Beauty of Dzūkija
During this tour we will visit the forested city of Dzūkija – Merkinė, which was more important than Vilnius 600 years ago. Even the Polish ruler Jogaila did not bother to go to the capital Vilnius to give it important rights of Magdeburg, so he did it while visiting Merkinė. Historical sources from foreign countries also wrote about one of the strongest castles in Eastern Europe.
Due to the forests surrounding the town, Merkinė was also a favorite hunting mansion of the Lithuanian rulers, the most important state roads were crossed here, crafts and trade flourished.
The town is still full of history and amazes with the beauty of its terrain. We will climb the magnificent Merkinė mound, where the famous castle once stood, and see a wonderful panorama with the confluence of Merkys and the Nemunas. It was this confluence that gave the area its name.
Very close to Merkinė, in the village of Česukai, we will visit an interesting place, the Merkinė pyramid under the glass dome. It is a space of spiritual cognition and health, one of the most visited objects in Dzūkija. The news about the experience of the visitors of this pyramid spreads far beyond Lithuania. Those who come here reflect on their expectations, gain energy, find peace of mind.
We will visit one of the largest collections of sculptures and art of the Soviet period in Lithuania – Grūtas Park. It is the only theme park of its kind in Lithuania, where you can see so many works of social realism in one place. Here we will see the monuments idealized in the past and standing in the most important places, a picture gallery, a reading room, and in the cafe it will be possible to taste non-traditional dishes from the “Nostalgia” menu.
We will visit the oldest and largest resort in Lithuania – Druskininkai. The Lithuanian name itself suggests that salt should be there. There is really no shortage of salinity here. In the middle of the resort there is a lake called Druskonis, there are salty mineral springs, which made this resort famous. The surrounding pine forests also add uniqueness to the resort. While walking and breathing in the air saturated with health, we will admire Villa “Linksma” (Funny), take a walk along the shores of the Nemunas and Ratnyčėlė river‘s, popular by the famous artist and composer Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis. We will admire Druskininkai decorated in the copies of paintings by this artist. We will visit the most beautiful Druskininkai musical fountain in Lithuania, where water stream dances according to the chosen music. We will wash the dust of travel in the source of “Beauty” covered with legends and stories. We will ascend to a height of 45 meters by Druskininkai airline and above the pine peaks and the bend of the Nemunas we will look at Druskininkai and its wooded surroundings from the only cable car in Lithuania.
After traveling to Liškiava, for a moment we will feel as if we are not in Lithuania, but as if we were somewhere abroad. It is a wonderful baroque gem in southern Lithuania, frequented by tourists from all over the world and Lithuania. The dominant and ornament of this whole ensemble is the Church of the Holy Trinity, a wonderful late Baroque building. Standing on the high bank of the Nemunas, the church is decorated with a dome, hiding frescoes inside it and a very complex interior decorated with intricate moldings, from which even the eyes are dazzled. You will descend to the dungeons of the church with abundant works of art, visit the crypt of the Dominican monks who lived there. Here we will admire the ensemble of the church and the monastery, the environment has been restored and arranged, and the panorama of the Nemunas river, which also fascinated and inspired Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis.
