Iceland tours continue unaffected. Read about the latest eruption
Iceland tours continue unaffected. Read about the latest eruption
Are you looking to discover the best of Lithuania at your own pace and with a low carbon footprint? Choose this sustainable self-guided 7-day adventure, which includes an electric rental car and Green Key certified accommodation. Explore the capital city, take a walk above the treeline on a treetop path, learn about the secrets of beekeeping at a local homestead and much more.
Embark on a comprehensive adventure exploring all of Lithuania – from the capital city to local homesteads. The tour begins at Vilnius Airport, where you’ll pick up your electric rental car and embark on your adventure. You will visit famous landmarks, cultural monuments, natural attractions, and authentic homesteads, all while staying in hotels with the highest sustainable operation standards. This tour is self-guided, meaning you’ll get to explore with the help of tips and support from our travel agent but you can go at your own pace.
Food and drinks: During this tour, we offer several food sampling opportunities – a local delicacy at Ignalina Sakotis Museum and a Darguziai cheese tasting. To shorten the supply chain, the food is local to the regions and comes only from nearby farms.
Sightseeing: The tour includes visits to many national and regional parks that are protected by the state. A few years ago, the government introduced a voluntary park visit ticket. We include ticket fees for all the parks on the itinerary in the tour price. All the funds collected from the park entrance tickets go directly to the national and regional parks and are used to maintain the walking paths, prepare the information stands and educate the park visitors.
We include many outdoor options with beautiful walking trails and natural monuments to see.
The optional guided tours are offered by certified local guides and include no transportation. All the museums are local and represent various traditional crafts, lifestyles and histories of the local people.
Accommodation: Where possible we use hotels and guesthouses that have a Green Key certificate. It ensures that the hotels use sustainable practices in their operations and have high environmental standards. These standards are maintained through rigorous documentation and frequent audits.
In certain areas, such hotels are not available. Instead, you will spend your nights in local family-owned homesteads that hold themselves to high sustainability standards.
Transportation: Your rental car during this tour is electric. Although in total you will cover over 900 km (560 mi), you are making no CO2 emissions. However, please note that electric car charging stations aren’t abundant, especially in rural areas, so plan accordingly.
PREREQUISITES: You must have a driver’s license that is valid in Lithuania. For more information, please consult this page.
On your first day, you will pick up your electric rental car at Vilnius Airport and drive to your hotel. Take your time and spend the afternoon exploring Vilnius Old Town, known for its unique spirit, bohemian district called Uzupis, and fascinating ...)
On your first day, you will pick up your electric rental car at Vilnius Airport and drive to your hotel. Take your time and spend the afternoon exploring Vilnius Old Town, known for its unique spirit, bohemian district called Uzupis, and fascinating churches from various epochs.
Driving distance: 5-10 km (3.1-6.2 mi)
The first stop of the day is Kernave, a small town that has incredible historical ruins, such as traces of fallen medieval castles, burial grounds and fortification systems. The fabled capital of pagan Lithuania is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage...)
The first stop of the day is Kernave, a small town that has incredible historical ruins, such as traces of fallen medieval castles, burial grounds and fortification systems. The fabled capital of pagan Lithuania is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can choose to purchase an optional entrance ticket at Kernave Cultural Reserve to help preserve the site.
Next up is Dubingiai, where a wooden bridge across Lithuania’s longest lake and the ruins of Dubingiai Castle await. The castle was once home to a renowned Lithuanian noble family, the Radvilos, and was the center of social life in medieval Lithuania. Although it’s now in ruins, you can visit a small exhibition.
Your last stop of the day will be the Labanoras Wood Trail, a place of peace and tranquillity. Don’t rush to get there though! Mindunai Watchtower is on the way and is certainly worth a short visit as it is the second tallest watchtower in Lithuania and offers jaw-dropping views.
You’ll spend the night at a local family-owned guesthouse surrounded by pine trees.
Driving distance: 180 km (112 mi)
Today is all about tasting and learning about local foods. Start the day off strong (and sweet!) with a visit to the one and only Ignalina Sakotis Museum. Sakotis is a local dessert Lithuanians can never get enough of and you’ll probably feel the sam...)
Today is all about tasting and learning about local foods. Start the day off strong (and sweet!) with a visit to the one and only Ignalina Sakotis Museum. Sakotis is a local dessert Lithuanians can never get enough of and you’ll probably feel the same way. This unique museum is also home to a Guinness World Record holder – the largest sakotis in the world!
Ginuciai water mill is the next stop on your itinerary. In this state-protected monument you’ll get to see ancient equipment used in mills and learn how bread goes from grains in a field to a tasty loaf on a table.
No day is complete without quality sightseeing, so you will make a stop at Ladakalnis – a hill that offers views of six different lakes scattered across a huge forest.
Afterwards, Stripeikiai ancient beekeeping museum will teach you about all things beekeeping, from ancient beehives to ways of making a pure wax candle to a taste of a honey-based delicacy. Be sure to give it a try. Back in the day it was one of the Radvila noble family’s favorites!
The last stop of this eventful day will be the Anyksciai treetop walking path. Depending on the time of day, you might get lucky and see the sunset from this 21-meter (70-foot) high structure that meanders around treetops for 300 meters (985 feet).
Driving distance: 100 km
Day four will bring about an equal amount of natural attractions and cultural monuments. You’ll begin by visiting Karves Ola – a massive sinkhole – and the nearby 32-meter (75-foot) Kirkilai watchtower. As you approach the Birzai region, you’ll be p...)
Day four will bring about an equal amount of natural attractions and cultural monuments. You’ll begin by visiting Karves Ola – a massive sinkhole – and the nearby 32-meter (75-foot) Kirkilai watchtower.
As you approach the Birzai region, you’ll be presented with plenty of interesting options. First, you'll go on a journey that involves a beer and food tasting as well as learning the subtleties of beer brewing. The experience is called “Beer Road” and was created by a family of local brewers. Birzai also prides itself with the longest pedestrian bridge and the fascinating Renaissance-Baroque-style Birzai Castle, which you will get to visit.
Up next is Pakruojis with its beautiful synagogue and massive manor house complex that was renovated just a couple of years ago. Pakruojis manor is now not only a hotel and exhibition hall, but it’s also a cultural hotspot with frequent theater performances, educational fairs and other events.
After you’re done exploring Pakruojis manor, you will head to your Green Key certified hotel in Panevezys.
Driving distance: 220 km (137 mi)
The day begins with Pasiliai Bison Paddock, the home of the largest wild animals in Europe – European bison. The species belongs to the Red Data Book of Lithuania and IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. There are 16 bison living in the enclosures ...)
The day begins with Pasiliai Bison Paddock, the home of the largest wild animals in Europe – European bison. The species belongs to the Red Data Book of Lithuania and IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. There are 16 bison living in the enclosures and 30 more in the wilderness. You will learn about the process of repopulating the European wilderness with these majestic creatures, preserving the species and how they became so endangered in the first place.
Kedainiai will be on the way to your next major object of interest, so certainly make a stop there. The tiny town has a very rich history and it is reflected in how wonderful the old town is.
Rumsiskes Open-Air Museum will probably be your longest stop of the day. It is one of the biggest open-air museums in all of Europe and has a huge collection of authentic 18-19th century houses from rural Lithuania. Most buildings were transported from their original locations and renovated by local craftsmen, so you can rest assured you’re looking at exactly what the rural Lithuanian dwellings looked like at the time.
After Rumsiskes, you will proceed to drive toward Kaunas and make one last stop on the way. Pazaislis Monastery, a magnificent architectural monument of the late Baroque style in North-Eastern Europe. It all started back in 1664, when Kristupas Zygimantas Pacas, Chancellor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, gifted the manor to Camaldolese monks. The monastery is still active today.
You’ll spend the night in a Green Key certified hotel in Kaunas.
Driving distance: 180 km (112 mi)
Start the day with Kaunas walking tour led by a local guide. This city was the temporary capital of Lithuania and will serve as the European Capital of Culture in 2022, so you won’t be disappointed by what it has to offer. Later in the day, yet anot...)
Start the day with Kaunas walking tour led by a local guide. This city was the temporary capital of Lithuania and will serve as the European Capital of Culture in 2022, so you won’t be disappointed by what it has to offer.
Later in the day, yet another watchtower is on the list, this time in Birstonas. We also suggest you grab lunch there because afterward more time in nature awaits. After a short drive from Birstonas, you will reach the Devil’s Pit, a fabled 40-meter-deep (131-feet) pit in the middle of a forest. Its origins aren’t exactly clear, so the list of legends and tales about this place is never-ending. It is also among Europe’s 100 most visited natural monuments!
Up next is cheese tasting in Darguziai. You will learn a little about the role agriculture has played in the formation of Lithuanian culture from those who make their living in the industry. These local farmers milk the cows and make the cheese themselves. It’s an experience that’s as authentic as they get.
You’ll make one last major stop in Trakai before you return to Vilnius. This picturesque town has an incredibly peaceful atmosphere, mainly due to the massive lake it overlooks. Enjoy the views of Trakai Castle, a medieval dwelling place of Lithuanian noblemen situated in the middle of Trakai Lake. Also, make sure you try kibinai at one of the local restaurants. It’s a savory pastry traditional to the Karaim community, which made Trakai their home back in the 14th century.
You’ll spend the last night of your trip in Vilnius.
Driving distance: 200 km (124 mi)
The tour has come to an end, but we believe you’ll bring only the fondest of memories and the most authentic of experiences home with you! Driving distance: 5-10 km (3.1-6.2 mi) )
The tour has come to an end, but we believe you’ll bring only the fondest of memories and the most authentic of experiences home with you!
Driving distance: 5-10 km (3.1-6.2 mi)
