If you are considering Preila as a place to stay, its paths, village history and smoked fish offer some concrete points of reference. The 53-metre-high Preilos kopa offers views; the school’s history spans relocations and rebuilding. There is also a local fish dish for which a dining spot by the lagoon is recommended.
Preilos kopa: views and paths
You can climb Preilos kopa on the southern edge of the settlement. From the 53-metre-high dune, you can see the Baltic Sea and the lagoon shore, Preilos ragas and the bay. If you are lucky, the Horn of Ventė is also visible across the lagoon. The Great Curonian Dune Ridge can also be seen from there. Far to the south, Grobšto ragas, which belongs to Russia’s Kaliningrad Region, may also come into view. Long-distance views depend on conditions.
A walking path starts at Preilos kopa and follows the lagoon towards Nida. Another option is the Curonian Loop long-distance cycling route, which runs through Preila. The two routes therefore differ in both course and mode of transport: the walking path starts at the dune and follows the lagoon towards Nida; the cycling route passes through the village. Check current route conditions before cycling.
The dune also has a cultural connection: several artists painted there during the Soviet era. For this reason, the name Menininkų kopa (“Artists’ Dune”) took hold among locals. The name therefore also refers to Preilos kopa as the Artists’ Dune.
Village history between the school and the cemetery
Preila was founded in 1843 by residents who moved here from Nagliai via Purvynė after the sand had buried their settlement. In 1849, a school was moved from Naujieji Nagliai to Preila; children from Pervalka also attended it. These two milestones tell the story of the village’s development: first came its founding by incoming residents, followed a few years later by the relocation of a school from another settlement.
After the former school building was destroyed by fire, a new brick school building was constructed in 1907 and has survived to this day. The old ethnographic cemetery is also part of the village’s history. It lies on the other side of the village’s only street and is surrounded by woodland. The school and cemetery show different aspects of Preila’s cultural heritage: the school’s history and its surviving building on the one hand, and a cemetery in its distinctive woodland setting on the other.
Information and local cuisine
A branch of the V. Miliūnas Library is located in the former school building, where you can get information about places of interest. The library also offers free exhibitions and workshop spaces. If you would like to include any of these in your visit, check in advance what services and exhibitions are currently available.
Preila is known for its smoked fish. You can buy smoked bream from a fisherman; it is seasoned with smoke and herbs. It is recommended that you eat it straight away in a shelter set up by the lagoon. If you are planning your stay around trying it, ask in advance whether the fish is available. Alongside the views and village history, a specific local speciality can therefore also be a focus of your trip.
For the wider travel overview: Neringos savivaldybė.
