Green, pleasant and cheap: we landed in the surprising town

There are destinations that impress you from the first moment thanks to famous attractions or must-see sites that should not be missed, and there are other, rarer destinations that captivate you precisely with their quietness and peace, that make you slow down, take a deep breath and remember how much fun it is to travel without rushing anywhere.

Druskininkai (Druskininkai), the well-kept resort and spa town of Lithuania, belongs to the second type. Although not many people have heard of it, and you also have to roll the name on your tongue to get used to it, it turns out that in recent years it has become one of the most sought-after health and leisure destinations in the Baltic region. Today it is more accessible than ever, thanks to Arkia’s direct flights to Vilnius (less than a four-hour flight) and another two-hour drive south. Combine it with a few days in Vilnius and you will get a dream vacation.

Despite its modest size, Druskininkai (or Druski for short) is one of the oldest and most famous health resorts in Lithuania, and its story begins long before the age of modern hotels. The name of the town is derived from the Lithuanian word druska (salt), and dozens of natural mineral springs arise in the area, rich in salts and various minerals. The locals say that their healing properties were discovered hundreds of years ago, and maybe even more, when passers-by who walked barefoot on the muddy ground discovered that their warts and wounds healed faster than usual.

In 1794, it was the King of Poland and Duke of Lithuania Stanislaw August Poniatowski, who officially declared the place a healing site, and in the 19th century Droski became one of the most sought-after spa towns in Eastern Europe, a place to which nobles, artists and intellectuals flocked from all over the Russian Empire. Even today it is possible to feel a little of this rich history, because alongside the new hotels and modern spa complexes scattered throughout the town are historic wooden houses, elegant villas, shady promenades and medical buildings of the past, which recall the heyday of the classic European spa towns.

But don’t let the familiar image of a tired and aging medical town mislead you, because today it is a destination that is suitable not only for those looking for rest and treatments, but also for couples, families with children and anyone looking for a green, pleasant and relatively cheap European vacation.

As in many cities and towns in Lithuania, an active and prosperous Jewish community existed in Droski for hundreds of years, until the time of the Holocaust, and if you are interested in the Jewish point in any of your travel destinations, a short stroll through the town is enough to discover that there is a small memorial to the Holocaust with an Israeli flag on it, and not far from there is a beautiful wooden house – the home of the Jewish sculptor Jacques Lifschitz, who was born right here in 1891 and later became one of the most important sculptors of the twentieth century.

As mentioned, I did not know Druski before the visit, but many of the Israelis we encountered at the town’s spa hotels said that they have been coming here for years, also thanks to the favorable prices and mainly thanks to the warm attitude of the Lithuanians towards Israelis. The hotel owners here know Israel and love it, and you will not find here or in the beautiful capital Vilnius any hint of hatred of Jews. And maybe this is also part of the charm of Lithuania in general – a beautiful and green country that manages to maintain simplicity and authenticity and remind us of the Europe of the past.

But if there’s one thing that really defines Drusky, it’s the color green. Dark green of endless forests that surround it, and also light green of manicured lawns, green of spacious parks, with walking and cycling paths around small lakes or along the river bank, and blooming gardens that surround almost every corner of the town. In fact, it seems that nature is not only part of the landscape here, it is part of the identity.

The town lies on the banks of the Nemonas River, the largest river in Lithuania, and walking along the promenade is one of the great pleasures of the visit. Everything is clean, tidy and beautifully maintained, but without feeling artificial. It’s the kind of place where you can just sit on a bench, listen to the birds chirping and feel your pulse slow down. And those of us Israelis need a bit of this calm.

As mentioned, the original reason for the publication of Druski is its mineral springs, which have made it a magnet for tourists from all over Europe who come here for a long stay of various healing treatments and health programs, with close medical accompaniment. During our visit, we are in two hotels of different character, and each of them offers a slightly different experience.

The first is Spa Vilnius Druskininkai, One of the leading spa hotels in the city, a four-star hotel with a large wellness complex that offers a wide range of treatments, from classic massages to mineral baths and even an amber room where you can take an hour nap while surrounded on all sides by kilograms of amber blocks, and holding them in your hands as well. The hotel also has an indoor pool, saunas and jacuzzi, a huge gym, a children’s playroom and even bowling, and is perfect for families.

Whereas Mana Sleep & Spa It is a small, boutique five-star hotel, which offers Nordic and modern design, a young and elegant atmosphere and a much smaller spa complex but rich in treatments. In fact, this is the first “sleeping hotel” of its kind in the Baltic and Nordic region, and this means that there are adjustable and extremely comfortable beds, a menu of pillows to choose from, relaxing music in the rooms, heavy and special blankets for those who have trouble falling asleep, an indoor pool and jacuzzi that are open 24 hours a day, and special treatments such as sleeping capsules alongside treatments with an impressive variety of innovative devices for full back massage, lymphatic drainage and more. The hotel manager emphasized that you can also request kosher food here in advance, and that children are also welcome, but there is no doubt that this hotel is much more suitable for couples looking for a romantic and relaxed vacation in style.

Speaking of children, as I have already mentioned, Druski is also a perfect destination for the whole family, in recent years they have invested quite a bit in developing attractions that will also suit young people, and the result is impressive. The highlight is without a doubt Aqua park (Aqua Park), one of the largest water parks in the region. This is a huge complex that includes pools, water slides, a tubing river, spa complexes and saunas for adults and also a dedicated complex for children that includes a ropes course, shallow pools and a sandy beach, along with several restaurants and cafeterias, so you can spend a whole day here. By the way, the park complex is also adjacent to a three-star hotel and another beautiful four-star hotel called Floreswhich is designed in Balinese style. And besides all these, there is also the huge urban spa, so you can enjoy the abundance of treatments regardless of where you are staying, even if you rent an apartment.

But the really big surprise is theSnow Arena, An indoor ski resort built on a hill above the city and operating all year round, yes, even in the middle of summer. You can go up to the hill by cable car that leaves from the water park area, and the complex allows you to enjoy skiing and snowboarding, also offers activities for beginners and children, and includes restaurants and even an adjacent hotel.

In addition to these, in the town you will also find rope parks, bike paths, hiking trails, play facilities and nature activities that are suitable for the whole family, as well as a wide variety of restaurants and cafes – from traditional Lithuanian cuisine to modern and international restaurants.