Eastern and Central Europe (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

Curonian Spit National Park 5

Kuršių Nerijos Nacionalinis parkas

A narrow 98-km (61-mile) strip of land on the Baltic
coast, the Curonian Spit was formed 5,000 years ago.
Its landscape consists largely of pine forests, dunes and
sandy beaches. The park’s forests are rich in wildlife
such as roe deer, elk, foxes and wild boars. The dunes
that tower over the village of Nida fall like cliffs into
the Curonian Lagoon. Entire villages have been buried
beneath the shifting sands. The Curonian Spit National
Park, covering most of the spit, was created in 1991 to
preserve the dunes, lagoons and surrounding area, and
has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.

62 NORTH EASTERN EUROPE

For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp68–9

. Nida
The highly characteristic
red-and-blue fishermen’s cottages
in Nida have remained unchanged
for centuries. Some old weather-
beaten fishing boats lie in the
gardens outside the cottages.

KEY

Curonian Spit National Park

Baltic Beach

The entire length of the spit

on the side of the Baltic Sea

is one long sandy beach.

Areas adjacent to the villages

are popular in summer, but

other parts are little visited.

Throughout the spit, parking

is allowed only at designated

parking areas.

. Parnidis Dune
Looming 52 m (171 ft) above Nida, Parnidis
Dune offers great views and is one of the high-
est points on the spit. A sundial erected here in
1995 collapsed during a storm in 1999. Only
part of the sundial has been reconstructed.

Vecekrug Dune,

at 67 m (220 ft),

is the highest

wooded dune and

can be seen from

the forest trail.

Preila

Nida

b

B

A

L

T

I

C

S

E

A

BALTIC

SEA

LITHUANIA

Area of the

map illustrated

Curonian

Lagoon

b

b

Nidab

Juodkrantė

Klaipėda