Peaceful and relaxing, Druskininkai is a charming spa town on the border of Poland and Belarus. Travelers come to this escape from all over the world to enjoy the historic baths, some of which have been active for hundreds of years.
Boasting numerous museums, adventure trails, and an aqua park, Druskininkai offers much more than just spas to curious guests. The city is surrounded by large pine forests, and the locals say that the pine woods add to the healing properties of the town's mineral springs.
The town's spas and sanatoriums are renowned for their healing properties, which derive both from the minerals in the water and the pine forests surrounding the town. Popular spas include Grand Spa Lietuva and Sanatorium Egle.
The town has a children's health center, and is home to the Snow Arena as well as the Druskininkai Aqua Park water park, which are fun for all ages.
Museums in town introduce guests to different aspects of the region's historic heritage.
Many local restaurants specialize in Lithuanian food, which is a rarity outside the country.
The nearby National Park offers plenty of hiking and biking trails for nature enthusiasts, as well as numerous berry picking opportunities.
Druskininkai has a cold and temperate climate with lots of rain throughout the year. However, summer can get quite hot, so it's advisable to visit in May or September.
There aren't many nearby airports. The nearest international airport, in Vilnius, is about 80 miles away. Buses run regularly from Vilnius and cost about EUR10.
The town sits just off the intersection of the A4 and 5006, which connect to Grodno in Belarus and Vilnius in Lithuania.
Buses are the primary way of arriving in town. Regular routes from Vilnius and Kaunas cost about EUR6-9 each.
Being a resort town, there are a number of hotels in Druskininkai. The Hotel Dainava has options for tents and camper vans. The Hotel Regina is a 3-star establishment located within the town limits. Because of the town's resort status, rooms can fill up rather quickly, so it's best to book several months in advance, especially during the busy summer season.
The town is so small that it does not have nor need a form of public transportation, it is easily walkable.
There are several small taxi companies that operate in town.
Druskininkai is very easy to drive around in. Cars can be rented in Vilnius for as little as EUR11 per day.
The town is not known for its shopping options but there are some jewelry stores, most of which are located on Čiurlionio Street.
There are several grocery stores in town where visitors will find staple items such as bread for EUR1 a loaf. A dozen eggs can be found for EUR1.60.
Restaurants like Forto Dvaras and Aero Gallery in town serve Lithuanian specialties, such as Gaspadoriaus karka (pork knuckle) and Dzūkikos trokintos voveraitės (stewed forest mushrooms). An inexpensive meal will cost about EUR6 in town.