Lithuania

Blame it on the Baltic sea breeze or the almost-endless midsummer days: Lithuania has an otherworldly quality. In the southernmost of the Baltic states, beaches are spangled with amber and woodlands are alive with demonic statues. Medieval-style mead and traditional wood-carving never went out of style.

NIDA

We made a day hike around the coast and sand dunes in Nida. This tranquil fishing village is located on the 98 km long Curonian Spit which shares the UNESCO accolade with Russia. This lone detached strip of land surrounded by the waters of the Baltic Sea and the Curonian Lagoon is one of...

RAGANU KALNAS

From Klaipėda we took a quite expensive ferry (24,6 € / few minutes ride) to Curonian Spit, the birch-lined tendril of land across the lagoon, which is also called Neringa. On top of that, we have paid another 30 € entrance fee to the National Park. Our first stop was the Juodkrantė...

KLAIPĖDA

On the way to the south, we made another stop at a city with a distinctly German flavor. Lithuania’s third-largest city, formerly known as Memel, was part of the Prussian Kingdom until the region wrestled to autonomy in 1923. Buildings in the compact, cobblestoned Old Town are...

PALANGA

Palanga is the biggest seaside resort in Lithuania. It is located 29 kilometers north of Klaipėda. The famous ten kilometers long white sandy beach is lined by dunes and pine forests. Originally a fishermen’s village, Palanga was first mentioned in written sources in the 12th century. It...

NUCLEAR BASE

We made overnight deep in the forest at ex-Soviet Nuclear Missile Base in Plokščiai. The former underground missile base hosts the Cold War Museum. There was no guided tour available so we have got a chance to explore the underground and the missile silos labyrinth by ourselves. Ten...

KRYŽIŲ KALNAS

We have arrived at the site in the late afternoon when the sun created a great light and shadows play at The Hill of Crosses. It is a Christian pilgrimage site with a collection of over 100,000 wooden crucifixes and other religious icons erected on a hill outside the city of Šiauliai in...

KAUNAS

We made overnight in lovely Kaunas – the coolest city in Lithuania. It is Lithuania’s second-largest city resting at the confluence of the country’s two largest rivers, Neris and Nemunas. Kaunas medieval old town is smaller but more intact than that of Vilnius as it suffered less of the...

TRAKAI

On the way to Kaunas, we have stopped in the old town of Trakai. It is situated west of Vilnius between the hills, forests, and lakes. The shores of the peninsula on which it is located are washed by the waters of Lakes Galvė, Totoriškių, and Bernardinų (Lukos). This town, famous for its...

VILNIUS

We spent again one day and night in the capital city. According to a legend, Vilnius was established by duke Gediminas in the early 14th century. Vilnius became the capital of what was at the time Europe‘s largest country, stretching from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. The city has had...

AUKŠTAITIJA NP

Our first stop after the long drive from Riga was Lithuania’s first national park – Aukstaitija. It covers an area of 40570 hectares in north-eastern Lithuania. Over 70 percent of its territory is pine stands, including the ancient woods of Azvinciai, Mincia, and Linkmenos...