Shore excursions program for below cruises

Combine a spot of retail therapy with some sightseeing on this enjoyable tour of Odessa. The tour begins with a walk along the main promenade of Odessa, with views of the Potemkin Staircase, Pushkin’s monument and the exterior of the Opera House to enjoy along the way. A short stop will be made in Sobornaya Square to see the wonderful Transfiguration Cathedral and to browse for souvenirs. The next leg of your shopping tour will then take you to the pedestrian area of Deribasovskaya Street, one of Odessa’s main thoroughfares and home to a wide range of boutiques, large stores, attractive leafy parks and green spaces. You will have sufficient time to have a look around the shops before making your way back to the port and your ship.

As the fifth-largest metropolis in Ukraine, a major seaport and the proud owner of a long and venerable history dating back to medieval times, the city of Odessa has much to offer and is certainly worth a visit. Part one of the tour will see you leave the pier and set off to discover the best of Odessa on foot, following a route that will take you down Prymorsky Boulevard, home to some of the city’s most important buildings and landmarks, including the monument to Duc de Richelieu and the famous Potemkin Stairs – a giant staircase designed to appear either longer or shorter depending on the perspective from which it is viewed. A photo stop will be made near the late 19^th-century Odessa Opera House, an architectural masterpiece of Vienna Baroque style. Part two of the tour will see you board a modern coach for an approx. 1-hour drive to the village of Nerubayskoe and the famous catacombs, which were created as a result of stone mining and stretch beneath the city for more than 3,000 kilometres. After paying the catacombs and the museum a visit, your return journey to Odessa will provide more appealing views to enjoy as you pass picturesque villages, vast wheat fields and lush vineyards, all of which go to illustrate why Ukraine is also nicknamed “The Bread Basket of Europe”.