Guryevsk: an ideal place for rest and living

Today I will share my impressions about Guryevsk, why it is worth visiting and even staying there. It is an incredibly cozy, green, and compact city, just a five-minute drive from Kaliningrad. It received its current name in 1947, previously the city was known as Neuhausen, which translates to “new home”.

Living here is very comfortable, the city is predominantly low-rise, the infrastructure is quite developed, with schools, kindergartens, parks, all services, and administrative buildings located on the central street. Overall, it is easy to get around here without a car. The city is always clean, snow is cleared instantly, there are numerous green areas, and two parks run almost through the entire city.

The Sensory Park was opened in 2020, and it is the only sensory park in Russia where visitors can interact with various objects using their sense of hearing, vision, smell, and touch. The park features several dozen mechanical oddities. To understand how they work, you need to read the description provided for each object before using it. Overall, strolling in the park is pure pleasure, with a sea of educational tools, relaxation spots, and entertainment. The park’s location allows visitors to escape the scorching heat in summer and the wind in autumn.

There is a spacious parking lot at the park entrance. Right there in the parking lot, you can grab a delicious coffee and a snack to take with you.

Next to the park are the city administration building and a very beautiful church.

If you have already worked up a good appetite, there is one of the few cafes in the square – Fazenda. Surprisingly, but in this city, there are hardly any tasty places, but not for long.”

Not far away, there is another park, a great place for relaxation and active leisure. In the forest area, there is a magnificent stadium and a sports ground with exercise equipment, as well as a nearby lake, making it a fantastic place to engage in activities (you decide where to place the stresses). Very soon, a new location called “Light Park” will be opened here, featuring a splendid promenade and a relaxation area with a view of the lake.

When choosing accommodation, city guests sometimes find it difficult to assess distances, convenience of location, and accessibility. Speaking of Gurievsk, renting a place here, you get an excellent price, shops within walking distance, and cozy streets for evening strolls. And there are two exits from the city, one to Kaliningrad, and the other straight to the Primorsky Ring Road; by the way, there is a third option: if the navigator shows traffic jams, you can plot a route through the old road, which is of quite good quality and incredibly picturesque, the road will pass through Shaken Castle.

If you plan to relax on the beach, then with the money saved on renting accommodation, I recommend renting a car; it will be very comfortable to travel, as getting to the train station will take a lot of time.

Another advantage of this location is the village of Aistovo, which is a 10-minute drive from the city; there is a cool recreation area located, one of the largest wake parks in Russia. The day here will fly by imperceptibly and intensively; experienced instructors will help you get up on the wakeboard, children and adults can ride on SUP boards, there is a large inflatable water park, camping, cafes, loungers for relaxing by the water, a part of the lake where the shallows are, separated for children’s swimming. The place is fantastic; we were lucky to attend a foam party with excellent animation; you can check the schedule on the website.”

Here is the translation to English:

“And most importantly, all these pleasures are available at quite affordable prices. The entrance ticket for adults costs 300 rubles, for children from 7 years old – 150 rubles. We rented a SUP board, one hour cost 500 rubles, and life jackets are provided for free. You can have lunch at the café here, we rented a gazebo for the whole day for 2500 rubles. If you enjoy active recreation, make sure to visit this place.

A bit closer, there is another recreation spot in the Konstantinovka village – Podvorye on Khutorskaya. It is an agro-touristic complex for family recreation, featuring a zoo, exciting attractions, children’s playgrounds, creative workshop, BBQ area, various gazebos, mini-football and volleyball courts, a rainbow bridge over the lake to an island where the Waterman resides, a stone garden, a mill, art objects! You can swim in the lake in summer, as there is a sandy beach. You won’t stay hungry with a delicious café available. Entrance tickets for adults cost 300 rubles, for children – 150 rubles, and there is a large and convenient parking lot.

In 2023, restoration works on the castle began, and they are expected to be completed by 2025. The plan is to create a castle-park ensemble there for relaxation, with a museum complex, restaurant, hotel, and orangery. The castle will soon become a new attraction for residents and guests of the city.

The church has been preserved quite well, with its foundation dating back to 1292. It is located in a beautiful green area and can be visited on Sundays from 13:00 to 15:00.”

In 1525, during the formation of Prussia, the castle became the property of Albrecht of Brandenburg – the last grand master of the Teutonic Order and the first Duke of Prussia. Under his ownership, the castle was used as a country residence.

In 1569, the duke passed away, along with his wife Anna-Maria. One version attributes their strange deaths to poisoning by the duke’s favorite, Paul Skalich, who was rumored to be a warlock and sorcerer. Since then, there have been stories about a woman in red, riding through the castle walls at night on a huge black cat. According to the staff working there, it is not customary to stay late in the castle.

In 1945, the castle suffered significant damage and remained unused for about ten years. In the mid-1950s, the buildings were transferred to the Guryevsky Construction and Installation Administration. Today, it is recognized as a national heritage site.

In the Kaliningrad region, numerous historical sites are rapidly being revived, preserving their atmosphere and architecture. The city residents find themselves constantly surrounded by tourists. It is easy to plan exciting weekends for yourself, and the best part is that everything is located quite close by. As a guest of the city, create your route based on your preferences, and let my articles guide you.

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