Klaipėda County: Coastal Trails, Nature and Culture

• The “Miško Katedros Takais” and “Kuršių Niūrija” hiking trails are 6 and 5 kilometres long, respectively.
• Nemunas Delta Regional Park encompasses wetlands, shallow bays of the Curonian Lagoon, Rusnė Island and the Ventė Cape peninsula.
• Things to do include visiting museums and nature trails, climbing observation towers and enjoying water sports.

If you’d like to include a hike in your trip, you can compare two trails by starting point and length. The “Miško Katedros Takais” trail starts in Juodkrantė and is 6 kilometres long. The 5-kilometre “Kuršių Niūrija” trail starts in Preila. These details make it easier to compare trail lengths; no information about walking time or difficulty is provided. If you choose one of these places as a focus for your trip, you can take it into account when looking for suitable accommodation.

There are also shorter nature experiences. The “Litorina” ecological educational trail passes through the Olandų Kepurė Landscape Reserve. Signs and information boards line the trail, which also features viewpoints and shelters. This makes it an interesting option for visitors who want to include landscape information and viewpoints in their explorations.

Waves continuously erode the hill at Olandų Kepurė. The hill slopes down towards the sea at an angle of 20–22 metres. The 15-metre-high observation tower in Dreverna offers views of Nagliai Nature Reserve and the Curonian Lagoon. In Klaipėda District, the health trail system comprises three loops totalling 12 kilometres. In Neringa, the health trail has nine outdoor exercise stations that can be adapted for adults of different ages and fitness levels.

Nemunas Delta Regional Park brings together a variety of landscape features: shallow bays of the Curonian Lagoon, wetlands, Rusnė Island and the Ventė Cape peninsula. You can explore the rivers of the delta and their biodiversity by boat from Šilutė, Rusnė, Minija or Ventė. The “Žuvies kelias” programme includes a two-hour trip on the Curonian Lagoon aboard the historic sailing ship “Dreverna”.

The area offers several different opportunities for birdwatchers. Lake Plocio is a stopover for migratory birds and has a birdwatching shelter. There is also an observation tower on the western shore of a lake near the road to the village of Minija, offering views of the lake landscape and birdlife. The museum and visitor centre at the ornithological station on Ventė Cape provide insights into the history of bird migration and bird ringing.

Svencelė has a water sports school and is popular with kitesurfers and windsurfers. There is also a reversible tow cable for wakeboarding in the Svencelė pond. If water sports are the focus of your trip, you’ll find specific points of interest here to help plan your visit. Several cycling routes run through Palanga and along its coast; together, they stretch for several dozen kilometres.

The Lithuanian Sea Museum features an aquarium, exhibitions on the history of shipping, a dolphinarium, a rehabilitation centre for Baltic Sea animals and a dolphin-assisted therapy centre. This cultural institution brings together a variety of themes related to the sea, shipping and animals.

The Palanga Amber Museum is housed in the manor palace of Count Feliksas Tiškevičius in Birutė Park and has more than 30,000 exhibits. Guided tours are available in Lithuanian, English and Russian. Palanga’s Amber Workshop also offers educational activities: visitors can make their own amber jewellery or souvenirs there.

Another attraction for visitors interested in dinosaurs is Dinozaurų Parkas in Radailiai, home to more than 40 life-size dinosaurs. Alongside museums, nature trails and water sports, these attractions offer a variety of themes to shape your stay around.

More places and regions: Dituva, Kretinga District Municipality, Neringos savivaldybė, Klaipėda District Municipality, Šilutė District Municipality, Dreverna, Žemaičių Naumiesčio Seniūnija, Rusnė, Vydmantai, Žibininkai, Kintų Seniūnija, Pervalka, Vileikiai, Liaunai, Švėkšna, Ventė, Skuodas, Radailiai, Vilimiškė, Dauparai, Priekulė, Smilgynai, Kretingalė, Gargždai, Karklė, Neringa, Šilutė, Klaipeda, Palanga, Nida and Juodkrante.

How long are the “Miško Katedros Takais” and “Kuršių Niūrija” hiking trails?

“Miško Katedros Takais” is 6 kilometres long and starts in Juodkrantė. “Kuršių Niūrija” is 5 kilometres long and starts in Preila.

In which languages are guided tours offered at the Palanga Amber Museum?

Guided tours are offered in Lithuanian, English and Russian.

What birdwatching opportunities are there?

There is a birdwatching shelter at Lake Plocio. There is also an observation tower on the western shore of a lake near the road to the village of Minija, where you can observe birdlife.

For the broader travel guide: Lithuania.