The rapidly approaching summertime calls for extreme sports enthusiasts to explore numerous water adventures in Lithuania, which boasts thousands of lakes and access to the Baltic Sea. Top destinations for kitesurfing, sailing, surfing, or wakeboarding offer both unforgettable experiences and a chance to explore Lithuania’s wild nature.
April 14, 2023. Extreme sports enthusiasts have been eagerly designing their vacations around water-related activities, which has resulted in a surge in water adventure tourism. With 3,000lakes and over 90 kilometers of the Baltic Sea shoreline, Lithuania is a tempting destination for kitesurfing, wakeboarding, and surfing enthusiasts. As spring weather is steadily seeping into the country, beloved water sports locations are welcoming travelers of all skill levels.
Sailing away in the medieval castle lake
Lithuanians have a longstanding passion for sailing—the country’s sailors glide the oceans, participating in international sailing competitions like The Ocean Race, and transverse the emerald waters of the country’s lakes. Therefore, sailing around the medieval Trakai Castle, which was built in the 14th century as a residence for the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, and is nestled not far from the capital Vilnius, is a must for all sailors coming for a visit.
Sailors will get the chance to luxuriate in the picture-perfect Lake Galvė, which enchants with deep water, over 20 islands scattered around it, and unmatched views of the exuberant greenery and the legendary Castle. The Vilnius Yacht Club, the oldest yachting and sailing organization in Lithuania, organizes regattas, and one of them, Platu 25 Lithuanian Cup, starts in a month. Those who are wary of operating a yacht themselves can hop on a boat tour around the lake or even do some low-stress exploring with a water bike.
A call of the most modern wakeboarding park in Europe
Wakeboarding is rapidly sweeping over Lithuania, which boasts over 30 wake parks across the country. Seasoned wakeboarders designed 313 Cable Park near the self-proclaimed summer capital and seaside resort Palanga to create the ultimate experience for the aficionados of the sport. Full-size cables that give a thrilling spin around the water arena, 50 different features for wakeboarders with varying skills, beginner-friendly lessons, and family-inclusive entertainment like restaurants, yoga, inflatable aqua park, tree climbing rail, and children’s playgrounds make the park one of the most desired wakeboarding destinations.
Travelers who cannot get enough of wakeboarding adventures can head to Kaunas, the second-largest city in central Lithuania. Vanduo Marse wakeboard park tempts with a modern cable system for beginners and pros, a restaurant to grab a bite after a vigorous wakeboarding session, and cabins to recharge at night. Kaunas is also the right city to swap water exercises with a dash of culture—Art Deco and modernist interwar architecture, gigantic graffiti murals, quaint boutiques, and restaurants will nicely round up one’s trip.
Kitesurfers’ paradise on the Curonian Lagoon
Svencelė village, tucked away on the Curonian Lagoon in Western Lithuania, is a top choice for kitesurfers and sailors for its spacious waters, gusty winds, and wild nature on the shore. Svencelė kitesurfing and sailing center offers accommodation in a container with all amenities and unobstructed views of the Lagoon, and kiting schools like KNoTS, Windigo, BoardHouse Spot, and multiple others teach the beginners how to tame the wind and the waves.
Enthusiastic kitesurfers spend an entire summer in Svencelė, enjoying the water adventures in a tight-knit community. The location also holds another spectacular gem—the Curonian Spit that lies between the Lagoon and the Baltic Sea. A 98-kilometer-long UNESCO-listed peninsula is a major draw for travelers yearning to experience the coastal wildlife, luring them with the chance to birdwatch, take in endless sand dunes, and breathe in therapeutic pine scents from the forests nearby.
Surfing along the Baltic Sea shores
Traveling surfers will find roaring waves and vast stretches of sandy beaches to relax on in the resort spot of Melnragė, right next to the country’s laid-back port town Klaipėda. Melnragė II, one of the two beaches that belong to Melnragė resort, was awarded the Blue Flag in 2020 and is a top choice for active sports fans. Aside from easy access by car, winding paths along the coast, and the beach filled with volleyball, basketball courts, children’s playground, and training equipment, the spot is also enveloped in fragrant pine forests, making it a special hideaway from the buzz of the city.
Waves near Klaipėda and Melnragė Pier are the highest in the country, and their swell is especially alluring to surfers who flock to the resort every summer to ride waves, draw energy from the turbulent waters of the Baltic Sea, and bask in the lazy summertime sun. Surfing schools such as Banglentė, SurfCamp, Surf Style LT, and others teach lessons for beginners and more advanced surfers and organize camps.
ABOUT LITHUANIA TRAVEL
Lithuania Travel is a national tourism development agency responsible for Lithuania’s tourism marketing and promotion, acting under the Ministry of Economy and Innovation. Its strategic goal — to raise awareness of Lithuania as an attractive tourism destination and to encourage inbound and domestic travel. The agency closely collaborates with tourism businesses and organizations, presents Lithuanian tourism products, services and experiences on social and digital media, press trips, in international travel exhibitions and B2B events.
