For years Odessa has been known under the name «Pearl by the Sea». The city was always famous for its uniqueness – first as the Southern gate to the Russian Empire and the only city where the Jews were allowed to stay, then as a location of the magnificent Opera House and a birthplace of brilliant musicians, writers and robbers.

Every Odessan possesses his or her own Odessa which they will be happy to share with you and which is much more than what you can see in the streets. It is definitely not enough to only see Odessa - one also needs to hear, inhale, feel and taste it. Odessa is not only a seaside, Opera House, Deribassovskaya Street, Primorsky Boulevard and Potoymkin Stairs. Odessa is much more that that, and notably its incredible histories, brilliant phrases, ingenious poems, indecent songs, original humour, courageous press, witty jokes, and excellent books. In our site, we propose a unique selection of (written in Russian) Odessa stories, verses, phrases, songs and many others of what is being increasingly regarded as a major part of Odessa myth. Read them and you will perhaps agree with those who claim that Odessa is an always young beautiful lady with bright Mediterranean eyes – or disagree to discover your own Odessa...