Curonian Spit

The Curonian Spit is a long, thin barrier of sand between the calm Curonian Lagoon and the open sea, held together by pine forest that people replanted after the dunes once swallowed whole villages. Its great grey dunes, painted fishing villages and huge migrating dunes make it one of the most distinctive landscapes in the Baltic, shared between Lithuania and Russia.

What you actually see

• The Parnidis dune - the great shifting dune above Nida, the closest thing here to a desert.
• Nida village - painted wooden fishermen's houses, weathervanes and Thomas Mann's summer cottage.
• The Dead Dunes - the wandering grey dunes that buried old villages, near Pervalka.
• The two coasts - the wild sea beach on one side, the calm lagoon on the other, minutes apart.

When to go

Summer for the beaches and full ferries; late spring and early autumn for quiet dunes and bird migration. The spit is busiest in July and August, when Nida fills with holidaymakers.

Honest expectations

It is long and thin, so you cover distances by car or bus between the highlights rather than walking it all. High summer brings crowds and booked-out accommodation in Nida. Walking on the fragile dunes off the boardwalks is banned to stop erosion, so stick to the marked paths.

Nearby

Klaipeda and its sea museum sit at the northern gate; the Nemunas Delta lies just inland across the lagoon.