DERIBASOVSKAYA STREET
Deribasovskaya Street is the heart of Old Odessa, with shops ranging from the government meat store to the Levis outlet. During fair weather, Deribasovskaya is the sight for the best people watching, especially if you stop at one of the numerous cafes with outdoor seating; but after September, the wise go indoors. The City Park (Gorsad) near Preobrazhenskaya Street boasts dozens of craftsmen, strollers and musicians.
POTEMKIN STEPS
Built in 1837 and site of the famous baby carriage scene in Eisenstein's "Battleship Potemkin," the Potemkin Steps are the best place in the city to view the bay and busy harbors. Walk along the yellow-bricked Primorskjj Boulevard and note monuments to Aleksander I, Soviet generals and a British frigate which grounded off shore during the Crimean War. At the bottom of the steps is the city's brand new passenger ship terminal and convention center.
At the Primorskij Boulevard’s west end note the (pre-revolutionary) governor's palace, which incidentally was heavily damaged in 1854 when the British and French bombarded it. Count Vorontsov built a Grecian collonade which overlooks the harbor and also provides a fine view of the bay.
Next to the palace is the Tyoschin Most, a foot bridge built over a gorge by a Communist functionary in the 1950s either so his mother-in-law could visit him more easily or so she would not have an excuse to stay overnight, depending on which version of the story you choose to believe. The bridge is a traditional sight where newly weeds have their pictures taken.
FRANTSUSKIJ BOULEVARD
Once home to Odessa's wealthy merchants, Frantsuskij Boulevard now is home to numerous sanitoria, but the cobblestones and acacia trees are most reminiscent of Old Odessa.
THE CATACOMB TRIP
More than 400 km of catacombs are buried beneath Odessa. Both partisans and smugglers have used them over the years, and the part of the catacombs which resistance fighters used in 1941 is open to the public. Located some 35 km outside of town, the partisan catacomb bus leaves (as of this writing) daily from the bus kiosk across Volzhynskij street from the train station at 10 a.m., except weekends. An easier way to find the bus is to ask at the information window in the train station The trip takes half a day and costs 5 hryvnas for the Russian-language version. The bus is not air-conditioned.
PRIVOZ FARMERS' MARKET
The Odessa Privoz is one of the biggest farmers' markets in the world and rivals those in lstanbul and Mexico City. As the saying goes, you can find anything up to and including nuclear devices at the Privoz, but a better description is everything that is edible and in season in the ClS, plus a whole lot more. Although lanes are devoted to construction materials, clothes and consumer goods, the Privoz is best shopped for food. Beware of pickpockets. Haggling is expected, but a lower-stress approach is to comparison shop.
THE BEACH
Odessa's beach, which actually is made up of several beaches running some 20 km or more, possesses a sea wall and small-scale eating and drinking establishments. During the summer, particularly the Lanzheron, Otrada and Delfin beaches are wall-to-wall people, but solitude seekers can find quiet by walking farther.
The cable car ride at the Otrada beach is fun and costs less than a hryvna. Besides sunbathing and swimming, you can rent paddle boats or rowboats usually for 2-3 hryvnas an hour. Arkadia beach is the largest and most developed. Check out the yacht club - open to the public - at the south end of Lanzheron beach where you can charter a boat with crew for $5-10 an hour. The best technique is to approach a likely-looking vessel and ask the young men how much they charge for their time.
The steep hill dividing the beaches from the city is a green zone and usually closed to vehicle traffic. It is a favorite sight for picnics.
Odessa Particularities
In the central part of the city, with a few exceptions, the water does not run from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. and midnight to 6 p.m.
Due to the dumping of raw sewage, the seawater is not safe for swimming by any standard. This does not hinder thousands from diving in, of course, but avoiding the water is the safest bet.
Lack of funding combines with uneven concrete and cobblestones to make Odessa a tough place on shoes and suspensions (actually, as any other Ukrainian city). Bring a pair of sturdy walking shoes and fix your suspension as appropriate. Although the locals do it, walking more than 50 m in high heels on Odessa side walks risks a sprained ankle. Street and sidewalk drainage is poor and pedestrians are likely to get either muddy or dusty.
The winter average temperature hovers around freezing, and minus 10 Celcius is considered a cold day. In the summer daytime temperatures can get up to 35 Celcius, and either way humidity is high. Air conditioning is rare and during severe winters heating may not be adequate.
Women are not equal citizens. A woman walking alone at night in general will not be bothered. If she is, assailants are usually intoxicated, numerous and willing to violence. During dark hours try not to be outside alone.
Lighting can be bad, especially in apartment corridors and stairwells, which can be ink-black at midday. Carry a flashlight - it'll also help when you pay taxi fare when the driver's dome light doesn't work.
