Odessa - St. Petersburg of the South: Odessa, often referred to as the "Pearl of the Black Sea" is the third largest city in Ukraine and the largest city along the Black Sea.  It is the Ukraine's most significant commercial centre. A Brief History of Odessa Odessa's history includes settlement by the Greeks in the region as early as 1700 years ago, the Crimea-Tartarians settled here in the 14th century and the region was part of the Turkish Empire from 1526 to 1789. During period of … [Read more...]