The Curonian Spit is one of the most extraordinary landscapes in northern Europe: a thin ribbon of sand, forested dunes, and lagoon shore stretching 98 kilometres from Lithuania down into the Kaliningrad region of Russia. The Lithuanian portion — known as Neringa — is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Nida, at its southern end, is the main destination on the peninsula.
What makes the Spit unusual is its scale and character. It is never more than four kilometres wide, yet rises in places to dunes exceeding 60 metres — the tallest shifting dunes in Europe. The Parnidis Dune just south of Nida is the centrepiece: from the top you see the grey Baltic on one side and the calm grey-green Curonian Lagoon on the other, with nothing but sand, scrub pine and sky in between. A stone sundial stands at the summit. The Valley of Death and the Valley of Silence are quieter corners within the same dune system. Wandering the dunes barefoot in the late afternoon is one of the better things you can do in Lithuania.
The town of Juodkrante, north of Nida, has its own draw: the Hill of Witches, where wooden sculptures of Lithuanian mythological figures crowd a forested dune slope above the water. Nida itself is a small, painted-house resort town with a good amber museum, a few restaurants, and a strong summer trade from Lithuanians and Germans. In winter it is nearly empty. A note for those who cross by car: the ferry from Klaipeda onto the Spit costs nothing for pedestrians, a little for cyclists, more for cars — and is worth every cent regardless.