Name originating from the lithuanian legend of Neringa and Naglis. Neringa was a beautiful giantess who lived on the coast of lithuania. She was courted by a dragon, but when she refused to marry him, he began terrorizing the local fishermen. In order to save them, Neringa placed a ribbon of sand between the bay and the sea to keep the dragon away, and the Neringa peninsula (curonian spit) was created. Neringa is now the name of the city which covers the lithuanian part of the curonian spit, and includes the settlements of Alksnyne, Juodkrante, Pervalka, Preila and Nida. Covering a length of 50 km (31 miles), Neringa is the longest town in Lithuania. Neringa is also home to the highest sand dunes in europe, reaching an impressive 67 meters in some places. The name "Neringa" is from the german "neringe", meaning "a long and narrow strip of sandy land".