[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.0.4″][et_pb_row module_class=” et_pb_row_fullwidth” _builder_version=”3.25″ width=”89%” width_tablet=”80%” width_phone=”” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” max_width=”89%” max_width_tablet=”80%” max_width_phone=”” max_width_last_edited=”on|desktop” animation_style=”fade” make_fullwidth=”on”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_post_title author=”off” comments=”off” featured_image=”off” _builder_version=”3.23.3″ title_font=”Fjalla One||||||||” title_text_align=”center” title_font_size=”72px” text_orientation=”center”][\/et_pb_post_title][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/theworldoffroad.com\/2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Temperidis_theworldoffroad-DSC01938.jpg” force_fullwidth=”on” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”4.0.4″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22.3″][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”3.25″][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.0.4″]<\/p>\n
If you arrive in Odessa coming from Moldova, you simply can\u2019t imagine what lies at the seafront. \u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Moldova is considered the poorest country in Europe but Ukraine seems to be even more. Its country side at least..\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The few villages we drove through were simply depressing and the road destroyed. We found the worst stretches of tarmac in Ukraine during this trip. <\/span><\/p>\n At some points the tarmac is bended like a nasty roller-coaster from the heavyweight camion wheels.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The western suburbs of Odessa seemed dusty and dirty but the more we approached the centre, it became better and better. But we couldn\u2019t imagine how beautiful Odessa is downtown.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n We drove directly to the iconic Opera house but couldn\u2019t park our camper and walk around, so we crossed the centre and started looking for a safe parking or camping at the southern shore of the city.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n We drove for roughly 12 kilometres following the tram road but we couldn\u2019t see any beach because the front is reserved by new built residential blocks and high-rise resort hotels. We couldn\u2019t imagine such a real estate development in the third largest Ukrainian city.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n We spent the first night in an open parking next to the beach and the second closer to the centre, in an organised parking at the popular Otrada beach.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Sunday morning we mixed with locals with our mountain bikes in the fabulous Shevchenko park – the Central Park of Odessa. It was a splendid autumn day and everybody was out with their bikes or skates, for exercise or just a walk in the park.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n We arrived with our bikes to the Potemkin stairs and took them up in the historical centre which was lively and busy. Odessa is a lively, energetic city and its people seem to enjoy their lives at full. <\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s a new-rich society with a strong wealthy class which drives premium German cars, lives in enclosed residential complexes and dine in fancy restaurants and clubs.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n There is a strong coffee culture in the city and the tiny coffee trucks are a postal card of modern Odessa.<\/span><\/p>\n As a traveller, most people you meet are friendly and not so nordic as Russians, they actually seem more Mediterranean. Downtown Odessa is great for shopping, for strolling around and for people watching. <\/span><\/p>\n The centrepiece is the pedestrian Derybasivska Str., where you will find most tourists, many caf\u00e8s and restaurants, a nice – Milan style – shopping gallery and different street artists.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Next to the Potemkin stairs, from where you feel you can dive directly to the Black Sea port there is a nice Hellenic Park. Don\u2019t forget that Odessa was a Greek city during the antiquity, even if it wasn\u2019t really Odissos.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/theworldoffroad.com\/2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Temperidis_theworldoffroad-DJI_0098.jpg” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”4.0.4″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/theworldoffroad.com\/2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Temperidis_theworldoffroad-DSC01930.jpg” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”4.0.4″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/theworldoffroad.com\/2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Temperidis_theworldoffroad-DSC01833.jpg” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”4.0.4″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.0.4″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.0.4″][et_pb_code _builder_version=”4.0.4″]