Klaipeda is Lithuania’s third-largest city and a gateway to the Curonian Spit. Travelers visiting Lithuania usually catch a glimpse of Klaipeda as they are in a hurry to take the ferry for Curonian Spit. However, you should allot at least two days in your itinerary to explore the impressive Klaipeda city for its beautiful architecture, sandy beaches, and cobbled streets.
The best time to visit Klaipeda is in the month of May to September as the weather is warm and pleasant. March and April are dry and hot, while in the month of December you can enjoy snowfall. Peak tourist season is the month of May to August so prices of flights and hotels would be expensive. However, if you are traveling on a budget this city is not that expensive compared to other ones anyway, so just pick any month you like.
Getting Around Klaipeda
The streets of Klaipeda’s old town are short and cobbled. So, it is better to explore the entire area by clicking several beautiful pictures of the historic architecture on foot or by hiring a bicycle or even an electric scooter. You can also easily travel around Klaipeda by hiring a car or in public transportation like buses.
Klaipeda Old Town
The bus tickets can be purchased from kiosks or from the driver; however, the tickets at kiosks will be priced lesser and it should not cost more than 1 euro one way. If you are planning to visit the Curonian Spit then you need to book for a passenger ferry ride that leaves from Old Ferry Terminal or New Ferry Port depending on your months of travel.
If you are hiring a taxi then ensure the meter is been used or just use an app called – Bolt for Android and for iOS. You can use this code while registering “1KMUC” and you will get your first ride free.
Among the two, hiring a car would be a better option as the parking is cheap or mostly free. Then you can continue your journey around Lithuania in other cities as well which is really convenient by car.
If you want to rent a car in Klaipeda you have two great options. You can rent a car named “City Bee” which is the most convenient way as you pay only for the time and distance you ride. After you finish you can simply leave the car almost anywhere and you don’t have to pay for the parking fees. Simply go to this website for more information. The other option is a traditional one, just look for the car rental office and rent a car there, or do it in advance by using the button below.
Things To Do In Klaipeda
Lithuanian Sea Museum
You should visit the Lithuanian Sea Museum to experience the underwater world. Your entire family, friends or even if you come alone you will have an amazing time while watching the dolphin show, sea lion show, marine fauna, outdoor pool of penguins, and more. The museum staff even provides professional therapy for children and adults who are going through a difficult phase in life.
There are various exhibitions and events going on each day at the museum, so depending on your preference you can pick one or all of them. For every activity, you need to buy tickets; for instance, to watch dolphin’s performance the entry ticket costs 7 Euro per adult and 3.5 Euro per child. Kids below the age of 4 years can enter for free. The months of June, July, and August are peak tourist seasons, so the tickets would cost a bit higher. You can check their official website for exact pricing.
Klaipeda Sculpture Park
It is an L-shaped park that has more than 100 sculptures, which were made by several Lithuanian artists. The park was created in the year 1977 on the site of the old city cemetery. The Klaipeda Sculpture Park is always open and you can walk around the whole park in less than an hour.
Walk Along River Dane
Your evenings can be spent by enjoying a relaxing walk along the River Dane. By walking towards the north, you will reach the Botanical Gardens and towards the south, you will reach the Old Ferry Port. To the right of the river, you will find a beautiful sculpture of a mermaid, whose tail has been crafted with old coins of Lithuania, which are presently not in circulation. After a long walk, you can relish amazing food at the Meridianas ship, which was built in 1948 and has been recently restored into a luxurious restaurant.
The Dutchman’s Cap
The Dutchman’s Cap
It is a hill that is located near Karkle on the Baltic Sea coast. The cliff emerged 24.4m from the sea and is constantly been eroded by the waves, which makes it descend to the seaside at a 20-22 meter height. . In the olden days, the hill was used as a navigational guide by various fishermen and sailors. Plenty of pine trees were grown on the hill to make it look different from the sands all around. Locally known as Olando Kepure, the Dutchman’s Cap is the hidden gem that you would enjoy exploring. Also if you love festivals, you can visit Klaipeda in the month of August and attend 3 days Karkle Live Music Festival next to this place,
Curonian Spit National Park
After exploring the city completely, you should visit the Curonian Spit National Park, which is about an hour’s drive from Klaipeda after you use the ferry ride. The Curonian Spit is a 98km long peninsula, which was formed more than 5000 years ago and has acquired a position in the UNESCO World Heritage list. It is a perfect place to explore culture, traditions, and beauty of Lithuania. The museums, galleries, sculptures, and monuments would provide loads of information on the customs and civilization of the country.
Curonian Spit
A few activities that you can do here are hiking, sailing/boat trip, cycling, and canoe tour. There are many species of mammals like elk, fox, boar, hare, roe deer, and more living in Curonian Spit. Millions of birds migrate through the national park as it is the only route that connects the Baltic Sea to the White Sea. So, if you visit during their migration period then you will come across thousands of birds each day. Some commonly found birds are larks, red-legged falcon, goose, swans, ducks, pink starling, brown kites, thrushes, and more.
Nightlife In Klaipeda
There are some nice bars and clubs in Klaipeda, so you can be assured that your evenings are going to be entertaining. Some of the popular bars are Bukowski, Faksas, and Irish Nese Pub wherein you should try the numerous craft beers. Restaurants like Raketa function as a café-restaurant for the entire week and on Friday as well as Saturday evenings, it gets converted to a bar.
Klaipeda nightlife in December
Bardakas and Mr. Bond are both famous nightclubs to drink and dance. Usually, after a long day, evenings at the cafes or restaurants, the festive locals of Klaipeda visit the club for having an interesting evening. The ambience is so good that you could stay here until sunrise. If you want to enjoy some live music with drinks then club Jazzpilis would be a great idea for you.
Svyturio BHouse
To experiment with different types of drinks, especially beer; you should visit the Svyturys BHouse, which is the most renowned Lithuanian brewery. They keep coming up with new drinks on a regular basis, so do not forget to ask the staff for a recommendation. As they even serve several low alcohol beverages; no one is going to get disappointed here.
Shopping In Klaipeda
To purchase branded stuffs, Akropolis is the finest shopping mall, which is located close to the city center. After a tiring day of shopping, you can visit the cafés and patisseries in the shopping mall.
Authentic Amber
It is always better to purchase a few things that have been made in Lithuania. Amber Queen shop is the finest jewelry shop that manufactures amber ware. Each jewelry and souvenir available in the shop has been made by professional designers and experienced craftsmen. Two more popular shops where you can purchase varied colored amber bracelets, pendant, earrings, etc. are the Autentic and Yurga shop. You may even consider buying wood carvings, folk costumes, paintings, etc. from the Marginiai shop.
What And Where To Eat In Klaipeda
There are innumerable cafés and restaurants in Klaipeda to relish authentic Lithuanian dishes. Among them, ETNO Dvaras is a popular open terrace restaurant where you can enjoy your meals in the city center of the old town. However, if you are looking for International cuisine then you can visit the Navalis restaurant or the Baltos Lekstes café. For budget travelers, the best choice would be to try kebabs which are on almost any corner or visit pizzerias such as Charlie pizza, Pipita, Cili pizza.
Lithuanian Cuisine – Cepelinai
Meat, sausages, pastries, and dairy products are commonly found in restaurants. Some of the authentic dishes that you must try here are Cepelinai, which is a large potato dumpling with various fillings. Vedarai is another popular dish, which is a potato sausage that is deep fried until crisp. And if you want something light, you can try dish called Saltibarsciai (Cold Beet Soup). Meat lovers should try skilandis, which is a cold smoked sausage made of selected pork. Depending on your tastes; boiled, smoked, or fried pork ears can also be tried out.
Where To Stay In Klaipeda
Sun & Sky Klaipeda Apartments
If you want to stay close to the historical Old Town of Klaipeda, then the Sun & Sky Klaipeda Apartments would be a perfect choice. The rooms are comfortable and fully equipped with amenities like a refrigerator, essential utensils for cooking in the kitchen, Wi-Fi, TV, and more. It is close to various historical places, museums, restaurants, shops, and clubs, so your stay would certainly be a pleasant one. It also has a private free underground parking, amazing view, and a cozy vibe. Moreover, these apartments are ours, so we would make sure you have the best stay ever!
National Hotel
To have a luxurious stay in Klaipeda, you should book your room at the National Hotel. It is located in the heart of the city; a few meters away from Anike Square and Old Ferry Terminal. Some of the amenities that you will get here are complimentary Wi-Fi, in-room massage and beauty treatments, mini-bar, spacious bathrooms with heated floors, and more. The ambience of the restaurant is cozy and it is a perfect place to relish authentic Lithuanian cuisines.
Molo Užeiga Inn
Located about 200m away from Baltic beach, Molo Užeiga Inn is a perfect place for backpackers visiting Lithuania on a budget. Each room has a private bathroom, LCD TV, and complimentary Wi-Fi. There is a café in their premises, which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so you won’t have to hunt for your meals each day. Depending on your preferences, you can book a double, triple, Quadruple, or family apartment and have an enjoyable stay.
Tips To Make Your Klaipeda Stay Safe And Enjoyable
- Ensure that you follow traffic rules, especially while driving a rented car. Never drink and drive. Also, avoid walking during the night in the South of Klaipeda. If you have faced any kind of crime then call the police on 112.
- If you are planning to cross a border by car then you should carry your valid id card or passport, original car registration documents, and international vehicle insurance.
- Although Klaipeda is a safe city, you should stay vigilant at public places and keep a watch on your belongings.
- The weather of Klaipeda changes quickly, so it doesn’t matter if you are visiting in summers, winters, or rainy season as you need to carry clothing for all weather conditions.
- If you are purchasing Amber or any other kind of jewelry then it is advisable to purchase from reputed stores.
- While traveling in local buses, remember to activate your tickets on the machine; irrespective of buying it from the driver or kiosk.
Overall, Klaipeda is extremely impressive and you can have a relaxing holiday while relishing typical Baltic cuisine. Since it is not a massive city, two days would be more than enough to walk around the entire area. If you are interested in exploring some more beautiful cities of Lithuania then you should next head to Vilnius, Palanga, and Sventoji. Vilnius is the capital city of Lithuania and also considered to be the center of Europe. To explore the art, culture, and amber museums; you can visit Palanga and Sventoji, which are resort towns located on the coast of the Baltic Sea. So, use the aforesaid Klaipeda travel guide to plan your itinerary well and do not miss out on the most amazing things to do in Klaipeda. Have a safe trip!
