Donetsk Travel Guide

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I enjoyed visiting and having a beer or two at several town cafes:
- Edem Cafe at 44 Gorky Street where you can sit at the terrace outside and enjoy your meal/drink. They have splendid draft beer: Nevskoye ("The Neva Beer") from St.Petersburg;

- Khutorok Cafe ("Little Farmstead") in Gorky Street near the central market;

- Voskhod restaurant in the hotel building at 19a Lenin Street.

Favorite Dish: local dried fish from the Sea of Azov

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The hotel restaurant is the place where the young people gather on weekends soon after 10 p.m. to dance and to relax.
The parties often last untill 3 a.m. on weekends.
I could feel it myself: my room was just above the restaurant and it was weekend...

Dress Code: casual but neat

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Be careful when you get under the rain.
During the rain streets, especially on the outskirts, turn into rivers.
Do not even try to cross those river streets for who knows how deep the pot-holes are.
Simply wait until the rain stops and the rivers are gone.

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It's always a temptation when at a bar to reply to another who wants to talk to you.
Well, as a matter of fact, it is not customary to make friends at any bar.
You do not even have to provide any answer to any other customer who is suddenly addressing you from a nearby table.
I made sure of it myself more than once: any reply to a tipsy stranger in a bar can only lead to a serious aggravation.
I found myself in a very unfavorable situation in Donetsk when another customer addressing me turned out to hate the Ukrainian President for his bad attitude to Russia... So he started warning me that I was to be robbed in Donetsk for it is "the thieves' town"...
I decided just to keep mum, finished my beer and left...

Unique Suggestions: Just nod and smile, that's all.
Please no talks to strangers in a bar.
Do not invite him or them over to your table!
What they really want is to pick up a fight.
You do not have to make sure if it yourself.
Take my word for it!

Fun Alternatives: Come to a bar with your local friends and not alone.
Leave the bar as soon as a talkative customer becomes a nuisance.

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Luggage and bags: a small carry bag for your walks downtown.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: an umbrella is a must for the rains are sudden and long here.
Please be careful about wearing shorts in summer here.
You will see that practically nobody wears them, hence you will be recognized as a foreigner at once.
Therefore jeans would be a good idea in any weather including a hot one.
People do not wear a T-shirt under a short-sleeve shirt here.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: available at local stores and at the market.

Photo Equipment: available in big amounts

Camping/Beach/Outdoor Gear: good walking shoes

Miscellaneous: a torch would be a good idea.

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You can any bus from the main street to this place.
There is a beer tent and a large aquapark here.
The aquapark is called Aquarius.
Walk along Gavritskov Boulevard there.
Be careful when walking along its streets alone. Better to arrive there with your local friends or with a guide.

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You can watch different soccer matches/training matches here including ladies' soccer.
They have a vero good ladies' soccer team that is a champion of the area.
You can reach the stadium if you walk all way through the town park and Glory Park.
You will recognize the entrance by the gates.

Equipment: soccer field, running lanes