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Coastal city in Lithuania
Photo: User: (WT-shared) Kulmalukko at wts wikivoyage, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Klaipėda is a city in Lithuania Minor, the narrow northwest coastal region of Lithuania. It's the country's third-largest city. The city has historic sights but isn't pretty-pretty like Vilnius Old Town, and draws mostly local tourism. The big attraction is the Curonian Spit, a remarkable 99 km peninsula of sand dunes. Smiltynė at its north tip is part of the city and is reached by a five-minute ferry ride from downtown.
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Only a single bastion remains of this moated castle, built in 1253 by the Livonian Order of Teutonic Knights; its wooden predecessor on the opposite river bank has long disappeared. For the next 500 years rival powers queued up to smash it down then build it up again, with the last reconstruction in 1763. Thereafter even the Prussians couldn't think of a military role for it, so it fell derelict and its masonry was stripped. It now houses a museum exhibiting the troubled story of the castle and the city.
Juodasis Vaiduoklis
A creepy bronze sculpture by the footbridge spanning the outlet of the castle moat, next to Old Port Hotel. It is a hollow, cowled wraith dragging himself from the water and supposedly terrifying to children, but probably more so to any drunk who's dropped his keys and is scrabbling along the wharf in search.
Teatro aikštė
The cobbled plaza at the heart of Old Town. This district is on a grid pattern as it had to be rebuilt after an extensive fire in 1854: look for quirky little statues here and there. The larger statue in the square is "Ännchen von Tharau" (Anna Neander 1615–1689), whose marriage was commemorated in a uxorious poem by Simon Dach, later set to music.
Mažosios Lietuvos istorijos muziejus
Lithuania Minor is the strip of territory that became Prussianised as Memel. Limited signage in English.
Kalvystės muziejus
This is the former workshop of Gustav Katzke (1868–1944) and exhibits 19th- and early 20th-century blacksmiths' equipment, and ironwork such as cemetery crosses and ornamental park railings.
Sūduvis was a West German minesweeper, in service from 1958. It was handed over to Lithuania in 1999 and retired in 2021.
A three-masted barquentine, a training vessel launched in Finland in 1948 as part of a series of 91 wooden war-reparation schooners and barquentines. It retired in 1968 and was moored here, becoming a symbol of the city. It's now a seafood restaurant and events venue, see Eat below.
Laikrodžių muziejus
Lots and lots of clocks, watches and other timepieces.
Permanent exhibition of Memel artists, notably Franz Karl Wilhelm Domscheit (1880-1965). He was a farmer until age 27 then talent-spotted and sponsored through art school in Königsberg. His successful career halted in 1937 when the Nazis condemned his "degenerate art", thereafter he used the Lithuanian name Pranas Domšaitis and played safe.
Klaipėdos Visų Rusų Šventųjų parapija
has a modest exterior but is richly decorated within.
The 19th century breakwater at the very tip of the spit, reached by a paved track.
Lietuvos jūrų muziejus
Displays of marine life plus maritime history. You pay as much again for the dolphin shows in the Dolphinarium.
Etnografinė pajūrio žvejo sodyba
This annex of the Sea Museum is a Skansen-type outdoor museum of fishermen's cottages and equipment.
An elegant Jugendstil mansion. In 2023, it was closed for conversion into apartments.
The most substantial of the World War II fortifications dotted along the spit. This group of overgrown ruins was Schweinsrücken artillery battery.
It contains more than 80 wooden statues of Lithuanian folklore characters.
Klaipėdos dramos teatras
It often has international productions in their original language.
The main green space within the city.
Football
FK Neptūnas play soccer in 1 Lyga, the second tier. This is their home ground, capacity 1000; the playing season is Mar-Nov. Other city clubs have folded — best known were Atlantas, busted in 2020 for match-fixing.
Inexpensive ramen and other Japanese dishes.
Cheap and cheerful pizzeria by the ice rink.
Fat Cat Pub
Inexpensive Old Town restaurant, the seafood is best.
Trad Old Town restaurant, as the name indicates.
Charming basement restaurant in an old town block of 1856, good Baltic cuisine.
Traditional restaurant on Theatre Square, indifferent quality.
formerly DOMA
Chain restaurant, great place to enjoy traditional Lithuanian cuisine.
Upscale seafood restaurant aboard the sailing ship (see above).
formerly Relax
Decent place for a drink, but give the food a miss.
Relaxing Old Town evening spot.
Lively small bar on the north riverbank.
Bar and jazz club, limited food.
Bar with loud rock music, some food.
A lively bar right next to the Danė river, where various concerts and stand-up events happen.
Cozy convenient hostel.
Pleasant budget guesthouse. They also have apartment lofts but no longer operate as a hostel.
Very basic but central place.
Simple friendly place near bus and railway stations.
Clean friendly small hotel in centre.
Campsite open year round for tents and tourers, plus cabins. Some noise at night from trains.
Comfy well-run Accor chain hotel.
formerly Klaipėda Hotel
"K-Tower" high-rise, you may wait a long time for the elevator. Comfy enough but the heating only works if the key card is in. There's a gym with swimming pool, casino, two restaurants and two bars at ground level, plus sky-bars on the 12th and 20th floors.
Very comfy place with apartment rooms.
Friendly central place, parking available. It's named for the Grecian muse of music – a Renaissance-era tile dedicated to Euterpe was unearthed in the courtyard.
Decent enough central place, they need better curtains against the early summer sunrise.
Pleasant 50-room hotel in a 19th century building. Central but peaceful and clean, with secure car parking.
Tatty hotel, service hit-and-miss, limited parking.
In two renovated fishermen's houses, separated by castle dock outlet. Pleasant place but food indifferent and no on-site parking.
Accommodation for one, two or family.
A small shopping centre with cafés, restaurants, a hair salon and casinos.
The city's main mall. It has a movie theater, skating rink, shops, a supermarket, gym, restaurants, fast food and a post office.
By bus
Buses run from Palanga, Vilnius, Kaunas and Riga airports as above.
By road
From Vilnius and Kaunas, follow A1 northwest. It's a fast dual carriageway.
By plane
By boat
See below for the ferries across the channel from Smiltynė on Curonian Spit.
By taxi
The easiest way to call a taxi is with the eTAKSI app for smartphones, or call +370 633 44 553.
By boat
Two ferries routes exist between Klaipėda and Smiltynė on Curonian Spit, which foot passengers, as well as vehicles, commute on.
By bicycle
Bikes are a good way to explore the Curonian Spit.
Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Palanga · International · PLQ
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