ODESSA, UKRAINE

This tour provides an introduction to Odessa – one of the Ukraine’s most prosperous and cosmopolitan cities, the ‘Hero City’ – and the ‘White City’ of Belgorod – Dniestrovsky.

This tour provides an introduction to Odessa – one of the Ukraine’s most prosperous and cosmopolitan cities, the ‘Hero City’ – and the ‘White City’ of Belgorod – Dniestrovsky. Our coach will wind its way from the port through the down town area, from where we have our first glimpse of Primorsky Boulevard and the impressive Potemkin Staircase of cinematic fame, descending dramatically 135 metres (445 feet) to the seafront. We will pass the monument to Duke de Richelieu, the monument to Pushkin, City Hall, the marble statue of Laocoon, and a cannon salvaged from a British frigate sunk in 1854 during the Crimean War. Our tour then takes us from Odessa towards Belgorod-Dniestrovsky, also known as the ‘White City on the Dniester’, 80 kilometres (50 miles) away. On the West Side of the Dniester estuary there is an impressive fortress, comprised mainly of a large system of walls and bastions. Sometimes referred to as Akkerman Fortress, dating back to the 13th century, it was founded on the site of the Greek Colony of Tyras, which existed from the 6th century BC. Subsequently Romans, Cossacks, Tatars, Russians and Romanians controlled this place. The fortress is one of the largest in the Ukraine, and its original construction is closely linked to the history of the entire region adjoining the Dniester River and the northern part of the Black Sea coast. Underground galleries, hollowed out in the stone base, extend from beyond the foundation lines of the fortress. Belgorod-Dniestrovsky was liberated in 1944, and immediately declared a historical and architectural relic. After a fascinating tour into history, we will enjoy a Bessarabian lunch in a local restaurant, accompanied by a folkloric show. Please note that the majority of this tour is on foot over cobbled grounds, and there are steps to negotiate at the restaurant. Comfortable, flat walking shoes are recommended. This tour is not suitable for passengers with limited mobility or passengers using wheelchairs. The order of sights visited may be vary slightly in order to avoid congestion.

DESCRIPTION CORRECT FOR 2008 CANARIES & MEDITERRANEAN CRUISES