Odessa, Ukraine

Your cruise ship will dock at the bottom of the famous Potemkin Steps. There is a city street separating the land end of the dock and the Steps. If you do not want to take a walk up the historic steps there is a funicular just to the left of them. The operator will want a small bill to give you a ride, probably 2 hryvnia. At the top there is a long park that spreads to your right and left you can navigate on your own. If you aim straight ahead you will find the famous statue of Catherine II, The Great who gave Odessa birth. At the statue turn left and go up the street. Where that street ends you can turn right or left. Left leads to the Opera Hall. Right leads to a park complex that has arts and crafts fairs sometimes. You will also go past some historic buildings.

On the street from Catherine's statue up to the end of it you will go by several cafes and restaurants. Be sure to stop and sample the vareniki at the one that has a section along the sidewalk. Across the street is an arts and crafts coop. Its easy to spend a day in this one area. Let me know if we can help further. We spent four days in Odessa and thoroughly loved the city. Tourist Information offices probably won't be of any use to you for a one day stop. Odessa is full of architectural beauties. Enjoy them.

Oh, this may be gilding the lilly but Ukraine should probably be under General Europe, not Russia. It hasn't been part of Russia since 1991.

Does anyone see the poor taste in doing this under the Russia forum given the current situation between Russia and Ukraine?

Thanks monte, very informative. I think after your info we may go it by ourselves. Any other sites? Thanks again

If you use the streets I mentioned you will be able to fill your time and see enough to interest you. There is a Odessa (or Odesa) In Your Pocket Guide but I can't tell you where to get a copy. I think the In Your Pocket guides are available on line. You also might try a Google search: Odesa tourism. Odesa is the current spelling just as Kyiv is.

Thanks I will look online

When they decided to break the forum down by country and then leave out a lot of countries they set themselves up for this type of confusion. I don't think the OP was making a political statement. Personally I never even bother to go to General and had forgotten it existed.

(And no, I don't really like the country by country format just for this reason, but they didn't ask me:)

Monte , you have intrigued me !! Susan and I were just watching " The Twelve Chairs " from 1970 , when we first met . We are going to St Petersburg this fall and have a three year Visa . Odessa may very well be on our itinerary in 2017 . A photo here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostap_Bender

Steven, You won't need a visa for Ukraine. All you need to do is arrange transportation to Odessa from Russia. If you decide to visit Ukraine we can help with some step-by-step details. Odessa is one of the most interesting cities we have ever visited.

It really looks interesting ! Logistically it looks very possible coming from Russia at that point . We certainly will be in touch .

We'll be here.