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capital city of Mykolaiv Oblast in southern Ukraine
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Peace Square

Mykolaiv (Ukrainian: Миколаїв, also transliterated Nikolaev or Nikolayev from Russian: Николаев) is a city in Southern Ukraine. It is an important shipbuilding centre and transportation hub for Ukraine, and has a large military presence. It had a large Jewish population until the Holocaust in World War II.

History

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Mykolaiv was founded in 1789 in the aftermath of the Russian-Turkish war of 1768-1774 together with neighbouring cities of Kherson (1778) and later Odesa (1794). It was named Nikolaev (Russian: Никола́ев) by its founder, Prince Grigory Potemkin after the sailors' patron saint. and also after the day in December 1788 when general Suvorov captured major Turkish fortress of Achikale (now Ochakov/Ochakiv, in 60 km from Mykolaiv). The first ship "St. Nicholas" was built in 1790. Its current English name is a transliteration of its Ukrainian name, which was adopted following Ukrainian independence in 1992.

Mykolaiv became the navy shipbuilding centre of the Russian Empire. Mykolaiv was governed by a military governor until 1900. The oldest shipyard (modern name '61 Communars') was founded one year earlier than the city in 1788. Soldiers, craftsmen and free people from various areas of Russian Empire were ordered to Mykolaiv. Some streets still have numbered names according to founders' occupation: 11th Voennaya (Military) or 9th Slobodska (Free settler). The city was well planned from the beginning. Main streets are wide and were used to carry wood to the shipyards. Glamorous parks make a big portion of the city. Downtown area is located on the peninsula made by Southern Bug and Ingul rivers estuary. The Black Sea navy headquarters was located in Mykolaiv for more than 100 years until it moved to Sevastopol. It retained its status as a major naval shipbuilding centre throughout the Soviet era.

Shipbuilding is a part of Mykolaiv history. There are three shipyards in Mykolaiv and the only Shipbuilding University in Ukraine. Mykolaiv was closed to foreign visitors until the late 1980s because of large navy projects (as well as Air Force base, turbine plant and military port).

Mykolaiv was major Jewish centre of Russian Empire in 19th century. The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson (the seventh leader in the Chabad-Lubavitch dynasty) was born in Mykolaiv on April 18, 1902.

The city had a population of about 500,000 in 2015.

Talk

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Although Ukrainian is the sole official language in all of Ukraine, Russian is the first language of most locals in Mykolaiv.

Get in

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By plane

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Caution Note: Due to the state of war, Ukraine's airspace has been closed to civil aviation.
(Information last updated 19 Sep 2023)

The closest operating airport is in Chișinău:

By train

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Direct trains from Kyiv (10 hours), Lviv (18 hours), and Odesa (5 hours) depart every day. All trains have coach cars.

By car

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Main routes from Kherson (65 km), Odesa (120 km), Uman' (320 km), Chishinau (325 km), the Crimea (350 km), Kyiv (500 km), Kharkiv (520 km), Lviv (950 km). Usually gas (petrol) is cheaper than in Western Europe, approximately the same price as in North America. Check if you can hire a driver with a car. Be careful if you travel alone and don't forget to carry a mobile phone. Hitchhiking is not recommended. The roads are terrible and dangerous. Use seat belts despite of comments from local drivers.

By bus

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Direct daily connections from Kyiv (10 hours), Kharkiv (12 hours), Odesa (2 hours), Cishinau (7 hours), Khmelnytskyi (11 hours). Be prepared to sleep in the bus seat if you decide to take a night coach. Bus from Hamburg, Germany (42-hour trip) departs twice a week.

By boat

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Even though Mykolaiv has a major Ukrainian commercial sea port (Portnikolaev[dead link]; 5 million tonnes in 2004), there are no regular passenger lines.

Get around

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By public transport

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Map of the city from 1855

Mykolaiv has a convenient public transport system:

  • 5 bus routes
  • 32 marshrutka routes
  • 6 tram routes
  • 6 trolleybus routes

Single ride tickets in buses cost 6-18 грн, in marshrutkas — 11-20 грн, in trams and trolleybuses — 8 грн.

Schedules are available on the official website.

You can also check information about public transport on EasyWay and Google Maps.

By taxi

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Taxi is the easiest way of getting around the city. Some popular taxi companies include:

  • Bolt (Болт). (updated Sep 2023)
  • Uklon (Уклон). (updated Sep 2023)
  • OnTaxi (ОнТаксі). (updated Sep 2023)
  • Opti (Опті). (updated Sep 2023)
  • Shark (Шарк). (updated Oct 2023)
  • Ukrainian theatre.
  • Russian drama theatre.
  • Zoo (one of the biggest in Europe, the biggest in Ukraine).
  • Museum of Shipbuilding and Fleet[dead link]
  • Museum of Arts.
  • Lutheran Church.
  • Catholic Church.
  • Russian Orthodox Church (1825).
  • Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
  • Synagogue.
  • Astronomical observatory (1821, 31.58E,46.58N).
  • Swimming pool 'Vodoley' .
  • Radsad wineries (right bank of the Southern Bug river).
  • Old Greek settlement Olvio (30 km south of Mykolaiv).
  • Yacht-club.
  • Soborna (main pedestrian street in town) is the place to be any night of the week with several gorgeous parks and lots of shopping.
  • Shtorm bowling (Sadova 2), also a nightclub on a second level.

Walk around. Mykolaiv is a relatively safe town with lots of cool stuff to see.

Learn

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National Shipbuilding University; Pedagogical University; Agrarian University; Petro Mohyla Humanitarian University

Western shoppers will be surprised by affordability of fashion European clothing in Mykolaiv. Pedestrian Soborna and adjacent streets make local shopping district. Western-style supermarkets accept major credit cards. Don't forget to buy local wines (Radsad or Koblevo brands) as a souvenirs. Prepare to pay 1-3% to local banks for ATM machines ('bankomat') withdrawals. Watch your pockets at crowded public markets.

Local meat product labels usually don't say 'organic' but mostly they are. Dairy products are delicious, especially ice cream. Even McDonalds used to mention "We use Ukrainian ingredients" in TV commercials. Vegetables are mostly seasonal. Fish is delicious but can have small bones when served in restaurant. Ready-to-go homemade food can be found in local stores.

Budget

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Any clean cafe can offer hearty inexpensive dish of local food. Ask for 'borsch' (beet soup), 'bliny' (crêpes - thin stuffed pancakes), 'zharkoe' (meat with potatoes and mushrooms in a clay pot). You must sure try out the chicken. Ukraine is a country of the chicken. It is cheap and you will get a lot on your plate.

Mid-range

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Celentano pizza (#1 on Faleevska/Lenina and #2 on Spaska/Lyagina), Bocas del Torro (Radyanska between Potemkinska and Shevchenka: try every salad in the salad bar!), Bliny. Don't forget to try out the rest of the food of Pizza Celentano. The service is good so is the atmosphere very cozy.

Blindage (Radyanska/Velyka Mors'ka which is like an armory museum: waitress in military uniform will offer you a triple shot of vodka in real bullet casings and weapons of Soviet and German World War II armies).

McDonalds (Radyanska)

Splurge

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Coliseum (Radyanska/Shevchenko), Malakhit (Moskovska/Spaska)

Astoria - great food, good service, good prices

Drink

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Try local wines from Radsad winery. White: Chardonnay, Aligote; red: Merlot, Cabernet. Wines with alcohol content of more than 15% are artificially fortified with sugar, avoid them. Buy vodka or cognac in stores only. Western brands are very expensive, and bars commonly water them down. Local brewery Yantar (Amber) belongs to InBev beer group (brands Stella Artois, Taller, etc.) and makes 10% of Ukrainian beer production.

Try out the Ukraine milkshake at Pizza Celentano. You won't believe that it is only very cold milk with sugar. The texture is amazingly creamy but it's not too sweet.

  • Delerium is an upscale nightclub. Open Tu-Su 21:00-05:00.

Sleep

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Budget

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  • Nikolaev (Lenina 107, corner of Sadova)
  • Parus (Sportivna 9, river view, ☏ +380-512-346088)

Mid-range

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  • Vladam/Piligrim[dead link] (Sadova 3b, ☏ +380-512-360151, private hotel, Christian management);
  • Na Admirala Makarova, 1/2 block from McDonald's at Lyagina St. 18, ☏ +380 512 47-93-99, email: Mykolaiv_hotel@ukr.net, modern, comfortable beds, AC, 15 rooms, friendly staff, accepts credit cards, double 500-700 грн/night (June 2018).
  • Hotel Turist (Tourist)
  • Hotel Continent

Splurge

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Stay safe

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Important numbers: 102-police; 103-medical emergency. Purchase a mobile phone or SIM card from Vodafone or Kyivstar GSM 900/1800 providers to stay connected. Though Mykolaiv has been a safe city, in 2012, an increasing series of crimes have been reported. Avoid drunk people and don't drink with people that you don't know. Avoid buying cut-rate liquor from public markets. It's too often counterfeit and potentially dangerous. Avoid staying out after midnight, and if you do, call a taxi service (067). TB and Hepatitis immunization is recommended.

Cope

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Go next

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