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City guide

Odessa (Odesa), Ukraine

Odesa, also spelled Odessa, is the third-most populous city and municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern shore of the Black Sea. The city is also the administrative centre of the Odesa Raion and Odesa Oblast, as well as a multiethnic cultural centre.

Type CitySettled 1794

Why go

  • City and administrative center of Odesa Oblast, Ukraine.
  • Served by Odesa International Airport (ODS).

History

Odesa, also spelled Odessa, is the third-most populous city and municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern shore of the Black Sea. The city is also the administrative centre of the Odesa Raion and Odesa Oblast, as well as a multiethnic cultural centre. As of January 2021, Odesa's population was approximately 1,010,537. On 25 January 2023, its historic city centre was declared a World Heritage Site and added to the List of World Heritage in Danger by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in recognition of its multiculturality and 19th-century urban planning. The declaration was made in response to the bombing of Odesa during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has damaged or destroyed buildings across the city.

Airports

Odesa International Airport (ODS) 5.2 km to the centre
Odesa, 51, UA — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 12 airlines (Ukraine International Airlines, AlMasria Universal Airlines, Aeroflot Russian Airlines, Air Arabia…) · direct flights to 12 destinations incl. Istanbul, Kiev, Moscow, Moscow, Vienna… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 12 airlines, 12 direct destinations
  • Ukraine International Airlines PS (737-800, A319, A320, 734, 735, 737…) · 6 routes: Istanbul, Kiev, Larnaca, Moscow*, Tel-aviv, Vienna
  • AlMasria Universal Airlines UJ (A320) · 2 routes: Kiev, Moscow
  • Aeroflot Russian Airlines SU (A319, A320, SU9) · 1 route: Moscow
  • Air Arabia G9 (A320) · 1 route: Sharjah
  • Austrian Airlines OS (Embraer 190) · 1 route: Vienna*
  • Fly Dubai FZ (737-800) · 1 route: Dubai
  • LOT Polish Airlines LO (Embraer 175, Embraer 170) · 1 route: Warsaw
  • Lufthansa Cargo LH (CRJ-900, CRJ-700) · 1 route: Munich*
  • Maldivian Air Taxi 8Q (A320) · 1 route: Istanbul
  • S7 Airlines S7 (A319) · 1 route: Moscow
  • Transaero Airlines UN (737-700) · 1 route: Moscow
  • Turkish Airlines TK (737-800, 737-900) · 1 route: Istanbul

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor
Liman Airfield 14 km to the centre
Naberezhne, 51, UA
Outdoor
Kremydivka Airfield 34 km to the centre
Kremydivka, 51, UA
Outdoor

Getting there by ferry

Ferry terminal
Ferry terminal · 4.2 km from the centre
Outdoor
Ferry terminal
Ferry terminal · 4.6 km from the centre
Outdoor
Ferry terminal
Ferry terminal · 4.7 km from the centre
Outdoor
Ferry terminal
Ferry terminal · 13 km from the centre
Outdoor
Ferry terminal
Ferry terminal · 14 km from the centre
Outdoor
Прогулянковий маршрут
Ferry route
Outdoor
Маршрут відпочинку
Ferry route
Outdoor
Odesa – Yevpatoriya
Ferry route
Outdoor

Where things are

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Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping base map © OSM

Photographs

When to go

Tourist season
May – September

The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.

Shoulder season
April, October

Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.

Worth avoiding
Deep winter

Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.

Getting there & around

Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Odesa International Airport (ODS); 4 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: ODS has direct flights to 12 destinations on 12 airlines (incl. Istanbul, Kiev, Moscow, Moscow, Vienna…). By water: 5 ferry terminals within 20 km; routes include Прогулянковий маршрут, Маршрут відпочинку, Odesa – Yevpatoriya.

Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Odessa (Odesa), Ukraine. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.

Trains & rail

Rail operator

Private aviation

On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.

Broker · Any aircraft via operators worldwide · Global charter broker with 30+ offices; private jets, group charters and cargo.
FBO, charter, management · Managed fleet · FBO network and management across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
Fractional, jet card · Embraer Praetor, Bombardier Challenger & Global, Gulfstream · Fractional ownership and jet cards in North America and Europe.
Charter, management · Large-cabin & VIP airliners · Geneva-based operator known for large-cabin and VIP airliner charters.
Charter, management, FBO, MRO · Managed fleet worldwide · General Dynamics company: charter, completions and FBOs in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the US.