What To Do In Odessa?
We are glad that you will take your time and come to Ukraine for our wedding.
Besides our celebration together, Odessa has much more to offer !
Below we collected some interesting things to do and see, when you are in Odessa - be it Sightseeing or just Restaurants and Bars.
Restaurants
Odessa has a long and interesting history, and developed over the time a quite distinctive kitchen - with influences even from Greece and Jewish culture. Naturally the sea plays an major role in the local cuisine. If you spend time in Odessa you should try out certain dishes like Plov (with black sea mussels), Brinza (Ukrainian Feta), Forschmak (hering pate), Rachki and Rapani (black sea shells and prawns). Since you are in Ukraine you can't miss to have the (in)famous Borscht and Sören's absolute favourite: Vareniki (dough dumplings with fillings). If you are adventurous you may want to try Salo (Pork fat with a glas of Vodka).
Below you find some recommendations in Odessa to find those:
Городской рынок еды (City food market): https://cityfood.market/
Klara Bara: http://klarabara.com.ua/
Maman: https://m.facebook.com/cafemamanodessa/
Steakhouse: https://savva-libkin.com/en/restaurant/odessa/steakhouse-meat-and-wine
Dacha : http://www.dacha.com.ua/en
Bars
The Fitz - Cocktailbar: https://www.facebook.com/TheFitzCocktailBar/
Central Bar: https://www.facebook.com/centralbarodessa
P1 Prosecco Bar: https://www.facebook.com/P1proseccobar/
Our Personal Recommendations for Sightseeing in and around Odessa
 Odessa Opera House A magical atmosphere inside and outside. The 19th-century building of the Odessa National Opera and Ballet Theatre is influenced by French and Italian Baroque style. Chaikovs’koho Ln, 1, Odessa,UA, |  Odessa Catacombs Underneath Odessa lies a huge network of tunnels known as the Odessa Catacombs. They were used as refuge for Soviet Partisans during World War II and later smugglers. Nowadays, there is a small museum on the Partisan movement, the Museum of Partisan Glory, and you can explore the tunnels on organized tours into the undergrounds of Odessa. It is easy to get lost there, so do not attempt to visit these tunnels on your own or with an unregistered guide. Odessa Catacombs, Odessa, UA, | 
Derybasivska Street is a pedestrian street in the city centre of Odessa. A busy thoroughfare, surrounded by ancient landmarks and shops, numerous bars, restaurants, and cafés. You can go there in the morning for a cup of coffee and tasty breakfast or brunch; at midday, cafés and restaurants serve business lunches, while in the evening, Derybasivska is a perfect place for fine dining or just to take a walk and get a real feel for the city’s vibe. |
 Run up the Potemkin stairs Featured in several movies, you may have seen this iconic landmark before without knowing. Built in the 19th century to give the city direct access to the harbour, these immense stairs are now probably the most famous symbol of Odessa. Fortunately, the staircase’s length is only an optical illusion: from the bottom, it looks as if they were endless. Count it yourself, there are only 192 steps with ten equal spans. |  Party at Arcadia District Arcadia, a historical district about 30 min away from the city centre, is affectionately nicknamed ‘the Ibiza of Ukraine’. The Arcadia district holds the wildest parties in Odessa and concerts of world-famous stars. During the daytime, Arcadia is full of families going to the seaside, but at night it transforms into a party hotspot, with clubs, bars, and people dancing the night away, especially in the summer. |  Sunbathe in Lanzheron beach Odessa is a coastal city. Therefore, it has many beaches, even in the centre, and all of them are very crowded in the summer. The closest to the heart of the city is Lanzheron beach. It has turned into a popular beach because it is easily accessible. Moreover, you can rent an umbrella and a sunbed there. Between sunbathing and swimming in the sea, you can pop in one of the many restaurants and bars. Lanzheron, Odessa, UA, |
 Illegal trading in Odessa As mentioned before with the wide network of tunnels of the catacombs underneath it, Odessa was historically a haven for smugglers. To commemorate this secret history, you can visit The Museum of Smuggling to learn how illegal trade once thrived in Odessa. Now on the exhibition has around 150 items of confiscated goods and illustrations of the ways of their illegal importation. In particular, you can see porcelain sets with drugs inside, a car door stuffed with cigarette packs and a mock-up of an underground passage, dug under the state border near Uzhgorod (the border city in Western Ukraine). Katerynyns’ka St, 6, Odessa, UA, |  Vorontsov Palace Vorontsov Palace is an architectural jewel of Odessa. The palace was built in 1827 in a mixture of different architectural styles, but at the same time gives the impression of lightness and elegance. The palace was built on the site of a Turkish fortress and later was the residence of the Russian statesman and military leader, the Governor-General of Mikhail Vorontsov. Nowadays, it is an art centre and a hub for the youth cultural events. Vorontsovs’kyi Ln, 2D, Odessa, UA, +380 48 722 50 42 |  Eastern European modern art Odessa has always been a city of art and culture, so it’s no wonder that it was an inspiration to many groundbreaking artists of the 20th century. The Museum of Modern Art is well worth a visit for visitors looking to know more about this history, and the gallery has a particular emphasis on Eastern European art in its collections. Leontovycha St, 5, Odessa, UA, |