City centre walking through Odesa

The tour was amazing and I was lucky enough to be the only one. My tour guide Michael is a pro in Odesa history. He took to some really amazing and beautiful places! If you’re in Odesa, I really recommend you book this tour!

I had the privilege of having Michael (part of Ukraine by Locals) as my tour guide in Odesa, and the experience was absolutely incredible. His knowledge of Ukraine's cultural capital is exceptional, and I learned so much about the city's rich heritage, including its highs and lows. Michael took me on a fascinating tour of one of Odesa's catacomb networks, which were used by partisans during WWII. He also guided me through the city's military park and facilitated an excursion in the central hub, where he explained how the present day is impacting the commemoration of the past. It was mind-blowing to witness a culture evolving right before my eyes, and Michael truly brought that to life. He also took me to various other significant commemorative sites within the city, such as the WWII Victory Monument and the Holodomor Monument, and provided resources to explore even more captivating information. I was absolutely blown away by Michael's effort—he was bloody amazing!

I went on this free (tip based) walking tour of the historical centre of Odesa with Michael the day I arrived in Odesa. This was an excellent introduction to Odesa by Michael, starting at Cathedral Square and seeing many of the major historical and current places of interest - including the Opera House, City Hall, Potemkin Steps as well as many more (and Odesa's cats!). I learnt a lot about Odesa, past and present - and Michael's love for his city shines through and makes the tour engaging and interesting (and not just informative). I visited Odesa at a very difficult time for Odesa (August 2024) - and I am grateful for Ukraine by Locals still running the tour and just for a single traveller.