Druskininkai is definitely one of the gems of Lithuania. It is a vivid example of the cooperation between the State and entrepreneurs. The Lithuanian state has been investing in the town, aiding and promoting enterprises connected with tourism, making sure that the necessary means to cope and thrive are available in the circumstances where both the town as well as the county can be considered to be one of the most remote areas of Europe.

Thus, it is an excellent example of the collaboration between the state and business sector supporting each other by way of underwriting and guarantees. In addition to the bottling/production of local mineral water and the Aqua Park well-known in Eastern Europe, Druskininkai also offers one of the biggest year-around indoor ski slopes, The Snow Arena as well as various art and history museums.

However, this is not what I wanted to talk about … Druskininkai is all about endless pine forests that stretch around the town, and the town itself is reflective of its history – an environment that is ideally suited for the consumer-service provider interaction, and much-much more, things that resist verbalization.

If you have not discovered it yet, you definitely should!

We stayed in a place called Druskininkai Camping, located 1.5 km from the centre of the town.

The network of roads around the settlement is well developed, proper sidewalks and cycle paths connecting the outskirts and the centre from every direction, making travelling from one point to another very easy.  

The camping features nice secluded areas lined with hedges for caravan parking that offer privacy to those who appreciate it.

Such parking is able to house about 50 motorhomes or caravans. 

The camping is equipped with all the necessities – everything a camper might need. Additionally, you can rent a stationary camper located in the center of the caravan parking area.

Parking the van cost 25 Euro a night for two persons, and it included filling up water, disposal of wastewater, unlimited access to electricity as well as WCs and showers.

The price also included the use of a large area at the centre of the park that is equipped with tables and benches, the so called conference spot, and wonderfully constructed smaller barbecue/recreational areas.

The entire place left a very good impression – sanitary facilities are pristine and cleaned on a daily basis. WCs and showers are located in two separate places, one to the left of the entrance in the reception equipped with a separate laundry room and open kitchen. The other WC and shower can be found in the far end of the main building.

At the main entrance, there is a tourist information office and an Armenian restaurant where the visitors can enjoy delicious dishes prepared by the BBQ chef. Nearest convenience store is located at a 500m distance, and although you can get everything necessary from there, larger purchases can be done in Maxima and Iki larger retail stores 1.5 km away. There is also an open market where locals trade with their own produce on certain days of the week.

If you happen to arrive unannounced, you can access parking spots by calling the number on the info board on the admission gate. We used Russian for communicating with the staff, but English is definitely an option as well.

We could settle the payment the next morning when the administration staff arrived.

The camping site is protected by a fence, and it seemed quite safe to leave our belongings out for the night without a fear of being robbed…, although we did not spot 24/ security around the camp.

The photos were made on a Friday afternoon, but by the evening, the caravan park was full of vehicles with only a few spots left. Despite the high occupancy, our parking spot seemed quite private, for the hedges separating the individual patches were sufficiently high and well maintained.

We also visited the Druskininkai Aqua Park that features many different saunas and other suitable attractions.

On the promenade walk of the city, just next to the Aqua Park, you can purchase local handicraft and take part in various concerts and other events during the summer season. The town also offers different dining options. There are bars and restaurants catering high-quality food to different dietary requirements and tastes, so you are bound to find something you really like. 

Next to the Druskininkai Aqua Park is a Cable Car station from where you can start the cable ride to the other side of the River Nemunas, enjoying the city view from above for quite a long while. Tickets are available at the boarding station.

Druskininkai is definitely a place to visit and come back to, especially during the summer season.