Odessa is one of the most significant city of Ukraine, where any person will find things to do according to his taste. At any time of the year there are many interesting places to visit and various events in which you can take part or see. The city has many remarkable attractions and beautiful sights, famous Opera House, dozens of museums and theaters. Especially in summer season here working large number of night clubs. Also in Odessa very popular summer resort on Black Sea, because of biggest beach line in Ukraine. But even in winter here are many interesting things to do. In Odessa working lot of concert halls, where perform various music bands and artists from everywhere. Among other city events, here passes many music festivals and unusual city holidays.
What to see in Odessa
Table of Contents
Theaters in Odessa
Odessa Opera House
Opera House should be included in every list of things to do in Odessa. Worldknown Odessa Opera and ballet theater apparently the main city attraction. This is must-see place for every tourist who come to the city. You can just observe beautiful Opera House building with square around and watch something from the theater repertoire. Concerning that Odessa Opera supports by goverment, performances take place here whole year.
Odessa Opera and Ballet Theater
Russian Academic Drama Theater
Oldest theater in the south of Ukraine. Today there are performances staged on the works of Russian literature, as well as masterpieces of world literature. Russian theater also supports by goverment, so performances are held here almost every day.
Russian Academic Drama Theater in Odessa
Ukrainian Academic Music and Drama Theater
Biggest drama theater in Odessa. The permanent repertoire of theater is a play of world literature. Also Russian Drama Theater has it’s own orchestra. This theater is usual locals prefer, especially because it is totally different theatrical school than russian one.
The building of Odessa Drama Theater
Academic Musical Comedy Theater
This theater represent number of performances in a style of musicals, rock operas, musical comedies, fairy tales and classical operetta. The repertoire of Musical Comedy Theater includes more than a hundred performances.
Academic Musical Comedy Theater in Odessa
House of Clowns Theater
Unique clownery theater working in its own style. House of Clowns repertoire consists of clown art performances, as well as a cover version of classical plays performed by the theater team. Because of well known TV project of early nineties it’s very famous between locals.
Famous comic troupe “The Masks”
Museums in Odessa
Odessa Art museum (Odessa Fine Arts museum)
Biggest art gallery in the city. Museum contain art works of more than one hudred famous russian painters from 16 century until modern art. Also Odessa art gallery has all kind of fine art, such as: painting, graphics, sculpture, decorative arts. The exposition of fine art museum is updated all the time, and in addition there are regular temporary exhibitions devoted to a specific topic.
Things to do in Odessa – visit Fine Arts museum
Odessa museum of Western and Eastern Art
One of must-see museums of Odessa, located in the centre of old city. Museum collection consists of works of Western European art from 15th and 19th centuries, Eastern art of Japan, Tibet, China and ancient greek art.
Odessa museum of Western and Oriental Art
Odessa museum of Modern Art
Here exibit works of Odessa conceptualists and avant-garde artists of second half of 20th century and modernity. The museum’s experimental space allows visitor to rethink both concept of art and its representativeness within museum format.
Exibition in museum of Modern Art Odessa
Odessa Archeological museum
An oldest city museum. Unique exhibition of ancient artifacts from archeological excavations of all the South of Ukraine. Museum collection contain archaeological finds of Greek and Roman era, local nomad cultures and even Egyptian artifacts.
Odessa Archeological museum
Odessa museum of Regional History
Exposition of museum tells about history of this region, how the city appeared, what preceded it and how it developed during two centuries of its history. Remember, it’s not archeological one, so here are not artifacts of lost civilizations.
Regional History museum inside
Odessa Literature museum
Special museum totally dedicated to a history and heritage of writers who worked, lived or visit Odessa. Museum of this kind is only one in Ukraine, so it’s totaly unique phenomena, that you can discover only in our city. Especially will be interesting for those who like books, literature and all staff connected to it.
The Golden hall of Odessa Literature museum
Odessa Pushkin museum
Apartment museum dedicated to greatest russian poet Alexander Pushkin. Museum represent atmosphere of the time when poet lived in Odessa. Besides, visitors get acquainted with creative heritage of Pushkin, which he wrote in exile.
Odessa Pushkin museum
Odessa Numismatics museum
Gallery represents history of coinage. This museum presents coins of ancient history of northern Black Sea coast, ancient and modern coins and paper money of Ukraine.
Odessa Numismatics museum
Odessa Film Studio museum
On the territory of country’s oldest film studio, there is a small museum. It dedicated to popular old movies, which were filmed at this studio. Museum located in old pavilion and its exhibition represent decorations, costumes and design locations in old film fashion style.
Odessa Film Studio museum
Places to visit in Odessa Ukraine
Sights & attractions
The city wellknown thanks to lot of remarkable touristic attractions and beautiful sights. All of them located in old town that represent houses and ensembles of 19 century. This is very nice place to walk around, make fotos, sightseeing attractions. Most reasonable of them are: Passage, City Garden, Mother in Law bridge, Vorontsov palace, Shah palace, Primorsky bouleverd etc. Some of Odessa attractions are worldknown, like Odessa Opera House and Potemkin stairs.
Odessa port
City beaches
Within the city located nearly 10 km of city beaches aline sea side of Black Sea. Some of them are highly popular amid tourists, others more preferable by locals. Most popular Odessa city beaches are: lanzheron, otrada, dolphin, nude beach, chkalovsky, ibiza. All of them are quietly different according to location, infostructure, crowdedness and cleanness. Read our special article about city beaches in Odessa, where we considering every beach apart.
Things to do in Odessa – go to the beach
Night clubs
Here are dozen night clubs in Odessa, that located closer to city centre. Some of them has open-air grounds. Especially in summer season sea cost area become the centre of nightlife. Most of clubs work all year round, so even in winter you easily able to visit one. Night clubs in Odessa hold both regular parties and concerts with the participation of various performers of club music.
Ibiza Odessa night club
Flea market
Unusual things to do in Odessa will be visit of biggest flea market in Ukraine! Remarkable place in the city, where vendors sell countless household items, trinkets, antiques and other all kinds of things. Market will be interesting for those who like unusual non-touristic places, collectors, designers, and everyone who is looking for something unusual as a gift or souvenir from Odessa.
Odessa flea market
Privoz market
Large grocery market-bazaar, where local people buying farm products. This bazaar used to be a kind agora, especially during USSR. Here locals bought usual products, but more important – gossiped. In Privoz market you can buy all sorts of milk products, meat, fresh vegetables with fruits, especially in summer season, as well as fish, regular or dried.
Things to do in Odessa – be cheated in Odessa privoz
WW2 memorial
Large open-air museum complex dedicated to Second World War. Here stands may samples of Soviet military equipment for various purposes, as well as a small museum dedicated to the defense of Odessa during this war. Because of greenery around it is good area for walking and observing old soviet tanks, guns, artilleries and others.
Things to do in Odessa – visit SWW memorial
Odessa Catacombs
Have you know that under Odessa located biggest underground maze in the world?! The system of abandoned mines of 19th century stretched up to three thousand kilometers. The catacombs became known due to enormous size and many strange stories took place down there. Doomly atmosphere made lot of people crazy who have never escaped the labyrinth and disappear totally. Among travelers Odessa catacombs fairly considered as must-see place in Ukraine.
Legendary Odessa catacombs
Dolphinarium
All year round in the city on the beach Langeron, works a large dolphinarium, aquarium and exotarium. Every day there are dolphin shows for both children and adults. Since Dolphinarium Odessa is a whole complex of various services, this is a suitable place for family holidays.
Dolphinarium Odessa
What to do in Odessa Ukraine
Odessa City Tours
Sightseeing tour is best way to explore main Odessa attractions and get acquainted with its history. Such tours passes within the old town, where saved lot of old architecture, monuments and pedestrian zones for walk and rest. Famous Odessa sights: Potemkin stairs and Opera House, as well as old architectural views, making Odessa one of the most beautiful cities in Ukraine.
Duke de Richelieu Odessa
Day Trips from Odessa
Points of interest is not the all, that you can see making travel to Odessa. There are lot of places to visit not far from the city. We offer special day trips from Odessa to attractions nearby, like: Akkerman fortress, Shabo winery, Cheese farm etc. Such Odessa trip can be add to a tour package, or make in any day that you wish.
Shabo winery
Yacht charter
One of pleasant things to do in Odessa – rental yacht for outdoor activities at sea. This is an opportunity to making party, go diving and fishing, make a full day trip along the coast. There are several yacht clubs where you can rent yacht to make boat trip. Follow the link to find most convenient yacht for rent, description and photos.
Things to do in Odessa – make a boat trip
Sea fishing
What could be better than sea fishing with friends in the summer heat? Morning fishing on boat or yacht is great opportunity to see Odessa coast and catch the Black Sea goby – well known fish between the locals. South from the city located narrow strip of land known as Zatoka. This is a favorite place for fishermen, where you can make big seven-hours fishing trip from Odessa.
Zatoka Odessa Ukraine
Wrecks diving
Making a diving in Odessa is possible for everybody. The beginners could visit special underwater museum to observe various sunken artifacts. Experienced people could make scuba diving to wrecks of the ships lying on the sea bottom. Looking for something special, try the night diving to museum or having the group of friends, rent yacht with all equipment you need.
Scuba diving near Odessa
Belgorod Dnestrovsky
Long time ago fertile lands around Dniester estuary attracted invaders from everywhere. Today, this small ukrainian town famous by the high walls of Akkerman fortress – the main defending point of previous times. Belgorod Dnestrovsky fortress located on shore, where is possible to rent a boat to overlook fortifications or get fishing. Sightseeing Akkerman mixed with wine tour would be perfect day trip from Odessa.
Akkerman fortress in Belgorod Dnestrovsky
Missile Base trip
Heard a lot about the red button from cold-war-time movies? Planning non standard trip to Odessa, do not miss unique attraction – Museum of Strategic Missile Forces. Created in Soviet times, the base hid forty missile silos with deadly nuclear weapons inside. Missile base was turned into special museum and now is open for tourists. Missile Forces Museum is a great opportunity to look at real ballistic missiles, get into underground command post and even press red-button.
Missile Forces Museum
Shustov Cognac Factory
Making cognac tasting tour is one of many things to do in Odessa. Inside the city located Shustov factory, famous cognac brand since 1863. On the territory opened special museum, which one can visit during tasting tour and know rich brand history. This can be good opportunity to taste ukrainian cognac and to know the process of cognac producing. Shustov factory has more than 2 hundred years of history, so you can not only hear it, but literally taste it.
Shustov cognac factory building
Things to see in Odessa
Odessa festivals
Odessa International Film Festival
The annual film festival, which designed to acquaint people with the latest in European and Ukrainian cinema. During film festival, a large number of different events are held either for people who working in field of cinema, and for fans. Open views of old masterpieces, premiere shows of newest films, a special open area. All this happens during film festival event in Odessa.
Odessa International Film Festival opening
April Fools Day festival in Odessa
Special city event dedicated to 1 April, day of humor, fools an jokes. On this day, a large column procession takes place in city centre. Also various concerts of comedians and musicians held in old town. On April 1, a large number of people from nearby cities come to Odessa to celebrate this holiday, because on such a scale it happened only here.
Humorina festival street performance
Odessa birthday
2 of September, Odessa celebrates its date of birth. On this day, in old city passes a lot of entertainment activities, concerts and holiday fireworks. People can buy special souvenirs, walking around in festive atmosphere, watch opening of new city sculptures and memorial plaques to famous people who were born, lived and worked here.
Things to do in Odessa – city birthday