Things To Do In Klaipeda And Ways Of Getting To Curonian Spit

Klaipeda is one of the most beautiful port cities in Lithuania. It’s also a getaway to the Curonian Spit- a green paradise with kilometers of white-sand beaches. Although the town is not big, there are many things to do in Klaipeda. You can be sure you won’t get bored there!

A few years ago, we took a month-long road trip through Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. After visiting the beautiful Tallinn, vibrant Riga, awesome Vilnius, amazing Jurmala, and peaceful Otepaa, Klaipeda and the Curonian Spit were next on our list.

It turned out that this part of Lithuania is the hidden gem of Europe, still undiscovered and heartbreakingly beautiful. The unspoiled nature, amazing beaches, and the pristine forests look like they’ve been taken out of the fairy tale. In this post, you will find the most interesting things to see in Klaipeda and all the important information about Klaipeda ferry to Curonian Spit.

What To See In Klaipeda Lithuania?

Take A Walk Around The Old Town

Visiting the Old Town is one of the best things to do in Klaipeda. Most of the best tourist attractions are located within the Old Town area.

It is quite small- you can walk through it in less than 15 minutes. Even though it is not a vibrant place, it’s still worth visiting. You don’t have to beat the crowds while sightseeing and you can really enjoy the quiet and peaceful time surrounded by beautiful architecture and monuments.

Spot The Interesting Statues

The Theatre Square with the sculpture Annchen von Tarau is considered as the heart of Klaipeda Old City.

There are many small hidden sculptures in the Old Town (just like in Wroclaw, Poland), so walk around and try to find as many of them as you can! My favorite is the statue of The Black Ghost, you can find it at the pier at Zveju street.

Visit The Castle Museum

If you are looking for more interesting things to do in Klaipeda Lithuania, head to The Castle Museum. There was a big and beautiful castle in the past in Klaipeda but it was destroyed several times. It is being restored right now. 

The museum is available to visit though, so be sure to go there! You can learn there a lot about the history of Klaipeda, which is surprisingly complicated.

The other Klaipeda attractions worth visiting are The Blacksmith’s Museum, The History Museum of Lithuania Minor, and The Museum of Clocks.

Walk Around The Klaipėda Sculpture Park

Even though the sculptures are not that impressive, visiting Martynas Mazvydas is one of the best things to do in Klaipeda.

Take a relaxing walk around the park and see the big, stone sculptures.

Have Dinner At The Meridianas Ship

The big, white ship is a landmark of the town and must-see during your Klaipeda sightseeing. It is standing in the heart of the Old Town and cannot be missed by any traveler visiting the city. It is both a tourist attraction and one of the best restaurants in Klaipeda.

Meridianas has a long and tumultuous history, it was the USRR’s (Russian) ship in the past. It has been renovated recently and turned into a luxury restaurant.

No matter if you want to have dinner or not, be sure to get inside the ship. You can watch a short movie about Meridianas there. That will help you understand the importance of this ship for the people of Klaipeda.

The real captain is working on Meridianas, be sure to find him to get to know more about the ship!

Try Local Food At Friedricho Pasazas

The town is small that’s why you don’t really have many restaurants in Klaipeda to choose from.

There is one place where you can find everything you need though. It is called Friedricho Pasazas. There are six restaurants in this complex there including bakery, pizzeria, winery, steakhouse, high-end restaurant, and tavern, where you can try traditional Lithuanian food.

Have Fun At Dino Park

Located about 15 minutes drive from the town, a Dino Park is one of the best things to do in Klaipeda with kids.

They can see there the real-size dinosaurs that are both scary and impressive! What’s more, there are some real animals on the farm (lamas, rabbits, etc.) which is a great attraction, especially for the smallest children.

When visiting Dino Park, be sure to take a photo of the nearby Upside Down house!

Take A Day Trip To The Curonian Spit

There are two main Lithuanian towns at Curonian Spit: Juodkrante and Nida. There are some hotels and restaurants there, so you can stay on the peninsula for a night.

For now, there is one gas station and one bigger grocery store (Maxima) in Nida.

Curonian Spit is famous for unspoiled nature. You can never get bored of its beautiful 50-kilometers long beach.

Be sure to go to the dunes in Nida while in Curonian Spit. You have to climb up to get there but the view from the top is absolutely breathtaking!

The buildings on the peninsula are unique and colorful. I have never seen anything like them before.

It is worth to visit the Ethnographic Fishermen’s Museum in Nida to get to know a little bit more about Curonian Spit and its people.

The other great tourist attractions on the peninsula are Thomas Mann Museum and Amber Museum in Nida & Witches Hill and Dendrological Path in Juodkrante.

The full list of tourist attractions in Neringa, you can find here.

How To Get To Curonian Spit From Klaipeda?

The beautiful Curonian Spit is the main reason why people are visiting Klaipeda. It is located on the peninsula, which means the only way you can get there from Lithuania is by the Curonian Spit ferry. It is connected with Belarus by land.

There are two kinds of Klaipeda ferry that you can take to Curonian Spit:

The New Port

Nemuno str.8

If you are looking for the Klaipeda car ferry, the New Port is your place to go.

The Lithuanian part of the Curonian Spit is 50 kilometers (31 miles) long, so it is really recommended to take your vehicle on the peninsula if you want to see everything. Click here to find the cheapest deals for the car rental Klaipeda.

The ferries are leaving every 30 minutes, you don’t need to book anything online, just go to the port and wait in line. If you want, you can check the current Klaipeda ferry timetable here.

The cost of the ferry from Klaipeda to Smiltyne depends on the number of people you are traveling with. On average, you will pay about 15 euro. See the current ferry Klaipeda Smiltyne price here.

It takes about 15 minutes to get from Klaipeda to Smiltyne.

Old Port

Danės str. 1

The smaller terminal, only for pedestrians and bikers. If you don’t have a car, a trip to Curonian Spit is still doable.

You can either take a ferry to Smiltyne or Marine Museum. You can also find a dolphinarium there, so you may spend many hours on the peninsula without getting bored. All the important information about the prices and timetables can be found here.

Taking A Tour

If you want to save yourself a trouble of organizing the entire trip, join a guided tour to:

• Curonian Spit from Klaipeda
• Curonian Spit from Vilnius

The tours are private, so you can customize them according to your needs.

Watch The Dolphins At The Sea Museum

The only dolphinarium in Klaipeda is located in the Curonian Spit.

I am mentioning it in the end on purpose- you can either see it after visiting the peninsula or simply take a ferry just to see the Sea Museum.

What’s The Best Accommodation In Klaipeda?

For Luxury Travelers

There is one place worth recommending- it’s called Michaelson Boutique Hotel. It’s not only one of the best hotels in Klaipeda but also in the entire country of Lithuania.

Michaelson is situated within the walking distance to the Old Town, right next to the pier. Luxury room, comfortable bed, useful facilities, beautiful bathroom, fast WiFi are the things I liked the most. And breakfast! It was out of this world. The food was freshly prepared (you can actually see it because of the open kitchen) and it was really delicious.

For Foodies

This boutique hotel is a part of the Friedricho Pasazas. It is a perfect place to stay for all the foodies. You will have the best restaurants in Klaipeda right on your doorstep!

The location is perfect, in the center of Old Town, within the walking distance to all the Klaipeda tourist attractions. The room is big, comfortable, and luxurious. The things we liked the most are the heated floor in the bathroom, the kitchenette, and the unique design of the hotel.

For Home-like Experience

I am a huge fan of Airbnb! It’s a great option for those who want to feel like home while traveling. If you want to stay in the town longer than just a few days, then Airbnb may be the best accommodation in Klaipeda for you.

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Disclosure: We want to thank Michaelson Boutique Hotel and Friedricho Guesthouse for complimentary stays. All opinions presented in this post are honest and our own.