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With its huge number of national and regional parks, it's
surprising that there's any space left over for towns and
cities in Lithuania. In fact, its rolling landscape, thick
pine forests and free-range elk, deer, foxes, wolves and wild
boar are the main attractions for tourists interested in botany,
hiking, horse-riding and wildlife-spotting. Over thirty percent
of Lithuania is covered by forests. It has many rivers, as
well as over three thousand lakes. Five special areas of wetlands
(Cepkeliai, Kamanos, Nemunas Delta, Viesvile and
Zuvintas) are of international significance and are officially
protected.
Aukštaitija National Park
This is said to be the most beautiful park in the entire
Baltic region, and has also starred in a television version
of Robin Hood, for obvious reasons. Designated in 1974, it
is the oldest national park in Lithuania, and covers around
40,570 hectares on the eastern side of the country, near Utena.
Over 70% of its area is pine forest, and contains some trees
over 200 years old. There are around 80 villages you can visit
inside the park, as well as some impressive lakes formed during
the Ice Age, such as the tranquil Lake Dringis and
Lake Tauragnas, which is the deepest lake in Lithuania.
The park's rivers, including the Zeimena, Kriauna and
Lukna, are also attractive to tourists, and provide
beautiful routes to follow on hikes. The rivers are also rich
in wildlife, including Canadian mink, if you're quick
enough to spot them.
Paluse village is the tourist centre of the Aukstaitija
National Park, and boasts an octagonal wooden church dating
back to 1757. Paluse is the starting point for most of the
tourist routes, both shorter and longer walks and a rowing-boat
route along a system of lakes and connecting streams. If you
don't want to camp in the park, alternative accommodation
is available in romantic converted windmills.
Dzukija National Park
Dzukija National Park was designated in 1991 in the region
of Varena, in south-east Lithuania. The administrative
and tourist centre of the Park is at Marcinkonys, which
you can reach by bus or train. The Park covers 55,000 hectares,
85% of which is wooded. As well as some spectacular landscapes
for hiking and horse-riding, the Park contains the ancient
town of Merkine, placed at the point where the Nemunas
and Merkys rivers meet. From Merkine Castle Hill,
you can get a dizzying view of the verdant Nemunas valley
and surrounding forest. If you're really lucky, you might
see one of the rare eagles that are found in this region.
There are many other historic villages inside the Park, and
their inhabitants still practice the crafts of weaving, wood-carving
and pottery. Most people make a living from selling their
wares to tourists, as well as trading the wild chantarelle
mushrooms and wild strawberries, cranberries and raspberries
they harvest in the forests.
Trakai Historical National Park
Trakai became a national park as recently as 1992, with the
historic city of Trakai at its heart. This is the closest
national park to Vilnius, which is only fifteen miles
away, and can be reached by train or bus. Trakai is a lot
smaller than some of its peers, covering a neat fifty square
miles. Its main historical focus is the Trakai Castle,
picturesquely perched on an island in the middle of Lake
Galvai, an ideal spot for some atmospheric photos. The
castle building was almost destroyed in the 18th century,
but has now been carefully restored and contains an interesting
History Museum that'll give you a good overview of
its dramatic past. Just as interesting are the nearby ruins
of a peninsular castle, named as the capital city of Lithuania
in the 14th century by the ruling Grand Duke Gediminas.
If you're interested in water sports like sailing, windsurfing,
rowing and waterskiing, Trakai is the place to go as one fifth
of its area is covered by lakes. Trakai is popular with Lithuanians
for relaxation and exercise, and there are good facilities
for most water-based activities.
The town of Trakai itself is small, but contains some interesting
wooden houses built by the Karaites, a tribe brought
to Lithuania in the late 14th century as bodyguards to the
Grand Duke of the time. To learn more about the culture of
the Karaites, visit their preserved temple of worship and
the museum of Karaite culture in Trakai.
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