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Kaliningrad Region

The Kaliningrad region's eponymous capital was the medieval seat of Prussia and an important port that was fought over for centuries. Today, fewer than 500,000 people visit each year. Until WWII, the province was almost entirely German; bratwurst made way for borsch after the war as Stalin repopulated the region with Russians. Though Kaliningrad is separated from Russia by Lithuania and Poland, the exclave is intimately attached to the motherland.

Yet for all of its chaotic history and cultural foibles – or perhaps because of them – 'Little Russia' is a fascinating place to visit. The city of Kaliningrad teems with interesting sights and surprisingly sophisticated accommodation and dining options; seaside towns Svetlogorsk and Zelenogradsk dish up old-world charm by the spadeful; sparkling Yantarny is the world's amber capital; and the dunes, pine forests and tranquil villages of Kurshskaya Kosa National Park make for a serene sojourn.

Explore Kaliningrad Region

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Kaliningrad Region.

  • Museum

    Museum of the World Ocean

    Strung along the banks of the Pregolya River are several ships, a submarine, maritime machinery and exhibition halls that together make up this excellent…

  • Museum

    Amber Museum

    Housed in the 19th-century Dohna Tower on the southern shore of the Upper Pond (Верхний пруд), this is a terrific introduction to the 'sunstone' –…

  • Church

    Kaliningrad Cathedral

    Photos displayed inside this Unesco World Heritage site attest to how dilapidated the cathedral was until the early 1990s – the original dates back to…

  • Farm

    Georgenburg Stud Farm

    Tranken horses have been bred at this impressive complex since 1812. The farm is also the location of the Georgenburg Cup, an international show-jumping…

  • National Park

    Kurshskaya Kosa National Park

    The 98km-long Curonian Spit, a Unesco World Heritage Site, divides the tranquil Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea. Here, tall, windswept sand dunes and…

  • Park

    Becker Park

    Enjoy a picnic in this park that stretches along the headland above the beach in the centre of Yantarny. Enter from behind the Schloss Hotel.

  • Museum

    History & Arts Museum

    Housed in a reconstructed 1912 concert hall built on the banks of the pretty Lower Pond (Нижний пруд), this museum features an impressive diorama upstairs…

  • Area

    Kant Island & Riverside

    This once densely populated island – now a parkland dotted with sculptures – is dominated by the Kaliningrad Cathedral. A few nearby buildings – the…

  • Museum

    Altes Haus

    This unique museum is housed in a 1912-era apartment house, which has been restored to its former state of early-20th-century Königsberg glory and stuffed…

  • Museum

    Friedland Gate

    This history museum is housed in the 19th-century Friedland Gate, which was for years one of the main entry points into the fortified city. Admission…

  • Museum

    Herman Brachert House-Museum

    This museum features the work of Herman Brachert (1890–1972), the sculptor whose work can be spotted all around Svetlogorsk; his bronze Nymph statue…

  • Gallery

    Kaliningrad Art Gallery

    Housed inside a neoclassical former stock exchange building from the 1870s, this art gallery has a permanent photo exhibition of the wartime ruins of…

  • Fortress

    Insterburg Castle

    Around 1km north of Chernyakhovsk’s train and bus stations, the ruins of this castle are watched over by an eccentric hippie artist who has set up his…

  • Zoo

    Kaliningrad Zoo

    This is one of the city's most popular attractions for families, so expect lines on the weekends. The zoo dates from 1896, when it was founded as the…

  • Museum

    Bunker Museum

    The city’s last German commander, Otto Lasch, capitulated to the Soviets from this subterranean command post on 9 April 1945, following the bloody Battle…

  • Mine

    Kaliningrad Amber Plant

    The Kaliningrad Amber Plant offers tours of its amber-processing facility, including a view of an amber mill, an observation deck and the chance to see an…

  • Museum

    King's Gate

    Focusing on Peter the Great’s Grand Embassy to the city in 1697, this revamped gate also has good models of old Königsberg and exhibits on the…

  • Sculpture

    Model of Medieval Königsberg

    This sandbox-sized model of early-16th-century Königsberg is well worth the 200m walk west of the Svetlogorsk Tourist Information Centre along ul Gorkogo…

  • Museum

    Murrarium

    Housed in an old brick water tower, the Murrarium features the largest private collection of cat-themed art in all of Russia, a feline-fixated country if…

  • Area

    Amalienau

    Amalienau (to the city’s west along pr Mira) is Kaliningrad's most beautiful neighbourhood and offers visitors a glimpse of the city's prosperous pre-WWII…

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in Kaliningrad Region.

  • Activities