Once a fishing village known as Schwarzort, Juodkrante is now one of the largest settlements on Lithuania’s section of the Curonian Spit. It’s renowned for its outdoor sculpture parks, seabird colonies and peaceful stretch of Baltic Sea beach.
Perched atop a forested dune is the Hill of Witches, an outdoor sculpture park where around 80 works by Lithuanian artists are exhibited. It was inspired by the long-established tradition of woodcarving in Samogitia and the mid-summer folk festival known as Joninės. Many of the sculptures are based on Lithuanian folktales and pagan traditions.
Keen birdwatchers can visit the cormorant and heron colonies that lie just to the west of Juodkrante, with it believed that herons have been nesting here since the 17th century. For a day on the sand, head to the Beach of Juodkrante, which can be accessed along a forested walking trail from the village.
Getting there
Juodkrante is just under an hour’s drive from Klaipeda and 1.5 hours from Palanga International Airport, which has flights to destinations across Europe. Daily buses travel from Klaipeda to Juodkrante and the village is small enough to explore on foot.