Druskininkai Spa Town – The Sanatoriums

Druskininkai is a city in the southern part of Lithuania. The spa town of Druskininkai, with its sanatoriums known beyond Lithuania’s borders, is located in the Dzukija region, about 125 kilometres southwest of the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius. The Belarusian town of Hrodna lies just under 40 kilometres south of the sanatoriums in the spa town of Druskininkai. The spa town and its sanatoriums are situated right on the Neman River. Druskininkai is popular because of its scenic location amid moraine hills bordered by woodland. Not far from the spa town and its sanatoriums is Grutas Park, an open-air museum containing statues and monuments from the Soviet era. The museum was established on 1 April 2001 by Lithuanian entrepreneur Viliumas Malinauskas. Grutas Park has since become a popular tourist attraction.

The Lithuanian spa town of Druskininkai is located close to the borders with neighbouring Belarus and Poland. Druskininkai and its sanatoriums have been regarded for more than 200 years as a haven for relaxation and one of Eastern Europe’s most prestigious centres offering spa facilities (a general term for health and wellness establishments). Druskininkai, commonly referred to as the “Lithuanian Baden-Baden,” is considered one of the first European centres to develop spa tourism. It is therefore older than the widely known spa town of Karlovy Vary. In 1794, the then Polish king Stanislaw August issued a decree declaring the area around Druskininkai a health resort. After Lithuania was incorporated into the Russian Empire, the Russian tsar followed the example of his Polish counterpart and also declared Druskininkai and its sanatoriums a spa town. As a result, the number of visitors to the spa town rose to more than 20,000 at the beginning of the 20th century. Druskininkai is considered Lithuania’s largest spa town, ahead of the equally well-known Palanga and the no less famous Birštonas. What is remarkable, and a testament to Druskininkai’s reputation, is that strictly speaking it has no season like other spa towns, as visitors come throughout the year.

The many sanatoriums in Druskininkai were built gradually over the years, allowing the town’s range of services to expand steadily. Some sanatoriums and other facilities in Druskininkai were built during the Soviet era. Among the town’s more recent additions are the four-star Regina Hotel and a state-of-the-art water park, one of the largest facilities of its kind in Europe. The most important branch of tourism in Druskininkai remains spa and wellness stays. The range of services available to visitors in Druskininkai and its sanatoriums is extremely varied and extensive. In addition to Druskininkai’s well-known mineral water, the sanatoriums in and around the town offer a wealth of modern skin-care and restorative therapies. In fact, modern medical advances represent only a small part of what Druskininkai has to offer. Particularly beneficial to guests’ recovery is the microclimate that prevails in Druskininkai: there is not a single large industrial company within a 50-kilometre radius of the town and its sanatoriums. Druskininkai and its sanatoriums are surrounded by dunes covered with pine trees. The Lithuanian river Neman and numerous lakes are close by. A stay in Druskininkai is therefore also perfect for a peaceful fishing trip. Visitors also get good value for money at the town’s sanatoriums: all in all, Druskininkai can rightly claim to be one of the few spa towns in Europe where guests can afford the luxury of high-quality mental and physical rejuvenation without putting too much strain on their wallets.