Salantai Town, Lithuania

Salantai is a small historic town in western Lithuania (Klaipėda County, Kretinga District Municipality), situated on both banks of the Salantas River, a tributary of the Minija. The river not only shapes the town’s landscape but also gave it its name, and the close relationship with nature remains one of Salantai’s strongest characteristics.

The town’s recorded history reaches back several centuries: Salantai (historically linked to an earlier manor settlement) is first mentioned in 1556. Over time it developed as a local centre of community life, trade, and regional identity, where religious and educational institutions played an important role in shaping local traditions and everyday life.

One of Salantai’s most recognisable landmarks is the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Built in 1906–1911, this impressive Neo-Gothic twin-towered church dominates the town skyline and can be seen from afar. The church is also noted for preserving valuable religious art, including an earlier painting of the Virgin Mary and the infant Jesus from a predecessor church.

Salantai is also strongly connected to protected natural landscapes. The town hosts a visitor centre for the Salantai Regional Park, a protected area established to preserve the scenic ancient valleys shaped by the Erla, Salantas and Minija rivers. The park is known for its distinctive terrain, natural diversity, and an atmosphere that reflects the character of the Samogitia region.

For travellers who enjoy cultural experiences beyond traditional sightseeing, the surroundings of Salantai include places such as the Orvidai Homestead–Museum (Orvidų sodyba), an unusual open-air environment where stone, wood, nature and artistic expression come together in a memorable, sculptural landscape.