Private Shore Excursion: Curonian Spit and Highlights of Klaipeda

The Curonian Spit is a 98 km long, thin, curved sand-dune spit that separates the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea coast. Its southern portion lies within Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia and it’s northern within southwestern Lithuania. The spit is famous for its large sand dunes and "dancing trees", twisted by the wind force.

The history of the treasures of Juodkrantė begins in the middle of the 19th century, when a large quantity of raw amber was discovered near Juodkrantė during a project to deepen a seaway in the Curonian Lagoon, which is known as Kuršių marios in Lithuanian.

Juodkrante is the second largest settlement after the Nida in the Lithuanian part of the Curonian Spit, which is located on the Curonian Spit. The village attracts tourists with its very beautiful and vibrant nature.

Parnidis Dune is located just outside Nida. Well, at the moment, as this dune has changed its location throughout the history. The wind blows the sand, and the dune moves, sometimes swallowing the whole settlements or fishermen villages. The dune is 52 m high, and you can see both the Baltic Sea and the Curonian lagoon from its top. Right on the top of the dune, next to the view point, you will see the sun clock.

The Dead Dune, Naglis Dune or Grey Dune (all the same dune, just many names) is located between Juodkrante and Pervalka.

Nida is the most beautiful and characteristic town from all the settlements on the Curonian Spit. Easily recognised from its traditional wooden houses, the facades decorated with colourful ethnographic motives, the golden dunes, wonderful beach, lagoon and flying Curonian pennants, it’s a little piece of heaven on earth.

The Nobel Prize-winning author of Death in Venice, Doctor Faustus and scores of other novels, short stories and essays, Thomas Mann (1875-1955) spent the summers of 1930 and 1931 in Nida, and this is the building he had constructed in which to spend them in. Now a museum, several of the rooms have been given over to exhibits charting the man’s life both here and abroad.

In the museum you will get acquainted with the history of Baltic amber, its morphology, which is revealed by exhibits of different size, shape and color. The Amber Gallery-museum originated from a private amber workshop, whre one could buy unique amber artcles. The museum was opened in 1998, though the exibits had been collected for 20 years.

Klaipėda's Old Town is different from the rest of Lithuania since it has a lot of German and Scandinavian architecture. It is unique with its fachwerk architectural style and the planned street structure, can't be found in any other old town in Lithuania. Its streets are geometrically configured very correctly, and the angle of intersection is always straight.

Klaipėda Castle, also known as Memelburg or Memel Castle, is an archeological site and museum housed in a castle built by the Teutonic Knights. The castle was first mentioned in written sources in 1252, and underwent numerous destructions and reconstructions in the centuries that followed.

One of most popular places in Klaipėda‘s old town is The Theatre Square. Another notable building is the Drama Theatre. Since the 18th century, the theatre has played an important role in the cultural life of Klaipėda. The square hosts a variety of concerts, the Sea Festival, the International Jazz Festival and other events.

Ann from Tharau fountain at the center of the Theater square is the monument dedicated to Simon Dach, a German poet who was born in Klaipėda and studied at Konigsberg University.

Magic Mouse - a sculpture installed in the historical center of Klaipeda in 2006. Made of bronze and stone, the authors of the project are sculptors Sergejus Plotnikovas, Svayjunas Jurkus and architect Vytautas Paulionis.

The steel sculpture "Dragon" was created to illustrate one of the legends retelling the origins of Klaipėda. One of the stories tells of two brothers who went out to find a new suitable place to found a city. The 145 kg in weight, over three-meter-long dragon hangs on the wall is not just for decoration, but fulfills the function of a rain pipe. During rain, one can see water splashing out of the jaws of the dragon.

For many years the object of attraction in Klaipėda's Old Town was the granite sculpture called "The cat with the face of a gentleman", which was created by artist R. Midvikis in 1980. Twice, the sculpture was rebuilt after hooligans stole it, but soon enough it disappeared again. In the summer of 2006, on the occasion of city's birthday, the cat returned to its rightful place in the Kalvių street square.