Klaipeda (lit. Klaipėda) is the third biggest Lithuanian city with nearly 150,000 inhabitants. The Baltic Sea washes the shores of Klaipeda. Klaipeda is the only port in Lithuania; therefore, it is significant for Lithuanian economics. This city is located in a region of Minor Lithuania that was under the rule of German states for centuries. This is why Klaipeda strongly differs from other Lithuanian cities, and its streets still dwell that German-like vibe.
Lithuanian sea museum
This museum has been operating since 1979. In 2017 a costly renovation was finished, and now this place feels more modern and welcoming. Visitors can find maritime stuff, like shells, coral, or mollusks. The aquariums house colorful fishes, penguins, sea lions, and dolphins. The dolphin and sea lion shows are the most desirable entertainment in the Lithuanian sea museum. Since 2003 therapeutical sessions with dolphins dedicated to special needs kids have taken place here.
Outdoors there is a display of the largest exhibits in this museum – old fisherman boats and ships. A prototype of a wealthy fisherman’s ethnographic homestead from the XIX-XX centuries is nearby.
Keep in mind that the Lithuanian sea museum is located on the Curonian Spit; therefore, it is accessible by ferry from the Old Ferry Terminal. The ticket costs about 1 euro both ways, and here you can find the schedule.
Meridianas
Continuing the maritime theme, here’s another place to visit in Klaipeda. A sailing ship named Meridianas, floating calmly in Dane (lit. Danė) river is a symbol of this city. A Finnish ship construction company built Meridianas in 1948. This ship served as a practice place for future sailors for many years, and it reached many European and African ports. In 1968 Meridianas finished its teaching career and was transported to Klaipeda. Three years later, a fancy restaurant was opened inside the sailing ship, and this restaurant is operating until this day.
Sculptures
There is some cute obsession with sculptures in Klaipeda. There are dozens of them in various sizes scattered throughout the city. Some of them a more known, for instance, a statue of The Black Ghost, right next to a Chain Bridge. Others are almost hidden, and not every eye can spot them.
Every time I exit the Klaipeda railway station building, a statue “Farewell to Motherland” of a woman holding a kid’s hand always freezes me for a second. Every single time. But my recent favorite is the one in the picture below, at an intersection of S. Neries and Vilties streets. It is called “Detective” (lit. “Seklys”) and is dedicated to the members of the criminal police.
Klaipeda Old Town
If you would check Klaipeda’s old town on Google maps, you would soon realize that its street network is very regular. Almost all of them intersect at right angles. So no risk of getting lost there either. Many street names also refer to various types of craftsmen who worked and lived there. For instance, Fishermen (lit. Žvejų), Butchers (lit. Mėsininkų), Blacksmiths (lit. Kalvių), Bakers (lit. Kepėjų), etc.
Theater or Anikes (lit. Anikės) square is the heart of Klaipeda’s old town. The same place is called under two names because they refer to different objects. The first one – Theater square – is self-explanatory. Red color Drama Theater building is the dominant here. At least two very famous people visited this place – composer R. Wagner and A. Hitler.
The other name, Ann from Tharau (lit. Taravos Anikė), refers to a sculpture of a slender girl placed on the fountain. This sculpture was dedicated, in 1912, to a famous Prussian poet Simon Dach who was born in Klaipeda. The poet composed a love poem, and this Ann from Tharau was in the center of it. Later this poem became a famous German song.
Blacksmith Museum
On a rainy day, I needed somewhere to hide, and instead of going to a coffee shop, I ended up in this museum. It is a small museum, and probably no one spends more than an hour there. However, it is exciting. Various hand-made crosses are exhibited there. Some were created in Minor Lithuania, some of them brought from Samogitia. Visitors once again understand that Minor Lithuania had a slightly different pathway for centuries. They even made crosses differently. Just there, I learned that the traditional crosses in Minor Lithuania never depict Jesus on the cross.
Clock Museum
The Clock museum was established in 1984 in a spacious villa built in the XIX century. On the first floor, the museum has presented a history of time counting. Different cultures used various ways to count precious time. There were not only well-known sundials but also water and even fire clocks. Overall, this section provides relatively interesting educational material. On the second floor of this villa, visitors can see examples of various types of clocks. Let’s be honest; some of them are pure pieces of art.
Klaipeda Castle Museum
In case I haven’t mentioned it yet: Klaipeda is the oldest city in Lithuania, dating back to the XIII century when Teutonic Order came and built a castle in this place. Even nowadays, some German-speaking individuals call Klaipeda under its old German name – Memel. The castle was a hotspot, and constant battles between Lithuanians and Germans kept ruining it repeatedly. Therefore it was rebuilt multiple times. Klaipeda lost its strategic importance within centuries, and the castle started to decay. In the II half of the XIX century, it was gone entirely from the city’s landscape.
There is no visually appealing Disney-type castle in Klaipeda until this day. But there is a solid ambition to rebuild it. So, where is that museum? – you might ask. Several posterns are left, and it is a fancy French name that refers to an underground corridor. Anyway, imagine red bricks tunnels with expositions telling exciting stories about Klaipeda’s past. There are four posterns opened for visitors, and each has to be visited chronologically, from the XIII century until WWII.
Švyturys Bhouse
Švyturys (en. Lighthouse) is the second oldest brewery in Lithuania. This brewery spreads us joy since 1784. Even though it is not the oldest brewery, it is definitely the most famous one in Lithuania.
Švyturys Bhouse is a brewery and a gastropub in one place. There, visitors can book a guided or tasting tour and learn more about the brewery’s history and the whole brewing process. Or you can simply go straight to the pub, order some cold unfiltered wheat beer (my favorite), combined with fried garlic breadsticks and enjoy yourself. Don’t forget to make a reservation, especially on a weekend.
Old Town Cheese Fingers
This is a Klaipeda thing that was exported even to Vilnius. There is a restaurant in the old town called Klaipėdos Senamiestis. Everyone goes there for their signature giant cheese fingers. They are really huge but do they taste terrific? Not really. Do they taste bad? The answer is the same – no. It is just a thing that no one can explain. If you’re in Klaipeda, you must go there, try it yourself and form your own opinion. End of discussion.
Beach
I put this in the last place because I don’t know if it is worth your time. On the other hand, writing some suggestions about a coastal city and not to mention its beach also didn’t seem right. So here’s my honest opinion.
The Baltic Sea is one of the deadliest and dirtiest in the world. The water temperature also doesn’t rise that much that you would swim comfortably, especially if you come from some warm climate country. This is just what we have, and we try to appreciate it.
Some people say that our beaches look wild. You can walk for miles on a desert beach and meet no one. It is true if you know where to go. But for me, our sea is the most beautiful during a storm. When strong winds threaten to blow you away, and the waves are about to swallow you. But this is not a commonly enjoyable experience.
In the picture below, you can see a picture of the Dutchman’s Cap. A 24 meters high scarp is presumably the most scenic place on the Lithuanian seaside.
Best things to do in Klaipeda in a nutshell
Klaipeda is a calm coastal Lithuanian city. The whole vibe of this place requires staying at a slow pace. Even keeping that slow pace, you can still visit all the sites mentioned above in one weekend. Or, if you’ll hurry up, maybe even in one day? I definitely don’t advise you to rush, but sometimes people just don’t have enough time for everything. So here are my personal Top 3 in Klaipeda: Švyturys Bhouse, Klaipeda Castle Museum, and Meridianas. I hope you’ll enjoy yourself there.
