Birštonas: Views, Forest and Spa History

Birštonas offers different starting points for your trip: panoramic views of the Nemunas meanders, a large forest area and traces of its spa history. When choosing where to stay, you can consider whether you are most interested in the landscape, architecture or the history of the spa town.

Panoramas and forest

The Birštonas observation tower is 55 metres tall, and its viewing platform is 45 metres above the ground. After climbing more than 300 steps, you are rewarded with panoramic views of the Nemunas meanders. The two heights distinguish the tower from the platform, while the climb gives you a concrete measure of the visit. If you want to experience Birštonas from above, this is an easy place to start.

The tower is most easily reached on foot or by bicycle, as it is in a protected area. Access conditions may change depending on the area's management, so check current access arrangements before your visit. The Vytautas-Jurgis-Meška Park offers a different perspective on nature: it covers 25 hectares of forest where not a single tree has been felled. The sweeping view from the tower and the park's forest offer two distinct landscape experiences.

Spa history and architecture

The Birštonas Kurhaus is one of the few surviving buildings of its kind in Lithuania. In 2006, it was added to the list of architectural monuments. Classical music concerts have been held there since it opened in 1855. Its architectural history and concert history offer two different insights into the building and its cultural significance.

The Church of St Anthony of Padua is another distinct architectural landmark: it is a neo-Gothic red-brick church built between 1900 and 1909. Its style, materials and construction period set it apart from the history of the Kurhaus. If you are interested in the town's architecture, these are two different examples to explore.

Insights into the history of the spa town

Most of the Birštonas Museum's exhibition is devoted to the spa town's history, from the Tsarist era to the present day. Its scope therefore spans more than a single period. The museum is housed in a building that has been added to the cultural heritage list: a visit offers both the history of the spa town through the exhibition and a building with this heritage status.

At the Birštonas Museum, you can also take part in educational programmes that can be booked in advance, including one about the city's mineral water springs. Check before travelling whether your preferred programme is available. The educational activity “Kvepiantis Birštono banginiukas” at the Museum of Sacred Art is hands-on: visitors can bake special biscuits shaped like the spa town's whale symbol. Check the availability of this programme before your trip, too.

Mineral water in the open air

At the “Druskupis” mineral water evaporation structure, visitors can try inhalations in the open air. There is a pavilion with a mineral water fountain for this purpose. This offers something different from the museums' exhibitions and programmes: the focus here is on trying an inhalation outdoors. The evaporation system operates seasonally, so check before travelling whether it is currently in operation.

The attractions appeal to different interests: the observation tower offers views of the river meanders, the park showcases the forest and its trees, while the museum and Kurhaus tell the story of the spa town. The educational programmes and Druskupis each offer their own additional highlights. Which of these aspects matters when choosing a hotel in Birštonas depends on what you want to focus on during your stay.

Discover more destinations: Karmėlava, Gabšiai, Ringaudai, Ariogala, Šiluva, Prienai, Garliava, Kaišiadorys.

Go to the broader travel overview: Kaunas County.