Nida Overview

Windswept sand dunes and quiet hiking trails have long drawn vacationers to the former fishing village of Nida (pop. 1500). One of four municipalities that make up the town of Neringa, Nida is the largest settlement on the Curonian Spit, one of the longest sea spits in the world. From the center, turn onto Naglių and head south to the   Drifting Dunes of Parnidis. The remains of an enormous sundial sit atop the tallest dune (69m), marking a spot where beachgoers have the unique opportunity to look down on both the Curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea at once. Along Naglių on the way to the dunes, the Fisherman’s Ethnography Museum provides a snapshot of one local fisherman’s life (☎469 523 72). The Neringa Museum of History (Neringos Istorijos Muziejus), Pamario 53, presents a thought-provoking exhibit on Neringa’s history and fishing community. (☎469 511 62. Open June-Sept. daily 10am-6pm; 2Lt, students 1Lt.) The regional specialty is rūkyta žuvis (smoked fish), served with bread. Stop by Fischbrotchen , a yellow hut next to the bus station, for a 9Lt herring sandwich. (Open daily 11am-8pm.) From Naglių 18E, buses (☎469 524 72) run to Klaipėda/Smiltynė (1hr., 1 per hr., 9Lt). The tourist office, Taikos 4, opposite the bus station, arranges private rooms for a 5Lt fee. (☎469 523 45; www.visitneringa.com. Rooms from 30Lt. Open June-Aug. M-Sa 10am-6pm, Su 10am-3pm; Sept.-May M-F 10am-1pm and 2-6pm, Sa 10am-3pm.) Postal Code: 93121.