
Discover the fascinating Russian exclave of Kaliningrad with its unique mix of German, Soviet and Russian history. Admire the buildings, explore the historical monuments, and then travel out of the city to enjoy the fresh sea air, birdwatching, and impressive sand dunes of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Coronian Spit. This 5-day Kaliningrad Tour: “Baltic Gold” also includes seeing how Kaliningrad’s famous amber is mined in a working quarry.
Tour itinerary:
Evening flight to Kaliningrad (1,091 km, 1h50 min). Upon arrival in Kaliningrad, meet your driver and transfer to the hotel to begin your 5-day Kaliningrad Tour. Overnight at the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 3-4 hours
Duration of sightseeing tour: 3-4 hours
After breakfast, take a guided tour of Kaliningrad city, the capital of Russia’s strategically important Kaliningrad exclave situated between Poland and Lithuania. Established in the 13th century, Kaliningrad was part of Prussia and then Germany under the name “Königsberg”. After becoming part of the Soviet Union at the end of the Second World War, it was renamed “Kaliningrad”. Today, it is famous for its Prussian/German and maritime history, as well as its amber (also called “Baltic gold”). Admire the city’s unique character, where modern, German, and Soviet architecture are intricately intertwined, and see the old city gates, bridges, ancient churches, defensive structures, the “Fishing Village” complex, and various interesting public buildings. Take a walk around Kant (formerly Kneiphof) Island, where you’ll find the Cathedral and the tomb of Immanuel Kant, the famous German philosopher who was born in and spent most of his life in Königsberg. Return to the hotel. Free time. Overnight at the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 4 hours
During your free time, we offer the following optional activities (at additional cost):
Visit to the famous Amber Museum;
Concert in the Cathedral on Kant Island.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 4 hours
During your free time, we offer the following optional activities (at additional cost):
Visit to the famous Amber Museum;
Concert in the Cathedral on Kant Island.
After breakfast, drive to the Curonian Spit (83 km). This is the largest sand spit in the world and boasts the world’s second highest sand dunes. These moving dunes, originally formed by sands and wind several thousand years ago, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Curonian Spit, which separates the huge Curonian Gulf from the Baltic Sea, offers magnificent landscapes and rich history. It is 98 km long, of which 46 km belong to Russia and 52 km to Lithuania, and between 400m and 3.8 km wide. Rare plants such as the lunaria rediviva grow here and badgers, moose, and roe deer can be found in the local forests. The Curonian Spit is also sometimes called the “Bird Bridge”. Due to its geographical location and orientation from northeast to southwest, it serves as a corridor for 150 species of migratory birds that fly between the northwest regions of Russia, Finland, and the Baltic countries, and Central Europe, Southern Europe, and northern Africa. Annually, in spring and autumn, 10-20 million birds fly over the spit. Your excursion includes a walk through the “Dancing Forest”, a pine forest famous for its twisted trees; a walk along the wooden walkways to the observation deck on top of the Efa sand dune, which offers stunning views of the surrounding dunes; a visit to an ornithological station (May-September) or the Forest Museum (November-March); and a packed lunch. After exploring the Coronian Spit, return to Kaliningrad. Free time. Overnight at the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 6 hours
Duration of sightseeing tour: 6 hours
After breakfast, drive to Yantarny (48 km), home to the largest amber deposit in the world. After World War II, this village, previously called Palmnicken, was given a new name derived from the Russian word for amber (“yantar”). Visit the viewing platform to see a panoramic view of the quarry where amber is mined, and then grab a shovel and have a go at digging amber yourself (all tourists earn a “diploma of the Amber Miner”!) Relax and boost your natural energy and health in the Amber Pyramid, which took about 800kg of amber to build. Finally, discover Yantarny’s historical centre, located next to the 1892 Lutheran church, walking past the palace-style building of the Schloss Hotel and through Becker Park with its centuries-old trees. The walk ends at the first beach in Russia that received a “Blue Flag”, a sign of an environmentally friendly beach equipped according to international standards. Return to Kaliningrad. Overnight at the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 5-6 hours
Duration of sightseeing tour: 5-6 hours
- All transfers (1-2 pax by sedan type car, 3-7 pax by minivan, 8-13 pax by 30 seat bus, 14+ pax by 40-50 seat bus);
- Accommodation based on double/twin room sharing, breakfasts included;
- Sightseeing tour programme in each city with local, English-speaking guides;
- Entrance tickets to sights as per itinerary;
- Lunch on Day 5;
- Visa support for Russian tourist visa;
- In groups of 11 or more travellers, 1 person travels free of charge and is accommodated in a single room.
- Tour leader to accompany the travellers for the whole tour
- Full board (lunches and dinners)
- Hotel charges for additional services
- Consular fees for Russia tourist visa
- Tips/gratuities for guides and drivers (although these would be appreciated)
- International flight tickets before and after the tour
- Personal travel insurance.
Accommodation:
Kaliningrad - 4 nights | |
Ibis, Kaliningrad, Zolotaya Buhta | Holiday Inn, Mercure, Kaiserhof Spa Hotel |