The city of Kaliningrad is interesting not only for its history, sights and museums, but also it is a very green city, where there are parks, reservoirs, including lakes, as well as small squares and green areas for recreation.
Kaliningrad's parks are very diverse, ranging from well-groomed and suitable for family holidays, with all amenities and entertainment, to quieter natural areas with ponds and paths for walking. Kaliningrad also has a zoo and a botanical garden.
Several large parks and lakes (they are also the best in Kaliningrad) are located in the very center of the city, which, undoubtedly, can be a plus and an addition to walking around the city and sightseeing.
Parks and lakes of the center of Kaliningrad
Upper Lake
The Upper Lake or Upper Pond is a reservoir of artificial origin and is particularly popular for walking and recreation among citizens and guests of the city.
The lake has an irregular elongated shape, with two bays in the northern and an extension in the southern part.
Along the lake runs a gentrified embankment with a bike path, there is a 4-star Mercure Kaliningrad hotel, residential buildings, bridges, playgrounds and sports grounds, recreation areas, Yunost Park, a boat station and several historical attractions.
Ducks and swans live in the lake. Learn more about Upper Lake...
Lower Lake
The Lower Lake or the Lower Pond (Castle Pond) is one of the oldest, the second is the nearby Upper Pond, the structures of Konigsberg that have survived to the present day.
The area around the Lower Lake is a green relaxation area.
The pond is crossed by several bridges. There is a boat station on the lake during the summer season. Swans and ducks live in the lake.
There are places for walking and relaxing around the lake, there are monuments, the 5-star Crystal House Suite Hotel & Spa and the "Castle Pond Cascade" - a water cascade built in Konigsberg in the 1929-1930s and feeding the Lower Lake from the Upper Lake. Learn more about the Lower Lake...
Pond Poplavok
The Poplavok Pond or Bread Lake is a small body of water located in the historic district of Amalienau.
There is an embankment along the lake, there are places for recreation and a playground. Bridges are equipped across the channels of the pond. Learn more about the Poplavok Lake...
Central Park of Culture and Recreation
The Central Park of Culture and Recreation (formerly Kalinin Park) is one of the most visited parks in Kaliningrad.
Many plants and trees that were planted in the pre-war years have been preserved in the park.
In the park: alleys for walks, places to relax, fountains, a children's area with attractions, kiosks with snacks and food, the church of Queen Louise (now the regional puppet theater), sculptures and monuments.
During the year, various events are held on the territory of the park: holidays, festivals, concerts, sports competitions, etc.
The central entrance to the park faces Mira Avenue. More about Central Park...
Kaliningrad Zoo
Kaliningrad Zoo is one of the largest and oldest zoos in Russia.
According to the reviews of visitors, the zoo in Kaliningrad deserves a rating of "5+": in terms of the number of animals, grooming and general impressions.
At the moment, the zoo occupies an area of 16.7 hectares, on which there are aviaries with animals, a bird house, a terrarium, an aquarium, an arboretum, sculptures and monuments, a playground, a square with a fountain, as well as recreation areas, gazebos, ponds, cafes and snack bars.
Entrance to the zoo from Mira Avenue, 26.Learn more about the Kaliningrad Zoo...
Yunost Park
According to visitors, the Yunost Park is considered one of the best parks in the city for family recreation and entertainment.
On the territory of the park there are: attractions for children and adults, Ferris wheel, trolls, boat station, 5D cinema, winter indoor skating rink "Ice Arena", go-karting, rope town, trampolines, "House upside down", pond, walking and recreation area, interpersonal communication development center, as well as mini-cafes and snack bars.
The park is located near the Upper Lake, at the intersection of Telman, Azovskaya, Zemelnaya and Gorky streets. More about Yunost Park...
Sculpture Park on Kanta Island
Sculpture Park is a green park and open-air museum located on the island of Kanta (Kneiphof) near The cathedral.
The park is a branch of the Kaliningrad Historical and Art Museum and is a green walking area with places for recreation, on the territory of which various symbolic sculptures are placed.
The collection of sculptures, diverse in content and style, arrived in Kaliningrad from Moscow. The works are made in different materials: bronze, marble, metal and granite. The authors of the sculptures are famous masters of fine art of the second half of the 20th century.
Currently, the park presents more than 20 works united by the theme "Man and the World".
Another attraction of the Sculpture Park on the island of Kante, in addition to the sculptures themselves, is the arboretum, reflecting the richness of the flora of the region. Here are plants from Europe, North and South America, Japan, China, etc. Learn more about Kanta Island...
Yuzhny Park
The area of the Yuzhny Park reaches 60 hectares. and it is a green array of irregular rectangular shape with alleys and paths for walking, reservoirs (ponds), monuments, children's and sports grounds.
In Yuzhny Park there is a miniature park "History in Architecture", where models of the main architectural masterpieces of "big" Russia, made in miniature, are presented. In addition to the expositions, a walking area and recreation areas, a swing, a gazebo, benches, a summer cafe and a children's playground are provided on the territory of the miniature park. Entrance to the miniature park is paid.
Yuzhny Park is located along Kalinin Avenue, near the Southern Railway Station and Kaliningrad Bus Station. More about Yuzhny Park...
Victory Park
Victory Park, the full name is the park of the 55th anniversary of Victory.
The park was founded by veterans of the Great Patriotic War on May 8, 2000, in honor of the 55th anniversary of the Victory. Now the park is an open-air memorial complex with paths for walking and places for recreation.
The park is located between Gvardeysky Avenue, Field Marshal Rumyantsev Street (formerly Gornaya Street) and General Butkov Street (Marshal Baghramyan Street and the Right Embankment). More about Victory Park...
Landscape Park
The landscape park was founded in 1805. In 1806 it was transferred to the University of Albertina and in 1810 its transformation into a scientific and educational division of the university began.
This park is not a popular place for walking, it is quiet and peaceful. In the park: an abundance of greenery, there are flowers and places to relax.
Entrance to the park is paid. Adult ticket - 70 rubles, children's ticket - 50 rubles.
The address of the park: Botanic Street, 2.
Max Aschmann Park
Max Aschmann Park traces its history back to the time of Kenegsberg (now the city of Kaliningrad) and at that time bore the German name Max-Aschmann-Park (Max-Aschmann-Park).
Currently, the park is a green area, more like a forest belt (subjective opinion), for walking and recreation.
In the park: paths and paths for walking; there are several lakes, the largest of which is Lake Lesnoye, the territory near which is used by citizens for picnics and recreation; a children's and sports playground.
The main entrance to the park is located from Gorky and Gaidar Streets, although you can enter the park not only from this side of it. More about Max Aschmann Park...
Botanical Garden
The Botanical Garden of the Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University covers an area of 13.57 hectares. and his collection includes more than 2,500 plants.
The Botanical Garden on its present site was founded in 1904 by Professor Paul Kaber (1869-1919), head of the Department of Higher Plants and Systematics at the University of Koenigsberg.
On the territory of the botanical garden there are: greenhouses, greenhouses, a pond, a tree nursery, collection areas of herbaceous and woody plants, utility rooms.
The collection of thermophilic plants is located in 6 greenhouses with a total area of 792.1 m2. There are four exposition departments: tropical, subtropical, palm and succulent.
Address of the botanical garden: 12 Lesnaya Street.
In addition to these large parks and lakes, there are many small squares in the center of Kaliningrad with places to relax, greenery and flowers (in the warm season), which are great for short breaks (rest) while walking around the city center.
One of these, and the most attractive, places in the city center are:
- a square located between Grekova, Kronshtadskaya Streets and Mira Avenue. The park has an abundance of flowers, there are places to relax, a monument to Peter I and the most recognizable sculpture of Kaliningrad - "Fighting bison". Learn more about the sculpture and the square...
- a square on Leninsky Prospekt, located near the building of the former Konigsberg Stock Exchange, which now houses the Museum of Fine Arts.
The square is attractive because in its center there is a light-musical (singing) fountain (in the warmer months).
