Discover Trakai District Municipality

• Trakai was granted resort or resort-area status in 2008.
• An exhibition of the Trakai History Museum has been housed in the central building of Trakai Island Castle since 1962.
• The Vytautas the Great Path opened to the public in 2000 and connects Trakai with Senieji Trakai.
• The park at Užutrakis Manor covers 80 hectares, is designed in a mixed style and includes more than 20 artificial ponds.
• The Varnikai Ecotourism Trail has three viewing points and ten rest areas.

At Trakai Island Castle, visitors can explore the old castle and view exhibits. An exhibition of the Trakai History Museum has been housed in the central building since 1962. A visit to the castle therefore also offers a look at the collections on display there.

Senieji Trakai offers another distinct historical focus. The monastery there was built in the early 15th century, during the time of Vytautas the Great, and is open to visitors. Senieji Trakai was also granted archaeological reserve status. The monastery and reserve status give the place both a religious and an archaeological dimension.

The Old Believer community in Daniliškės tells a different cultural story. It was established in the 18th century and is the oldest community of its kind in the Vilnius region. The cultural picture therefore extends beyond castles and monasteries to include a religious community that is still identified as such today.

The restored Užutrakis Manor House and park ensemble lies on the shore of Lake Galvė. Its park combines a mixed style with an impressive area of 80 hectares and more than 20 artificial ponds. These figures give an idea of the park’s design without reducing it to a single building.

Lake Galvė is also used in a variety of ways: water tourists and divers are active there, as are rowing and sailing teams that train and compete on the lake. For visitors interested in water sports, water tourism in Trakai also makes it possible to circumnavigate the castle on a stand-up paddleboard. As availability may vary, it is best to check in advance whether this activity is offered during your visit.

Another way to experience nature is the Varnikai Ecotourism Trail, with its three viewing points and ten rest areas. It complements the cultural and historical themes with a trail whose specific features can be described through these rest and viewing points.

The Vytautas the Great Path runs between Trakai and Senieji Trakai. Nine stations and nine roadside shrines commemorate important events and achievements in the life of Vytautas the Great. The stations give the route a historical thread; its opening in 2000 is part of its story.

To visit Užutrakis Manor House, you must travel via the old “Potato Road.” As access conditions may change, check them before setting out.

In the wider destination of Vilnius District, Kernavė offers another archaeological highlight. The site is an exceptional record of about 10,000 years of human settlement in this region and preserves the remains of five hill forts. The Kernavė Archaeological Site includes 15 archaeological and three historical monuments; archaeological research material is kept and displayed in the site museum. The historic centre of Vilnius also has its own urban framework: it encompasses the areas of the three castles and the area enclosed by a city wall in the Middle Ages. These examples belong to the wider destination of Vilnius District and should be distinguished from the local focus on Trakai.

Discover more destinations: Gratiškės, Elektrėnai Municipality, Vilnius District Municipality, Ukmergė District Municipality, Vilnius District Municipality, Švenčionys District Municipality, Ukmergė District Municipality, Švenčionys District Municipality.

When was the exhibition at Trakai Island Castle established?

An exhibition of the Trakai History Museum has been housed in the central building of the island castle since 1962.

What can visitors expect on the Vytautas the Great Path?

The path connects Trakai and Senieji Trakai. Nine stations and nine roadside shrines commemorate important events and achievements in the life of Vytautas the Great.

How do you get to Užutrakis Manor House?

You must travel via the old “Potato Road.” Check the current access conditions before your visit.

Go to the wider travel overview: Vilnius District.