Kaliningrad Private Jet Charters

Russia made Kaliningrad a free-trade zone, giving it easier access to Poland and Lithuania, which are both members of NATO and the European Union.

A German territory - part of East Prussia -- until World War II, Kaliningrad provides Russia a strategically vital warm-water port. Consequently, it is heavily militarized and military exercises are frequently held there.

It's a place for history buffs to study the post-war reconfiguration of Russia, Germany, and Europe. Its German and Soviet pasts are reflected in buildings that remain standing. There are also German restaurants among those selling Russian fare. A must-see relic of the USSR is the Soviet Center, a huge, futuristic concrete structure. It was built in 1960 but has never been occupied because of structural problems. It remains fenced off in the heart of the city.

The coastal resort town of Svetlogorsk draws German tourists to see vestiges of the old empire. The town is said to have a whimsical feel with art nouveau architecture and cafes that sell bratwurst and pretzels.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about Kaliningrad is the Curonian Spit, a 60-mile long, narrow ribbon of land that arcs into the Baltic Sea. It's a secluded place with pine trees and sand dunes (and tank parking lots) where visitors can hike the ancient forest and hunt for pieces of amber. Millions of fragments, some containing insects, wash up on the Baltic coastline. It is where 80 percent of amber comes from and shops selling jewelry with the fossilized tree resin are everywhere.