Kaliningrad: overview
Kaliningrad ... Konigsberg ... The place where German and Soviet culture intertwines. Where the Prussian buildings coexist with the Khrushchev projects. A place where the sea smells and amber sparkles. Kaliningrad is a city in the north-west of Russia, the administrative center of the Kaliningrad region and it has no borders with other regions of Russia, neighboring only with Poland and Lithuania, and is washed by the Baltic Sea. For a long time Kaliningrad belonged to Germany. In 1946 the city was renamed Kaliningrad, in honor of the Soviet party leader Mikhail Ivanovich Kalinin. A city with a rich past, it is simply filled with unique sights. Kaliningrad is a city of philosophers, this is where one of the world's greatest thinkers - Immanuel Kant was born and lived. His grave is located at the walls of the Cathedral of the XIV century, there is also a Kant museum and a concert hall where organ concerts are held. Various musical events and festivals, including international ones, are regularly organized in Kaliningrad. Kaliningrad has no direct access to the sea, the city is located at the confluence of the Pregolya River into the Kaliningrad Bay, but there is a large port and the headquarters of the Baltic Fleet of the Russian Navy. The suburbs of Kaliningrad are rich in gorgeous beaches. Two Kaliningrad beaches, located in the village of Yantarny, have received the prestigious international Blue Flag award. The famous Curonian Spit, which is a UNESCO-listed nature reserve, separates the Baltic Sea and the Curonian Lagoon. This is a unique place with endless clean beaches, “singing” sands, pine and birch groves. Kaliningrad is the city of amber! One of the symbols of the city is the famous amber museum in a red brick tower that was once part of the city's defensive structures. The collection of the museum presents "solar" stones of different shades, shapes and sizes - the biggest exhibit weighs more than 4 kilograms. Kaliningrad attracts tourists with ancient German architecture, green parks, modern museums, unique nature and stunning views.
Availability of transport hubs
Airport
Port
Railway station
Bus station
Climatic features
Winter
In mid-December, climatic winter begins in Kaliningrad and temperatures drop below 0 ° C. Snow cover is established in the second half of December or January. Typically, the weather in winter is unstable, cloudy, with regular thaws, so the snow cover can set and disappear several times during the winter. As a rule, winter ends at the end of February. The nature of winter in Kaliningrad depends to a significant extent on cyclonic activity in the Atlantic and the presence of anticyclones in the European region. Average winter temperatures are 2 ° C… -5 ° C.
Air temperature:
up to -5... +2 °С
Spring
Spring in Kaliningrad usually comes in late February or early March, when the average daily temperature begins to exceed 0 ° C. Spring comes more slowly than in more continental regions. The average daily temperature above + 5 ° C is set on average on April 4 and reaches + 10 ° C on April 30. The weather is relatively stable in spring, but cold returns often occur, which can cause snowfalls in April. In April, however, snow does not fall every year and tends to melt quickly. In the first half of June, Kaliningrad finds itself in an area of reduced pressure, and Atlantic air comes to it from the west, bringing cloudy weather. Average temperatures in spring are -1 ° C ... + 6 ° C, in March, + 3 ° C ... + 12 ° C. in April and + 7 ° C… + 18 ° C in May.
Air temperature:
up to -1... +18 °С
Summer
As a rule, summer begins on June 10th. The weather becomes clearer and the air warms up (the average daily temperature exceeds + 15 ° C). In July-August, the daily average temperature is quite stable and fluctuates between + 16 ° C ... + 20 ° C. In summer, sometimes, temperatures are noted up to +30 ° C and above, but all recorded extreme temperatures (up to +35 ° C and above) occur exclusively in July-August, in particular, all highs above + 35C fall on a relatively short time interval - July 29-August 10. In the second half of summer, cyclones are more frequent and stronger.
Air temperature:
up to +11... +23 °С
Autumn
Autumn begins in the first half of September. The average daily temperature drops below + 15 ° C. Warm and relatively dry weather is observed during the first half of September; the average daily temperature usually exceeds + 10 ° C. From the second half of September, cloudy, wet and windy weather with drizzling rains prevails. Сloudiness and humidity increase and winds speed up. The average daily temperature drops below +10 ° C in early October and below +5 ° C in November. In late September and early October, there is a return of heat: sunny, warm and dry weather sets in for a relatively short time. This is the so-called "Indian summer". The average daily air temperature drops below 0 ° C by mid-December. The end of autumn is coming.
Air temperature:
up to +1... +18 °С
Useful tips
1 What to pack
- Passport
- Money, bank cards
- Booking confirmations
- Phone, camera and chargers for them
- Plug in adapter if not EU type
- Comfortable sportswear and seasonal footwear
- Umbrella or raincoat
- Beach accessories
- Good mood
2 Top things to do
- Visit the island of Kant
- Take a ride on a narrow gauge road
- Stand at the very edge of Russia
- See the largest piece of amber
- Enjoy local cuisine
- Visit a fishing village
- Take stunning photos on the Curonian Spit
- Visit one of the forts
- Visit the oldest zoo in Russia
- See the largest ocean museum in Russia
- Visit the main cathedrals and churches of Konigsberg
- Visit the new castle, restaurant, Nesselbeck brewery
3 What to bring back home
- Amber, cosmetics and amber products
- Fish: Dried bream and smoked eel, smelt and original Baltic sprats, bream, perch, pike
- Kaliningrad beer
- Cognac "Old Koenigsberg"
- Chocolate
- Antiques
- Flasks with a nautical theme
- Products of Kaliningrad glass blowers
- Ceramic crafts in the old German style
- Brownie Wigt
- Sea buckthorn oil and jam
- Homemade sausages