Romantic Weekend in Klaipeda
Klaipėda’s romance is quiet and maritime. It comes from harbour light, brick courtyards, a ferry ride at dusk and a pine forest across the strait. Two days are enough. Prices are in euros.
Sunset at the Northern Pier
The Northern Pier at Melnragė is the city’s best sunset spot. A long breakwater runs out into the Baltic, and from its end you can watch ferries and cargo ships slide through the harbour entrance as the sun goes down. Entry is free. The boulders are slippery when wet, so stay off the wet boulders and do not swim near the pier.
An evening on the spit
Take the ferry to Smiltynė late in the afternoon and walk through the pine forest to the beach for a sunset away from the city. The Old Ferry Terminal at E. Galvanausko bul. 1 is open 06:00 to 24:00, and a round-trip passenger ticket is EUR 1.70. The same ticket covers your return, so check the return times on the ferry site before you walk too far. Bring a warm layer for the walk back.
Old Town courtyards and the poet’s fountain
The streets of the Old Town are quiet in the evening, and the brick warehouses and half-timbered houses make an easy walk. The Friedrich Passage is a restored 17th-century merchant courtyard of cobblestones. On Theatre Square, next to the Drama Theatre, stands the Ännchen von Tharau fountain, honouring the Memel-born poet Simon Dach and his poem. The fountain dates from 1912 and the present figure is a reconstruction from around 1990. It is free and can be seen at any hour. The Klaipėda tourism site describes it as a talking sculpture.
A night paddle on the Danė
Guided evening canoe tours run through the Old Town under lit bridges. Booking sites list them at roughly EUR 30 to 55 per person, so check the price before you pay. The water is calm, which suits couples who have not paddled before.
Dinner on a ship
Meridianas is a three-masted wooden barque built in Turku, Finland, in 1948. It is moored on the Danė and houses a restaurant. One listing gives opening hours of 11:00 to 22:00, so confirm the hours before you go.
Where to stay
The Michaelson Boutique Hotel is at Žvejų g. 18A, in an 18th-century warehouse on the Danė. Compare it with other rooms on Booking.com .
Plan the weekend
On the first evening, do the Old Town and the poet’s fountain, then dinner on the ship. On the second day, cross to Smiltynė in the afternoon and watch the sunset. Finish on the Northern Pier if the weather is clear. The Baltic is cold, with sea temperatures of about 13 degrees C in June and about 16 degrees C in July, so treat swimming as optional.
Read more: Couple activities in Klaipėda lists more ideas for two.