Privoz Food Market
Local residents state that Odesa starts from Privoz. And it is really true. It is the largest and the most famous food market in Ukraine. Privoz is considered town's oldest market. It was built in 1827 as a part of Old Market and got its name due to the fact that in those times mainly imported goods were sold here, and right from the delivery truck, at that. ('Privoz' is Russian for 'import'.) Back then, there were no shopping streets on its territory. Occupying an impressively large territory, Privoz soon outpaced in popularity former town fairs and became the 'king' of Odesa markets. Today Privoz occupies the territory of eight hectares, over six thousand sellers trade here every day! Here there is a huge choice of truly Ukrainian products: lard, homemade sausage, cold backed pork, various pickles, dairy products - sour cream, cottage cheese, sheep cheese. In addition, you can always buy cooked homemade Ukrainian dishes and very tasty pastry here: poppy rolls, honey cakes, cheesecakes, pancakes with various fillings.
And considering that Odesa is a seaside town, a separate ground is devoted to seafood and in particular to fish. There is plenty of fish here - fresh, salted, smoked, dried, cured. The gem of Privoz is that most products offered here are organic, as they are produced by Ukraine's private households.
Starokonnyi Flea Market
Starokonnyi flea market, commonly known as simply ‘Starokonka’, is one of the most colorful places in Odesa, it’s a live attraction of the city. For collectors, it is a place where they might find unique items, for tourists – Starokonka is a so-called open-air museum, whose exhibits can show fascinating history of the city and tell everyday life, habits and temperament of its citizens. Even Forbes magazine included Starokonka in Top-10 most interesting flea markets in the world.
The history legendary place dated from 1832 when the local authorities decided on setting the so-called Livestock Bazaar for horse and cattle trade in the very center of the famous Moldavanka district. In the middle of 20th century, the specialized livestock market moved to a new place, next to well-known Privoz Market. Therefore the abandoned commercial place welcomed vendors of mostly alimentations, and it was baptized Starokonsky Market. Since then, the adjacent streets were occupied by a flea market that rose to fame among locals and tourists alike. As of today, the market takes up several blocks and represents a real treasury of rare items. As ordinary flea market, Starokonka has no counters and stalls – some articles lay down on the ground, the other hung on the windows, walls, fences and even trees. You might find anything you want: from valueless plastic trinkets to precious antic objects.
While staying in Odesa visit its famous markets for shopping or just spending a nice time.
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