This is a truly fascinating trip that explores the World Heritage listed Curonian Spit in Lithuania. Blessed with stunning sandy beaches, remarkable dunes and a timeless landscape of pine forests and traditional fishing villages, this unique area also includes the first official cycle route in the country. The spit is a loved holiday destination and as such features some delightful small towns and characterful hotels. Crossing the lagoon that separates the spit from mainland Lithuania, the tour includes the historic town of Klaipeda with its Old Town charm and the traditional seaside resort of Palanga. Alongside this, you will experience traditional Lithuanian country life as you pedal through meadows, villages, forests and deltas, often protected because of their unspoilt nature, and their unique birdlife and location. The cafes, restaurants and hotels you will visit offer traditional dishes and excellent hospitality. Prepare to be charmed and surprised by Lithuania.
The cycling is wonderfully flat, very scenic and has little traffic. With its relaxed itinerary, the trip is very suitable for families.
Holiday details
Price
- Classic
-
from £760 per person
Based on High Season - check for prices in Low and Peak season
Based on two people sharing a room
What’s included?
Transfer to/from Palanga or Vilnius airport and a cruise across the lagoon. See what’s included as standard
Duration
7 nights
Start & Finish
Tours run from 21 May to 1 September on Saturdays, Sundays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and are circular from Klaipeda. Klaipeda is a short distance from Palanga airport which has direct flights with Wizz Air and Ryanair from UK London Luton, Stansted and Glasgow airports
Hotels
- Classic
-
A boutique hotel in Klaipeda Old Town and characterful hotels in central locations
Holiday type
Self-guided
This tour is priced without a guide and you are free to explore on your own. If you would like a guide for part or all of your trip, we are happy to provide a knowledgeable, local guide
Activity level
Gentle cycling (1) More info...
Electric bikes
Available at a supplement of £85.00 per person
Mileage
4 days of cycling 18 - 22 miles (30 - 35 km) per day and 2 days of optional cycling.
Terrain
Pretty flat with the occassional dune
Traffic-free
70 % very low traffic on the rest
Options
- Longer distances available as optional routes
- Stay extra nights in Klaipeda
Itinerary day-by-day
Classic
-
1. Day one
Klaipeda
Arrive at Palanga airport and we will transfer you the short distance to Klaipeda. Check into your hotel - a renovated mill located right on the waterfront and in the heart of the Old Town. Take a stroll through this historic seaside town that dates from the 13th Century, and was known as Memel for many years with a fascinating old town quarter. Nowadays, it is a bustling, modern place with a great selection of cafes and restaurants and many annual festivals focusing on jazz, folklore and the sea. The leisure options on offer range from history tours to watersports. Enjoy!
-
2. Day two
Circular ride from Klaipeda
Our local host will meet you in your hotel at 9 am, organise your bicycles and run through your itinerary. We start the day with a transfer to the resort town of Palanga. On arriving in Palanga, you can visit the Botanic Park and the remarkable Amber Museum housed in a former palace, relax on the miles of sandy white beach, stroll along the 470 metre pier and delight in the charming cafes and restaurants of J. Basanavicius pedestrian street. Then cycle back on an idyllic route that leads through the Giruliai Forest and the seaside Regional Park. En route you will pass Plazė Lake and the Dutchman's Cap - a coastal cliff - and have many opportunities to detour to the seashore should you wish.
Optional 18 miles (29 km)
-
3. Day three
Klaipėda to Šilutė
Start your day with a short transfer to Švėkšna village and explore the estate with its beautiful park and impressive neo-gothic church of St. Jacob the Apostle. Begin your cycling ride on picturesque countryside roads through Pamarys meadows to Šilutė. This region is known as a land of storks, the White Stork today is Lithuania's national bird. Arrive in Šilutė, a town founded on its fish market, for your overnight stop
22 miles (35 km)
-
4. Day four
Circular ride round Šilutė
Explore Šilutė, a town named after “Šilokarčema” (a pub in the pine forest) and enjoy a circular trip to Rusnė Island, Lithuania’s only island, located in the Nemunas River Delta Regional Park. When you stand on the bank of the Nemunas River in Rusnė you can see the Russian oblast of Kaliningrad just a hundred metres across the river. En route you can explore a traditional fisherman’s smallholding at the Rusnė museum, the old water pumping station and the 19th century lighthouse in Uostadvaris Harbour. An idyllic day.
19 miles (30 km)
-
5. Day five
Šilutė to Nida
Cycle to Ventė Cape where you can visit a renowned bird ringing station, one million birds pass through, together with its museum of ornithology and a 19th century lighthouse which has a panoramic view of the unique landscape including a glimpse of the glistening Curonian Spit sand dunes. Take a boat across the Curonian Lagoon (1.5 – 2 hours) to Nida. Arrive in Nida and then cycle to your hotel at the heart of this former fishing village.
21 miles (33 km)
-
6. Day six
Nida
Nida is one of the most beautiful resorts in Lithuania blessed with the Curonian Lagoon one side and the fine sandy beaches of the Baltic coast on the other. Famous for its amber - trawled from the sea bed and its impressive sand dunes, there is plenty to do here. Visit the Fisherman's House, the Amber Gallery and the summer home of the famous writer Thomas Mann; relax on the beach, cruise in a traditional sailing boat, canoe to see the Dead Dunes and take your pick of the cafes and restaurants.
Optional 6 miles (10 km)
-
7. Day seven
Nida to Klaipeda
Pedal through the timeless landscape of the spit on the peaceful seaside bike path. Often in pine forests with the coast always nearby, the bike path gives you one or two dunes to scale - the only slopes of the tour! Stop at the Dead Dunes and spot the colonies of grey herons and cormorants. Juodkrante is also a fishing village with the waters of the lagoon lapping along its shoreline providing a truly charming location for you to enjoy. From here you take a speedboat back to Klaipeda (subject to weather and availability – otherwise a transfer by road)
21 miles (34 km)
-
8. Day eight
Depart Klaipeda
Enjoy a final stroll through this fascinating town before we transfer you to Palanga airport for your departure.