Travel Nida Guide

The town of Nida is a settlement on the narrow stretch of beach called the Curonian Split, in Lithuania. The Curonian Split is a long, thin peninsula which stretches up into Russia. The entire Split is a National Park and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Though Nida only has a couple thousand permanent residents, it gathers many thousands more tourists each season, as Lithuanians and Europeans alike come for the summer to enjoy the beautiful beaches.

Nida was the home of the famous writer, Thomas Mann. The Thomas Mann house remains an important museum and cultural center in Nida. Thomas Mann originally visited the area on vacation with his family, and loved the area so much that he decided to stay. Original pieces of Mann's literature and art are displayed inside of the house, and the outside is lovely as well; with pine trees and the water nearby. It is no wonder that Mann was so inspired during his stay here.

Due to the unique shape of Nida, the lack of arable land and the high winds, there have formed some of the world's tallest natural sand dunes. The sand dunes are a phenomenon in and of themselves. Though erosion has decreased in the recent past due to a renewed effort at planting ground-holding plant species, the sand dunes are still as magnificent as ever.