Neringa (Curonian Spit)
A breathtaking peninsula off the southern Lithuanian coast, some 350 km from Vilnius. This sword-shaped sliver of land runs for some 100 km parallel to the coast. One of its wonders is the feeling of complete isolation; you may find yourself on your own for miles, strolling through the endless chain of sand dunes. Neringa, sometimes called the Baltic Sahara, which was much loved by Nobel Laureate Thomas Mann, who wrote about "the fantastic world of traveling dunes, pine forests filled with moose and birch between the bay and the Baltic Sea." The prettiest town is on its southern end, Nida, which has the Thomas Mann house/museum. The white-sand beaches of Nida are reason enough to come to Nida anytime of the year. After storms in the fall and spring you can entertain yourself by searching for amber. Further north, near Juodkrante, is Witches' Hill, which boasts hundreds of playful and grotesque wooden statues.

Palanga
may be just 25km north of Klaipeda, but in summer this town is a world away. In summer the town comes alive with the music of live bands and the voices of an international crowd - Poles, Germans, Americans, Lithuanians and Russians - descend upon the resort town to relax and play and stay up late. Botanical Park in the most peaceful part of Palanga, this 110-ha landscaped garden is the largest such park in Lithuania and home to a flock of trumpet swans. The peaceful gardens were designed by French landscape artist Edward Andre in the 19th century. Count Tiskevicius' mansion housing the Amber Museum is in the centre of the park. Here 25,000 pieces of amber (15,000 of which have Jurassic insects trapped inside) tell the story of 'Baltic Gold'. Behind the museum is a lovely rose garden and beyond that is the highest point in Palanga, Birute Hill.This hill allegedly was once the site of a pagan shrine and Birute was one of the vestal virgins who tended it. The unofficial symbol of Palanga, the pier was reconstructed in 1997 after a storm wiped it out in 1993. Every evening as the sun sets, crowds gather here to bid the day farewell and watch the sun slowly sink into the Baltic sea. The original pier was curved to the north as it is now, but was reckoned to be 630 metres long. Palanga's beach is long, sandy and backed by pine covered dunes. In summer sunbathe and swim or rent wind surfers, jet skis, boats and other recreational craft. There are plenty of paths for walking and biking in the forest alongside the beach. The most popular route to the beach is down Basanaviciaus. Dancing is not limited to the following venues as Basanaviciaus becomes a sort of dance floor itself in the late hours of the night.

Kaunas
Lithuania's second city was actually its first during the interwar period-and residents of Kaunas won't let you forget it. Many consider Kaunas more Lithuanian than Vilnius, whose population and history is more varied. The city offers a pretty old town, including the ruins of Kaunas Castle and the Vytautas Church-built by Grand Duke Vytautas in the 14th century. There is the fascinating Devil's Museum, which houses a collection of various devils and devil figures (Hitler and Stalin, not coincidentally, are also represented here). Kaunas is also home to the M.K. Ciurlionis Art Gallery (Putvinskio 55), a museum dedicated to the great Lithuanian painter and composer.

Siauliai
A wonderful day-tripper about 250 km northwest from Vilnius, Siauliai boasts many interesting and strange museums. The main site in town is the large St. Peter and Paul's Church, which has the tallest church spire in Lithuania. From Siauliai you can reach the Hill of Crosses, which is 10 km north. It is a moving monument to the tenacity of religious belief. Hundreds of thousands of crosses adorn the hill, from the largest posted crosses to the small personal crucifixes left by travelers. The Pope, among millions of others, paid a pilgrimage to the site and left his cross.