Between Poland and Lithuania lies an unusual piece of Europe that belongs to Russia. The Kaliningrad Region is geographically separated from its home country, historically shaped by its German heritage, and politically subject to Russian influence. It’s a unique area where East meets West, Soviet architecture sits alongside Prussian history, and Baltic nature blends with Russian reality.
Kaliningrad, once Königsberg, was part of Germany until 1945. After World War II, it was annexed by the Soviet Union, which is still visible today in its fascinating mix of German buildings such as churches, villas and theatres, alongside Soviet elements like grey apartment blocks and typical Soviet statues. The city is considered one of the most ‘European’ of all the Russian cities, with a lively cultural scene, wide avenues and many tourist activities that currently attract mainly Russians from the more distant regions of the country.
A German Gothic cathedral, now a museum, located on Kant Island on the Pregel River in the heart of the city. Nearby is also the tomb of the famous German philosopher Immanuel Kant. It is the heart of the city’s activity, even though the cathedral no longer functions as a place of worship.
A museum, partly housed on ships and even a submarine moored on the Pregel River, and partly on the riverbank. The Museum offers exhibitions on maritime affairs, the Russian Navy, oceanography, and marine exploration. It is extremely interactive and interesting to most visitors.
A riverside district with restored German-style buildings, with restaurants and cafés along the promenade. It reminds you a little of seaside towns in Germany or Poland.
The Curonian Spit is an approximately 100-kilometre-long sandy peninsula, just a few hundred metres wide, stretching between Russia and Lithuania, with the southern part belonging to the Kaliningrad Region. The nature park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Its formation is truly fascinating. Winds over the Baltic Sea constantly blow from west to east, picking up sand along the northern coasts of Germany and Poland and depositing it on what is now the Curonian Spit. Here, the land turns north and forms a natural barrier to the wind. When it hits the coastline, it deposits the sand there. Over the years, the dunes have been artificially covered with pines and birches to stop the sand from shifting and to prevent erosion. On the Curonian Spit, it’s worth climbing the highest dune, called Efa, which rises to about 60 metres. Another highlight is the so-called Dancing Forest, where the tree trunks are unusually twisted, as if they were dancing.
On the western coast of the region, by the Baltic Sea, lies Yantarny, a town home to the largest open-air amber mine in the world – the Yantar Combine. About 90% of the world's amber comes from here.
Amber is a brownish gemstone, but it is fossilised resin, between 30 and 90 million years old. Worth visiting here are the viewing platform above the largest mine, as well as a small sandpit where visitors can search for smaller pieces of amber themselves.
Despite the current situation, travelling to Russia is still possible if you plan ahead. The first step is obtaining a visa. Fortunately, an e-visa is available for Kaliningrad, which makes the process much easier. Due to sanctions, Visa and MasterCard bank cards do not work in Russia. We recommend taking cash with you in euros, US dollars or Polish zloty, which can be exchanged at any Russian bank.
Many websites are blocked in Russia, so we recommend setting up an eSIM for internet access, for example through the Yesim app. This provides access to a VPN and an internet connection.
We also need to be mindful of restrictions on bringing items into and out of the EU and Russia. When leaving the EU for Russia, you cannot carry more than 300 euros in cash, and when re-entering the EU from Russia, there are specific rules for transporting fuel and food products.
In general, you cannot carry more than 15 litres of fuel in your car tank into Poland, and bringing any Russian food into Lithuania is prohibited. It might seem tricky, but you can still travel there and enjoy a little bit of the Russian culture along the way.
Kaliningrad is not your typical Russian destination. It doesn’t have many of the typical Russian Orthodox churches with onion domes. However, there are many Gothic churches. On the other hand, its history and location offer travellers a rare chance to experience Russia in a European context.
While the current political situation means a bit of extra planning, a trip to Kaliningrad rewards you with culture, stunning nature, and a surprisingly modern vibe. The best approach is to combine a visit to Kaliningrad with a trip around the Baltic states, or use it as a starting point for exploring other parts of Russia, for example with domestic flights from Kaliningrad to destinations that are otherwise hard to reach from Europe.
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