Curonian Spit

Where it is & how to get there

• By car: About 1 hour from Kaliningrad via Zelenogradsk.
• Bus: Regular buses from Kaliningrad to the villages on the spit.
• Trails: Wooden boardwalks lead to the Dancing Forest and Efa Dune.

The story of the Curonian Spit

The Curonian Spit is a 98 km long sand bar, formed about 5,000 years ago, separating the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea. Its southern half is in Russia and its northern half in Lithuania. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.

Centuries of tree cutting once let the dunes bury whole villages, until people replanted the forests in the 1800s. Today highlights include the Dancing Forest, where pine trunks twist into loops and spirals, and the high Efa Dune with views of the sea and lagoon.

Best time to visit

Tips before you go

• See the 'Dancing Forest' of twisted pines.
• Stay on the boardwalks; the dunes are fragile.
• Walk the Dancing Forest trail, about 30 minutes.
• Bring insect repellent in summer.

What's around the Curonian Spit

• Dancing ForestPines with twisted trunks.
• Efa DuneHigh dune viewpoint.
• ZelenogradskSeaside resort at the start of the spit.
• RybachyVillage with a bird-ringing station.

Questions travellers ask