Visit Odessa, Ukraine
Built as Russia's window on the south, Odessa was founded in the 18th century by Catherine the Great. The city has a grand, if slightly crumbling air to it, with wide boulevards, imposing architecture, and of course the famous Potemkin steps.

Passazh Arcade, Odessa, Ukraine
Built as Russia's window on the south, Odessa was founded in the 18th century by Catherine the Great. The city has a grand, if slightly crumbling air to it, with wide boulevards, imposing architecture, and of course the famous Potemkin steps.
With a sunny climate and a cosmopolitan, proud population, Odessa is a great city. It also has some more than passable sandy beaches, which can get quite crowded at the height of the season.