Nida

Nida is a town and resort on the Curonian Spit in western Lithuania. It is part of Neringa Municipality in Klaipėda County, located at the northern end of the spit near the Curonian Lagoon and facing the Baltic Sea. Nida is one of the region’s most popular tourist destinations, known for its sandy beaches, pine forests, and distinctive wooden architecture.

Historically, Nida developed from a fishing village into a seaside resort, expanding its cultural and tourist infrastructure in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Today it sits within the Curonian Spit National Park, and the Curonian Spit itself is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its unique landscape and ecological value.

Notable sights and cultural institutions in Nida include the Parnidis Dune with its open-air sundial, and the Nida Lighthouse. The Thomas Mann Memorial House commemorates the German writer who lived in the town during his exile in the 1930s. The town also hosts ethnographic and contemporary art venues, including the Nida Art Colony, and a local museum complex focused on regional history and fishing heritage.

Economy and transport: Tourism is the backbone of Nida’s economy, with a seasonal influx of visitors that sustains hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, and services. Access to Nida is via road along the Curonian Spit, with ferry connections from the mainland to the spit at Smiltynė and broader links to Klaipėda and other communities on the coast.