Visiting Ukraine: Odessa Nightlife Guide

Odessa is one of the largest cities of the former Soviet Union and the fourth larger in Ukraine, however its nightlife is notorious, surprisingly more than in Kiev or Kharkiv or major cities like St Petersburg. The greatest advantage of its nightlife is that all main attractions are easily accessible and depending on the season of the year it is mostly focused in particular areas, allowing the visitors to switch clubs and practicing some fun bar-hopping during night.

The most famous place in Odessa for its nightlife and the offer in clubs and alternative bars is Arcadia district, with discos and nightclubs in abundance, for all tastes, ages and pockets. Especially during weekend the area is really crowded as it is the main meet and greet place for youngsters as well, who flock there from the early evening hours and leave early next morning.

There are some famous summer clubs here, such as Assol, which is a large ship-type club, operating as a seafood restaurant all day and during night turning into a wild club with dancers and striptease shows. Itaka is the club designed as an ancient Greek temple, with columns, Greek statues and marble elements that create a unique atmosphere for the guests. This is the place that hosts many concerts with artists from all over Europe and mostly Russia, and regular music shows with light and special effects that attract many visitors. Most of the clubs in Arcadia are already full by midnight, but you can always sneak in and check the people and ambiance, especially if you give a tip to the doorman.

During the cold months the epicenter of entertainment moves to downtown and the city’s center, creating a really bustling and crazy environment. Although trends change every year and the popularity may vary depending on the time, there are a few choices that are classic, and must visit for both visitors and residents: The Yo- club is proud to claim one of the largest dancing venues in Europe, with many stages operating at the same time, while the service ranges from billiard games to euro dance shows and women go-go shows. Palladium and X-Club are some of the hot spots in town, all of them open all day long as cafes and restaurants but turning into funky nightclubs as time passes. Same rules apply here, but you will be happy to find a great variety of bars and clubs, depending on your taste.

Odessa is famous for its generally liberal nightlife, meaning that you may find underage people in the clubs, dancing and drinking, while smoking is allowed everywhere and drinking can get excessive. Thankfully there is lots of security so chances of unpleasant incidents are not many. Keep in mind that there are many stripteases and women dancing shows in Odessa clubs where liberal attitude is encouraged but not enforced. One of the great advantages is that nightlife is both intense and inexpensive so you can have a great time wherever you decide to go.

Rent Odessa apartments or book hotel in Odessa: you will not be disappointed!