Druskininkai is a city-resort in the very south of Lithuania, in
Dzūkija, Alytus county, 60 km south of Alytus, near the border with
Belarus. Druskininkai municipal center. Druskininkai is the oldest
(since 1794) and the largest year-round balneological, mud and
climatic resort in Lithuania. Druskininkai Old Town is an urban
monument.
The city has 3 temples, 8 sanatoriums, many
recreation centers, hotels, public library, Druskininkai Central
Hospital (Balainė forest), polyclinic, post office (new post office
building built in 1980, architect V. Banikovas), several parks. Two
bridges were built across the Nemunas: the old Druskininkai bridge
and in 2011 The Park Bridge was opened, connecting Druskininkai Old
Town with Baltašiškės on the left bank of the Nemunas. 2015 A cable
car has been built over the Nemunas.
Druskininkai resort is located in the southern part of Lithuania,
in the Dzūkija region, on the right bank of the Nemunas River,
between forests, lakes and moraine hills. There are 2 ha of forest
per capita. The highest point of the city is the Health Park (K.
Dineika) (105 m above sea level), the lowest - the bank of the
Nemunas at the physiotherapy spa.
Druskininkai is surrounded
by the Nemunas in a common west-east direction for 3.5 km. It
includes the Ratnyčia (Ratnyčėlė), which runs 2 km through the
eastern part of the resort, from south to north. In the southern
part of the city there is Lake Druskonis, Vijūnėlė pond and
Mergeliai akiai lake. In the eastern part of the resort - "Saulės
takas" (Ratnyčia; author Algirdas Valavičius, architect V.
Urnevičius), a pond with cascading baths, "Žilvinas" trail.
Climate
The climate of Druskininkai is characterized by favorable
climatotherapy and recreational conditions. It is dominated by
hilly, hilly terrain, rich in medium and small lakes. The average
maximum air temperature in summer (June, July and August) is higher
than 22 ° C. The average annual rainfall is 661 mm. The wind speed
in the resort in July-September is 2.4–2.6 m / s. It is dominated by
southwest, west and northwest, and in winter by southeast, east and
southwest winds.
Nature
There are continental dunes
overgrown with pine forests in Druskininkai heaths. The forests are
dominated by pines, high biodiversity, many wings: vultures, terns,
white-backed gulls, sea eagles, owls, aphids. Rare insects are found
in Druskininkai heaths: mustard carpenters, rhinos, octopus beetles.
In pine forests, in sun-heated places, often found: agile lizard,
common snake, carp. An often noticeable beast is the common
squirrel. A gray hare is found on the edges of the forest and in the
waiting areas. There are predators: brown fox, mangoes live under
spruce trees, wolves, lynxes, boars, deer can be found in Dzūkija
forests. The largest beast of the pine forests is the moose.
Parks
There are several parks in the city. Among them, K. Dineika
Health Park, A. Česnulis Sculpture and Recreation Park, Spa Park are
the most visited.