A weekend in Vilnius: Day Trip to Trakai

Going outside the capital city is usually when you get to see and understand more of the local culture of a country and so we decided to see what is manageable to do in one day

Getting there 

It's easy, you need to go to the Vilnius Central Bus station, on Sodu st. 22 and get a bus from line 6,7 or 8. There are several buses a day so no stress with the hour to get there.  You can check this website for more details. Once in Trakai, you need to follow the road. After 15min walk you will reach the more touristic part of the village.

Road to the castle 

I loved the colorful houses on the way to the castle so I thought it is worth showing you a bit more than just the standard pictures :)

Trakai Island Castle

The main reason for a trip to Trakai is the castle which is located on an island on the river Galve.

"The construction of the stone castle was begun in the 14th century by Kestutis, and around 1409 major works were completed by his son Vytautas the Great, who died in this castle in 1430. Trakai was one of the main centers of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the castle held great strategic importance." (Source)

The walk around the lake and towards the castle is very pleasant. There are few cafes around and you can also find loads of crafts shops from where you can buy a lot of nice souvenirs. 

or you can of course rent a boat and enjoy some time on the river itself 

We did not enter the museum of the castle, not big fan of museums in general so I preferred to head back to grab something to eat, but not before taking some pictures of the inside court of the castle. 

You should of course give a try to the local dish "kibinai" which comes with different fillings. 

It's a very relaxing day trip and totally worth it to enjoy the country side of Lithuania.