. You will definitely like such a harmonious combination of the location and the monument itself. It will especially impress you with the night illumination.

10. Belvedere of the Vorontsov Palace

Visiting the Potemkin Stairs, the monument to Duke and the port of Odessa — you just have to go here on the way back! When you see this belvedere with your own eyes, you will understand everything!

Forming the northern end of Primorsky Boulevard, the eastern facade of the palace of Count Vorontsov faces the bay. It created in Alexander’s Empire style under the project of Francesco Boffo, Odessa architect.

The palace has famous Colonnade, built in the style of the Tuscan order. It is located almost on the edge of a hill. Therefore, the Colonnade is one of the best observation points of Odessa. It offers a magnificent view of the Gulf of Odessa, and industrial panorama of the city. Back in the day, Vorontsov, the governor-general of the city admired local beauty here; from here everything around is plainly visible.

It seems that the Colonnade is located here to bring together each of us and the stunning view of the city. It is especially pleasant to be here at sunset, when the evening darkness is clouding this beautiful sunny city!

And as a bonus we offer paying your attention to one extra place, although it is difficult to call it one place. It is rather a recommendation to visit several Odessa courtyards, where ordinary Odessans live.

Odessa Courtyards

Odessa is famous not only for the above listed monuments and sights. There are not enough words to describe all the beauty and grace of South Palmyra.

Each courtyard of old Odessa keeps its secrets and riddles saturated with history, many legends and rumors. And since they are Odessans, cheerful yet superstitious people, the stories cling tightly to each shell brick that forms the very heart of Odessa, the city that is not comparable to any other.

They say that in the old Odessa, it was a shame to be like everyone else, and that is why it is difficult to find two identical Odessa courtyards.