Kaliningrad

Good to know

1. 1The city was called Königsberg and was the capital of East Prussia until the end of the Second World War. It was heavily bombed in 1944 and fought over in 1945, and was then renamed after the Soviet politician Mikhail Kalinin.
2. 2The philosopher Immanuel Kant was born, lived and taught here and never travelled far from the city. His tomb stands beside the cathedral on Kneiphof island, and it is one of the best-known sights.
3. 3The cathedral was left a ruin for decades and has been rebuilt. Today it holds a museum and hosts organ concerts.
4. 4The region is known for amber, and the Baltic coast near here holds a very large share of the world's known deposits. The city has an amber museum and many shops selling jewellery.
5. 5Kaliningrad is an exclave, meaning the region is separated from the rest of Russia and borders Poland and Lithuania. Language is Russian, and the clock is set to the same time as Moscow.
6. 6Königsberg was once famous for the puzzle of its seven bridges, which the mathematician Leonhard Euler analysed and which helped start graph theory.

Tips for a first visit

• The central sights are close together, so you can cover the cathedral island, the embankments and the old gates on foot in a day. Wear comfortable shoes, as some streets are cobbled.
• Carry a little cash as well as a card, since small cafés, markets and some taxis may prefer it. Cards are widely used in larger shops and restaurants.
• Try the local fish, especially smoked and fresh Baltic fish, and look for marzipan, which has a Königsberg tradition. Cafés also serve plenty of Russian staples such as pelmeni and borscht.
• Learn a few Cyrillic letters and basic Russian phrases before you go. English is spoken in some hotels and restaurants, but you cannot count on it elsewhere.
• Do not skip the coast. Towns like Svetlogorsk and Zelenogradsk and the Curonian Spit are a short trip away and give a different side of the region.
• Take care when photographing near military or port areas, and ask before photographing people.

When to go

Summer is the best time for the coast and long evenings, and it is the busiest season, with warm days that can still turn cool by the sea. Spring and autumn are quieter and mild, good for walking around the city. Winters are grey, damp and cold, with some snow, so go then only if you like quiet streets and cosy cafés.

From the airport

The main airport is Khrabrovo, about 25 kilometres north of the centre. The usual ways into town are taxi, which takes roughly 30 to 40 minutes depending on traffic, or a bus that connects the airport with the city. Once in the centre, trams, buses and minibuses run across town, though many visitors manage mostly on foot.