Palanga - reviews and information about the resort, toursit places

Briefly about Palanga

Palanga - is a year-round climatic, offering bath and mud therapy resort on a 24 kilometre Baltic sea coast. Population - 17 thousand people.

Resort is characterized by a maritime climate: mostly mild, but occasionally chilly winds, frequent rain. So vacationers Palanga warmest and driest visit in the summer months - July and August.

Palanga municipality for another five localities:

  • Šventoji (about 12 km. North of the center of Palanga);
  • Būtingė (about 14 km. North of the center of Palanga);
  • Kunigiškės (about 5 km. North of the center of Palanga);
  • Monciškės (about 9 km. North of the center of Palanga);
  • Nemirseta (about 3 km. South of the center of Palanga).

These villages away from the center of Palanga are ideal for a relaxing family vacation. The sea can be reached on foot in 5 to 15 minutes. Fewer people gather on the beach and the city center can be reached by public transport or by car.

Accommodation in Palanga

Accommodation offers in the center of Palanga and the surrounding villages are truly vast and diverse. Accommodation is available in the private sector - to rent an apartment, house, room, and large hotels as well as small, cozy guesthouses.

Rental rates also range from 5-star hotel (Palanga, Vanagupė) standard double room per night costs about 100 euros and with local "grandmothers" price can be settled for less than 10 euros per night. Of course, the price depends on the conditions of life - luxuriously equipped apartment, located in the city center, cottage or vacation home will cost about 100 - 300 euros per day, and accommodation in the old, more modest dwellings or huts with shared facilities - about 10 - 30 euros.

Infrastructure, Leisure and Entertainment in Palanga

Palanga tourists are lured by around 200m. wide, white, soft sandy beaches, picturesque pine forest and dunes, abundant supply of entertainment and noisy, frantic nightlife.

Many cafes, nightclubs and bars clustered in the main - Basanavičius - street and around it. It leads to the famous pedestrian sea bridge.
The resort has a large number of small food and clothing shops and some larger supermarkets. There is also no shortage of beauty salons, hairdressers, spa centers, gyms.

At the beginning of the street lots of merchants offer to buy various souvenirs made from "Baltic gold" called amber: jewelry, paintings and other interior details.
Just off the main street lies the town market, where fresh seasonal berries, fruits and vegetables, fish, Lithuanian honey can be found.
More quiet and intelligent vacationers or a family with children can visit the cinema, theater, art galleries and museums, walk around a big, beautiful botanical park, see rose garden, conservatory.

River Raže flowing through the town, coasts of which are connected by as much as 10 different bridges. Riversides are a favorite place for family walks, many eye-catching ducks with small ducklings . You can always meet fishermen.

Palanga Summer Stage is where every year children's song festival "Laumės juosta" (Witch belt) is held. Every summer, near Palanga every year the "1000 kilometer race" is held, which attracts motorsport fans from all over Lithuania. During the cold season, in February, the resort is celebrates Palanga sparling feast.

Palanga has all-year open wellness facilities, sanatorium, hospital, health centers, which treat nervous system disorders, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and non-locomotor, and atherosclerotic hypertonic and respiratory diseases. Many spas built in the Soviet era, and are characterized by a period of architecture, interior.

Along the coastline are also separate beach areas for men and women, and is allowed to sunbathe without clothes.

Communication, Palanga

By plane
Palanga International Airport from the center of Palanga is only 7 km away north.

By train
The nearest train stations: Klaipėda (25 km. away) and Kretinga (11 km. away).

Car
From the main port of the country - Klaipeda - the resort is located about 25 km. Klaipėda and
Palanga are connected by the A13 highway.
To the east of Palanga (about 11 km. away) is Kretinga city - it is connected to Palanga by highway A11 .
To the north of Palanga (15 km. away) is a Lithuanian - Latvian border

Coach
Buses traveling to Palanga from all major cities in Lithuania : Vilnius , Kaunas , Klaipeda , Panevezys and others. Running and international flights .
Local public transport connects Šventoji, Palanga, Nemirseta, Kunigiškiai, Būtingė.

Biking
Klaipeda - Karklė - Nemirseta - Palanga - Kunigiškiai - Monciskes - Šventoji - Būtingė combines biking trail. It is also a cycle path in the direction of Darbėnai to Žibininkai village and Kretinga direction - Vydmantai village.

The ferry
Klaipeda (about 30 km. away from Palanga) has the international ferry terminal connecting Klaipeda to the Curonian Spit, which from the Kaliningrad region can be reached by car.

History of Palanga

Old settlers of Palanga speculate that the name of the city could have risen from the word "window sill" because in the old days fishing houses were so close to the sea, the waves and sand reached  windowsills. But linguists have much more realistic view: the lowlands, swamps, flooded meadows or similar terms. According to them, the name of the settlement was given by Curonians because the suffix "ng" is especially true of the Curonian place names (Gandinga, Ablinga, Būtingė etc.).

First settlers were known in Palanga to be 3rd-1st millennium BC. Archaeological excavations in the territory of the Palanga recovered stone, flint, horny axes, spearheads from that period.

For the first time in historical sources Palanga was mentioned in 1161 when Danes occupied the Curonian castle in Palanga.

XIII and XIV century there has been not only a fishing village, but also famous shopping center, one of the most important ports in Lithuania, which often was attacked by the Vikings (Danes and Swedes).

In XVIII century historical sources name Palanga a resort, and in XIX century - summer resort.
In 1824 Palanga wass purchased by Count Mykolas Juozapas Tiškevičius. He commanded to update the port - to build an oak bridge for ships to moor, and a new palace.

In 1944 - 1990 Palanga, as well as the rest of the territory of Lithuania is considered part of the USSR. In 1992 Soviet soldiers left Palanga seaside.

In 2013. Palanga was titled Lithuanian Capital of Culture.

The resort was favorite among famous Lithuanian people: the linguist Jonas Jablonskis, the country's Presidents Antanas Smetona and Aleksandras Stulginskis, founder of the scout movement  Sir Robert Baden - Powell (1933), In 1992 Nobel literature laureate Joseph Brodsky (1967).

Sightseeing, Trivia in Palanga

- Sea Bridge
In 1997 after reconstruction Palanga pedestrian bridge was reopened. Most tourists are attracted by the evening when the sun sets.
Live view of Palanga bridge can be viewed here: www.video.priejuros.lt

- Palanga Manor: Amber Museum and Botanical Park
In 1897-built neo-rennaissance style manor, house of the counts Teiškevičiai now operates the Amber Museum, which has 15 rooms and 4500 exhibits. The palace is surrounded by abeautiful botanical park, in which on the hill of Birute stands a fascinating, mysterious, nineteenth century chapel . Near the administration building there is a conservatory-green house, and going in a southerly direction from the Amber Museum there is a rose garden. In Botanical Park, south of Birute hill, stands a memorial stone of the 2nd World War Jew victims.

- Sculpture "Blessing Christ"
The sculpture "Blessing Christ" in the park was created around 1907. In 1948 it was torn down but in 1993 rebuilt again.

- Sculpture "Jurate and Kasytis"
A sculpture at the end of Basanavičius street tells a story of immortal mermaid Jurate, who fell in love with a simple fisherman Kastytis. But love of divine mermaid for amortal angered Thunder god Perkunas, so he smashed Jurate's Amber Palace and Kastytis drowned.

- "Egle, Queen of Serpents"
The sculpture tells the legend of the tree origins. According to legend, a beautiful girl Eglė was seduced by a serpent and became his wife. She was happy and rich, but her brothers were not. They lured her husband onshore and axed him. Egle out of pain turned herself into a fir. Her children turned into trees too: Ąžuolas (Oak), Uosis (Ash), Beržas (Birch) and daughter Drebulė (Aspen).

- Palanga Virgin Mary Assumption Church
In 1897-1907 swedish architect K. E. Strandman designed a Neo-Gothic church. Marble church interior was designed by the French sculptor Mona. Opposite the church is the tomb of the Soviet soldiers killed in the 2nd World War.

- Palanga Mother of God Icon "Iverskaja" Church
In 2001 Palanga Church of Mother of God Icon "Iverskaja" for all faithful was erected.

- Palanga Old Believers Church

- Former Palanga Kurhaus
About 1877 on Basanavičius street corner was built a single-storey brick house, Restaurant "Casino" which later became a Kurhaus (German resort house). In 2002 building destroyed by fire. Nowadays it is being rebuilt.

- The Old Pharmacy
In 1827 a pharmacy was built. In the process of renewal the old interior was restored. Near the Old Pharmacy the Exiles Cross and the pillars for the memory of the post-war exiles can be seen.

-  "Tranquility" Gallery
This gallery holds various exhibitions. Information about the current operating exposure can be obtained by phone : +370607 88990

- Gallery "Mystery of Glass" in villa Astoma
In a small gallery of Lithuanian artists glass works are shown. Available also for buying.
For more information - www.stiklopaslaptis.lt

- Sculptor and painter Antanas Montis House Museum
The museum opened in 1999. It is about 200 author A.Moncys works.

- Savickas Art Gallery
Painting gallery operating in summer in S. Darius and S. Girėnas street.

- John Šliūpas Homestead Museum
Dedicated to life of the first mayor of Palanga.

- The Hippodrome
Near Nemirseta in Palanga Hippodrome horse rides and rentals available. Sometimes horse races are held.

- Būtingė oil terminal
2 km North of Šventoji, the Būtingė operating oil terminal is located.

Monuments and cemeteries in Palanga

- Palanga citizens' Cross
Built in Palanga forest to commemorate the victims of the eighteenth century plague. Access from the highway Palanga - Darbėnai next to Palanga quarry (opposite side of the Jewish cemetery).

- Monument to the pioneer camp bombed during 2nd World War.
The monument stands in the southern side of the city, Vytautas street, in front of the city reading room.

- Ethnographic Anaičiai Cemetery
This cemetery established in the south of Palanga on the edge of the village Nemirseta .

- Palanga Jewish cemetery
Cemetery for the Jews murdered in 2nd World War, located in the Palanga forest. Access from Palanga - Darbėnai highway near Palanga quarry, opposite side from Palanga citizens' cross.

- Old Jewish Cemetery in Palanga
300 meters north of the Naglis mountain on seaside pinewood stretch the old Jewish cemetery is located. Can be reached by the running track "Labrytys" (Good morning).