Arcadia Odessa is the most popular resort area within the city. Arcadia includes couple of city beaches with number of services for summer rest. Within Arcadia area located beach hotels, apartments for rent, mall, shops, restaurants, cafes, nightclubs, aquapark, bars and other resort infrastructure.
History of Arcadia Odessa
Arcadia Odessa as special vacation palce appeared one century ago. This beach territory with a huge slopes leading to Black Sea, belonged to famous people in Odessa city. The owners kept here farmsteads and garden plots. The fact that this area located away of old city, that’s why usual people couldn’t get here so easy, until first public transport appeared.
Arcadia Odessa – beginning of XX century
In the beginning of XX century in Odessa appeared horse tramway. One of horse tramway stations stretched right up to Arcadia. They chose this place because here was possible to draw a direct road between big slopes of Odessa coast. Immediately after this, one Odessa tradesman opened here a small restaurant with a beautiful view on Black Sea. From that moment, citizens started came here to spend weekends near sea, far from the city noise and dust. As a result, the place became more and more popular and got the name Arcadia, which means paradize.
Arcadia in 30th
Odessa Arcadia during USSR
During USSR time, Arcadia Odessa continued to develop. Since Arcadia located away from port and industrial part of Odessa, city council decided to create huge recreation zone on this place. That’s why they started change the coast line very fast. First at all, instead of simple road, city hall created pedestrian alley with a lot of trees and fountains. Odessa used to have rocky coast line, without sand. After the WW2, city hall created sand beaches, for better resort.
Arcadia – 70th
Together with improvement of resort infrastructure, on the slopes of Arcadia coast, appeared sanatoriums for tourists from all over USSR. In the same time Odessa became bigger and bigger and city districts reached Arcadia zone. Because of dozen of sanatoriums, parks, greenery areas, sandy beaches, Arcadia became one of city attractions. Besides, special sea tram went from Odessa port to Arcadia. As a result, every year, over half a million people visited Arcadia during summer season.
Arcadia beach Odessa
Arcadia Odessa today
Times change, and we change with them. After USSR broke up, because of total corruption, coast territory sold to private persons. As a result, all sanatories were closed and destroyed. City hall didn’t control building and instead of low green zone with public sanatories, appeared high level buildings and hotels. In the same time situation turned to absurd. Since only one road leading to Arcadia remained narrow as it was, in summer period one can stand for about an hour in traffic. Nevertheless, today Arcadia Odessa is a most expensive place for living.
Arcadia district – Odessa Ukraine 2019
Main greenery alley, what actually citizens call Arcadia, also disappeared. It happened during so-called renovation in 2015. Instead of trees alley, city hall created open alley with shops at both sides. So today, people can’t hide from the sun another way, than visit some bar, shop or cafe. Arcadia alley is pedestrian lane around 300 meters (984 feets), that leads from the entrance to Odessa beach line.
Arcadia alley, aquapark and parking
City beaches in Arcadia
Arcadia zone include couple of city beaches, that traditionally considered as good one. Probably the main advantage of Arcadia beach is location. Since Odessa city located on a high plateau, getting to beach, you need to go down by stairs or descents. For some people it can be hard. The way to Arcadia beach is more comfortable, because of straight road without stairs or some other obstacles.
One of Arcadia beaches
Because of tourists, the beach is extremely crowded in summer season. Also it surrounded by many bars and cafes, which provide cleaning sand and other beach services on their territory. However, cleanness of sea water in Arcadia beach, may be unsatisfactory due to large number of tourists. So, choosing where to go to the beach in Odessa, compare all advantages and disadvantages.
Summer evening in Odessa Arcadia
Hotels in Odessa Arcadia
Searching where to stay in Arcadia, remember, this is a place for summer resort, so there are lot of various hotels and apartments for rent. All hotels divided by their location: hotels outside pedestrian area and hotels near Arcadia beach. Remember, most of Arcadia hotels located outside pedestrian area. Location is that you should keep in mind considering type of your vacation.
Genuezskaya street
- Most hotels in Arcadia area located along Genuezskaya street, on a big plateau. This place is suitable when you plan visit center of Odessa, or nearest mall. But to get Arcadia beach, the walk takes 5-10 minutes, depending of hotel location. Also hotels near Genuezskaya street are convenient, when you need to take taxi. Because taxi can drive straight to the hotel doors. There is no such possibility in most of Arcadia beach hotels.
- Hotels near Arcadia beach are more comfortable, because all entertainment is nearby. It won’t takes time visit Arcadia beach club, go to aquapark, or take a meal at some restaurant. From the other hand, there is no transport access within pedestrian area. This means that taxi can not get directly to beach hotel, but only to the entrance to Arcadia lane. Also keep in mind surrounding entertainments. Arcadia nightclubs make a noise at night.
Night clubs in Arcadia – Itaka (Odessa)
Arcadia beach apartments
Odessa Arcadia apartments, as a rule, located over beach coast. Usually such new apartments in Arcadia rent in a modern, high level buildings. Some modern buildings stand very close to Black sea, so one have an opportunity to watch all resort area from above. Request on Odessa Arcadia apartments for rent, increasing every year. But is the same time, increasing the number of new apartments, so to find good accommodation is not a problem. Also, considering wide offer, you easily can find luxury, vip or even Arcadia villa apartments.
New Arcadia apartments – Odessa
Also from Arcadia starts separate 5 km greenery pedestrian route. This walking area called Health Road. It goes along seaside, and is opened for skaters and bikers, and simple walkers. In summer months, Health Road is a very lively place that locals choose for a pleasant walk for breathing fresh air, away from city dust and exhaust fumes.
Arcadia – main alley
How to get to Arcadia
All kind of public transport going to Arcadia coast. Lot of city transport passes not far away from Arcadia, through 10 April square. This square is easily recognizable by huge obelisk in its center. Get to this square, you need to walk along Genuezskaya street until the entrance to Arcadia. The road from 10 April square to Arcadia takes 10 minutes by foot. Direct routes have next public transport:
- Tram – №5
- Bus – №198
- Trolley bus – №5
10 April Square (click photo to watch on map)
Also there is a way to Arcadia along sea coast. Over line of city beaches, stretched so-called Health Road – pedestrian area 5 km long. This is a green place, where locals walking, jogging, ride a bike, roller skates, etc. From old city, you can reach Langeron beach (or Dolphinarium Nemo) and than make a big walk along Health Road to Arcadia. Such walk would be pleasant and interesting, but probably takes more than 1 hour. That’s why you need to count your strength and time. Or rent a bike, hoverboard, scooter, monowheel and have a good time!
Arcadia Odessa nightlife
Arcadia known as a place where night life is going. During summer season here works couple of most popular Odessa nightclubs. The biggest are Ibiza club and Itaka. Both night clubs located near Black Sea and provide beach parties on their territory. Besides regular parties Ibiza nightclub provides concerts with world music performers throughout the year and the tickets on a concert one can by online or at theater box office.
Ibiza night club in Odessa Ukraine
Is it safe to visit Arcadia Odessa? Nightlife warnings
Speaking about safety in Arcadia, we should mention, that at day time this is a quite safe place for tourists, as any other place in Odessa. Maybe even more safe, because of many people resting here. That’s why one need to know common safety rules in Ukraine. But in Arcadia located popular nightclubs in Odessa. Arcadia nightlife going all summer period and most of nightclubs work until morning. That’s why from time to time, here happens an incidents with drunk people.
So to not get into trouble in Arcadia at night, follow these rules:
- Escape conflict situations with drunk or suspicious guys. They could be unpredictable aggressive, because of alcohol or something else.
- Better to rest with company, but not alone. If you returning to hotel alone, especially after you drink alcohol, you can be robbed.
- Don’t go to unknown place with unknown people. There are good light inside Odessa Arcadia, but surround territory is pretty dark place.
- Also keep in mind, that near the entrance to Arcadia located local police department (see on map). In any case you can appeal to them, at least they say so.