Road Trip Curonian Spit to Riga 1-Day
In June 2022 we made a 2-week road trip in the Baltic States. We started in Vilnius (Lithuania), rented a car, and explored as much as we could on the way to Tallinn (Estonia) while stopping by Latvia.
On our 6th day we went from the Curonian spit to Riga. As we had a car and lots of time as Riga isn’t too far from the Curonian spit, we decided in the morning to first enjoy a bit more the beach and one last viewpoint on the spit.
We then headed toward Riga and stopped in one unusual place, the hill of Crosses. A pilgrimage site in Lithuania. We then drove past the border to Latvia and to Riga
If you too are planning a trip to the Baltic states, you will most probably do such a road trip on your way to Latvia. Let ‘s dive in this Road Trip Curonian Spit to Riga 1-Day
Table of Contents
Mapping the day
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The road trip
Once again, it is super easy to drive in Lithuania and later in Latvia, most of the road regulation are the same as the rest of EU. Plus, there isn’t a lot of traffic making it really enjoyable. The plan for today is as follow:
- Juodkrante to Bear Head Observation Deck: 12min, 11.4km
- Bear Head Observation Deck to Smiltynės Beach: 6min, 5.0km
- Smiltynės Beach to the Ferry: 4min, 2.1k
- Ferry to Mainland
- Drive to Hill of Crosses: 2h08min, 188km
- Hill of Crosses to Riga: 1h52, 124km
Where to Stay in Riga
We personally stayed 2 nights in Riga which gave us plenty of time to explore the capital of Latvia. We spent some time in the late afternoon when we arrived and then another full day.
- (€): Hostel Viktorija
- (€€): Renovated apartment in Riga center
- (€€€): Grand Poet Hotel
What to Eat
During the road trip, we would also recommend bringing a picnic. There won’t be many places on the road to stop at.
Once in Riga, you can go out at night. There we tried a couple of places. And even, if we have a plant-based diet, we tried some local dishes. The place we went to were:
- Province: located in the city center near the river. We tried the “Sprats” a local smoked fished, green peas soup in rye bread and herring fish.
- Lunch at Vērmane Garden: Cabbage and potatoes
- Coffee at Parunasim, the most romantic coffee shop in old town.
Road Trip Curonian Spit to Riga 1-Day
Juodkrante to Bear Head Observation Deck
We left around 9h15 in the morning and drove 12min, 11.4km. The observation deck is located 5-min walking from the road. So, after we parked it was quickly visited. From there, you can also see the port.
Bear Head Observation Deck to Smiltynės Beach
We then hoped on the car and drove another 6min, 5.0km. There, we walked a bit on the beach and enjoy the last hours of the Curonian spits which will be our favourite place in the Baltic states.
Don’t be surprised if you see people naked, it seems that local are going in the water naked and then put their clothes back on. Anyhow they tried to be discrete about it.
Smiltynės Beach to the Ferry
4min and 2.1km later we took the ferry to reach the mainland. On this side, there isn’t any toll, so the ferry back is “free” or already paid on the way there. There we waited maybe 5 to 10min before going on the ferry.
The ferry was then 5-min to the mainland.
Drive to Hill of Crosses:
Now started the main drive of the day 2h08min, 188km. We decided not to stop at Siauliai, the town next to the hill of Crosses at it seems really small and not having much to offer.
The road was again nice and easy to drive on.
Hill of Crosses
The Hill of crosses was the top things to do today. It is a site of Pilgrimage where today over 100 000 crosses are located. If you wish you can even put a cross there, you just need to follow the instructions.
The precise origin of the practice of leaving crosses on the hill is uncertain, but it is believed that the 1st crosses were placed on the former Jurgaičiai or Domantai hill fort after the 1831 Uprising. Over the generations, not only crosses and crucifixes, but statues of the Virgin Mary, carvings of Lithuanian patriots and thousands of tiny effigies and rosaries have been brought here by Catholic pilgrims. The exact number of crosses is unknown, but estimates put it at about 55,000 in 1990 and 100,000 in 2006.
There is a parking area with tourist information center (WC, shops…) next to the site.
Hill of Crosses to Riga:
Time to finish the driving of the day with a final 1h52, 124km to reach Riga. Crossing the border is easy as there isn’t really a border or controls anymore.
Riga
Once you are settled in, you can start going on to explore Riga. Try one of the local restaurant and local dishes.
Lietuvis tau neskaitys paskaitos, parodys, iš kur kojos auga – A Lithuanian won’t give you a lecture; they’ll show you where legs grow from
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