Odesa
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The UK Foreign Office currently advises against travel to all or parts of Ukraine. This guide is for a safer time. Check the latest travel advice.
At a glance
- Country
- Ukraine
- Region
- Odesa Oblast
- Population
- 1 million
- Best time to go
- May to September
- Main airport
- Odesa International (ODS)
- Coordinates
- 46.48°N, 30.72°E
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Overview
Odesa was founded in the 1790s as a free port on the Black Sea, and grew into a cosmopolitan city of Greeks, Jews, Italians, Ukrainians and Russians. Its elegant centre of neoclassical streets reflects that history.
The city is known for humour, food and summer beach life. This guide is written for a time when travel is safe again, when Odesa's boulevards and seafront will once more welcome visitors.
Things to see
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Photo: Oleksandr Malyon, CC BY-SA 4.0 Potemkin Stairs
The giant staircase between the city and the port, made famous by Eisenstein's film.
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Photo: Alex Levitsky & Dmitry Shamatazhi, CC BY-SA 3.0 Odesa Opera and Ballet Theatre
A sumptuous 19th-century opera house, one of the most beautiful in Europe.
Tickets and tours -
Photo: HOBOPOCC, CC BY-SA 3.0 Deribasivska Street
A pedestrian street of cafés and shops in the heart of the old city.
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Photo: Полищук Денис Анатольевич, CC BY 2.5 Odesa Catacombs
A huge labyrinth of old limestone quarries beneath the city, visited on guided tours.
Tickets and tours
Things to do
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Photo: Garik 11, Public domain Privoz Market
The city's famous market of fish, fruit, pickles and cheese, full of character.
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Photo: Vasyatka1, CC BY-SA 4.0 Beach day at Arcadia
The city's best-known beach, with cafés and summer nightlife.
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Photo: Alexey M., CC BY-SA 4.0 Day trip to Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi
A vast medieval fortress on the Dniester estuary, about two hours away.
Where to stay
City centre
Walkable to the opera, the stairs and the cafés of Deribasivska.
Hotels in City centreArcadia
Beachside hotels for a summer stay.
Hotels in ArcadiaFrench Boulevard
Leafy and residential, between the centre and the sea.
Hotels in French Boulevard
Getting around
Trams, trolleybuses and buses cover the city; taxis via apps are easy to use. The centre is compact.
In normal times, the airport is around 20 to 30 minutes from the centre by taxi, and trains run from Kyiv.
When to go
Late spring and summer are the season for the beaches and outdoor cafés. September is warm and quieter, while winters are grey and windy.
Plan your trip to Odesa
Guide last checked October 2026. Opening times and prices change, so check before you go.