A brief introduction to the Odessan region
Much has been written about Odessa, but it is far harder to find information about the surrounding area. For the inquisitive tourist, the outskirts and locality of Odessa are no less interesting than the world famous sights which adorn the city itself.
Geographically, the landscape of southern Ukraine is not typical of Europe: dry steppe lands cleaved by saltwater, brackish and even freshwater “limans” (coastal lakes/ estuaries). These are the vestiges of once powerful rivers that cut through the land, formed during the time of the glacial retreat.
The dry climate and geographical peculiarities have given rise to a unique steppe flora, the famous fertile black earth of the region and enormous reserves of mineral rich muds in the “limans”. This maritime-steppe landscape also plays host to unique areas of ornithological interest, studied by experts from around the world.
Historically, the region is not only remarkable on account of dramatic events, but also because of the long story of agriculture on the steppe: from nomadic animal husbandry to highly managed viticulture and the modern manufacture of food stuffs. The agrarian colonisation of the steppe is equally fascinating from an ethnological point of view: Bulgarian, Ukrainian, German, Romanian, Moldavian, Swiss and Russian communities all claimed chunks of territory here, forming small settlements and conserving and passing down their national traditions through the generations.
The southern steppe has always been a corridor between Asia and Europe. Since ancient times there have been many migrations of peoples across the steppe as they made their way between the Black Sea and the Carpathian mountains. Some particularly noteworthy events which took place here include the campaign of Attila the Hun against the Roman Empire and the migration of the Hungarian people.
We would be delighted to reveal these and other facets of the history and culture of the region to those guests who like to delve beyond the usual tourist programme. The current package of excursions is only one part of a greater project we are planning in the Odessa region and southern Ukraine. The rest is a work in progress at present – watch this space.