Klaipėda

Klaipėda: make the most of the coast!

Not on the tourist trail per se, Klaipėda is a busy port city characterised by 18^th century, wooden-style German buildings. For those travellers who do pass through, Klaipėda is a stopping off point and somewhere to stay while visiting the Curonian Spit – one of Europe’s best kept secrets…

Take the ten-minute ferry from mainland Klaipėda to Smiltynė. You’ll still be in Klaipėda city but you’re now on the northern tip of the Curonian Spit, a 100km sandbar that stretches south into Kaliningrad Oblast. The Spit is one of Lithuania’s four UNESCO Heritage Sites and home to some of the largest sand dunes in Europe, spectacular pine forests, and stunning Baltic Sea views. You’ll also find charming villages – by car, Nida is around an hour away and Lithuania’s last town before the Russian border. Here you’ll be charmed by brightly painted wooden houses that are home to restaurants and guesthouses - and you must climb Parnidis Dune, the largest on the entire peninsula.

Before you head back to Klaipėda, make a stop at the Lithuanian Sea Museum and Dolphinarium to meet the penguins, grey seals and sea lions. The Museum has almost 100,000 exhibits celebrating the diversity of the Baltic Sea, a traditional fisherman’s homestead, and a few perfectly preserved fishing vessels. Our favourite part is the Dolphinarium where you can meet Black Sea Bottlenose Dolphins and perhaps even enjoy an educational show. There’s lots to discover!

Back in Klaipėda proper, explore the Old Town where you’ll find those quaint wooden buildings and the neoclassical Drama Theatre at the heart of the cobblestoned Theatre Square. It’s quite different from other Lithuanian cities: we would say that if Kaunas and Vilnius can be described as cultural and creative in equal measure, Klaipėda is all about the tranquillity. You’ll sense that in the laidback vibe and a distinctly slow pace that makes for a perfectly relaxing break.

Because Klaipėda is also a small city, it’s easy to get around. If you like to walk, you’ll love it here. Explore Friedrich Passage and its little courtyards with cafés, restaurants and shops. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch some live music. Take a walk along the river in Dane Park to find a fisherman, a mermaid and the padlock-laden Tree of Love. At night, the city’s promenades come to life and the riverfront is extremely charming.

The Sculpture Park at Klaipėda is also worth a visit and has a beautiful Russian Orthodox Church, or you can discover 700 years of the city’s history at Memel Castle ruins.

Klaipėda is also perfect for a relaxed family break. Dinosaur-mad kids will love the Radailiai Dinosaur Park where they can get their picture taken with some of their favourite giants, dig for fossils and visit the 5D cinema. While you’re at Radailiai, make sure not to miss the Upside-Down House, a museum of illusions that will mesmerise the young and the not so young!