One last part to fix, okay?

We almost overlooked this little gem of the Baltics – but sometimes chance (or in our case, the gear shift) leads to beautiful detours. Back in Travemünde, the Bulli's gearshift felt, let's say, strangely free-moving. Therefore, we decided to have it checked out at a VW dealership in Klaipėda. By now, we've gained some experience with garage visits.
And indeed: the friendly staff found the problem within a few minutes – and the suitable replacement part is even available and is supposed to arrive the next day. We were lucky.
We booked a small hotel within walking distance and took the opportunity to explore Klaipėda. And what can we say – the city pleasantly surprised us. Cute half-timbered houses, narrow streets, an old harbor with a mix of modern yachts and historic boats – just our kind of thing.
In the late afternoon, it started raining again. Since we had already filled ourselves up at lunch, we stocked up on a few snacks at the supermarket and made ourselves cozy in the hotel room. A perfect moment to refine our route further.
The next morning, we started with breakfast and a walk to the old castle fortress – or rather: to what remains of it. Right nearby, we discovered the historic swing bridge (Technical monument: The hand-operated swing or chain bridge (Žvejų Street), built in 1855, spans the castle canal – for over 160 years, a rare living testament to historical engineering), and on our way, we encountered colorful murals, small sculptures, and hidden galleries repeatedly.
Klaipėda – you really impressed us.

-----------------

One Last Part to Fix – Okay?

We almost missed this little gem of the Baltics – but sometimes it’s those small twists of fate (or in our case, the gear stick) that lead to the most unexpected detours. Back in Travemünde, the Bulli’s gearshift already felt, let’s say, a bit too smooth. So we decided to have it checked out at a VW dealership in Klaipėda. By now, we’re kind of getting the hang of these garage visits.

And indeed: the friendly mechanics found the issue within minutes – and, lucky us, the replacement part could be delivered the very next day.

We booked ourselves into a small hotel within walking distance and took the chance to explore Klaipėda. And honestly – we were pleasantly surprised. Quaint half-timbered houses, narrow alleyways, and an old harbor filled with a mix of sleek yachts and weathered wooden boats – right up our alley.

In the late afternoon, the rain returned. Since we’d already had a big lunch, we grabbed a few snacks from the local supermarket and made ourselves comfortable back at the hotel. A perfect opportunity to work on our travel route a bit more.

The next morning began with breakfast and a walk to the old castle – or rather, what’s left of it. Not far from there, we came across the historical swing bridge. (Built in 1855, the hand-operated turning bridge on Žvejų Street spans the castle canal and is considered a rare living example of 19th-century engineering.)

As we continued wandering through the city, we kept discovering colorful murals, small sculptures, and hidden galleries around every corner.

Klaipėda – you truly impressed us.