Odessa, Ukraine – “Long Live the Bribe” and an elegant makeshift

Odessa – a popular resort at the Black Sea. It’s considered one of the most beautiful cities in Ukraine. In my opinion, of all the places I have visited in Ukraine, it’s certainly the most elegant city. However, my heart has long belonged to Lviv (which I wrote about here). In general, my thoughts about Odessa turned out to be in line with reality. Odessa aspires to be an exclusive seaside resort but on the other hand, makeshift and kitsch can be seen at every step. However, I must admit that this mix makes this city so interesting ?

The most recognizable building in Odessa is the Opera House. Apparently, its interior makes an amazing impression and tickets for the shows are quite cheap. Unfortunately, due to the lack of time, I didn’t have the opportunity to check it.

A tourist hot-spot is definitely Deribasivska Street. There are numerous pubs, cafes and bars. The main attraction of this place, however, is the Monument of the Twelfth Chairs – which is the symbol of the city. The location of the chair can be recognized by a long queue of tourists waiting to take a photo of it.

The Monument to the Oranges is also quite surprising. However, few people know that, according to the legend, this fruit saved the city … After the death of Tsarina Catherine the Great, power in Russia was taken over by her son – Paul I. Being an opponent of the location of a large port in Odessa, he cut off the city’s financing. In order to save Odessa from losing its city status, the inhabitants decided to bribe the tsar with a gift – four thousand Greek oranges. By the way, among the inhabitants of Odessa, the monument is also known under a different name: “Long live the bribe” ? 

The Potemkin Stairs are another symbol of Odessa. They were built to facilitate access to the port from the city center. The stairs extend to the horizon and seem to be endless. However, they are specially designed to make this impression. In fact, they’re not so challenging. Alternatively, you can take the iconic cable car to the top.

In the vicinity of Deribasivska Street you can visit an elegant shopping center, somewhat reminiscent of the Victor Emmanuel II Gallery in Milan. The glass ceiling and decorated walls create a cool atmosphere of this place.

An interesting building is also located on Vorontsov lane. At first glance, it does not really stand out with anything special, but when you look at it from a different angle, you get the impression that it consists of only one wall. It is only an optical illusion due to its triangular shape.

When visiting the Old Town, it is worth straying from the main tourist route. You can then see Odessa from a completely different perspective. Old buildings and cars make this city even more interesting.

Cozy spots can be seen right next to the ruined and often abandoned buildings.

Street art, in the form of decorations on walls or murals, also appears here and there..

Most tourists visit Odessa mainly for the opportunity to rest at the Black Sea beaches. Evidently, the beach and the boulevard nearby are the most frequented places in the whole city.

At the end of the tour, while waiting for the return bus to Chisinau, I decided to go around the station. I was incredibly lucky because I accidentally found a local market. The assortment included everything like: paintings, old clocks, kitchen utensils, RTV equipment, through tableware and clothes.