After a long and lively succession of names, from the native Yuzovka (1869) to the subsequent Stalin (1924) and the similar Stalino (1929), in 1961 the current name Donetsk was adopted following destalinization and the city’s growth, which in the meantime became the hub of the Donetsk region.
Upon arriving in the city, after landing at the Donetsk International Airport, you immediately get the impression of being thrust into a center where industrialization, culture, and science merge in a pleasant blend to discover.
A great starting point for a pleasant visit of the city is certainly Artema, a nine-kilometer-long street where ancient and modern architectural styles intertwine, small parks, shopping centers, refined hotels, and restaurants arise.
The city reveals different aspects depending on where you are. The southern part of Donetsk is occupied by post offices, hospitals, schools, factories, and railway depots. The architecture here, following the construction of the home of John Hughes and various residences for foreigners, is mostly English-style characterized by rectangular and triangular facades, green roofs, large windows, and balconies occupying most buildings.
The northern part of Donetsk, on the other hand, has always been more commercial, being home to artisan shops, bureaucrats, and merchants. Here you can spend time visiting the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of Jesus, shopping at the covered market (especially along the main street, Novyi Svet), tasting typical Ukrainian products (such as Rozsolnyk, Hybivka, and Vinigret soups and types of bread like Korovai, Paska, and Babka), and staying at the numerous hotels.
Donetsk also offers a breath of culture thanks to numerous theaters (including the Opera and Ballet Theater), the planetarium, about thirty museums, and more than 500 bookstores.
