Birstonas

While Palanga competes with Neringa for having the name of the resort number one in Lithuanian Baltic, Birstonas does the same with Druskininkai for the right of being considered the best health resort of the country. There can be several analogies between these two cities: resorts are situated on the river Nemunas, both of them are famous for their mineral waters and one more factor which won’t divide Birshtonas and Druskininkai is their picturesque nature.

Birstonas gained the status of the resort fifty years later than Druskininkai. The first guests who came here to improve their health with the help of local waters and curative mud were received here in 1846. The first wave of tourists came to Birstonas at the end of the 19-th and the beginning of the 20-th century when health resorts were really in fashion.

Since that time Birstonas managed to strengthen its reputation quiet significantly as one of the best spa-resorts of the Baltic States.
There are several sanatoriums here, the biggest of them is “Versme” that was built in 1975 and now offers a wide range of anti-stress and other procedures to fight many diseases.

Not only medicinal methods and mineral springs help to find harmony with the world around us. The atmosphere itself gives an imperishable feeling of peace. What really makes Birstonas different from other Lithuanian cities is its low-key sights – the monument to Lithuanian duke Vitovt, the Song hump from which opens a marvelous view to the suburbs of the town and the neogothic church. They all create a unique aura round the city.

The canoes moving along the Nemunas create an additional charm to the city. Birstonas is considered to be one of the centers of rowing sport in Lithuania. Here any guest can hire a canoe. By the way, the city’s sport attractiveness can’t be restricted only to canoes. Cycling is exceptionally popular in Birstonas. There are three special bike excursion routes. And recently there has been opened a winter skiing track.

A quiet life of the city during the year is disturbed only twice. For the first time – during the traditional festival of jazz, the oldest musical event of the country, this is organized in the city since 1980. Jazz is exclusively popular in Lithuania, that’s why during the festival the population of the country increases very quickly due to the fans of this music style. The festival takes place during the last weekends of March. Another event is Nemuno Galiunas - the festival of strong men which, as a rule, is devoted to the celebration of the Statehood Day in Lithuania on the 6 of July.