CITY TOUR “GREEK ODESSA”
210 years ago an exclusive necklace of the Black Sea Northern Seashore was decorated with its precious pearl – Odessa. They say that the name of the city came after the ancient Greek colony Odessos, which was believed to be in the vicinity.
The city today is a large sea port, a major commercial, cultural, scientific centre of Ukraine.
Departing from the hotel “Chernoye More”, along the pictuheresque Pushkin street (former Italian street) you will drive to the Greek Holy Trinity Church, belonged to the Alexandrian Patriarchal Metochion in Odessa, to have an inside view. Built in 1808 just at the beginning of Odessa foundation this Church be-came one of the first spiritual centers for the Greek Orthodox in Russia. Today thanks to the work of the Church the bonds of spiritual unity between the Alexandrian Metochion and Russian Ortodox Churches became stronger and their fraternal links are broadened and consolidated. On the 30th anniversary of Alex-andrian Metochion in Odessa divine liturgy was was concelebrated by representatives of the Alexandrian, Antiohene, Russian , Bulgarian, and Greek Local Ortodox Churches.
Our excursion continues in Primorsky Boulevard, the city's popular promenade, and begin Your strolling to for a close inspection of Odessa's most cherished buildings and monuments: Potemkinskaya Steps, monu-ment to Duke de Richelieu, monument to Alexander Pushkin, City Hall, the House of Marasly (Greek by birth - a famous city mayor in the beginning of the 20th century) and at last - the magnificent Opera & Ballet House. It was built on the hill of former Ancient Greek settlement at a place of the first Odessa Theatre, where Greek tragedies in Greek language were staged. After the old theatre was ruined by fire it was decided to build a new one.
Completed in 1887, the baroque style building of the theatre was designed by the architects, responsible for the Vienna Burgteatre and the Dresden Court Theatre, both of which it resembles, and is considered to be on of the best thetres in the world.
Not far from the Theatre located the Odessa Archeological Museum. Founded in 1825 it was one of the oldest in Russia. In number and value of its archaeological relics of the Nothern Black Sea region, classical Hellenistic period and Cichloids culture the museum occupies one of the leading places among the best museums of Europe. One has to take into account that some years ago the museum has got an essential donation from a Greek man living on Cyprus and has renovated its exposition.
Opposite the Museum a beautiful old biulding would attract ones attention with aboard on it telling that Grigoriy Marazly, a famous Greekman – a former mayor of Odessa lived there.
After the museum you walk to the Deribasovskaya souvenir market, observe the Greek Square renovated by a Greek Company “Michaniki – Ukraine” with a monument to a legendary mayor Grigoriy Marazly, erected to the 210 years anniversary of Odessa , and call a visit to the Greek street and the Fund of Greece Culture with the Museum of “Feliki Eteria” (The Greek society on the base of which a rebellion movement in Greece against Turkey took place) .
Then tourists are proposed to have a welcome drink ( coffee, tea, juice, min. water) or a three courses lunch in a typical "Ukrainian Village" Restaurant . After the lunch, where You will rest a bit, following a strolling tour you will drive along Richileuvskaya street, one of the major thoroughfares, connecting the old historical centre with the Railway terminal. You will make a photostop at the Kulikovo Pole (former October Revolution Square and typically with the monument to V.I Lenin). Your eye is also attracted here by the perspective view of the 5 onion-shaped cupola of St. Panteleimon the Healer Cathedral. The tourist coach will go further along Taras Shevchenko avenue through the city area to the beach area Arcadia named by a paradize corner of Greece – the best place to have a rest near the sea and have a photostop. From Arcadia passing by the Victory Monument tourists drive along the French Boulevard then to see part of resort area towards Shevchenko park . Named after Ukrainian poet and patriot, a park offers a pleasant view on the Black Sea nearby the Unknown Sailors' Obelisk (World War II) and has its own bathing beach and an open-air theatre.
After the park You will reboard the coach and return to the hotel.
