Lazdijai District Municipality: Discover lakes and nature

• Metelių Regional Park is a landscape park in the basin of the large lakes of southern Lithuania.
• Lakes Dusia and Metelys have sandy shores and gently sloping shorelines.
• The park’s visitor center is on the southern shore of Lake Dusia; it offers activities for children and adults.
• The park has marked cycling routes around Lakes Dusia and Metelys, as well as two educational walking trails.
• Guided tours and educational activities led by park administration specialists are available by prior reservation.

Dusia and Metelys give the region a clear landscape reference point. Their sandy shores and gently sloping shorelines describe the character of both lakes. Metelių Regional Park is also a landscape park in the basin of the large lakes of southern Lithuania. If you put nature and water first when planning your trip, you can use these features as a guide without treating the two lakes as interchangeable backdrops.

The European pond turtle is also part of the park’s natural landscape. It is a protected species in Europe and is also considered a symbol of Metelių Regional Park. This makes it a special point of interest if you are interested in wildlife and habitat conservation; it does not mean that you will see one.

Metelių Regional Park has marked cycling routes around Lakes Dusia and Metelys. There are also two designated educational walking trails. This offers different ways to enjoy the outdoors: a bike ride using the lakes as a reference point, or a trail that combines nature and learning.

The park’s visitor center is on the southern shore of Lake Dusia. It offers activities for children and adults. Park administration specialists also lead guided tours and educational activities in the park; prior reservation is required. If one of these activities is an important part of your trip, take this requirement into account when planning.

Lake Dusia is a popular destination for windsurfing and kitesurfing enthusiasts. This is another point of interest for travelers interested in water activities. Together with the cycling and walking routes, it offers a range of themes for a stay.

At the Lazdijai Regional Museum, visitors can learn to make paper by hand and pour a candle from wax. These two activities offer a different focus from the park’s trails: they introduce visitors to crafts taught at the museum. Check which dates are available before your visit.

Several hill forts are also associated with the Lazdijai region. These include Rudamina Hill Fort and Settlement, Prelomčiškė Hill Fort and Settlement, and Papalazdijai Hill Fort and Settlement; each name refers to an associated settlement site. These places can complement your cultural interests when planning your trip.

You can organize the activities in Metelių Regional Park around your interests: lakeshores and water sports, cycling, educational walking trails or a reserved educational activity. These options can help you decide what you want your trip to focus on, without assuming a particular overnight location or specific accommodation. If you want to search by individual place names, see our pages for Kapčiamiestis, Meteliai, Krosna, Bertasiunai and Veisiejai.

For a comparison across the wider travel region, it is also worth looking at Alytus County: the Nemunas flows through the county, and Lake Žuvintas there covers 970 hectares. Alytus is home to the White Rose Bridge, Lithuania’s highest pedestrian and cycling bridge; it connects cycling routes on both banks of the Nemunas. For a regional comparison, Alytus County offers three different points of interest: the Nemunas, the 970-hectare Lake Žuvintas and the White Rose Bridge in Alytus.

Discover more destinations: Alytus District Municipality, Varėna District Municipality and Druskininkai Municipality.

Where is the visitor center for Metelių Regional Park?

The visitor center is on the southern shore of Lake Dusia. It offers activities for children and adults.

Do guided tours in Metelių Regional Park need to be reserved?

Yes. Guided tours and educational activities led by park administration specialists in the park are available by prior reservation.

What activities does the Lazdijai Regional Museum offer?

Visitors can learn to make paper by hand and pour a candle from wax. Check which dates are available before your visit.

For the broader travel overview: Alytus County.