Kaliningrad, Russia’s seaport town and administration centre, has repositioned itself as an esteemed commercial centre. Besides the city sights, spend time at the nightspots or restaurants that dot the city. There are great hotels available as well as the nearby Svetlogorsk which is a costal spa resort. If you like to return to nature, the Kursche Spit is a stunning peninsula of sand which is rich in plants and animals. Kaliningrad is a challenging and rewarding destination for the more intrepid traveller.
Situated on the Baltic coast, the city was founded in 1255 as Königsberg and as a member of the Hanseatic League. The castle of Konigsberg was built in 1255 by the Teutonic Knights as a tribute to King Ottokar II of Bohemia, who had led a campaign against pagan Sambians. Kaliningrad is the only Russian Baltic Sea port that is ice-free all year around hence plays an important role in maintenance of the Baltic Fleet. It became the residence of the Dukes of Prussia in 1525. In 1946, it was incorporated into the Soviet Union.
In the largest part of the area rustic infrastructure hardly exists, especially one is not yet very adjusted to individual tourism. The local tourist authority strives around the structure of different branches of tourism such as hunt tourism, rider tourism and rural tourism as well as for promotion of the tourism in the small and medium-sized towns such as Sowetsk (Tilsit). In addition there are cruises into the area.
Tourism in the city has developed after its opening up from military restriction. For almost half a century, the city’s past was closed off and foreigners were forbidden to enter what was rumoured to be the most militarised area of the Soviet Union. Even Soviet citizens elsewhere had the haziest notion of where Kaliningrad was and what it had once been.
Kaliningrad is the place to experience a real Russian night out, crime free and relatively cheaply. You can do the traditional vodka, caviar and dancing to a local band at Traktir Razgulai, Sovietsky 13, which is popular for big nights out – birthdays and office parties. For a more relaxed evening, the 12 Stuliev Art Club, at Prospekt Mira 67, has cocktails and blinis as well as live music.
The Francis Drake pub, Sovietsky 19, is part-owned by an English farmer and has authentic pub decor shipped in from the West Country and pretty pictures of English beer on the menu. But problems with suppliers mean that, for the present, they serve only Russian beer and a few Russian dishes given jokey English names.
The best café is the Kulinaria delicatessen next to the Kaliningrad hotel, which sells salads, a few hot dishes and cakes. The only drawback is that it is standing only. For a sit-down midday meal, walk up Leninsky Prospekt and try any one of the cafés there or the Monopol, Frunze 17/21.
Visit the casino Universal, Prospekt Mira 43, has a good restaurant and club as well as gaming tables. The minimum stake for the roulette wheel at Vanda, Frunze 6, is 50 roubles (approx £1.20), so you won’t lose your shirt.
The Bunker Museum was the headquarters of the local German command during the 1944 battle. The museum details the German occupation (which lasted 689 years) and Soviet liberation of the city, including several interesting dioramas of events during the days of the battle.
The Curonian Spit National Park is 50km long and separates the Baltic Sea from the Curonian Bay. Enjoy its beaches and hiking paths.
Big spenders go to Monetny Dvor, Leninsky 83 while the young will find entertainment in Olshtynskaya 1, where you can drink, dance and play billiards. If your taste is more acquired go to Universal for the food or to Vagonka, Stanotchnaya 12, which, while a long way from the centre, has live bands (occasionally western ones) and a separate bar where you can drink in peace.
