Klaipeda: Port City, Culture and Smiltynė
Accommodation in Klaipeda
Klaipeda combines maritime urban history with culture and nature experiences in Smiltynė, the part of the Curonian Spit located within the city limits. If you are planning a trip, you can focus on museums and historic sites, or consider including walking trails and water sports. When choosing a holiday apartment, it helps to first consider which of Klaipėda’s sides you want to shape your stay—and whether Smiltynė is part of your planned visit.
Smiltynė and the Curonian Spit
Smiltynė is a recreational area with walking trails and water sports facilities. At the same time, it is part of the Curonian Spit National Park and the Curonian Spit UNESCO World Heritage Site. The landscape of the spit is therefore the main attraction here: if you enjoy spending time outdoors or want to include water sports, Smiltynė offers a different reason to visit than a focus on city museums and history.
Ferries connect mainland Klaipėda with Smiltynė from the Old and New Ferry Terminals. This connection is a practical point of reference if you include the island in your travel plans. When choosing accommodation, you can therefore weigh up whether your trip is mainly about urban experiences or whether you also want to plan a visit to Smiltynė. The ferry services provide the connection between the mainland and Smiltynė.
Art, the harbour and city life
Klaipėda Sculpture Park is an open-air gallery of modern Lithuanian sculpture, with 116 works by 67 Lithuanian artists on display. Klaipėda’s sculptures are also linked by a route that lets visitors discover the city through art. If you would like to experience art beyond an exhibition space, you can explore the city through this route.
The Theatre Square is another place where culture and urban history meet. Its history began in 1819, after part of the castle moat was filled in to create the New Market. Today, the square hosts concerts, events and the Sea Festival. The square’s history and its role as a venue offer different perspectives on the same place—one through the development of the urban space, the other through its cultural life.
The sailing ship Meridianas is moored by the Biržos Bridge on the Danė River and is a defining feature of Klaipėda’s identity as a port city. Together with the history of the castle complex, it brings the city’s maritime past to life: the castle is considered to be where Klaipėda began, and the idea to build it dates back to 1252. For a stay that includes the history of the port city, these two subjects offer different points of interest.
Museums for different interests
The History Museum of Lithuania Minor explores the pagan and Christian cultures of the coastal region, as well as the history of East Prussia and the Klaipėda region. It is housed in one of the oldest buildings in Klaipėda Old Town, dating from the late 18th century. Its subject matter therefore ranges from regional cultural history to the history of East Prussia.
The Klaipėda Castle Museum displays archaeological finds, documents and city seals. Its exhibits include reconstructed 17th-century seals and archaeological objects from the castle and Old Town. The Museum 39/45 focuses on a different subject: it covers the Second World War in four exhibition halls and with 13 interactive stations. Families with different interests can choose between regional cultural history, archaeology and a history museum with a clearly defined theme for their trip.
The Lithuanian Sea Museum in Smiltynė includes an aquarium, exhibitions on the history of shipping, a dolphinarium, a rehabilitation centre for Baltic Sea animals and a dolphin-assisted therapy centre. Its broad range of subjects brings together marine life, maritime history and work with Baltic Sea animals. Alongside the museums in Klaipėda, it offers another possible focus for your trip; its location in Smiltynė can be taken into account when deciding whether to use the ferry connection.
If you would like to include other places in your travel plans besides Klaipeda, you can also find Gargždai, Smilgynai, Juodkrante, Liaunai, Ventė, Žemaičių Naumiesčio Seniūnija and Rusnė here.
For the wider travel overview: Klaipėda County.
More about the destination
Useful information for planning your trip:
