Anyksciai
Welcome to Anyksciai – the wine capital of Lithuania. Once upon a time, a winemaker named Balys Karazija lived here and founded a winery in 1926. His mature Lithuanian fruit and berry wine was praised all the way to Paris, and stories about the winery became legends! To this day, wine is brewed according to ancient traditions by one of the largest beverage manufacturers in the Baltics, "Anyksciu vynas."
A visit to Anyksciai is definitely worth the journey, as there is so much to see: the treetop walking path with breathtaking panoramas, a mystical corn maze, a historic narrow-gauge railway station built in the 19th century featuring a protected historic train called "siaurukas," the fascinating Horse Museum, and Lithuania's first Museum of Angels. Don’t miss the impressive Church of the Holy Apostle Evangelist Matthew with its observation tower, the hillfort of "Seimyniskeliai," the second-largest boulder in Lithuania, "Puntukas," and much more.
This small town is also known as the muse for many Lithuanian poets and writers who lived here and admired the hilly landscape with its rivers and lakes. Clean forests, green hills, crystal-clear lake landscapes, valuable natural resources, and mineral springs—all contribute to the healthy climate that Anyksciai proudly offers.
Birzai
Birzai is a charming small town with a beautifully restored castle where you can learn about the history of the city and the region. The largest artificial lake in Lithuania, Sirvenos Lake, located by the castle, invites you for walks and rowing. Closely linked to the history of Birzai is the once powerful Radvila family. They owed their prominence largely to their beautiful daughter Barbara, who captivated the Polish King Sigismund August so much that he made her his wife against all court opposition. Although she was never fully accepted, she masterfully managed her family's lands and possessions, making them among the richest and most powerful in the country.
What else awaits you in Birzai and its surroundings? The 525-meter-long pedestrian bridge over Sirvenos Lake, which leads to the magnificent Astravas Palace with its park; the unique limestone landscape with numerous underground karst caves, passages, and holes (e.g., Cow Hole between Pabirze and Birzai); the 31.7-meter-high observation tower (in the village of Kirkilai, about 8 km from Birzai) shaped like an overturned canoe, offering wonderful views of the surrounding Kirkilai lakes; the only functioning mill in Lithuania at the Sodeliskes estate (in the village of Sodeliskiai), where you can bake delicious bread with a local farmer following Lithuanian traditions. To wrap up your visit, we recommend trying various beers paired with Lithuanian specialties and enjoying a cozy evening on a restaurant terrace (e.g., "Alaus kelias" / "Beer Road"), as Birzai is famous throughout Lithuania for its brewing tradition.
Rokiskis
Welcome to Rokiskis! The legend of the founding of "Rokiškis" tells of a hunter named Rokas who hunted hares (Lithuanian: kiškis) in this area. Towns ending in "-kiškis" are quite popular in the region. The Rokiskis estate was first mentioned in 1499. Initially, it served as the residence of the Kroszinski princely family, and later, the Baltic German count family Tyzenhaus constructed buildings that still define Rokiskis today: the beautiful brick church of St. Evangelist Matthew and the well-preserved Rokiskis manor, which houses the notable local history museum.
Inside the church, recognized as one of the important neo-Gothic buildings in Lithuania, you can admire valuable artworks from various parts of Europe. Walk through the enchanted park leading to the manor and its surrounding buildings, tracing the footsteps of the past.
Rokiskis is also the capital of painted shutters and wooden sculptures. The town is adorned with the largest theme park for wooden sculptures in Europe. Theater life plays a vital role here as well. Thanks to numerous creators and supporters of theater arts, professional theater festivals are organized in the outskirts of Lithuania. This tradition has been ongoing for nearly three decades, with international events featuring organ music, classical music, amateur theater, and more attracting art lovers from all corners of the republic.
The Rokiskis district uniquely outlines the shape of Lithuania, repeating three times within its territory: these are the district borders on the map, the island in Lake Dviragis, and "Apvalusis" Lake ("Round" Lake). The landscape in the district is adorned with more than three hundred cultural and historical monuments: the Sartai Lake observation tower, the historic Ilsenberger manor with its hundred-year-old park and a love bridge to the lake island, and much more. So small yet so unique is the town and its surroundings: come to Rokiskis and see for yourself...
Aukstaitija National Park
Aukstaitija National Park is located in northeastern Lithuania, near the Latvian-Belarusian border. As the oldest national park in the country, it has its roots in a botanical reserve established in 1960 and was founded in 1974. Traveling through this lake- and forest-rich region and its villages feels like stepping back in time. The villages feature old wooden houses, often with lovingly tended gardens and old drinking water wells. These fairy-tale scenes along your route invite you to discover other tourist highlights:
These are just a few highlights of the Aukstaitija National Park that beckon us to travel and explore, offering unforgettable memories of Lithuania. Selecting the most beautiful and noteworthy places is no easy task—believe us, there are at least ten more spots worthy of the top tier!
Image credits: ©A.Aleksandravicus_LithuaniaTravel, ©R.Maksele_LithuaniaTravel
Text: ©UAB "BaltTours", 2020
