Hostels in Kaliningrad, Russia

Kaliningrad -- which was known prior to World War II as Königsberg -- is the most western regional center in the Russian Federation. Kaliningrad is also the best and the most beautiful city in Russia in recent years according to different national and international journals. It is also the best Russian city for business, according to Forbes.

Before the World War II, Kaliningrad was a German city and more than ninety percent of its population was German. Its demographics changed rapidly after the end of the war, when it became part of the USSR and the Germans in the city either left or were deported to Germany by the middle of the twentieth century. The city became a major cultural and industrial center during the Soviet era and most of its German heritage was deliberately destroyed.

Despite that, there are plenty things to see and do. Kaliningrad has many museums -- the Museum of Amber, The Museum of History and Art, The Museum of the Oceans, the Kaliningrad Art Gallery, and the Museum of Fortification. You have a good choice of theaters, as well (the most well known of which is the Kaliningrad Regional Drama Theatre), large libraries (especially the medieval book collection of the Vallenrodt Library), a zoo, and a botanical garden. In the center of town, there is a cathedral in Gothic brick style.

As the city gets attention as a growing tourist destination, there are more and more Kaliningrad hostels for the visitors to the city. Most Kaliningrad hostels are located in the very center of the city and offer good facilities at reasonable prices. Of course, there are exceptions, but you have enough hostels in Kaliningrad from which to choose. Moreover, the city is easily accessible from neighboring European countries; in fact, it is more challenging to get to Kaliningrad from other Russian regions, as you either have to cross at least two borders or buy an expensive flight.