Odessa, Ukraine
Odessa was, as a matter of fact, the first city I explored in Ukraine. And it surprised me a lot, like my whole experience in this country. Outside Eastern Europe, who would imagine sea and beach in Ukraine? As I was in the summer, I could enjoy the warm water of the Black Sea in Odessa, that made a Brazilian feel at home. I’d live there!
In addition to the beach, Odessa has a history to be a port and commercial city, which explains the cultural diversity present in the city. On the summers, tourists coming from Russia and other European countries arrive, besides cruise ships passing through the Black Sea. And for those who appreciate nightlife and clubs, there are lots of options, especially in the summer!
A really interesting aspect of Odessa are the catacombs, which include even underground tunnels connecting houses to the port, used for smuggling in the old times. I had the chance to know about it throughout my host, who speaks Russian and was studying about the history of the city. The catacombs in Odessa sum up more than 3.000 km of underground structure, it’s literally a paralel city in the underground. Only a part of the catacombs are open to visit throughout the local museum. In the video below, it’s shown a little bit of the catacombs.
Moreover the catacombs, Odessa has an interesting history. I’m just adding the comments given by Mikhail Kotykhov that are worth to mention:
- Odessa was once the third largest city in the whole country in the beginning of the 20th century, larger than Kiev (also a big city at that time).
- It was also a very multicultural place, with no dominant cultural group, rather a mix of different cultures.
- Many people who live in NY now (as well as many other places in the world) can trace their ancestry to the city/region around it (I do too!). Or at least their ancestors have gone overseas through the port of Odessa.
I didn’t know about this movie before, Battleship Potemkin, and the part on the video below showcase exactly at the Odessa Staircase. Thanks Mikhail for indicating it!
Below, some pics to show a little bit of Odessa:
I hope you enjoy Odessa like I did!
More about Odessa:
