Photos
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Trakai is surely one of the highlights in Lithuania: A Medieval castle on an island within lakes, an Old village with wooden houses an very special traditions and food. A very special target not far from Vilnlus is the Medieval water castle and former capital of Trakai.
Trakai is famous for many things: it’s water castle, the lakes, the manor house of Užutrakis.
The small old town itself lies among the lakes as it would be on an island. But – to be honest – nobody thinks about bicycling. However, we do: cycling around the lakes gives you impressive views on the water castle. And – as usual – if you get a bit away from the crowds you’ll find yourself in the lonely, lonely nature. Our tour start in the Old town with the typical picture of the water castle. Then we cycle along the lake and already soon it get’s silent. First, we come to the ruins of the outer castle (popular place for medieval festivals), then we’ll walk over the water. This is no blasphemy, we take swimming pontoon bridge to cross the lakes. On the other side we take a look on how the newly rich image their life and have a sad look on what is left of the Soviet Yacht Club. For You something unknown, but known to every Lithuanian is a piliakalnis – a castle mound from medieval times – like this of Varnikiai. Our route now leads us into the dark forest – where we might have a look on the path on the swamp. After this fairy tale forest we come into a typical Lithuanian landscape of hilly fields and lonely farmsteads. You probably don’t recall, but now it is already time to turn back. Sportive cyclists choose the way ahead towards Lentvaris manor house – or make a round trip around the whole lakes. This makes up to 50 km. If you don’t consider that much, you do not know the road conditions on the Eastern side of the lake.
We offer you these possibilities:
a) individual cycling
possible, but absolutely comfortable is to cycle from Vilnius to Trakai. A part you have to go along a main motorway. As you might look around, we recommend
b) Transport service
we offer to transport you with your (rental) bicycle to Trakai, give you all information to find your way around the lakes (maps, gps) And we pick you up again. Whole service (bike rental, transport, information package, bottle of drinking water): 75 Lt per Person
Publications
We recommend the follow map for the route to Trakai and around Trakai you can purchase this map in the velo-city.lt office for 15Lt or via shop.balticcycle.eu online for €6 + postage (category: Maps for Vilnius region / East Lithuania)
kol kas tik Anglų kalba
Trakai, Trakai, Trakai
Trakai is surely one of the highlights in Lithuania: A Medieval castle on an island within lakes, an Old village with wooden houses an very special traditions and food.
more information
http://www.tmu.lt/objektai/le/varniku_takas/vt.htm
Žemėlapiai/Maps
Route / Maršrutas Vilnius-Trakai
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Route around Trakai 1 ‘blue signs’ / Maršrutas “Aplink Skaistį”
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Route around Trakai 2 ‘red signs’ / Maršrutas “Aplink Akmeną”
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Different routes to and around Trakai
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Vilnius-Trakai Route description
VILNIUS-TRAKAI by bicycle!
Katedra_Trakai (SOURCE: http:wiki.dviratis.lt)
page id: 86
kaip važiuoti iš Vilniaus miesto centro iki Trakų
Addition to the map “Vilniaus apylinkės III” from publisher “Briedis”
Route description
Start: Cathedral square in Vilnius.
Follow the main road “Geminino prospektas” to it’s end. You will come to the Parliament (right hand side) with the monument for the barricades of 1991.
Cross river Neris via the Old bridge and follow Mickevičiaus street to it’s end. Then turn right onto Birute street. You will see the pedestrian bridge over river Neris in front of you. Cross it turning left and go straight through the park, passing the huge Open air stage to the left. And the end of the road you will come to an main road. Turn right here, cycling on the sidewalk and after some 100 meter you will come to a roundabout. Cross it straight and you come on Savanorių prospektas. Here you have to go straight for almost 7km. Then you will pass a railway bridge. After it turn right and after a few dozen meters look left for a green sign. (ATTENTION! If you went straight after the bridge you will get on the motorway to Kaunas, which is no fun cycling…)
This is an Old road from the 18th century, which goes 1 1/2 km always upwards. At the end you will come to a small village (left hand a church). Ahead you will meet the street and a petrol station. Turn right and cross the bridge over the motorway. Next road turn right and you are already on the Old road to Trakai.
After the next traffic light you might face some more traffic because there is the technical control for cars. You will pass the ruins of the watermill at Murinė Vokė and come to Lentvaris. Here you turn left via the railways and afterwards right to the direction of Trakai.
For Lentvaris I can recommend a trip to Lentvaris manor house (in English red brick style) which is 2 km to the right. Anyhow I recommend to come back to the railways, because the road behind the Manor is really sh***
Later you might see the sign “Varnikų piliakalnis” to the right. By follow this road to the right you avoid to enter Trakai on the main (traffic) road.
At the end of the road you come to an parking place, on the right hand you see the never finished Soviet Yachting club.
To the left there is a small bridge bringing you over the first bay. Then follow the coast line to the next bridge: This i a ponton bridge – a swimming bridge which will bring you to the ruins of one of the fortifications of Trakai. On the bridge you will already see the impressive water castle of Trakai. After the bridge turn right and follow the promenade at the lake towards the castle.
