If you’re volunteering or visiting Lithuania in the summer months, you should think about visiting the beach!
Lithuania is constantly surprising us. We knew this place would be filled with castles and cafes, but cute beach towns? We’re smitten.
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Before you hop on a train to visit for yourself or wander out for the weekend, here are the details to know:
- Where Is Klaipeda?
- Things To Do
- When Should I Visit?
- How Long Should I Stay?
- How Do I Get There?
Where Is Klaipeda?
Found on the northwest coast of Lithuania, Klaipeda is the third largest city in the country, but it feels like a quiet fisherman’s town. Klaipeda’s a charming stopover for a few Baltic cruise lines, and with city streets that are oddly reminiscent of small German towns, we can see why.
The city sits right on the Black Sea, and has a narrow strip of land just to the south that’s fun to check out. The strip is called the Curonian Spit (it’s UNESCO site) that you'll need to explore. And if you have time, we also recommend heading north to the coastal town of Palanga. 
Things To Do
Visit Klaipeda
The city itself is just darling. You’ll find an old seaport, a cruise port, and a charming town lined with shops, stores, and houses to explore. Mostly we suggest just walking around (camera in hand) before visiting Palanga and the Curonian Spit.
Swim In The Black Sea
In and around Klaipeda, you can hang out at a couple of beaches. The most popular is Smiltynè (which is actually on the Curonian Spit, by the way, so keep reading for info on how to get there).
Smiltynè has wide, sandy beaches and gets quite popular in the summer, so you may need to battle some crowds. Giruliai and Melnragė are also popular beaches with a pretty coastline. If you’d like to take a dip, pack your swimming suit and dive right in. As a heads-up, even in the summertime, the Black Sea can be a bit chilly, but on a warm day, it’s refreshing.
Explore The Curonian Spit
Just south of the small city of Klaipeda is a narrow strip of land that separates the Black Sea from the Curonian Lagoon. One ILP Volunteer said the Spit was her favorite part of their weekend in Klaipeda. It’s partly owned by Lithuania and partly owned by Russia, but the area is blanketed with white sand dunes and a stretch of coastline dotted with little villages and forests.
We've got all the tips to help you plan your trip to the Spit right here.
Visit The City Of Palanga
Found just about 30 minutes north of Klaipeda, you can easily take a bus to Palanga, which is another cute coastal town. The main pull in Palanga is the long stretch of sand (backed by sand dunes and pine trees) and the “L” shaped iconic pier. In the summertime, this place is a vibrant seaside resort for locals wanting a bit of sun and sand. You’ll also spot tourists from Russia, Germany, Poland, Sweden and other nearby countries.
In the warmer months, pop-up shops will line the street leading to the pier, selling everything from amber rings to colorful scarves and yummy ice cream! You can find vendors renting pedal boats, bicycles, and horse riding along the beach if you’re interested. Past groups loved getting horses from this vendor. (address Klaipedos pl.34, Palanga).
The Basanavičiaus pedestrian street is also a cute place to check out; you’ll find restaurants and cafes, and some fun little shops to peek into. Along the boardwalk, you’ll find jewelers selling rings (amber and stones are a huge commodity here, so you can get some nicely priced jewelry) along with scarves, or sweet treats like ice cream.
There is also a large manor home that used to be belong to the Tiškevičiai family; inside, houses the largest amber museum in the Baltic States, and the grounds create a botanical garden that is lovely to walk through in the spring and summer.
Getting To Palanga: Check out bus timetables and prices (it'll just be a couple of euros) here.
When Should I Visit?
If you're expecting a warm sunny beach, it's a definite summer activity. Past groups visited in the middle of September, but the water was too chilly to swim in, and things were starting to close down. The same goes for the beginning of Spring.
During the fall and spring months, it's still fun to come hang out at the beach and catch the view, especially since you'll have the area all to yourself without the summer crowds. If you've ever visited the windy, cooler temperatures on the Oregon coast, it's similar to that. Not swimmable, but still beautiful.
If you’ll be in Lithuania in late June, July or August, that is the time to visit if you’re looking for a warm day at the beach. You can still visit in shoulder seasons, but these coastal cities tend to shut down a bit and you can tell that several vendors and stands will be closed and deserted for the season.
How Do I Get There?
You can easily reach Klaipeda from Vilnius; it’s about a 4 hour ride. You can book tickets here. Prices look to be around 14 to 17 euros for a second class ticket, but you can pay more for a first class ticket if you’d like.
+ Getting Around Klaipeda
It’s easy. There’s a city bus system in place, as well as taxis, but you can walk to most places you’d be interested in seeing. You can pay for your bus ticket directly to the driver; get help seeing where the buses go with this interactive map.
Most of the Old Town district is walkable, but you can also often find vendors who will to rent you a bicycle if you’d prefer to ride around (which is a fun option, by the way).
Buses can also take you up to Palanga, which we get to later.
Dying to see more Europe?
I do not blame you. Our ILP volunteers who are spending their semester abroad in Europe get to call some of the coolest cities their home for a few months and also hop all over Europe on vacations to see top destinations.
Follow us on Instagram to see some of our favorite European spots, including hidden gems like the coast of Lithuania.
