Have you heard that Baltic amber can reduce pain, calm down stress and inflammations and also make your skin look young and shiny? There is no wonder that Lithuanian kids wear amber necklaces, their mothers enjoy amber massages and families spend their pastime looking for the amber on the Baltic coast.

Did you know about many healing properties of the Baltic amber? It is known to reduce pain and inflammation, and is great for babies, children and pregnant women. It also calms down stress and anxiety, and improves immune system - basically, it dissipates pain and negative energy.

Baltic amber has been used for thousands of years, both for healing purposes and for beauty. The oldest piece of amber, also called “Liquid Sunshine”, dates to 8,000 BC.

Baltic amber was known and appreciated by ancient Greeks, who called it elektron - meaning “originating from the sun”. Greeks loved the smooth, solid texture of the amber, and created a myth about it being tears of a nymph. Egyptians used amber to decorate tombs of their kings, such as King Tutankhamen in 1400 BC.

Healing amber amulets were known to have been used by people in the Baltic region since Stone age. In Middle Ages, amber necklaces were worn to help with many diseases, and during World War I men used to drink amber-infused vodka to gain more strength.

It even features on the local currrency!

While the power of the Baltic amber is known from the old times, it’s only today that the science can explain where its benefits come from. The Baltic amber is superior to other types of amber due to the largest concentration of succinic acid, which protects human body from many diseases, helps the immune system and neutralizes toxins. Succinic acid is also found in mother’s milk.

Amber is also said to be the source of beauty - just by rubbing your skin with amber powder, it will regain its life force, regenerate, and will become smooth, shiny and hydrated.

Today, amber is a national stone of the Baltic region - in fact, some of the biggest current-day mines are found in the Baltics.

Those who travel to the Baltics can take one of the off-the-beaten-track amber tours, organized by Vilnius in Love, a local personalized tour company.

The tour includes:

1. The Curonian Spit, a sand dune peninsula on the Baltic Sea coast, where amber extraction has been the most intense over the years. Even up to the 19th century, before the industrial mines were built, amber was extracted by hand or with rakes. The Curonian Spit is also home to the biggest Amber Treasure find, which you can check out during the tour in the amber gallery in Nida, a boutique resort town in Curonian Spit.  

2. Unique coastal Amber museum. A tour also involves a visit to the oldest amber museum in Lithuania, which operates since 1963, where you can see, among other things, one of the biggest piece of amber in the world (third spot, weighing in over 3 kg) called “the Sun stone”.

3. Healing amulet workshop. Ready to bring the healing power of the Baltic amber back home? You will have a chance to participate in an amulet workshop and to bring a piece of good luck with you.

4. Amber fishing with traditional tools. You will be able to collect some amber for yourself. We will use traditional tools, and will make sure you find your own pieces of “Liquid Sunshine”.

5. Shopping tour - meeting the amber craftsmen. Finally, we will go to a local amber market, where you will be able to meet traditional amber craftsmen, who will show you the secrets of their trade, and where you will be able to shop for amber jewelry, decorative pieces, amber cosmetics, and other items.

Additionally, it will be possible to enjoy a healing amber sauna or an amber massage.

One of the best times to visit Vilnius is during the biggest Baltic Amber Fair, taking place on March 14-17, 2018.