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Home » Excursions in Odessa
Excursions in Odessa
Walking tour in the historical center of Odessa
During the excursion you will take a walk in the historical center of Odessa. You will walk along the famous street that started the history of the city, enjoy the architecture and learn the history of buildings, see beautiful monuments, parks, churches and bridges. Among other touristic attractions you will see the famous Odessa Opera and Ballet Theatre (without walking in), renovated City Gardens, beautiful Passage Gallery, the Preobrazhenckyi Cathedral - the biggest in Ukraine, building of N. Gogol, Shah's palace, Vorontsov's Palace and belonging Colonnade, Prymorskiy boulevard, famous statue to Duke DeRishelieu, unique Potyomkin Stairs and majestic City Hall. This excursion is the best way to learn about main historical places and tourist attractions, especially for the first time visitors.
Odessa Opera and Ballet Theatre
Odessa Opera Theatre according to its decoration and perfect acoustics is recognized as one of the best theatres in the world. On the stage of this theatre plaid in public such performers as conductor Glazunov, singers Shalyapin, Titta Ruffo and Caruso, ballet dancers Anna Pavlova and Isadora Duncan. The interior of this impressive structure, which ranks in grandeur with Milan's La Scala and Moscow's Bolshoi, is richly decorated in Louis XVI style. Exquisite inside decor in the style of Viennese baroque blended with elements of the Italian Renaissance and French rococo, sculptural groups taken from Greek mythology, the stucco moldings and guilt friezes combined with the red velvet of the seats and boxes - all this tends to create a special atmosphere which you can feel and enjoy!
Odessa Catacombs
The city catacombs appeared as a result of the extraction of the limestone used for the construction of Odessa and they are everywhere under the city and its suburbs. A lot of myths and legends about this underground town have been rumored from the very beginning. About 100 years ago there were quarries there were miners took limestone or building houses of the old city and criminals went into hiding there from police. But mainly the catacombs are known for the partisan movement in Odessa during the WW2. On the place of one of such partisan detachments in the village Nerubaiskoye a unique underground Museum of Partisan Glory was organized.
Ancient Akkerman's Fortress of Belgorod-Dniestrovskiy
Belgorod-Dniestrovskyi (85 km from Odessa) is one of the oldest towns in Ukraine (2500 years old). Of exceptional interest is the fortress - a priceless medieval historical and architectural monument. It is located on the high bank of the Dniester estuary on the foundations of the antique town of Tyra (5th century B.C.). In 1433-1454 the fortifications were renovated by the Turks, the round towers were connected with high ramparts to form enclosed citadel with inner courtyards and the fortress got the name of Akkerman. After 1812 the fortress continued to be one of the strongholds of the south frontier defense system of the Russian Empire at least 20 years onwards. The archaeological excavations are still going on, the fortress opens every day something new to the scientists.
Sophia's Park in Uman
Ukrainian state dendrology park "Sofievka" of the National Academy of sciences of Ukraine is a masterpiece of world landscape gardening art of the end XVIII - the beginnings of XIX centuries. The park is stretched on the area of 154.7 hectares on suburb of the ancient city of Uman of the Ukrainian Cherkassy region. It is a sample of a landscape park composition of water, the ground, architectural constructions and sculptures. The park was founded in 1796 by rich Polish magnate Stanislav Pototsky in honor of his wife - beautiful Greek woman Sophia, and has been presented as a gift for her in May 1802. The idea of creation of park in romantic style with use of the Roman and Greek mythology belonged to Sofia. The park looks amazing at any time of the year: in spring it is flowering, in blossoms in summer heat, sparkling in the gold of autumn, and it rests in winter silence.
"Ukrainian Venice" - Vilkovo's nature reserve
In the southernmost part of Odessa region, on the Danube delta, there is a nature reserve called the Danube Biosphere. On the territory of the reserve is the small town Vilkovo. Vilkovo in Ukraine is a beautiful sight along with water, trees and snow-white small houses form an image of the city, which can be characterized as intimate-beautiful and magic. Commonly known as "Ukrainian Venice", many of the town's streets are natural canals and the most popular mean of transportation is by boat. With motors and without them, with men, women, and teenagers in the early morning they run up on the river and by the evening returning back home.
Jewish Odessa
The city of Odessa has been a centre of Jewish culture for more than two hundred years of its existence. The Jewish community of Odessa was the metropolis for Jewish communities of USA (particularly New York), Germany, Australia, and other countries. Many prominent Israelis also came from this city. During this tour you will see the places in Odessa relevant to Jewish culture, find out about the history of the Odessa Jewish community and get acquainted with their culture.
Temples of Odessa
The Greeks, the French, the Polish, the Italians, the Jews, the Russians, the Germans, the Ukrainians, the Turks and others - all these people have lived in Odessa and in the nearby area since the very beginning of the history of this city. Naturally, all of them needed to practice their respective religion. So nowadays, there are Russian Orthodox, Catholic, Greek, and Armenian churches, as well as a mosque and two synagogues. There are also a Convent and a Monastery with a theological school.
Criminal Odessa
At the beginning of the 20th century, Odessa was known as a city where famous criminals lived and "worked". One of them, Mishka Yaponchik (Mike the Jap), who lived in the early 20th century, was said to have robbed the audience at the Odessa Opera house in just thirty minutes. He was the leader of a whole army of thieves, burglars, and pickpockets numbering about 10.000. His slogan became widely-known and repeated "A lot and immediately!" His personality was so popular that he was introduced into fiction by Odessa writer Isaac Babel.
During this tour you will have a chance to see places in Odessa connected with the biographies of famous criminals, find out about their lives and the notorious heritage they have left.
Pirates of Odessa
During this tour, we will show you the places connected with the activity of pirates in the Odessa region. You will see a meeting place of pirates and free masons, a grotto, and the catacombs under the palace of a Russian aristocrat and a daughter of one of the most beautiful women in Europe, Sofia Polotskaya. You will see a pirates' nest where women were kept before being taken to Istanbul to the slave market. We will disclose a secret of Prince Gagarin's palace. At the end of the tour, you will see a place were a retired pirate, Iron Gugo as he calls himself, lives, and listen to his stories of the glorious past. You cannot enter his residence unless you are wearing a pirate's costume and take a pirate's vow. There you will find a place to sing pirates' songs and dance if you wish to do so.
Our individual and group tours are custom designed to cater to each traveler's specific desires and interests. Tell us what you'd like to do and where you'd like to go and we'll arrange a complete itinerary for you. There are no services we do not provide in Odessa!
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Odessarents.com offers apartments right in the center area of Odessa or within a few minutes walking distance to Deribasovskaya Street
and the Opera House.
