Hey there, fellow travelers! Today, we’re talking about Klaipeda, one of the coastal cities in Lithuania. I lived and worked here for quite a few years, so I thought I would share my favorite things to do in Klaipeda. If you’re planning a trip to Lithuania, I highly recommend you check out Klaipeda on the Baltic Sea.
Curonian Spit
Across the harbor from Klaipeda, there’s a spit of land, the Curonian Spit, that has several great beaches on the Baltic Sea. There are several ferries running from the mainland, as well as buses that run up and down the Spit if you choose to take a foot ferry.
- You can take a foot ferry over to the town of Smiltynė and enjoy some of the beaches. This is also where you’ll find the Lithuanian Sea Museum, which has dolphins, seals, and other ocean animals found in this area.
- Further down the Curonian Spit, you’ll find Juodkrantė, a seaside resort village. This is where you’ll find the Hill of Witches. Lithuania is famous for wood carvings, and the Hill of Witches is a forest full of wood carvings representing different myths and legends of Lithuania. Before you visit, buy the booklet that explains the carvings; it’s a lot more interesting that way.
- Continuing along the Curonian Spit, you’ll come to the Dead Dunes. These are giant sand dunes that are continuously shifting and have even buried villages in their path. They are fun to visit and a great place for kids to burn off energy trying to climb the dunes.
- Nida is the farthest you can travel on the Curonian Spit before you reach Russia. It’s a small town with some interesting museums and a view of Russia!
What to Know Before You Visit Lithuania
Palanga
This is another beach community that is north of Klaipeda, not far from the Latvia border. It’s a popular seaside town where the locals go to enjoy the Baltic Sea beaches. There’s lot of shops and restaurants for tourists to enjoy.
Klaipeda Old Town
While there aren’t a ton of things to see in Klaipeda, there is an Old Town area with a couple of squares and fountains to explore. However, Klaipeda is more of a “going out” town than a culture and sights town. There are some great restaurants and bars in Klaipeda. It’s also a great destination for families, as there are a lot of parks to visit. It’s not very touristy, so you can really relax and blend in with the locals as you enjoy the city. It’s also a nice base for exploring the coastal area of Lithuania.
Klaipeda Zoo
If you’re visiting Lithuania with kids, they actually have a great zoo in Klaipeda. We visited when they had baby lions and we were able to hang out with them and pet them. For a small town, the zoo is really well done.
Lithuanian Food
The food in Lithuania is really good and you should try as much of it as you can when you visit. Cepelinai is a popular dish; it’s a giant potato dumpling with a meatball inside, and you cover it with cream and bacon bits. Fried bread is also served often. Not only is the food good, but the prices are really great. You can eat well for cheap in Lithuania.
Getting to Klaipeda
It’s pretty easy getting to and from Klaipeda. You can take a bus to Riga in about five hours, and a bus to Tallinn in about four to five hours. You can even visit Kaliningrad from Klaipeda. There are also overnight ferries you can take to Germany. While there are a few trains, buses are usually the faster route, especially if you take the express bus.
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As a port city and home to a university Klaipeda Lithuania is a bit more international, and you won’t have too much trouble finding English speakers. For a low key family vacation, we really enjoyed our time in Klaipeda. Looking for more tips on travel in the Baltic region? Check out these other blog posts:
