Kaliningrad Region

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

Kaliningrad Region

Includes  Why Go? Kaliningrad . . . . . 265 On paper, the Kaliningrad Region seems ripe for an iden- Svetlogorsk . . . . .273 tity crisis. Its eponymous capital was the medieval seat of Yantarny ...... 275 Prussia and an important port that was fought over for Zelenogradsk . . . . 276 centuries. Today, less than 500,000 people visit each year. Until the 1940s, the province was almost entirely German; Kurshskaya Kosa . . .276 bratwurst made way for borsch as Stalin repopulated the region with Russians and Ukrainians. And though it’s geo- graphically separated from Russia by Lithuania and Poland, the exclave is intimately attached to the motherland. Best Places Yet for all of its chaotic history and cultural foibles – or perhaps because of them – ‘Little Russia’ is a fascinating to Eat place to visit. The city of Kaliningrad teems with interesting ¨¨Fish Club (p271) sights and surprisingly sophisticated accommodation and ¨¨Zarya (p270) dining options; seaside towns Svetlogorsk and Zelenogradsk dish up old-world charm by the spadeful; sparkling Yan- ¨¨Korvet (p274) tarny is the world’s amber capital; and the dunes, pine for- ¨¨Prichal (p270) ests and tranquil villages of Kurshskaya Kosa National Park make for a serene sojourn.

Best Places When to Go to Stay Kaliningrad ¨¨Skipper Hotel (p269) °C/°F Temp Rainfall inches/mm 30/86 6/150 ¨¨Dom Skazochnika (p274) 20/68 ¨¨Galera (p275) 10/50 4/100 0/32 ¨ ¨Hotel Paraiso (p270) -10/14 -20/-4 ¨¨Koshkin Dom (p276) 2/50 -30/-22 -40/-40 -50/-58 0 J FDM A M J J A S O N

Jul Russian Navy Aug Yantarny Sep Kaliningrad’s Day in Baltiysk, celebrates Baltic Season HQ of the Baltic Amberfest. performing arts fleet. festival kicks off.

------ė m) - i s D D 0km) m) Kaunas (30k (7 #\ bartai Šiaulia (90k Ky

Marijampol #\ A

Kudirkos D Naumiestis Jurbarka NI ov UA #\ #\ amensk ) #\

e ster s p

TH a u h

n Ne

LI s olsk #\ u e k

ė h

S e asnozn

N ( Kr #\ hovs ur xplore ruined castles ruined castles xplore n se #\ Dobr Ta E Stroll the shady lanes lanes the shady Stroll Goldap ##\\ Gu vo (p273), (p273), of Svetlogorsk old German discovering of villas and the sculptures Herman Brachert. 6 5 and saddle up at the and saddle in Stud Farm Georgenburg (p272). Chernyakhovsk sk Nema AD ) ko #\ er #] m) k IA ha

Oz Chernyak

ls ts 6 n SS POLAND Klaipėda (40k D

a GION # Bo

m #\ e RU #\ RE

N sk ALININGR Sove (K ė For four years of the Seven Years’ War War the Seven of Years’ years four For In 1946 the region was renamed Kalin 1946 the region was renamed In Slav sn #\ zhny (1756–63), be the Duchy – as East Prussia terwaysLagoon. The Kaliningrad and sur toviving German was relocated population de Sovietfar-flung corners of the Union, ported Baltic fleet or killed. The Russian was came known as in the early 18thknown as in came century – and, lat Empire partbecame of the Russian andRussia Wars, Napoleonic the during er, After allies. were WWI, East PrussiaPrussia the rest from of Germanywas separated The regained statehood. three- when Poland Army by which the Red month campaign 1945 was one of the in took East Prussia massive there were of WWII; battles fiercest was both sides and Königsberg casualties on left in ruins. Kalinin, one in honour of Mikhail ingrad and the more-vicious henchmen, of Stalin’s Sovietcapital was rebuilt in grand concrete albeit tempered by parks, ponds, wa style, Ru k ro oe

- - - - - ss sk e k #\ ov nodo ko y ns Pole #\ ez Znamensk Nida di #\ ch # \ #\ livino #\ k #\ Mord av ba Mors Lagoon Splash in the Baltic at Splash in the Baltic Soak up the beauty of of up the beauty Soak Zhel Za Curonian #\ Pr

ce ) Ry a #\ o deys #\ y sk l zy Kurshskaya Kosa National Kosa Kurshskaya the where (p276), Park and the dunes dances forest can as the eye on as far roll see. 4 3 (p275), then (p275), Yantarny visit the amber mine.

Kurshskaya Kosa National Park o ov oy

k ad

ya Kosa ya 3

br r rtos evsk sn a Gvar

P an Spit an ra Le Ba m

Guri roni Kh

urshsk #– D #\ 0k #\

iles Cu (K ationo #\ Kaliningrad Zelenogr # \ gr k 1 2 0m 0km) n # # Ba (5 y a Kaliningrad Kaliningrad n d gors sk Se ty ra lo sk #\ sz etly ng Ol et ltic vo Ladushki 5 ni Sv # #\ Pioner li Ba Lagoon no Sv #\ #\ a Primor lg Ka a (p265). mo #\ 4 wo sk xplore Russia’s Russia’s xplore #\ # Ba dnoe Pay your respects at respects your Pay E Ma # \ ra ltiy 04 02 #\ anie ntarny Kaliningrad Region Highlights Kaliningrad Region maritime history on former on former maritime history and a vessels expedition submarine at Kaliningrad’s World the of Museum Ocean 2 1 philosopher Immanuel philosopher an then attend grave, Kant’s in concert organ (p265). Cathedral Ot Br Ba D bląg (50km) # e #\ Kosa Baltiyskay Ya El in 1697 Peter the Great visited as part Great the of in 1697 Peter Embassy and the 18th-centuryhis Grand all there lived Kant Immanuel philosopher his life. neurs from across Europe, and for the nextthe for and Europe, across from neurs flourished – of centuries the city couple erick I, was crowned in 1701 in the city’s city’s the in 1701 in was crowned I, erick atmosphere liberal castle. Königsberg’s scholars, artists and entrepre attracted ed in 1255 and joined the Hanseatic League joined the Hanseatic ed in 1255 and 1618 Königsberg was to 1457 in 1340. From mastersthe of of the grand the residence the successors, their and order Teutonic king, first Fred Prussia’s of Prussia. dukes berg as its capital. Theberg as its capital. found had been city tonic Knights since the 13th century, the 13th since the Knights tonic century, Europe’s of Prussia, the Duchy area became Königs with in 1525 state, Protestant first History TheRoman since been famous region has by Teu Ruled deposits. for its amber times

egion Kaliningrad Region Highlights

Kaliningrad R 264