Lithuania Minor (Mažoji Lietuva) is a region in the west of Lithuania, historically part of Prussia. It's bordered to the east by Samogitia (Žemaitija), to the southeast by Sūduva (Suvalkija), to the south by the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad Oblast, and to the west by the Baltic Sea.

'"`UNIQ--maplink-00000001-QINU`"'

Map of Lithuania Minor

• 55.712521.1351 Klaipėda is Lithuania's third largest city.
• 55.54237521.1200722 Juodkrantė is a village on the Curonian Spit near the spooky "Hill of Witches".
• 55.30397321.005323 Nida is a village among the dunes of the Spit.
• 55.3521.4834 Šilutė is a quiet market town near Nemunas river delta and wetland.

• The Curonian Spit stretches for 99 km from Smiltynė near Klaipėda through Nida into Russian Kaliningrad, a bootlace of sand dunes and pine forests.
• 55.29721.3781 Rusnė is a village and river island in the Nemunas Delta.
• 55.34221.1922 Cape Ventė is a peninsula projecting into the Curonian Lagoon, a bird-watching site.

Lithuania is divided into five "cultural regions", ten counties (apskritys) and 60 municipalities (savivaldybės). The five regions have no administrative role but are said to have distinct cultural characteristics. Of these five, Lithuania Minor is certainly the most distinct, because most of it doesn't exist or at least is not in Lithuania. The name historically refers to a German-speaking region controlled by Prussia, with Königsberg and Memel its chief cities. The map was redrawn by terrible wars up to 1945, then by the economic collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989. Germany lost its eastern territories and the Russians lost the Baltic states, but retained an exclave on the coast, geographically separated from the rest of Russia but an integral part of that nation. Most of Lithuania Minor lay in that exclave around Königsberg, now called Kaliningrad. A thin eastern strip of it passed to independent Lithuania, and Memel was renamed Klaipėda.

There are a few cultural remnants of bygone times, in local dialect and in red-brick, tile-roof older buildings. But the most distinctive feature is the coast, in an otherwise landlocked country. Half of this is the Curonian Spit, a strip of sandy beaches and pine woods enclosing the brackish Curonian Lagoon. Klaipėda as the country's only seaport is large and industrial. Another beach strip extends north of it through Palanga (in Samogitia region) to the border with Latvia. The Curonian Lagoon's mainland coast has wetlands around the delta of the Nemunas River. The river marks the border with Kaliningrad with no local crossing point, so this area is little developed and literally a backwater.

Palanga (PLQ ^IATA) is the regional airport, 35 km north of Klaipėda. It has limited flights and most visitors will do better to fly into Vilnius (VNO ^IATA) or Kaunas (KUN ^IATA) and hire a car, which you need to get around this region. You might also consider Riga (RIX ^IATA) for an extended tour of the Baltic regions.

The only major city is Klaipėda. Highways and buses from Vilnius, Kaunas and elsewhere converge here. Klaipėda also has ferries from Germany and Sweden, and is a frequent calling point for Baltic cruises.

Klaipėda has trains every couple of hours from Vilnius, taking 4 hr 30 min via Kaišiadorys, Jonava, Kėdainiai, Radviliškis, Šiauliai, Telšiai, Plungė and Kretinga.

Kaunas is closer than Vilnius by road yet with poor public transport connections, travel either by Vilnius or Šiauliai for a five hour journey.

This region borders Russian Kaliningrad. For all practical purposes the crossing on the Curonian Spit near Nida is closed. The nearest open crossing, with correct documentation, is Panemunė / Sovetsk.

The distances are not beyond cycling but realistically you need your own vehicle, best hired from your arrival airport.

Buses fan out from Klaipėda. This includes the Curonian Spit, where buses from Nida run up the spit to connect with ferries to the city.

Four trains a day run between Klaipėda and Šilute, taking an hour.

• Klaipėda is mostly modern but has a castle, an old town quarter and several museums.
• Smiltynė is the north tip of the Curonian Spit, a short ride by foot- or car-ferry from Klaipėda. There's a couple of museums.
• Hill of Witches is modern wood sculpture near Juodkrantė on the spit.
• Nida has museums of its fishing-folk.
• Nemunas river delta is a rustic area for fishing and bird-watching, accessed via Šilutė.

• Beaches are long and sandy. The best are along the Atlantic shore of the Curonian Spit, exposed to the Baltic and suitable for wind-surfing. For kiddy-bathing you might prefer the sheltered east-facing lagoon shores.
• Football: Klaipėda has a top-tier soccer team. The Lithuanian playing season is March-Nov.

Klaipėda has the best selection, but expect a trad Lithuanian menu everywhere, with little leavening of other nations' cuisines.

The tap water is clean and safe to drink.

Lots of pubs, and even the small villages have cafes serving alcohol.

Klaipėda has breweries.

Beware traffic, safeguard valuables, and keep a close eye on children with water activities, same as anywhere else.

• Palanga in Samogitia region is the country's main beach resort.
• Kaunas in Sūduva region is mostly modern but with an old centre.
• Kaliningrad Oblast the exclave of Russia is nowadays difficult to access for western passport holders.