LT
Klaipeda
Lithuania’s port city: a half-timbered old town and the ferry to the Curonian Spit
Lithuania’s port city: a half-timbered old town and the ferry to the Curonian Spit
The old town’s grid of streets is lined with timber-framed buildings, some rebuilt after the great fire of 1854 and the Second World War, as well as galleries, bars and craft shops. The riverside Danė embankment is a pleasant place to walk.
Photo: squareshadow, Public domain
The main square in front of the drama theatre has a fountain topped by the statue of Ännchen von Tharau, the heroine of a well-known song by the poet Simon Dach, who was born in the city.
Photo: Daniel Cox, CC BY-SA 4.0
Timber-framed (Fachwerk) buildings are a reminder of the city’s German past. Several historic warehouses and houses now hold galleries and cafés.
Photo: Andrzej Otrębski, CC BY-SA 4.0
Ferries cross the strait to Smiltynė in a few minutes. On the other side are forest trails, Baltic beaches and the Lithuanian Sea Museum with its dolphinarium, housed in a 19th-century fort.
The old ferry terminal near the old town is for foot passengers and bikes.
Photo: Hajotthu, CC BY-SA 3.0
This narrow peninsula of high dunes and pine forest stretches south towards Russia’s Kaliningrad region. Buses and bikes reach Juodkrantė and Nida, known for its Parnidis Dune and fishermen’s cottages.
A national park entry fee applies to vehicles.
Photo: Hartmut Schmidt Heidelberg, CC BY-SA 4.0
Look for smoked fish, especially from Curonian Spit smokehouses, alongside Lithuanian staples such as cepelinai (potato dumplings), kibinai and pink cold beetroot soup in summer.
The old town and the riverside have restaurants, bars and craft beer pubs; summer brings outdoor terraces.
Palanga Airport, about 30km north, has flights to several European cities; Vilnius and Kaunas airports are also an option. Trains and buses connect Klaipėda with Vilnius (around four hours by train) and Kaunas. Ferries link the port with Germany and Sweden.
The old town is walkable. Ferries to Smiltynė run frequently, and buses connect Smiltynė with Juodkrantė and Nida.
Lithuania uses the euro. Klaipėda is good value; prices rise on the Curonian Spit in summer.
Ferry tickets for foot passengers are inexpensive.
Book Nida accommodation early for July and August.
Palanga resort is a short trip north.
Two days covers the city and a day on the Curonian Spit.
Walk Theatre Square, the old town streets and the castle museum, then the riverside in the evening.
Take the ferry to Smiltynė for the Sea Museum, then bus or cycle to Juodkrantė or Nida for dunes and smoked fish.
Start early to make the most of a day in Nida.
🛂 Entry rules: EES and ETIAS
Lithuania is in the Schengen area, which has two EU border systems for non-EU visitors.
EES (in force): since 10 April 2026 the EU’s Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors’ passport details, fingerprints and a photo the first time they enter the Schengen area, replacing passport stamps. Allow extra time at the border on your first trip; later crossings are quicker. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens are not registered.
ETIAS (not yet running): a €20 online travel authorisation for visitors who don’t need a visa, such as UK, US, Canadian and Australian citizens. It hasn’t started and no start date has been confirmed, so nobody can apply yet; ignore websites that offer to “pre-register” you for a fee.
Visa-free visitors can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole Schengen area, not per country.
Official information: EU: Travel to Europe (EES & ETIAS) · Reviewed September 2026
Use the old ferry for foot traffic and the new ferry for cars.
Smiltynė and the Spit have long Baltic beaches.
A cycle path runs along the Spit.
The city’s big festival takes place in late July.
Quick answers for planning time in Klaipėda.
Take the short ferry to Smiltynė, then buses or a bike towards Juodkrantė and Nida.
Yes, for its old town and as the gateway to the Curonian Spit.
Palanga Airport, about 30km north.
About four hours by train.
June to August for beach weather and the Sea Festival.
Planning a wider trip? Our Lithuania travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.