8 Best things to do around the Baltic Sea coast, Lithuania

VISIT | Klaipeda

Klaipeda is the main town on the Baltic Sea coastline of Lithuania and it’s ideal as a base to explore the surrounding area. This is where you would take a very short ferry ride to Neringa if you wanted to visit the Curonian Spit.

Klaipeda is a small town and it has its charm and fair share of nice eateries, but there isn’t a lot to see here in terms of attractions. Probably the most interesting thing to do here is to try and spot the various peculiar statues that are scattered across the town centre - there are many! (the Black Ghost and the Magical Mouse were our favourites). If you visit the local tourist office, they even have a map with the location of all the statues.

VISIT | Palanga (or not)

Palanga is a popular Lithuanian resort on the Baltic coast, and the go-to beach destinations for locals and tourists alike. And so we decided to check it out and went for a walk along the main boulevard and the pier. 

Unfortunately, I have to say I was not impressed at all. The whole place felt somewhat tacky and a bit stuck in the past. Our short stay in Palanga was reminiscent of my childhood summer days spent in various seaside resorts along Romania's Black Sea, but not in a good way, and 20 years later.

The area around the pier and beach is nice, but otherwise I would say that time around Lithuania's Baltic Sea coast is better spent elsewhere.

VIEW | Olandu Kepures (The Dutchman's Cap)

I was completely unaware of this place when I planned the Lithuania itinerary, but our Lithuanian friends in Klaipeda wanted to take us there for sunset. The Dutchman's Cap is a small hill on the edge of the water, with dense forest and beautiful views across the sea.

The light around the golden hour was magical, and the slim pine tree silhouettes really added to the landscape. This is definitely worth a stop if you have a car, especially at sunset.

VISIT | Hill of Witches

This is probably the first point of interest you will encounter after the ferry crossing, in the village of Juodkrante.

The Hill of Witches is an outdoor sculpture gallery, consisting of several forest trails lined with wooden statues (around 80 in total). At this point, you should have already discovered how much Lithuanians love their statues. Admission is free.

VISIT | Dead Dunes

Perhaps sand dunes are not the first thing you'd expect to see during a trip to Lithuania, but they are very typical of Neringa - the coastal region that is the Lithuanian side of the Curonian Spit. Negyvosios Kopos (Dead Dunes) are a very worthwhile stop along the way from Klaipeda to Nida, just after Juodkrante. In my opinion, they are more interesting and photogenic than the Parnidis dune at Nida, which is actually more popular.

There is a fee of €5 per person to visit the sand dunes, but the area is well maintained. The landscape is quite distinctive, very desert-like, and offers plenty of photo opportunities.
  

STAY | Nida

If you are after some peace and quiet, Nida is a lovely place to escape to and spend the night, perhaps in one of the traditional houses that are typical of this area (we rented this cozy cottage for the night).

Surrounded by sand and perfectly calm waters, Nida is an oasis of tranquility just a few km away from the Russian border. This popular resort town feels like a place at the end of the world, and in a way it is.

RELAX | Nida Beach 

Nida lies on the shores of the Curonian lagoon rather than the Baltic Sea, and there aren't really any sandy beaches or bathing opportunities in the town itself. However, the Curonian Spit around there stretches for less than 2km in width, so you can easily reach the beach on the other side that faces the Baltic Sea. The water is bound to be a little cold, but for a beach in Lithuania, this is really as good as it gets.

The beach that is known as Nida beach is a very short drive away from the town, and you can even walk to it. This is just a small section of a very long beach that stretches along the entire length of the Curonian Spit, which is around 50km on the Lithuanian side alone. As you wander around, don't forget that the Russian border is just 3-4km away so you don't want to be wandering too much south!

VISIT | Parnidis Dune

Nida is a charming little town, but there really isn't much to do there in terms of sightseeing. You can walk along the water, and maybe check-out the lighthouse too. The main attraction though is just a little bit out of town: a sand dune called Parnidis. This is as far as one can go along the Curonian spit, because the dune is right next to the border between Lithuania and Kaliningrad (Russia).

Parnidis is a drifting sand dune, so the formation is fragile and susceptible to movement over time. In the interest of preservation and security, there are restrictions in place and visitors are only allowed to walk around designated paths, while certain areas around the slopes as well as the border are completely off limits.

As you approach the sand dune, you'll initially come across a sundial monument and a viewing platform, with beautiful views, best enjoyed around golden hour. From there, you can descend along the path (follow the signage) and wander around the sand dune below.                                              

For more ideas of places to visit, check out my map of Lithuania.

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