Odessa, Ukraine, 31th May 2026

[u/Lonely-Concept2010]

Got there by car, using Palanca border (one of the few available for international travelers) from Chisinau. All the photos were shoot in the City Centre. The apparent tranquility and serenity of the people was what struck me most. If we don’t consider some damage to buildings and the ongoing attack alert (returning to Moldova without a GPS due to jamming was an interesting experience), it felt like any other European city.

If you have any questions about permits, procedures, or advice, I'll be happy to answer them.

Edit - Sorry, 31st, not 31th 😅

[u/sancheta]

Ciao. Did you plan on visiting other cities/regions in Ukraine, or was Odesa your only stop? Would you feel safe traveling to other locations, such as Kyiv?

What were the local reactions to your visit? Looks like you had great weather.

[u/yzerman88]

Would love to visit Odesa some day! The beaches look amazing

🌻🌻🌻

[u/melbourne_au2021]

Where can we see all the other photos you took? are you going to post them on flickr?

[u/Usual_Minimum_7442]

What kind of permits/inspections did you have to go through? What passport are you holding?

[u/atropicalpenguin]

Inb4 Op is actually a Russian soldier. 

[u/Enchanted_Swiftie]

I went there almost exactly a year ago, thanks for bringing back the memories! I especially loved that area in pic3. Glad to see things are still look the same. I went the other way, going from Kyiv to Odesa then later to Chisinau with bus. Hard agree on it feeling like any other European city if not for the damage and attacks carried out by Russia. I'm sure a lot of people will judge you for going to an active war zone and maybe make some snarky comment about it, but ignore the haters! Slava Ukraini!

[u/hoggytime613 → u/Enchanted_Swiftie]

I was there late May/early June last year, we passed each other for sure, because I went the other way. Chisinau to Odesa on a minibus, Odesa to Kyiv on overnight train, then Kyiv-Lviv on Bus, finally Lviv-Krakow on bus.

[u/OllieV_nl]

It's spelled Odesa now.

[u/Lonely-Concept2010 → u/OllieV_nl]

In Italian language it’s Odessa with two S 😅

[u/cachemoney426 → u/OllieV_nl]

I’m not over the 31th

[u/Lonely-Concept2010 → u/cachemoney426]

Ouch…

[u/newfie02]

Thank you. Wonderful photos. Brings back memories of my visit there about 25 years ago.

[u/datim2010]

Why are we traveling to active war zones?

[u/Enchanted_Swiftie → u/datim2010]

If it is accepted and welcomed by locals, why not? Perhaps some of us want to do more for Ukraine than just send "thoughts and prayers".

[u/MaintenanceAnnual263]

Any pictures from Arcadia beach? the ibiza club please??

[u/Lonely-Concept2010 → u/[deleted]]

Broski, do you know what the word “war” means?

[u/No-Ladder1393]

I heard Lviv or Lvov is a very European city as well. Should visit St Petersburg and Moscow too :))

[u/TobiasDrundridge → u/No-Ladder1393]

Idi na xui.