Kaliningrad is a large city and the administrative center of the Kaliningrad Region, which is the westernmost region of the Russian Federation.
In this article, we will give routes around Kaliningrad designed for guests who have come to the city for 3 or more full days (not counting the days of arrival and departure). And also, where you can go around the region from Kaliningrad.
The article provides examples of routes through the city center, with visits to the most interesting sights and places in Kaliningrad.
To begin with, by default, you live in Kaliningrad somewhere in the center, or close to the center. After all, this is the most convenient way to explore the city, so as not to waste time and effort on moving from / to the hotel.
From good hotels in the city center:
- 4-star Radisson Blu Hotel Kaliningrad and 3-star EUROPA Hotel and Apartments located in the heart of the city - near the central square;
- 3-star hotel Moscow and 3-star hotel Kaliningrad, located on the central streets of the city;
- The 4-star Kaiserhof Hotel, the 3-star Skipper Hotel and the 3-star Hotel At the Honey Bridge, located in the most famous and visited place in Kaliningrad - in the Fishing Village and near the Kanata Island with the cathedral;
- 4-star Holiday Inn Hotel and 3-star Ibis Kaliningrad Center Hotel, located on the embankment of the Pregolya River, near the Museum of the World Ocean and Kant Island;
- 4-star Mercure Kaliningrad Hotel, located on the shore of the Upper Pond;
- 5-star Crystal House Suite Spa Hotel, located on the shore of the Lower Pond.
For more information about hotels in the center of Kaliningrad and their location, you can find out from the hotel article "The best hotels in the center of Kaliningrad" →
If after arriving in Kaliningrad and checking into the hotel you have time and energy to walk around the city, then this is ideal - you can already start getting acquainted with the city. Tickets to Kaliningrad can be viewed and purchased here →
You can find out how to get from Kaliningrad airport to the city center in the hotel pack →
You've only got half a day, and you're out of the way. It is best to devote this day to something relaxed and unhurried.
There are several options here, depending on your personal preferences:
1. Peter the Great Embankment. It is more convenient to start the tour from Victor Hugo Street (from hotels: 4-star Holiday Inn and 3-star Ibis Kaliningrad Center).
The most popular and interesting part of the Peter the Great embankment is the embankment of the Historical Fleet, which is equipped with gazebos, places for walking and recreation, there are historical and educational exhibits, and museum-equipped vessels that are part of the World Ocean Museum complex are moored at the quay of the embankment.
After the embankment, you can go to Victory Park with the Railway Gates, and then to the Ausfalsky Gate and the reduit of the Astronomical bastion.
If there are still forces left, then you can look into the Landscape Park, which was founded in 1805.
This park is not a popular place for walking, it is small, quiet and peaceful. In the park: an abundance of greenery, there are flowers and places to relax.
Entrance to the park is paid. The address of the park: Botanic Street, 2.
2. Go to the zoo or Botanical Garden.
Kaliningrad Zoo is one of the largest and oldest zoos in Russia.
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. Learn more about the Kaliningrad Zoo...
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.
On the territory of the botanical garden there are: greenhouses, greenhouses, a pond, a nursery of woody plants, collection areas of herbaceous and woody plants, utility rooms.
The address of the botanical garden: 12 Lesnaya Street. Entrance from the garden is paid.
3. Visit one of the museums of the city - at your personal choice.
A list of all museums in Kaliningrad with descriptions, photos and addresses can be found in a separate article "Kaliningrad Museums" →
The route of the day is designed for the whole day - from morning to evening.
1. The beginning is from the central square of the city - Victory Square, where there are places for recreation, cafes, several fountains, flowers and low trees with lush crowns, a Triumphal column, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and two shopping centers "Europe" and "Clover". More about Victory Square...
2. The square with the memorial park "Motherland", which is officially called the monument "Mother Russia".
3. Walk along Leninsky Prospekt to the intersection with Shevchenko Street, which is near the Kaliningrad Plaza shopping center and the Kaliningrad Hotel.
This part of the avenue is distinguished by the facades of houses, previously unattractive 4-5-storey Khrushchev buildings, the facades of which were restored in the "Hanseatic style" on the eve of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
4. From the intersection of Leninsky Avenue and Shevchenko Street, cross the street to the Central Square, where there are small remnants of the once majesticRoyal Castle (Konigsberg Castle) and the "House of Soviets" stands tall - the most famous Soviet "unfinished" in Kaliningrad, the construction of which began in 1970.
5. Then go to the middle of the Trestle Bridge and go down the stairs to the island of Kant (Kneiphof).
The main attractions of Kant Island: the Cathedral, which was originally the main Catholic church of Konigsberg; Kant's grave and sculpture park.
Mini-concerts of organ music are held in the Cathedral, and you can also visit the cathedral hall for a fee.
The cathedral houses the Immanuel Kant Museum, which has several halls located on three floors of the Cathedral. The museum's collection includes various exhibits related to the history of Konigsberg-Kaliningrad, as well as the life and scientific activities of the German philosopher Immanuel Kant.
Tickets to the cathedral, concerts and the museum can be purchased at the ticket offices of the cathedral.
6. ByHoney bridge connecting the island of Kanta with the Fishing village to go to the Fishing Village.
On the railing of the Honey Bridge there is a small art object - a figure of Papa Homlin.
Homlins are mythological creatures, like brownies, who, according to legend, live next to people, and at night they make amber products. According to legend, homlin brings happiness and goodness.
There are several homlin figurines in Kaliningrad, all of them are installed near significant sights of the city and represent members of one large family - from the older generation (grandparents) to the youngest. Learn more about all homelins in Kaliningrad with addresses...
7. After crossing the river on the Honey Bridge, a majestic and bright building will open to the eye - a New synagogue.
Initially, the synagogue was built in Konigsberg in the late 1890s and destroyed - burned, and then finally destroyed, during World War II.
In the previous forms and in the same place where the Konigsberg Synagogue used to be, the New Synagogue was erected in the period 2011-2018 (2020 - interior decoration).
The facade, dome and main rooms of the New Synagogue are as close as possible to their historical appearance. Paid excursions are conducted around the synagogue. Learn more about the New Synagogue...
P.S. For lovers of religious attractions - from the New Synagogue, you can walk a little along Oktyabrsky Island (more interesting along the embankment of General Karbyshev - 800 meters) to the Holy Cross Cathedral, which in the time of Koenigberg was the Lutheran-Evangelical church of the Cross, which was consecrated in 1933.
Now it is an Orthodox church, the main attraction of which is a unique amber iconostasis. Read more about the Holy Cross Cathedral...
Also on Oktyabrsky Island is the Kaliningrad Stadium - the largest stadium in the Kaliningrad region, built to host matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Currently, matches are being held at the stadium. You can buy a ticket and visit one of those.
8. After the Honey Bridge, turn right - to the embankment of Veterans - it is also a famous Fishing village.
The Fish Village is an ethnographic and trade and craft complex located on the banks of the Pregolya River.
The complex "Fish Village" is stylized as the pre-war East Prussian city of Koenigsberg.
In the buildings of the Fishing village: hotels, souvenir shops, cafes and restaurants.
From the embankment, you can take a boat tour on the Pregolya River. Tickets can be purchased here - on the spot.
The main tourist attraction of the Fishing Village is The view tower "Mayak", which houses: Madame Boucher restaurant, a Glass shop museum and an observation deck located at the very top of the tower. You can climb to the observation deck (payment for the lift is here - in the tower building), the entrance is from Oktyabrskaya Street. More about the Fishing Village...
Are you hungry?
If you are already hungry and have not had time to eat yet, then in the Fish Village you can visit the French cuisine restaurant "Madame Boucher", located in the Lighthouse tower. This restaurant is praised, we like it too.
During the summer season, the restaurant has a view outdoor terrace and a terrace near the restaurant. There are often no empty seats in the restaurant in fact, it is better to book a table in advance. The restaurant's menu is small, but, in principle, quite diverse: soups, salads, snacks, pancakes, meat, seafood, wine, beer, desserts. You can view the menu and prices, as well as book a table through the restaurant's Instagram page: madam_bushe_39.
The second good place in the Fishing village is the fish cuisine restaurant "Fish Club". The price tag in this restaurant is higher than in Madame Boucher.
Who needs, can buy water or anything else you need (there is also a pharmacy), there is a large supermarket "Victoria" (Sunny Boulevard, 1) behind the Fish village.
9. Along the Veterans Embankment we reach the Jubilee Bridge.
P.S. Let's deviate a little from the route and, if desired, go a little further along the Veterans Embankment (beyond the Jubilee Bridge). We reach the High Bridge (on the way we look at the monument to the Catfish), where the "House of the caretaker of the High Bridge" (Munchausen House), which was built in 1899 and in which there were lifting mechanisms for the divorce of the High Bridge.
Several legends about Munchausen are connected with the history of the house, who was a real historical figure and the prototype of a literary hero who made a journey from Bodenwerder (a city in Germany) to St. Petersburg, where he went to serve in the Russian army, and, among other things, visited Konigsberg.
Today, the museum of postcards is located on the walls of the former house of the bridge caretaker. You can also drink coffee and buy marzipan. More about the caretaker's house, the museum and the legends of Munchausen...
Photo of the Somu Monument
10. We return to the Jubilee Bridge.
Jubilee Bridge is a pedestrian drawbridge across the Pregolya River, which was built to commemorate the 750th anniversary of Konigsberg - Kaliningrad. For this reason, to coincide with the opening of the bridge to the anniversary of the city, the bridge got its name "Jubilee".
The bridge offers beautiful views of the Fish Village and the island of Kanta.
11. We cross the river on the Jubilee Bridge, turn right and walk along the embankment of the river to the Konigsberg Stock Exchange.
The building of the former Konigsberg Stock Exchange (Konigsberg Stock Exchange / Königsberger Börse) is made in the Neo-Renaissance style with elements of classicism.
In August 1944, the exchange was damaged - all the wooden structures of the building burned out.
The reconstruction of the exchange building was started in 1967. The exterior of the building was preserved, while the interiors underwent alterations.
Currently, the Museum of Fine Arts is located in the walls of the exchange. Learn more about the Stock exchange and the Museum of Fine Arts...
12. On the railing of the descent from the Trestle Bridge, near the main entrance to the Museum of Fine Arts (Konigsberg Stock Exchange), there is another figure of Homlin - Papa Homlin.
The head of the Homlin family is depicted sitting with a thoughtful look. He is clearly thinking about something high and unearthly. Next to the mini-figure of Homlin lies his big hat.
They say the homlin dad is the most creative character from the Homlin family.
13. Behind the building of the former stock exchange there is a small square - "the square on Leninsky Prospekt" also known as "the square at the Stock Exchange", which attracts by the fact that a light-musical (singing) fountain functions in its center (in the warmer months).
You can take a break in the park.
14. From the exchange, you can walk along Leninsky Avenue to Krasnooktyabrskaya Street.
If you haven't eaten yet and want to have a snack, then you can look into a small cafe "Königsbäcker" (address: Krasnooktyabrskaya Street, 3) - this is a network of local bakeries located in the region. The prices are affordable, for a snack and a cup of coffee - it will do.
At the address: 3 Morehodnaya Street, there is a historic building of the former St. George's Hospital, which was founded by the Teutonic Order in 1329.
Today, the Kaliningrad Marine Fisheries College is located within the walls of the former hospital.
The building is made of red clinker brick in the Neo-Gothic style. The main building has a sloping facade, decorated on both sides with tall towers with sharp spires and a strict Gothic portal. More about the building of the former St. George's Hospital...
15. We cross Leninsky Avenue at the traffic light and on the opposite side of the avenue we go in the opposite direction to the Overpass Bridge.
You can delete the previous point (14) from the route and pass under the Overpass Bridge, and then climb the Overpass Bridge by stairs.
The bridge offers panoramic views of the Pregolya River and the Museum of the World Ocean.
16. Next, if you were not at the Peter the Great Embankment and the World Ocean Museum on the day of your arrival, then go over the trestle bridge, and then go down the stairs and follow the embankment of the museum.
If you wish, you can visit one or more museum vessels of the museum.
On the railing of the pier of the Peter the Great embankment, in front of the main building of the Museum of the World Ocean, at the museum ship "Vityaz", there is another homlin - baby homlin or homlin-sailor. Baby homlin is depicted sitting in a small paper boat and holding tightly to his ship with his hands.
If you have already been to the Museum of the World Ocean, then from the Overpass Bridge you can walk along Portovaya Street to the gates of the citadel "Friedrichsburg".
The former gate now houses the historical and cultural center "Ship Sunday", which includes two complexes: the Friedrichsburg Gate and the Lodeyny Yard, located on the adjacent territory.
The Friedrichsburg Gate complex consists of several halls, the exhibits of which tell about the history of ship building. Part of the museum's collection is dedicated to the role of Peter the Great in the formation of the Russian Navy.
The basis of the Lodeyny Dvor complex consists of existing samples of traditional means of transportation on water collected in various regions of Russia. More about the museum at the Friedrichsburg Gate...
1. The central market of Kaliningrad, where you can buy local smoked eel.
The address of the market: Chernyakhovsky Street, 15.
2. From the market we go along Professor Baranov Street.
Professor Baranov Street is not a popular and significant place for walking.
However, it was restored not so long ago, it is pedestrian and there are places for recreation along it.
3. We go out to the Wrangel Tower, which was built in 1853-1856. It is named after Field Marshal Friedrich Heinrich Ernst von Wrangel.
This tower, together with the Don Tower, were designed to cover the Upper Pond, as the weakest point in the defense of the city. Learn more about Wrangel Tower...
4. From the Wrangel Tower, we cross Proletarskaya Street and go out to the Upper Lake (Upper Pond).
The Upper Lake is a reservoir of artificial origin and is particularly popular for walking and recreation among citizens and guests of the city.
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. Learn more about Lake Superior...
5. Walking along the embankments along the lake, we go to the Yunost Park, which, according to visitors, 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, a Ferris wheel, trolls, a boat station, a 5D cinema, a winter indoor skating rink "Ice Arena", go-karting, a rope town, trampolines, a "House upside down", a pond, a walking and recreation area, as well as mini-cafes and snack bars.
The Ferris wheel in Yunost Park is the largest and with the most voluminous panoramic views in Kaliningrad. More about Yunost Park...
6. From Lake Superior, you can walk around the Maraunenhof district.
Maraunenhof is a historical district of Kaliningrad, which was once a suburban quarter of northern Konigsberg.
The property in the Maraunenhof area has been located in a forest area since 1571. The district finally emerged and began to develop at the beginning of the 20th century.
In the Maraunenhof area, mainly private mansions and elite housing were built, either in the Art Nouveau style or in the style of a country type, with the architecture of a rural German house.
Currently, the Maraunenhof district is a remnant of the historic German quarter, with cobblestone streets and still preserved, albeit few, houses of the former Konigsberg. More about the Maraunenhof area...
7. If you haven't been and it's interesting, then you can go to the Botanical Garden. If you have already been there or are not interested in this, or the weather does not allow, then we delete this item from the route.
8. On the opposite side of the Upper Lake we go to the Don Tower.
The Don Tower is a historical fortification built in the Neo-Gothic style in 1853 and named after the Prussian Field Marshal Friedrich Karl Don.
Currently, the Amber Museum is located in the walls of the Don Tower.
At the entrance to the amber museum there is another sculpture of Homlin - "Grandma Homlin" (Grandma Marta). Learn more about the Dona Tower and the Amber Museum...
9. The Rosgarten Gate is located next to the Amber Museum.
The current Rosgarten Gate (Roßgärter Tor) replaced the previous version of the gate of the early 17th century and was built between 1852 and 1855 under the direction of Wilhelm Ludwig Sturmer.
During the Second World War, the Rossgarten Gate was damaged, but subsequently restored.
Currently, there is a cafe-restaurant "Sunny Stone" in the gate. Learn more about the Rossgarten Gate...
10. From the Rosgarten Gate, you can continue the walk in two ways:
The Lower Pond (Castle Pond) is one of the oldest structures of Konigsberg that have survived to the present day.
The area around the Lower Lake is considered 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 , the Kaliningrad Regional Historical and Art Museum and the "Cascade of the Castle Pond" - 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...
Go along the Lithuanian Shaft to the Royal Gate.
The laying of the current Royal Gate (Königstor Tor) took place in August 1843 with the participation of nobles and the King of Prussia Friedrich Wilhelm IV. The construction was completed in 1850.
The gate is made of red brick in a pronounced Neo-Gothic style.
Today, the museum - Historical and Cultural Center "The Great Embassy" is located in the Royal Gate.
Address of the Royal Gate: 112 Frunze Street (intersection of Frunze streets/Yuri Gagarin and the Lithuanian Shaft).
From the Royal Gate, you can go down the Lithuanian Shaft to the intersection with Moskovsky Prospekt, where the Zakheim Gate is located.
Currently, there is a coffee shop and an art space "Gate" in the Zakheim Gate, where exhibitions and various events are held. Learn more about the Zackheim Gate...
From the Royal Gate (personally, I would skip the Zackheim Gate, since for most people, and in general, they are not particularly interesting), walk along Frunze Street to the Kreuz Pharmacy.
The building was erected in Konigsberg in 1900-1905 (according to some sources in 1888) in the Art Nouveau style.
During its German history, the building has changed several owners, the most famous of whom was the pharmacist and Doctor of Sciences Adolf Petrenets.
In the post-war years, residential apartments were located in the building, and thanks to the preserved German inscription "Kreuz-Apotheke", the corresponding name was assigned to the building - "Kreuz-pharmacy".
The house was resettled in 1987 for major repairs, which never took place, the building continued to deteriorate and collapse. Then there was a protracted reconstruction in the building.
Today the building has been reconstructed and has a bright mixed facade.
Building address: 51-57 Frunze Street. Learn more about Kreuz Pharmacy...
From Kreuz pharmacy (yards will be faster) we go out to the Lower Lake.
11. From the Lower Lake, you can go to the monument to I. Kant, installed on the historical Koenigsberg pedestal, on Universitetskaya Street; and the Bunker Museum (Lyash's Dugout), located at 2a Universitetskaya Street.
The museum is located in a former German reinforced concrete bomb shelter built in early 1945.
The museum consists of two monolithic blocks - a former shelter with 21 rooms.
The main part of the exhibition is devoted to the storming of the fortress city of Konigsberg by Soviet troops from April 6 to April 9, 1945.
Photo of the monument to Kant
P.S. You can eat during the walks of the second day:
- Torro Grill restaurant at the Mercure Kaliningrad Hotel;
- a more budget grill cafe "Ogonek" near the Mercure Kaliningrad hotel on the Upper Lake;
- cafe "Hey, Giovanni" in Yunost Park (so-so, but you can have a snack);
- the restaurant of hunting cuisine "Mushkino", at the address: Sergeeva Street, 14.
1. We start, as on the first day, from Victory Square, but we move in the opposite direction - along Mira Avenue.
On Mira Avenue:
- a square near the drama theater with recreation areas, flower beds, walking paths and historical buildings, including: the building of the Supreme Directorate of the Post Office, erected in the 1914-1916's and which currently houses the headquarters of the Baltic Fleet; and a complex of buildings of the former land and administrative court, which were built in 1914;
- Kaliningrad regional Drama theater;
- Power Engineers' square with places to relax, flower beds, a monument to Friedrich Schiller, a musical fountain and a historical building of the labor exchange built in 1831;
- in the courtyard of the Kaliningrad Regional Scientific Library, at the address: Mira Avenue, 9-11 (entrance from the Power Engineers' Square) there is a museum "House of the Whaler" - a museum showing the situation of a communal apartment in Kaliningrad of the Soviet period of 1960-1980. Learn more about all Kaliningrad museums...
- the building of the financial administration of East Prussia, which now houses the Government of the Kaliningrad region.
The building was erected in 1928 by architect Friedrich Lars.
The building is notable for the concave line of the facade and a large double-leaf entrance door made of pressed copper according to a sketch by Herman Brachert.
Building address: Dmitry Donskoy Street, 1;
- kaliningrad zoo. You can go to the zoo if you haven't been there yet and it's interesting.
The zoo is quite voluminous and a full-fledged leisurely walk around the zoo with lunch will take at least half a day.
In front of the entrance to the zoo, on the railing of the fence, there is one of the sculptures of Kaliningrad homlins - baby Ulya - a mischievous girl depicted sitting on an unusual vehicle - a snail;
- monument to fellow cosmonauts, established in 1980. The work of the sculptor B.V. Edunov. The memorial sign is made of bronze, granite and concrete.
Initially, the monument was called "Conquerors of the near Universe".
2. Along Mira Avenue we reach the Central Park of Culture and Recreation (formerly Kalinin Park).
This 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, a Ferris wheel, kiosks with snacks and food, the church of Queen Louise (now the regional puppet theater), sculptures and monuments. More about Central Park...
3. Apartment Museum Altes-House (Altes Haus) - a museum showing the situation of apartments in East Prussia.
The recreated authentic interior of the apartment makes it possible to fully feel the spirit of the old Konigsberg and see with your own eyes how the life of the citizens of the 19th - early 20th centuries flowed.
The museum apartment is located at 11 Krasnaya Street. More about the Altes House Apartment Museum...
4. Amalienau district with a Float pond.
Amalienau (Amalienau) - a former prestigious suburban quarter (district) Konigsberg, now part of the Central District of Kaliningrad.
Amalienau was known for its luxury villas, which already at the beginning of the 20th century had gas, electricity, water and sewerage. Villas in the Amalienau area were built for the wealthy class of residents, had unusual and luxurious, at that time, decorations and exterior details.
Today in Amalienau you can see some preserved villas from the period of Konigsberg's construction, there is a church, monuments, small squares and quiet cozy streets.
Also in Amalienau there is a small pond - a Poplavok pond or a Bread lake. There is an embankment along the lake, there are places for recreation and a playground. Bridges are equipped across the channels of the pond. More about the Amalienau area...
P.S. You can eat during the walks of the third day:
- family restaurant "Parmesan", at the address: Living Room street, 3;
- cafe-pizzeria "Peperoncino", at the address: Elena Kovalchuk Street, 3-9;
- restaurant "Patissonmarkt", at the address: Prospekt Mira, 26 (near the main entrance to the zoo). Many people like this institution, personally I don't like it very much;
- a good coffee shop Port-O-Coffee, at the address: Prospekt Mira 31. Therefore, a large supermarket "SPAR" is located at the same address;
- Kurassan-cafe on Mira Avenue 23 and 84;
- a more budget cafe-coffee shop "Delimeal Food Factory", at the address: Sergeant Koloskov Street, 1B.
Relax in the evening and have a beer:
- pub "London", at the address: Prospekt Mira, 33;
- English pub "Britannica", at the address: Karl Marx Street, 18. It is better to book a table in advance.
Parmesan, Pepperoncino and Britannica are one restaurant chain, website: britannica.bitrix24.site.
So, after walking along the above routes, in three days you will see and visit the main sights, museums and memorable places of the city of Kaliningrad.
Naturally, Kaliningrad is much bigger. There are other museums, attractions and historical sites within the city. You can visit them in the following days of rest in Kaliningrad, if you want and allow time. For example, forts, gates and historical buildings.
More information about the city's attractions can be found in separate articles:
- "Sights of Kaliningrad (Konigsberg)" →
- Route "Kaliningrad fortification" - fortress city: gates, towers, bastions and forts" →
- Parks and lakes of the center of Kaliningrad →
You can explore Kaliningrad and its sights with one of the excursions
If you have more time for Kaliningrad than three days, then you can spend the remaining days in the city or, which will be much more interesting, travel around the Kaliningrad region.
In the cold season (winter, late autumn and spring), it seems to me that it is better to stay in Kaliningrad for the whole time of rest, and to explore some places of the region with day trips.
If your vacation falls during the summer months, it will make sense to spend a few days in Kaliningrad itself, and a few more on the Baltic Sea coast. From resort places on the coast:
- the city of Svetlogorsk;
- the city of Zelenogradsk;
- the village of Yantarny;
- Pionersky city;
Svetlogorsk, of course, is good on its own and offers all the conditions for a good rest.
Otradnoye is a small village, part of the Svetlogorsk urban settlement and is located within walking distance (about 3 kilometers) from the center of Svetlogorsk.
Pionersky is a small and not particularly remarkable resort town.
Yantarny is a small village where there are not many places for leisure, but its wide sandy beach and wooden promenade are considered the best in the region.
Zelenogradsk and the Curonian Spit are ideal. The temperature of sea water, unlike the three places listed above, in the Baltic Sea in Zelenogradsk and on the Curonian Spit, as a rule, is a degree or two higher and there are fewer waves. And this is a big plus for the cool Baltic Sea. Personally, I can't swim in Svetlogorsk and Yantarny practically, but in Zelenogradsk and on the Curonian Spit - I swim with pleasure. Again, all this is very individual.
You can get from Kaliningrad to all of the above places by public buses, and to Zelenogradsk, Svetlogorsk and Pionersky also directly by Lastochka electric trains, which is more convenient, because without traffic jams, the ticket price is lower, and more comfortable.
There are two railway stations in Kaliningrad: Yuzhny Railway Station and Severny Railway Station. The Northern one is located in the very center of the city, near Victory Square. All trains start from the South and pass the North with a stop at the latter.
Buses start from the bus station located near the Southern railway station, and also make several stops around the city. Stops around the city depend on the direction of a particular bus route and at the height of the summer season, if you get on the bus not at the final stop (bus station), then there may not be free seats on the bus and you will have to go standing.
Curonian Spit
A separate and popular place to visit in the region is the Curonian Spit Nature Reserve, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The Curonian Spit is a narrow and long sandy strip (about 98 kilometers long) located between the Baltic Sea and the Curonian Lagoon, and connects the Kaliningrad region with the Lithuanian resort village of Nida.
The Curonian Spit stretches from the city of Zelenogradsk in the Kaliningrad region to the city of Klaipeda (Lithuania).
You can visit the Curonian Spit on your own for 1 day or longer, staying in the villages of Lesnoy,Rybachy or Morskoye, and with one of the excursions.
Baltiysk
Baltiysk is the westernmost city in Russia and the Kaliningrad region, and is also very popular for travelers with some attractions.
Castles in the area
From individual objects scattered around the region, you can visit the remains of once majestic castles. Many of the castles are currently in an abandoned state and (or) only a small part of them remains.
Of the more or less preserved: Schaaken Castle in Nekrasovo, castle-hotel Nesselberk and Waldau Castle in the Lower Reaches and. Castle ruins are also known Brandenburg and Balga.
You can visit the castles yourself by public transport, which is not very convenient, since they are scattered around the area.
You can get to Shaaken by yourself by bus to Nekrasovo. Next to the castle there is a private cheese factory "Schaaken Dorf", where you can taste and buy cheese and chocolate.
If you go to castles, it is best to visit them with excursions or by car, which you can rent on the spot - in the city of Kaliningrad. Rent a car in Kaliningrad →
Interesting places in the region
In the city of Sovetsk, the Queen Louise Bridge is notable, whose history dates back to 1904 and which is now a border bridge (Russia, Kaliningrad Region - Lithuania, Panamune) a road bridge over the Neman River.
In the village of Priozerye there is a bird park "Priozerye".
The Farmstead on Khutorskaya agrotouristic complex is a place for family recreation in nature, in which there are: a small zoo, attractions, a shooting range, a lake, a creative workshop, a barbecue area and a cafe. On the territory of the farmstead, you can stay for a few days, staying in apartments with air conditioning and batteries, overlooking the complex and aviaries with animalsLink to the apartments of the farmstead The address of the farmstead: Khutorskaya Street, 1, the village of Konstantinovka. The site of the farmstead: podvorie39.
The farm is a safari park and rural tourism "Mushkino" with recreation areas: fishing, hunting, shooting, golf, horse riding, sauna and active recreation, as well as rooms and a restaurant. The address of the farm: Kaliningrad region, Bagrationovsky district, the village of Mushkino. Farm site: hutor.mushkino.
The Viking village of Kaup is a historical reconstruction of an early medieval settlement, based on the archaeology of Prussian and Scandinavian settlements and forts, and stylized as circular settlements that were characteristic of the region in the first millennium AD. The settlement is surrounded by a moat and a rampart, the entrance group is represented by a gate tower and a fragment of a stockade. There is a pottery workshop, a blacksmith shop, a medieval tavern and a semi-dugout. The Viking village hosts performances and family days, festivals and shows. Kaup is located near the village of Romanovo. Viking Village website:kaup39.
Casino SOBRANIE, located on the territory of the gambling zone "Yantarnaya", in the village of Kulikovo. Casino website: sobranie-casino. The Kaliningrad Amber Museum is also located in the village of Kulikovo.
You can also: see Filinskaya Bay, where the beach is located, go kayaking and take a bike ride around the region (in Ozersk you can go on a one - day cycling and kayaking tour), arrange a horse ride (there is an equestrian sports complex, for example, in Yantarny), go to the Vishtynetsky Nature Park, etc.
Photo of Filinskaya Bay
Standing over a cliff in the urban-type settlement of Donskoye, stunning views of the Baltic Sea and the coast open up - well, what is not the "edge of the earth". Learn more about the Don, the views and the coast...
You can arrange hiking along the Baltic Sea coast. For example:
- Pionersky - Zelenogradsk route;
- Donskoye - Lesnoye route (or Otradnoye resort village, Svetlogorsk);
- Zelenogradsk - towards the Curonian Spit.
All accommodation facilities in Kaliningrad and the region (hotels, apartments, guest houses, etc.), including in the center of Kaliningrad and more remotely from it, can be viewed and booked here
I am planning a visit to Kaliningrad shortly (I am from the UK) and have just come across your site here - what an amazingly informative and clear guide and what excellent photos.
Your guide is so comprehensive that I think I will follow it almost exactly for the 4 days or so I plan to be there. I will arrange to drive there from Gdansk and not fly.
Thank you so much for this information. If you have any other useful comments or information please let me know. Do you live there in Kaliningrad?
Best wishes,
Barry Fenton
Thank you for warm words. I wish you a great and memorable vacation in Kaliningrad!
All guides are on this site, I have no others. Yes, I currently live in Kaliningrad, and travel to other countries and cities to collect information and maintain guides