Druskininkai
Druskininkai is a town in Dzūkija, the southern region of Lithuania, with a population of 13,170 in 2023. It's a spa town with very salty spring waters.
Understand
[edit]Druskininkai probably takes its name from druska, meaning salt - an essential commodity for food preparation and preservation in bygone ages. The town is far from the sea, but very salty water bubbled up from a dozen natural springs. From the 18th century it was believed that mineral waters could cure all sorts of conditions, the nastier the taste the better, so the town evolved into a spa. City dwellers came from as far away as Saint Petersburg, from 1862 sped by the railway to Warsaw, and genteel accommodation and entertainments encouraged them to linger. This continued when the town passed from Russian to Polish control, with the mighty General Piłsudski spending his summers here and pushing development. Demand for mineral water outstripped the natural springs but boreholes reached down towards the salt beds. The Soviets built great clunky spa hotels to rest their weary Stakhanovites, and a modern generation of "wellness resorts" follows in their footsteps.
Druskininkai Tourism and Business Information Centre (Druskininkų turizmo ir verslo informacijos centras), Gardino g 3, ☏ +370 313 60800. M-F 08:30-17:00. This is next to the campsite 500 m south of the bus station.
Get in
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Druskininkai is 130 km southwest of Vilnius, follow A4, which continues across the Belarus border to Grodno. From Kaunas take Highway 129 south past Alytus, 136 km.
Buses from Vilnius run hourly and take 2 hours. From Kaunas they're also hourly, taking 2 hr 30 min via Prienai and Alytus - one daily bus starts from Palanga and Klaipėda. For times and online tickets see Autobus Bilietai.
1 Autobusų Stotis the "bus station" is just a draughty square.
Get around
[edit]Town buses reach the outlying villages. Buses 2C 3 3A 3B 3C run to the forest park. Buses 3C and 4B run to Česnulis sculpture park.
Taxi firms are Nice Taksi (+370 628 30502), Transfer-Taxi Druskininkuose (+370 615 22155), B Basalykienes (+370 313 51313) and E Buro (+370 313 51213).
See
[edit]- 1 Joy of All Who Sorrow Church (Dievo Motinos ikonos "Visų liūdinčiųjų Džiaugsmas" cerkvė) is a charming wooden Orthodox church on a roundabout on Laisvės a.
- Vila Radium is a fine wooden mansion 200 m north of JofAWS Church at T Kosciuškos g 7. It's private apartments so you just admire the exterior.
- 2 Resistance & Exile Museum (Rezistencijos ir tremties muziejus), Vilniaus al 24, ☏ +370 677 69938. M-Th 08:00-17:00, F 08:00-16:00. Documents, photos and artefacts from 20th century oppressions.
- 3 Upside-down House (Apverstas namas), Vilniaus al 14, ☏ +370 672 17669. Daily 10:00-20:00. Bright yellow wooden furnished bungalow, positioned upside down. Adult €3, conc or child €2.
- 4 Town Museum (Miesto Muziejus), M K Čiurlionio g 59, ☏ +370 313 51024. M-Sa 11:00-17:00. Compact museum of town life in a neoclassical villa built 1905-09. Concerts and similar events are also staged here. Adult €5, conc or child €3.
- Church of Saint Mary's Scapular (Švč Mergelės Marijos Škaplierinės bažnyčia) is opposite the town museum at Vilniaus al 1. It's a neo-gothic red-brick building of 1931.
- 5 M K Čiurlionis Memorial Museum, M K Ciurlionio g 35, ☏ +370 313 51131. Tu-Sa 11:00-18:00, Su 11:00-16:00. Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis (1875-1911) was a prolific composer, painter and writer, primarily in Polish. He was born in Senoji Varėna; when he was 3 the family moved to Druskininkai where his musical talent was soon noticed. He worked mostly in Leipzig and Warsaw but returned here shortly after his marriage; then he died of pneumonia aged 35. The museum displays his life and legacy, while several of his paintings are in J K Jonyno Gallery adjacent; there's a larger collection in Kaunas. Adult €5, child or conc €2.50.
- 6 Forest Echo Museum (Girios Aidas Muziejus), M K Čiurlionio g 116, ☏ +370 623 19217. W-Su 10:00-17:00. Odd mixture of natural history museum, woodland park, and witch & goblin kitsch. Free.
- 7 St Bartholomew's Church (Šv Apaštalo Baltramiejaus bažnyčia) is a sturdy neo-gothic structure in Ratnyčios 2 km southeast, rebuilt in 1921.
- 8 Česnulis Sculpture Park, Naujasodės g 16, ☏ +370 687 93694. Daily 09:00-21:00. Outdoor wooden sculptures by Antanas Česnulis (b 1948).
- 9 Grūto Parkas, Grūto k, ☏ +370 313 55511. Daily 09:00-18:00. Lithuania was dotted with Soviet monuments until 1989, when many were scrapped but some found their way to this forest park. Nice idea spoiled by the mini-zoo, where dirty cramped conditions for the animals punctures the liberation rhetoric of the park museum. Adult €12, child €7.
- 10 Švendubrė is a village 4 km south of town, close to the border with Belarus, with many traditional wooden buildings.
Do
[edit]- 1 Menų Kalvė Crafts Centre, M K Čiurlionio g 27, ☏ +370 671 76108. Tu-Sa 10:00-18:00. Craft studio with artists at work and exhibition of their wares.
- 2 Aquapark (Vandens Parkas), Vilniaus al 13, ☏ +370 313 52338. M-F 12:00-22:00, Sa Su 10:00-22:00. Aqua park with family and adult-only sections.
- Ride the cable-car from Aquapark 1.2 km north across the river to Snow Arena. In 2024 an adult return ride is €6.
- 3 Snow Arena, Nemuno g 2, ☏ +370 615 35415. Su-Th 10:00-19:00, F Sa 10:00-22:00. Winter sports complex open year round with two indoor ski slopes, a freestyle ski park, and a beginner area. An outdoor slope is open in winter.
- Golf: Wolf Golf Club is 15 km north in the village of Kamorūnai.
- Narcissus Flower Festival[dead link] is in April when the daffodils are in bloom.
- Druskininkai Resort Festival is over a long weekend at the end of May.
- M K Čiurlionis Music Festival is in June.
- Druskininkai Poetic Fall is in October, with poetry events here and in Vilnius.
Buy
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- Supermarkets near Aquapark are Iki and Rimi. Maxima is at M K Čiurlionio g 50, open daily 08:00-22:00.
Eat
[edit]- Sicilija, Taikos g 9 (east side of Saint Mary's Church), ☏ +370 313 51865. Su-Th 10:00-23:00, F Sa 10:00-00:00. Good pizza and other Italian staples.
- Etno Dvaras, M K Čiurlionio g 55 (100 m west of Town Museum), ☏ +370 656 19953. M-F 11:00-22:00, Sa Su 10:00-22:00. Inexpensive place for trad fare.
- 1 Kolonada, V Kudirkos g 22, ☏ +370 662 06062. Su-Th 11:30-23:00, F Sa 11:00-01:00. Good menu selection and quality, often has live music and gets booked out.
- 2 Dangaus Skliautas, Kurorto g 8, ☏ +370 313 55787. Su-Th 11:00-00:00, F Sa 11:00-02:00. Mostly good reviews for this riverside restaurant.
Drink
[edit]- Mineral water is what the place is renowned for. It rises from aquifers 300 m below ground and is almost twice as salty as sea water. This will cure you of a catalogue of ailments about as often as ordinary tap water does. Of course if you have cardiac or renal problems it'll finish you off.
- Bars include Senfortis by the orthodox church, and Bagira Lounge at Vilniaus al 20.
Sleep
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- 1 Druskininkai Camping, Gardino g 3 (500 m south of bus station), ☏ +370 614 70250. Clean spacious site open May-Sept.
- 2 Europa Royale, Vilniaus al 7, ☏ +370 600 07666. Mixed reviews for this spa hotel with a modern and a historic section. B&B double €120.
- 3 Amberton Green Spa, Kurorto g 3, ☏ +370 313 20007. Upscale spa by riverside. B&B double €230.
- 4 Grand Spa Lietuva, V Kudirkos g 45, ☏ +370 313 51200. Some facilities worn, but overall a comfy place by the water park. B&B double €110.
- 5 Spa Vilnius Druskininkai, K Dineikos g 1, ☏ +370 313 53811. Smart spa earning all-round good reviews for comfort and service. B&B double €200.
- 6 Draugyste Sanatorija, V Kreves g 7, ☏ +370 313 53132. Old-style spa hotel, some rooms tiny.
- 7 , Maironio g 22, ☏ +370 313 59100. Simple place, acceptable for what you're paying. B&B double €80.
- 8 Eglės Sanatorij, Eglės g 1, ☏ +370 313 60220. Large spa hotel spread over six buildings, with mineral waters and muds. B&B double €120.
Connect
[edit]Druskininkai and its approach highways have 4G from all Lithuanian carriers. As of Feb 2024, 5G has not reached this area.
Go next
[edit]- Leipalingis old town is worth a quick look if you drive north towards Marijampole.
- Liškiava has well-preserved old buildings on the river bank northeast of Druskininkai.