Curonian Spit (Zelenogradsk). From Zelenogradsk to the Curonian Spit. Dancing Forest Curonian Spit

Zelenogradsk- a very beautiful resort town in the very western region Russia. My attentive friend, who invited me to stay with her in Kaliningrad region, I was told that the cities were named incorrectly. More like confused. Svetlogorsk is all green, and Zelenogradsk is bright. So since she had already shown me, I was convinced that the mighty and tall pines really make the city covered with greenery. And what about Zelenogradsk, the city at the entrance to the Curonian Spit?

Basic information:

So, I ended up in the Kaliningrad region in May. And after a couple of days of leisurely walks, I became interested in learning more about rest in Zelenogradsk on the sea. And we went there on our own.

How to get to Zelenogradsk and the Curonian Spit from Svetlogorsk

Actually it's quite simple task. So. to get to the Curonian Spit from Svetlogorsk, you need to go with a transfer, first by train, and then by bus. There is also an option to take a minibus, but it is more expensive.

Train Svetlogorsk - Zelenogradsk:

• In the city of Svetlogorsk, you need to take an electric train and get off in the city of Zelenogradsk.
• The ticket costs 38 rubles.
• Drive 40 minutes.

Bus Zelenogradsk - Morskoye:

• Not far from Zelenogradsk station, where I arrived from Svetlogorsk, buses depart in all directions.
• You need to take the bus that goes from the city of Zelenogradsk to Morskoye (No. 296 or No. 596) and get off at the Vysota Efa stop.
• The fare is 84 rubles.
• We asked the driver when last flight to Svetlogorsk, so by 17 o'clock we tried to see everything we wanted.

Minibus Curonian Spit - Zelenogradsk

But back from the Curonian Spit, I went to Svetlogorsk without transfers. Right from the stop where I went to the Curonian Spit, I stopped a minibus, and it brought me to Svetlogorsk-1 for 151 rubles. From there I transferred to the city bus 118 (15 rubles) and got to Svetlogorsk-2.

By the way, from the summer you can get from Kaliningrad to Zelenogradsk by bus number 593.

These are the options if you don't have your own car. Car owners still have to pay to enter the territory national park Curonian Spit, and passengers in public transport do not pay much.

Zelenogradsk on the map

So, we got to the city of Zelenogradsk in a cheerful company and decided not to waste time and explore the city on bicycles - you can rent them there. And it’s convenient and cool, and you can see a lot, and we arrived with the son of my friends, who was also the easiest to distract with a change of scenery.

Near the bus stop in Zelenogradsk, we found a bicycle rental point, chose the bikes that suited us (one with a child seat) and rushed through the city streets towards the promenade.

Bicycle rental cost us 70 rubles per hour. I was asked to leave my passport as a deposit.

Unlike Svetlogorsk, Zelenogradsk is not located so high. The city is flat, cycling is a real pleasure. Going to the sea is not a problem at all. And the ubiquitous German houses inherited from former city Kranz is also, of course, available. All former Catholic cathedrals traditionally stand intact, only Orthodox services are conducted there.

Personally, I found the city very nice, quiet and pleasant. It is really lighter than Svetlogorsk. Yes, it was a sunny day! I don't know if the fans here will be happy active rest, but for a leisurely rest, as well as for a quiet life, the city is very suitable.

At the bus stop, next to which bicycles are rented in Zelenogradsk, I got into a conversation with an elderly woman who was taking her cat to the dacha. And it turned out that people here are open, friendly and benevolent. This city is open and relaxed.

What did you see on the fly? See below on my photos from the city of Zelenogradsk.

Three-storey apartment building

Balcony with flowers

Narrow cozy street

The city park is also built on a dune

Gazebo in the park

Epic video about Zelenogradsk:

The Curonian Spit is included in the UNESCO list of natural monuments. And its length is almost 100 km, it starts at Zelenogradsk and goes straight to Lithuania, to Klaipeda. The spit is very narrow - from 400 meters to almost 4 km. Why is this nature reserve so unique?

The Curonian Spit National Park is famous for its biological diversity, which is studied by scientists. It is here that birds stop during migrations to Africa. So a narrow strip of dunes provides an opportunity to study not only the present, but also the past of the region, which is undoubtedly important for science.

Photos on the coast

Waves on the coast

sky and sea

Cones on the tree

Hiking route Efa Height

Efa Height is a 2.8 km long hiking route along the Curonian Spit. Climbing up to the observation deck, you can look at the highest dune Orekhovaya, which has reached 64 meters! The route goes through the forest. Some viewpoints will allow you to see all the charm of the Curonian Spit - you can see the sea, Curonian Lagoon, dunes, pretty forest.

The height of Efa is not the only route here. But if you are by car or bicycle, then you can walk everywhere. But since we arrived by bus, we walked back to the bus stop and waited for the last route of the day.

Trees rushed to the sky

Hiking trail in the pine forest

Path in the pine forest

The ascent to the height of Efa

View from the observation deck

Sand dunes and sea

Sandy shore

Here is such a rest on the Curonian Spit

Click to the stop icon Morskoye and dancing forest and you will see schedule of all buses in the direction of Zelenogradsk at every stop.

What is the best way to go

It's best to get there first direct bus to the farthest tourist point of the Curonian Spit - Dunes of Efa. And from there already back to the dancing forest, then, if desired, to the Ornithological Station. On the way back, you can pass through Zelenogradsk or Svetlogorsk.

Directions from the Dune of Efa to the Dancing Forest costs12 rubles. Drive there for a few minutes. Transport is relatively frequent. Below are the schedules of different buses in the Curonian Spit. You can ride on any - there is only one road.

How much time do you need

Allocate for a trip to the Curonian Spit all day. It is most convenient to leave Kaliningrad at 9:35 and go straight to the Efa Dune. If you limit yourself to only a dune and a dancing forest, then you will return to Kaliningrad at about 6-7 pm.

Direct bus from Kaliningrad

From Kaliningrad to the Curonian Spit can be reachedon direct bus№593 Kaliningrad - Marine. It departs from the bus station.

Departure of bus 593 from Kaliningrad:

• 5:15
• 9:35
• 12:35
• 17:50

Maritime This is the last village before the border. Get off the bus a little earlierat the stop "42nd kilometer", or Dune Efa(or Eph Height). Ask the conductor or driver, they will explain everything to you.

Attention! Stop "Dune" is a stop near the camp site of the same name. You don’t need to go out on it - it is very far from the Efa Dune.

Time and money

The bus to Morskoye goes approximately2.5 hourswith all stops.

Fare180 rubles.

Tickets are sold at the box office of the Kaliningrad bus station, which is located next to the South Station. On the way, the bus collects everyone at passing stops. Tickets are sold directly on the bus. Depending on the carrier, a conductor may work.

The organization of bus transportation in the Kaliningrad region is almost at the level European countries. So there are no transport problems.

How to return to Kaliningrad

If you are lucky, you will leave on the same bus 593 without transfers. But since he rarely walks,it is more convenient to get to Zelenogradskon the first available vehicle. There are many buses along the Curonian Spit, but most go to Zelenogradsk and Svetlogorsk.The current timetable is posted there at each stop.— Buses run fairly accurately.

It is very easy to get from Zelenogradsk to Kaliningrad, there are many buses.

With a change in Zelenogradsk

Between the village of Morskoe and Zelenogradsk runsbus number 210. You can ignore the number, any transport leaving the Curonian Spit inevitably ends up in Zelenogradsk.

Schedule of the 210th bus

Departure from the village Marine to Zelenogradsk:

• 7:47 (7:56)
• 10:05 (10:14)
• 13:00 (13:09)
• 16:15 (16:21)
• 19:30 (19:39)

Travel time 1 hour.

Departure from Zelenogradsk to Morskoe:

(in parentheses shows the time of arrival at the Dancing Forest)

• 6:45 (7:37)
• 9:00 (9:50)
• 11:55 (12:42)
• 15:00 (15:44)
• 18:30 (19:16)

Travel time 1 hour.

The schedule of this bus with all stops can be

From Zelenogradsk to Kaliningrad buses run 114, 140, 141 . These buses run from 6 amevery 15 - 20 minutes. Leave at any time. Exact timetable on the website of the Kaliningrad bus station ...

Train timetable Zelenogradsk — Kaliningrad

bus station and Train Station in Zelenogradsk in one place

Departure from Zelenogradsk to Kaliningrad:

• 6:45 (weekdays only)
• 7:44 (Mon-Sat)
• 10:54 (daily)
• 13:10 (weekends only)
• 14:15 (daily)
• 15:25 (weekends only)
• 17:19 (daily)
• 19:49 (daily)
• 20:40 (daily)

You can also drive to Zelenogradskby bus 596Marine - Svetlogorsk.

With a change in Svetlogorsk

Svetlogorsk and Morskoe are connected by bus number 596, which runs 4 times a day. Please note that he returns to Svetlogorsk only on the last flight.

Schedule of the 596th bus

Marine - Svetlogorsk:

• 8:30
• 10:55 (to Zelenogradsk)
• 13:45 (to Zelenogradsk)
• 17:15

Svetlogorsk - Marine

• 6:15
• 9:45 (from Zelenogradsk)
• 12:30 (from Zelenogradsk)
• 19:33

Svetlogorsk — Zelenogradsk

In this direction, electric trains and many buses and minibuses run. Getting from one city to another is not difficult.

To the Curonian Spit by car

Certainly, the easiest way to travel by car, especially if you come with a family or a large company. Only it’s not easy to come to Kaliningrad in your car - you have to cross the border twice.

It is easy to rent a car or motorcycle in Kaliningrad. There are rental companies in every district of Kaliningrad. There are a lot of them, there are cars for every taste.

There are large network organizations. They are convenient in that the car can be returned to a place other than where you took it. For example, go to Zelenogradsk and return the car at the local office.

To travel to the Curonian Spit, you need to pay a fee of 300 rubles for the passage of a car with a driver + 150 rubles for each passenger. Payments are accepted at the checkpoint at the entrance. Passengers public transport This fee is not paid - it is included in the ticket price.

Car rental prices

It is clear that the price depends on the brand of the car and the rental period. You fill in gasoline yourself at any gas station, it is not included in the rental price.

For example, Dewoo Matizfrom 10:00 to 21:00 you can take onlyfor 800 rubles. This time is enough to see the Curonian Spit and return back. Renault Logan is a little more expensive - 1000 rubles at the same time. Some Duster will cost about 2500 rubles.

Rental conditions

To rent a car, you need to have a valid Russian or international passport and current driver's license the corresponding category.

Regarding fueldifferent firms do it differently. Some issue cars with full tank, respectively, it is also necessary to return it with full, others require that the light on the fuel gauge does not light up. In the first case, you can accurately understand how much fuel you burned while driving.

The car must be returned to pure form , so take a look at the car wash and ask just to knock the dirt off it with water, it's cheaper than paying a commission (about 500 r) if you return the car dirty. Smoking is not allowed in the cabin.

We booked through this site:

Excursions to the Curonian Spit

It is interesting to go to the Curonian Spit and local guide, you will be told and shown a lot of interesting things.

We advise sightseeing tour to all major attractions by car. The price is 6000 rubles. The price includes travel by car from Kaliningrad. If you have a Schengen visa, then you can also see the Lithuanian part of the spit. The tour will take all day.

What to see on the Curonian Spit

I will briefly talk about the two main attractions of the Curonian Spit. In fact, there are many more of them, but getting to know them will take several days. In this case, you can settle in one of the villages of the Curonian Spit. There is guest houses and other infrastructure for tourists.

Dune Efa

The dune is so called because the hill of the same name is located nearby - Efa Height. This is one of the highest dunes in Europe, its height is 55 meters above sea level. From the observation deck you can see both the dune itself and the Curonian Spit in its entire width.

The dune is named after dune explorer Franz Ef.

This is one of the most favorite places for tourists in the Kaliningrad region, but the place is controversial. In the distance you will not see anything except a mountain of sand and the sea. Yes, the place is beautiful, but in fact nothing unusual.

You can’t go out on the dune itself, a fine is provided for this. You can only walk on wooden flooring.

It's also a favorite attraction. A small area of ​​the forest where pines are strongly bent, their trunks twist, sometimes twisting into a ring.

It's pretty and not very impressive either. As usual, if you get off the tourist path and go deeper into the forest, you can find at least beautiful landscapes like in the photo above. Just be careful with the boars and please don't litter.

Why do trees bend

This can happen for various reasons: environmental influences, insects, diseases. In any case, these are some negative factors inherent in the place where the forest grows.

In conclusion, I will say that to go to the Curonian Spit on your own is much cheaper than through a travel agency. And if you want a tour - it's better to hire a guide yourself - it will be much more interesting. Have a good trip!

What information did you not find in this article?
Help us get better. Write what you were looking for, but could not find in this article. We really need your help.

AND . Reviews of tourists about the weather and holidays on the Island of Kos.

Kos is the third largest island in the Dodecanese archipelago, which is located in the Aegean Sea. Belongs to Greece. The island was named "Garden Aegean Sea» due to its luxurious parks and lush greenery. In addition, it is rich in sights, the detour of which will take more than one day.

Rest here is by no means boring: on the territory of the island there are many tourist centers offering vacationers a vibrant nightlife and plenty of entertainment.

The island is located near Turkey. Its area is 290 square kilometers, the length of the coastline is approximately 112 kilometers, the length of the island is 45 km, the width varies from 20 to 11 kilometers.

Time on about. Kos is one hour behind Moscow.

How to get to the island of Kos?

A direct flight to the island of Kos can be reached only from May to October, when a charter program is carried out from Moscow and St. Petersburg. Departure in this period occurs once a week, and from June to September one is added additional flight. Flight time from Moscow to Kos is approximately 3.5 hours. The rest of the time you can get to the island through Athens. The duration of the flight from Moscow to Athens is approximately 3.5 hours, domestic flight from Athens to the island has a duration of about 50 minutes.

Climate

Average monthly temperature in Kos

The beaches of Kos

The beaches of Kos Island amaze with their diversity: with picturesque bays, small pebbles, with golden, white or black volcanic sands, long and small. In shallow water you can find a natural "jacuzzi", on the coast - thermal springs with a high sulfur content.

One of the most picturesque resorts on the island is Kefalos, which is located in the western part, 43 kilometers from the capital - the city of Kos. The sea here is colder than on other beaches, but you can admire the architecture of the island. At the rental point on the beach you can rent equipment for aquatic species sports, including water skiing and wakeboards. Nearby located resort place called Kamari, famous for its five-kilometer sandy beach.

The second largest resort on the island of Kos is Kardamena. It is located five kilometers from the airport south coast. Kardamena is especially popular with tourists because of its wild nightlife and a sandy beach with a length of more than three kilometers. There is a small port in Kardamena, from where boats depart daily with an excursion to the neighboring island of Nisyros, famous for being located on it. active volcano.

On the northern coast of the island there is the Lido Waterpark and the resorts of Mastichari, Marmari and Tigaki with a beach area 10 kilometers long.

Entertainment and attractions of the island of Kos

Travelers associate Kos with a sweet, homely and patriarchal place. Small villages are scattered throughout the island, tourists walk along the ruins of ruined temples and fortresses, vacationers warm themselves on the spacious beaches.

Once on about. Kos, the first thing to do is to visit Asklepion - the ruined temple of Asclepius, the healer god. You should definitely look at the Hippocratic Plane Tree - a huge ancient tree located not far from the capital, the trunk circumference of which is 12 meters. Legend has it that it was planted by Hippocrates himself.

interesting object are the ruins of the ancient city of Pili with a Byzantine church of the XIV century and a fort, as well as Kefalos - the ruins of the ancient capital of Kos, the city of Astypalea.

The attention of tourists here is also attracted by local mosques with minarets and Italian houses.

The island has excellent conditions for yachting, surfing and windsurfing, a surf station can be found on Psalidi beach. There are certified diving centers here, but the local underwater world is not very diverse.

• Tours for May to Greece
• Hot tours to Greece

Kos, the third largest island in the Dodecanese after Rhodes and Karpathos, is located in the Aegean Sea. For lush greenery and luxurious parks, it is called the "Garden of the Aegean". Therefore, tourists here, first of all, are attracted by the unique nature and ecology. However, the island is famous not only for its vegetation - it will take more than one day for a detailed inspection of all local attractions. And a considerable number of tourist centers with lots of entertainment and vibrant nightlife will completely take away their last hope for a boring vacation.

Among the attractions of the island, perhaps the most famous is Asklepion, which is well preserved for a monument of the ancient era. temple complex dedicated to the healer god Asclepius, son of Apollo. Hippocrates once founded his medical school on Kos.

How to get to Kos

By plane

In June-September, direct charters are allowed from Russia to Kos, departing from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Samara, Kazan, and other millionaires. The price range is significant - from 200-260 EUR for a round-trip flight. Travel time from Moscow Vnukovo - 3 hours 30 minutes, from St. Petersburg Pulkovo - about 4 hours.

Regardless of the time of year, there are flights to Kos with transfers in Athens or Thessaloniki (we read on this page how to fly to one of the two largest cities in Greece). The flight from the continent to the island takes less than an hour, the cost is from 160 EUR in both directions. Main carriers are local Aegean airlines Airlines and Olympic Air. From Russia to Kos with one or two transfers, they also fly through Western Europe (Vienna, Dusseldorf, Munich) - from 290 EUR for a round-trip ticket.

On flights to Greece, in particular to Kos, the Rynair low-cost airline specializes. During the sales period, fly to the island from Kaunas, Riga, Frankfurt, Tallinn with one transfer - from 50 EUR one way.

All flights on Kos are received by its only airport, Hippocrates, located in the heart of the island. From here it is convenient to get to each of the resorts, a bus ticket costs from 3 to 7 EUR, a taxi - from 18 to 40 EUR.

Find flights to Kos

Ferry to Kos

There is a ferry service from the capital of Greece and Thessaloniki. Ferries of the largest local carrier Blue Star Ferries go to Kos on two routes: from Athens via the islands of Astypalea - Patmos - Lipsi - Leros - Kalymnos or via Syros - Santorini - Patmos - Leros. Travel time - from 8.5 to 10 hours, cost - from 45 EUR.

The international port of Piraeus is 10 km away from Athens. A taxi to it costs from 20 EUR; buses No. 40 and 49 connect the port and the city center, depart at intervals of 15-20 minutes, the ticket price is 1.20 EUR. Travel by metro along the "green" line - the same 1.20 EUR.

All the islands of the Dodecanese are connected by another carrier, Dodekanisos Seaways. Not only ferries, but also small boats run between Kos and Rhodes. Travel time - about 2 hours, cost - from 25 EUR. The ferry takes less than an hour to Turkish Bodrum, the cost is from 20 EUR in both directions + 5 EUR for crossing the border.

Most of the ferries arrive at the central port of the island, i.e. its capital city of Kos.

Kos Resorts

A small island (with an area of ​​about 290 km) is stretched from west to east - a little over 45 km long and no more than 11 km wide in the central part. All tourism infrastructure concentrated on the northern and southern coasts. In the central part there is an airport (near the village of Antimachia) and villages, many of which are loved by tourists: Zia, Pili, Asfendiou, Kefalovrisi.

north coast

Kos. Port and administrative center (capital). Although the most famous monuments of the island have been preserved here, the city was raised from the ruins after the earthquake of 1933. There are almost no residential buildings higher than two floors, and more than half of the island's population lives here. Shops, souvenir shops, markets, restaurants and even discos - this is all of Kos. Close to the city adjoins the Lambi resort, the center of the tourist and party life of the capital.

Psalidi is a resort area stretching east from Kos. In fact, this is a series of hotels, sandwiched between a long pebble beach and a highway. Hotels attract lovers of comfort here, and strong wind- windsurfers.

Tigaki - multi-kilometer (more than 10 km) beach area west of Kos. Hotels are not so crowded, so it is considered a sparsely populated area. Zone of shallow sandy beaches.

Deeper to the west are resorts formed around the villages of the same name, with a developed hotel network - Marmari and Mastichari. The first is a fishing village, the second is a small port.

South coast

Kefalos - arose on the spot ancient capital islands. The village has many Greco-Roman and medieval monuments. To the east of it begins a series of untouched beaches.

Kardamena is another picturesque port town, the second largest tourist center after Kos (especially for nightlife). Apart from medieval castle, here you can see the ruins of ancient temples and the Kos amphitheater.

Agios Fokas is an actively developing resort in the southeastern part. It is interesting not only for new hotels, but also for its proximity to Therme beach with its hot spring.

Transport

Public transport on Kos is buses. Timetables and routes are posted at each stop. They may be 10-15 minutes late, or even more significant; flights themselves are almost never cancelled. On the suburbs you can get from the capital to any resort and to every village in the center of the island.

This means that tourists can reach most of the sights on their own. bus stops unexpectedly found in the most deserted parts of the island. City buses run in the capital of the island - from 1.2 EUR. In suburban fares depend on the distance - from 1.5-4.4 EUR. Payment in cash to the driver or controller. It is customary to warn about a stop by pressing a button at the exit.

Taxis are perhaps even the more common transportation option. You can stop the car on the road, go to the parking lot or call by phone, ordering for a certain time (this will add about 2-4 EUR to the fare). Ride between neighboring resorts(distance less than 10 km) - from 7-10 EUR, for 20 km - 22-25 EUR. From the airport to the main resorts - from 34 EUR.

The most popular transport on the coast is a bicycle. Many hotels give bikes to guests for free as a bonus. In numerous rental offices, 2-3 hours will cost from 2-3 EUR, a day - from 5 EUR.

Tourist trains go from the capital - without rails, for 2-3 open trailers. There are 4 routes in total: to Asklepion, to Tigaki, through the city center, through the surrounding villages. The fare is from 5 EUR in both directions.

Rent a Car

Renting a car on Kos Renting a car on Kos is a great opportunity to explore the island, visit all the beaches. There are convenient road interchanges, good roads, with the exception of unpaved, leading to wild beaches.

The traffic is lively thanks to tourists who move along the highway in all types of transport: mopeds, quad bikes, even on their own right-hand drive cars. You should be as careful as possible, as they do not always follow the rules of the road. There are no traffic jams on Kos.

Most of the international network distributors operate on the island (Hertz, Avis, Europcar, Budget, etc.); the car can be booked online and picked up at the airport. There are also numerous rental offices.

At all resorts, tourists are served by dozens of local firms; their offices are also open outside the city, in hotel areas on the coast. As a rule, such companies do not require the "freezing" of the deposit on the card, they do not take the data of the card itself. They check documents less carefully, and the cost of services is somewhat lower than that of "networkers". However, they may offer reduced coverage or no coverage at all.

The cost of renting a five-door economy class car is from 35-40 EUR per day, excluding insurance. Discounts start from the second day of rental. You won’t have to spend money on parking on Kos. At the sights, parking is free, but in the cities of places for parking zone may or may not be in season. Most hotels have free parking. The cost of gasoline is about 2 EUR per liter.

Communication and Wi-Fi

Steady reception on the island is demonstrated by the main cellular operators in Greece: Cosmote, Wind, Vodafone. It is believed that the latter has the best coverage and does not lose signal even in the mountains. It is with Vodafone that all Russian operators have roaming contracts. To connect, the tourist must show an identity document; You can only purchase prepaid tariffs (without a subscription fee) by crediting a certain amount to your account (from 5-10 EUR).

Voice communication rates will not be cheaper than when you connect roaming options with your operator - from 0.13-0.15 EUR per minute of conversation with Russia. If you manage to find a package of minutes for calls abroad from a local operator - from 0.8-0.9 EUR per minute. Many people buy a Greek SIM card to get Mobile Internet"out of roaming". So, in the Wind network 1 GB costs 5 EUR, 5 GB - from 15 EUR.

The situation with free Wi-Fi in Kos is slightly worse than in Rhodes or Crete. Most cafes and restaurants provide it, but large ones shopping centers or international chain stores with Wi-Fi are simply not here. Wi-Fi has not yet taken root in the buses of Kos (but there is at the airport), in public places. But hotels are moving away from the practice of paid distribution. If in large complexes free wifi can only be at the reception, then guest houses, like apartments, provide a service throughout the territory and free of charge.

The beaches of Kos

The beaches of the island are striking in variety: long and very small, with white, gold or black volcanic sand, small-pebble, with picturesque bays. So, in some places in shallow water you can find a natural "jacuzzi", where countless bubbles rise from the bottom. And on the coast near Psalidi there are thermal springs, which contain a lot of sulfur.

Kefalos is one of the most picturesque resorts on the island. From here stretched famous beaches Kos: "Kamari", "Agios Stefanos" (a textbook landscape with the ruins of a Byzantine basilica and a coastal island with a church), "Paradise Beach". The purest water and soft sand.

Kefalos is located 43 km from the capital in the western part of the island. At the local sandy beach because of the current, the sea is colder than on others, but the authentic architecture of the island has been preserved here, including the ancient windmill. There is a well-equipped water sports equipment rental. Thanks to the favorable location of the bay, this is one of the main windsurfing centers, but the wind here is not as strong as on the northern beaches.

On all the beaches of the southern coast it blows less than in the north, the sea is calmer. In addition, most of them are sandy. This makes the resorts of the south of the island popular place for holidays with children.

Kardamena is also on the south coast. Approximately 70% of nearby beaches are wild: sand alternates with rocky areas, there may be boulders in the sea. Part of the coastal territory is occupied by the port. Vacationers who prefer beach comfort walk 1.5-3 km to the fully equipped beaches "Atlantis" and "Banana Beach".

On the northern coast are the resorts of Marmari, Mastichari and Tigaki with a 10-kilometer beach. chic sand, shallow, but there are strong waves. On such days, vacationers sunbathe, shielding themselves from the wind blowing from the sea with special awnings. In the eastern part of the island begin pebble beaches- from the capital to Psalidi on the north coast, including Agios Fokas in the southeast.

There are quite a lot of entertainment on the main beaches of all resorts: boats, catamarans, bananas, diving and surfing equipment rental centers.

On public beaches you have to pay for sunbeds. The beach is shared between the owners of taverns - sometimes a drink or snack is included in the price. The price for using two sun loungers and an umbrella is from 3 to 15 EUR. If you order food, then you can use the sunbeds for free. In order not to pay rent, you can leave the "territory of sunbeds" and stay in the "uncivilized" part of the beach.

Surfing on Kos

The northern wind of the Aegean, Meltemi, blows on Kos all summer, from June to the end of September. European windsurfers owe him excellent conditions for skiing. The wind is notable for its constancy: it blows in the morning, intensifying towards the afternoon, and subsides after 18:00. However, breaks of several days are possible.

For windsurfing, as well as kitesurfing (surfing with a kite), almost all the beaches of the island are suitable: public and wild, on the southern and northern shores. On civilized beaches, you can rent equipment or work with an instructor at a surf station. There are several of them on the island: in Psalidi, Marmari, Mastichari, Kefalos, Kardamena. 2 hours with an instructor cost from 70 EUR, group lessons - from 60 EUR. Kitesurfing is more expensive: from 120 EUR for 2 hours.

On the western tip of the island (wild beaches) and on the eastern tip (resorts of Psalidi and Agios Fokas), the wind is stronger. But only in the bays is the accelerating effect of the wind tunnel created, for which professionals come here. So, in Psalidi it is achieved due to several factors - the angular position of the bay and the coast of Turkey located opposite. At the same time, the first 50-70 meters near the coast are relatively calm - here, as well as on the coast of Marmari, beginners study. On the northern coast, on the beaches of Kefalos (Kamari, Agios Stefanos), popular with Russian surfers, a neighboring island and mountains in the west form a "pipe" in the bay.

Kos Hotels

When choosing accommodation, you should start not from the hotel, but from the coast, or rather, from the beach, where you would like to spend most of your time. Hotels in the northeast, in Psalidi, have pebbly beaches; from the capital of Kos towards Tigaki - fine sand, further west - more and more wild beaches. If civilization is needed, then we choose between northern part islands (the capital and Lambi, the villages of Marmari, Mastichari) and the south (primarily Kardamena and Kefalos).

There are more than 350 hotels, guest houses, apartment complexes on the island - not counting the owners who rent out rooms and houses. Economy class (the simplest apartments and hotels of the 2 * level) - from 23 EUR for a double room in season, improved apartments and 3 * hotels - from 40-50 EUR for two. A hotel room from 4 "stars" and above, with half board or an all-inclusive system - from 110-120 EUR for two.

There are many high-level chain hotels on Kos, with a huge territory, which includes swimming pools with water slides(or even a whole water park), children's and sports grounds. The cost of living is higher - from 160-180 EUR per room.

Most hotels have their own car parks; Increasingly, free Wi-Fi is available not only at the reception, but also in the rooms. In addition, as a bonus, guests can be offered free bike rental for a few days.

What to bring

From the island of Kos, tourists bring the same “Greek” set: feta and halloumi cheeses, honey and halva, canned olives, olive oil, wine, cosmetic creams and soap with oil, souvenirs. Only a small part is produced on Kos, but you can still find local oil or wine here.

Wine produced on the island costs from 3 EUR. Many hotels treat their guests to their own branded wine. As a rule, it is bottled in the continental part of the country, but the grape itself may be local. If you want to try local oil, then you should not limit yourself to the assortment of shops - many farms sell it cheaper, from 15 EUR for 1.5 liters.

Something is brought to Kos from neighboring islands. So, there are many wines from the island of Rhodes (from 5 EUR per bottle), natural sponges that are caught in Kalymnos (from 2-3 to 200 EUR for large specimens).

An unspoken rule is observed on Kos: small private shops and shops are more expensive than chain stores. Food and even souvenirs are cheaper to buy in chains (Spar, Konstantinos, etc.). Most of the things that are littered with mini-markets are brought from Turkey - after all, Bodrum is just over 20 km away. The low price is fully consistent with their controversial quality.

Cafes and Restaurants in Kos

There are enough establishments of various formats on Kos: not only cafes and restaurants, but also pubs, wine glasses, coffee houses, including “Uzeri”, where coffee is mixed with ouzo. But the so-called "home" restaurants prevail on the island, the owner meets guests right at the entrance.

There are such cafes all over the island: on the main streets, in mountain (but tourist) villages, in ports, in markets. The cheapest hot dish is a homemade burger (from 8-10 EUR), served with french fries. As a rule, the garnish is already included in the price. The menu has a lot of fish and seafood - from 15 EUR for a hot dish (more often vegetables as a side dish). An abundance of vegetable salads (Greek - from 8 EUR, with seafood - from 10 EUR). Water and even homemade lemonade in some establishments are served for free along with the order. Thus, you can have a snack for 10-15 EUR per person, a full meal with wine - from 30 EUR. In establishments with a claim to restaurant cuisine - from 50 EUR.

The famous "huge" portions can already be classified as Greek myths. Even in home restaurants they are replaced with medium ones.

The second most popular format of institutions is a bistro. A "complex lunch", a burger or a sandwich, will be served with a soda for 10 EUR. Approximately the same range of food in beach bars. Beer - from 2-3 EUR per can.

Pubs with local beer and coffee houses where Greek coffee is brewed can only be found in major tourist centers (Kos, Kardamena, Lambi). In the capital, the tourist "street of bars" stretches for almost a kilometer. Classic English pubs coexist with party venues where cocktails and shots get in the way.

Best photos of Kos

Entertainment and attractions

For travelers, this island leaves the impression of a very sweet, patriarchal and homely. The usual landscape of Kos - small villages scattered here and there, goats grazing near them, the ruins of destroyed fortresses.

Many attractions are concentrated in the capital and its environs. The fortress of the Knights of St. John of the 15th century, built from the dismantled buildings of the ancient agora, is located in the old part of the city of Kos. The castle is destroyed, you should walk carefully along its territory overgrown with weeds, a busy port life is in full swing under the walls.

Opposite the fortress, across the bridge, stands in props Hippocrates Plane Tree. This tree is no more than 500 years old, and is considered a descendant of the one under which the "father of medicine" had conversations with his students about 2500 years ago. Here you can see the ruins of the Roman agora and go to central square Eleftherias (and the market) with its main decoration, the Gazi-Hasan Mosque, and many pretty cafes. In the city center is another Greco-Roman monument, the Villa Casa Romana. 2nd century building e. recreated from the ruins, including sculptures, dishes, pools, fragments of bas-reliefs.

The main monument of the island, Asklepion (dated to the 3rd century BC), just a few kilometers from the city of Kos, is one of the first hospitals in world history. Asklepion consists of several terraces: doctors were trained on the lower one, they were treated and prayed on the middle one (temples and a hospital, to which pipes were connected to local sources), another temple crowned the upper terrace. According to legend, Hippocrates was trained here (on the territory of Greece there were several hundred such complexes in honor of the god of medicine Asclepius).

The only sulfur-hydrogen source on the island goes directly to the sea, about 12 km to the east. Therme beach is wild, without any infrastructure. The source is fenced from the sea by boulders, which forms a pool. The water is hot (the temperature is above +40-50 °C), there are a lot of people during the season. To obtain a therapeutic effect, regular procedures are recommended.

Throughout the island there are monuments from different eras. In Kefalos, in the town of Agios Stefanos, right on the beach - the remains of a Christian basilica of the 5th century. In the depths of the island, in the mountains, rises the mysterious Paleo Pili - a ruined Byzantine fortress, which until the middle of the 19th century played the role of a local capital. From here, the island is visible in all directions, to the strip of sea on the northern coast. On south coast well-preserved Italian fortress Antimachia rises above Kardamena, rebuilt in the 15th century by the Johnites.

10 things to do in Kos

1. Find your favorite beach by exploring the length and breadth of the coast.
2. To visit the outlying cape in the west, to feel lost in the ocean.
3. Find, finally, these Kossky coffee houses. And what, ouzo is added to coffee?
4. In the city of Kos, walk along the overgrown bridge from the fortress to the Plane Tree of Hippocrates.
5. Take a bike and ride around the night capital and the night port.
6. Unexpectedly end the night walk with a swim in deserted beaches Tigaki.
7. "Go out in public": plunge into international fun in the pubs of Kardamena or Kos.
8. Devote a day to panoramic photos: Asklepion and Paleo Pili mountain fortress.
9. Take pictures and swim on the beach in Agios Stefanos! Without a photo of the famous basilica and an island off the coast, consider that you have not been to Kos.

We will tell you how to get to the Curonian Spit from Kaliningrad and Zelenogradsk, in hot pursuit, namely, based on the 2019 trip.

National Park "Curonian Spit" is located 90 km from - this city comes most of tourists and from there goes on excursions. Approximately at the same distance is the resort Svetlogorsk, and a little closer, 50 km from the spit, the resort town of Zelenogradsk. You can get to the Curonian Spit from any of these settlements: buses run, many excursions are organized, entry is also open for personal vehicles - even to the Lithuanian Nida and Klaipeda.

Looking ahead, the most convenient way see were and still are excursions. Group, individual - any.

It makes sense to go by car if you are interested in the villages - Lesnoy, Rybachy, Morskoye - or local beaches. Visit the museum, the Dancing Forest and viewing platforms you can also, but only if you first study the routes, and also fill in the places of equipped parking lots in the navigator. Otherwise, either spend time sorting out the place, or get a fine for parking in an unspecified place.

How to get from Kaliningrad

1. By bus Kaliningrad - Curonian Spit

The most convenient flight from Kaliningrad to the Curonian Spit №593 - Kaliningrad - Marine. Since 2017, in the summer (from April to October), it runs four times a day from the bus station: 05-30, 09-35, 12-35, 17-50. Travel time is about two hours. This, of course, made life easier for travelers, because before that the only way to get there was a route with a change in Zelenogradsk.

Route of flight No. 593:

• the first stop is the Northern bus station;
• second stop - bus station Zelenogradsk;
• third stop - Lesnoy settlement;
• fourth stop - p. Rybachy;
• end station - p. Morskoy.

IN winter time the bus from Kaliningrad leaves only twice a day: at 05-30 and at 17-50. It’s easier to check the return flight schedule at the stop where you get off at the Curonian Spit - few travelers go all the way to Morskoy.

There is another flight that can take you to the Curonian Spit - Kaliningrad - Klaipeda. It follows through the villages of Lesnoy and Rybachy, as well as the Lithuanian Nida. The only negative: departure once a day - at 16-30 (from the bus station).

2. Organized excursions to the Curonian Spit

Taking into account the impressive distances of the Curonian Spit (almost 50 km long), the most convenient way to visit the Efa Height, the Fringilla ornithological station and the Dancing Forest in one day is excursions.

• Group tours are best organized by the local travel agency "Royal Castle", whose office is located in. The Curonian Spit is the most popular destination, therefore, as a rule, buses of 40-45 people are recruited. The program is rich, there is little free time, but the cost is affordable for everyone - from 1300 rubles. for a person.
• Individual excursions are organized locals who know a lot about their native places, know how to tell interesting stories and can take you by car. The advantages of such routes are mobility and absolutely individual approach(you'll see whatever you want, at whatever pace you're comfortable with). The downside is the price (from 5500 rubles per tour; the number of participants is no more than the number of seats in the car).

Search for individual tours conveniently on Tripster- there is a whole page dedicated to it, currently there are 12 offers to choose from.

Be sure to read the reviews: some guides have more than 170 of them, but this does not always mean that the tour is better - it just appeared much earlier than others. And ask the guides questions: the service allows you to do this before paying.

3. Travel to the Curonian Spit by car

On Russian territory(this is about 45 km in length) there are two cordons: at the entrance from Zelenogradsk in the area of ​​​​the village of Lesnoy and not far from the border with Lithuania.

Checkpoint on the Curonian Spit (Lesnoy settlement)

Bus stop near the checkpoint in Lesnoy

Entrance to the Curonian Spit by car is paid. At the checkpoint, 300 rubles are charged. per car (driver's fare included) + 150 rubles each. for each passenger. Preferential categories: pensioners, children under 12 and residents of coastal villages.

And remember: no matter which side you enter the territory of the national park, you will need to show a payment ticket at the exit - be sure to keep it.

How to get from Zelenogradsk

From Zelenogradsk (and at the same time Svetlogorsk) you can get to the Curonian Spit by bus number 596 along the route Svetlogorsk - Zelenogradsk - Marine from the bus station. It departs four times a day: 07-15, 09-45, 12-30, 16-00 (the time is indicated from Zelenogradsk). Travel time is just under an hour.