Country: Lithuania
Area: 265 km²
Of which water: 63.1%
There are 6,525 national parks worldwide, including 16 in Germany. These areas offer plants and animals a protected habitat where nature is left to its own devices. Their unspoilt beauty attracts millions of visitors every year, which is entirely intentional. Through these experiences, people should recognise the value and worthiness of nature, which requires a balance between nature conservation and tourism.
Protected zones and restricted areas
National parks are divided into two zones. In the core zones, all forms of economic utilisation are prohibited and human intervention is not permitted. Visitors may only move around on marked paths. There are also water restrictions that regulate navigation, mooring and anchoring. In the other park zones, movement is largely free, with targeted measures such as sheep grazing supporting the preservation of the landscape.
The Curonian Spit National Park
The UNESCO-protected spit of land separates the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea. There are national parks on the Curonian Spit in both Russia and Lithuania. It runs for 98 kilometres, from Klaipéda in Lithuania in the north to Malinovka in the Kaliningrad region in the south. During the Soviet era, the region was a restricted military area for a long time and therefore inaccessible to civilians. Today it is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations.
Migratory dunes and migratory birds
The Curonian Spit National Park is known for its sometimes spectacularly high shifting sand dunes and is a hotspot for ornithologists. During the main migration period in September and October, half a million birds can be observed here every day. There are six observation towers on the peninsula, from which you have a breathtaking view of the sea and the dune landscape. In the past, the shifting dunes have repeatedly buried villages under them. It was only in the second half of the 19th century that the dunes were successfully planted and stabilised. The main town of Nida also had to be abandoned and rebuilt several times over the centuries.
The East Prussian Sahara
A highlight near Nida is the impressive Parnidis Dune, one of the largest dunes in Europe. Formerly known as the East Prussian Sahara, it has often been used as a film set. At its highest point there is a viewing platform and a sundial. Leaving the designated footpaths and climbing on the slopes of the dune is prohibited. Nida is also home to the Thomas Mann Cultural Centre in the former summer house of the German writer and the Amber Museum. Other attractions include the mysterious wooden sculptures on Witches' Hill in Juodkrant and the Lithuanian Maritime Museum and Dolphinarium in Klaipéda.
Travelling by boat
At the northern end of the Curonian Spit lies the Klaipéda harbour at the exit of the Curonian Lagoon into the Baltic Sea. It is considered the most important Baltic harbour in Lithuania. There is a ferry connection from Klaipéda to the spit. Things are a little quieter further south, on the lagoon side of the spit, where you can head for the harbour of Nida: on the marked paths through the Curonian Lagoon. The pier heads of the southern basin (boat harbour) are lighted, and it is also possible to approach at night.
