The opposite of noise

A visit to three special places in Lithuania to get to know its history, nature, and spiritual side a little better. Without any noise or stress, of course.

We recently published an article about the Lithuanian capital Vilnius. The subtle, understated charm of Vilnius that we describe in the article can also be found elsewhere in the country. We have never experienced Lithuania as loud, crowded, or cramped. It is a destination that can be explored at leisure, yet you will always encounter something unexpected. Here we present three places that can be visited as day trips from Vilnius or as part of a road trip.

 

Trakai: the old capital

In this case, “old” means “a really really long time ago.” Trakai was the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the first half of the 14th century. What you can still see today are lovingly maintained or renovated wooden houses and a rebuilt castle on an island. Trakai is idyllically situated on several lakes. Despite the first signs of tourist infrastructure, the village is very relaxed and invites you to explore the old village center and take a coffee break by the water. Trakai is less than 30 km from Vilnius, and depending on your preference, you can travel there by train, rental car, bicycle, or on a guided tour.

The idyll of Trakai.

Dzūkija national park: a look next door

In southern Lithuania, the trees become more numerous and the villages and towns fewer. Here, the distance to the border with Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad is only a few kilometers. Another neighbor to the south is Poland. This four-country region is home to ancient moorlands and many protected forest and water landscapes. Hiking suggestions and exhibitions are available at the information centers, for example in the small town of Merkinė. Nearby, there is also a spectacular observation tower in the middle of the forest, which offers sweeping views of the surrounding area. From Vilnius, the journey takes about 90 minutes by car and just over two hours by train and bus.

 

Allows views towards neighboring countries and only wobbles a little bit: tower near Merkinė.

Kryžių kalnas: the hill of crosses

Near the city of Šiauliai, not far from the Latvian border, there is a unique sight to behold: on a hill in the middle of fields, Catholic believers have (probably) placed several hundred thousand crosses of various sizes and rosaries over a long period of time. The result is somewhere between a place of pilgrimage and dark tourism, as the atmosphere is quite spiritual, but also somewhat gloomy. We would not want to be there at night. Incidentally, Pope John Paul II once visited here, and some time later a new monastery was built right next door. The journey from Vilnius takes about 2½ hours.

 

Absolutely unique.

 

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Good to know

 

The Lithuanian railway company is called LTG and offers a wide range of information on its English-language website. Alternatively, a rental car is also ideal for exploring Lithuania in a flexible way. However, it is important to note that not all roads are paved, especially in rural areas. Nevertheless, we made good progress without any problems, as traffic jams are rare outside Vilnius.

No asphalt, but no traffic jams either: country road in rural Lithuania.