From Wikitravel

Mykolayiv (Миколаїв) [1] is a city in the Ukraine, Eastern Europe.

Contents 1 Understand 2 Get in 2.1 By plane 2.2 By train 2.3 By car 2.4 By bus 2.5 By boat 3 Get around 4 See 5 Do 6 Learn 7 Work 8 Buy 9 Eat 9.1 Budget 9.2 Mid-range 9.3 Splurge 10 Drink 11 Sleep 11.1 Budget 11.2 Mid-range 11.3 Splurge 12 Contact 13 Stay safe 14 Cope 15 Get out

Understand

Mykolayiv was founded in 1789 in aftermath of Russian-Turkish war of 1768-1774 together with neighbouring cities of Kherson (1778) and later Odesa (1794). The name was given after the sailors' friend Saint Nicholas and also after the day in December 1788 when general Suvorov captured major Turkish fortress of Achikale (now Ochakov/Ochakiv, in 60 km from Mykolayiv). First ship "St.Nicholas" was built in 1790.

From the beginning Mykolayiv became navy shipbuilding centre of Russian Empire. Mykolayiv was governed by 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 Mykolayiv. 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 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 were located in Mykolayiv for more than 100 years until moved to Sevastopol.

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

Mykolayiv 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 Mykolayiv on April 18, 1902.

Today the city has a population of about 500,000. The official language is Ukrainian, but Russian is widely spoken and English is also commonly spoken.

Get in

By plane

Mykolayiv airport (airport code NLV, Long:31°55'E, Lat:47°3'N) is located in 20 km from the city downtown. The airport has flights to Kiev (Zhulyany), Moscow, Istanbul twice a week. Budget travellers should consider airports in Kiev-Boryspil (KBP) and Odesa (ODS). Bucharest and Chisinau airports are in proximity but require additional border crossings and visas.

By train

Direct trains to Moscow (26 hours), Kiev (10), Lviv (18), Odesa (5), the Crimea (8 hours) depart every day. All trains have coach cars.

By car

Main routes to Kherson (65 km), Odesa (120), Uman' (320), Chishinau (325), the Crimea (350), Kiev (500), Kharkiv (520), Lviv (950). Usually gas is cheaper than in W.Europe, approximately the same price as in N.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.

By bus

Direct daily connections to Kyiv (10 hours), Kharkiv (12), Odesa (2), the Crimea (6), Cishinau (7), Khmelnytsky (11), Donetsk (12), Rostov-na-Donu (17), Minsk (23). Be prepared to sleep in the bus seat if you decide to take night coach. Bus to Hamburg, Germany (42-hour trip) departs twice a week.

By boat

Even though Mykolayiv has a major Ukrainian commercial sea port (5 mln.t in 2004), there are no regular passenger lines.

Get around

Coach buses (marshrutka) can take you almost anywhere in the city for less than half a dollar. Taxi service is also inexpensive. Mykolayiv local transportation system consists of buses, trams, trolley buses and boats.

See

Ukrainian theatre. Russian drama theatre. Zoo (one of the biggest in Ukraine). Museum of Shipbuilding and Fleet. 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. Old Greek settlement Olvio (30 km). Yacht-club.

Do

'Storm' bowling (Sadova 2)

Learn

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

Work

Buy

Western shopper will be surprised by affordability of fashion European clothing in Mykolayiv. Pedestrian Radyanska (Sovetskaya) 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.

Eat

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

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).

Mid-range

Chelentano 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 (Potemkinska/Radyanska), Blindage (Radyanska/Velyka Mors'ka: like armory museum - waitress in military uniform will offer you a triple shot of vodka among real bullet casings and weapons of Soviet and German WWII armies), McDonalds (Radyanska)

Splurge

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

Drink

Try local wines from Radsad winery - white: Chardonnay, Aligote, red: Merlot, Kaberne. 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 underfills happen in bars. Local brewery Yantar (Amber) belongs to InBev beer group (brands Stella Artois, Taller etc) and makes 10% of Ukrainian beer production.

Sleep

For long-term visits rent an apartment for $50-300 a month. Some hotels have higher rates for foreigners.

Budget

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

Mid-range

Vladam/Piligrim (Sadova 3b, +380-512-360151, new private hotel, Christian management); Ukraina (Lenina 73, +380-512-473641, old state hotel that needs modernization)

Splurge

Ingul (Admiralska 34, +380-512-355557, 5-star price for 3-star service); Metalurg (20 km from downtown in satellite city district of Zhovtneve, prospekt Oktyabrskiy 319a, +380-512-634056)

Contact

Stay safe

Important numbers: 02-police; 03-medical emergency. Purchase mobile phone or SIM card from UMC or Kyivstar GSM 900/1800 providers to stay connected. Avoid drunk people and don't drink with people that you don't know. Avoid to buy tampered alcohol from public markets. Avoid to stay out after midnight, call taxi service (067). TB and Hepatitus immunization is recommended.

Cope

Get out

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