A small town of Trakai, just a short drive from Vilnius, the capital, is one of the main tourist attractions in Lithuania.
Trakai lake castle.
Local and foreign visitors come to see its impressive Medieval Castle located right in the middle of the Galvės lake, as well as enjoy nature and some local ethnic food.
So here are some suggestions of places to see and things to do for those, who are visiting Trakai for the first time.
Scheduling Your Trip to Trakai
To start with – a few scheduling suggestions.
If your schedule is flexible, try to avoid the wet and dreary late autumn and early spring months (November, March, April) when the trees are bare and the snow is melting.
Winter months, on the other hand, can be a beautiful time to visit if you like snow and don’t mind the cold.
If at all possible, try to time your trip in the middle of the week, to avoid weekend crowds. It does become really busy, especially on beautiful days in the summer.
Choose the Most Suitable Way to Visit Trakai
There are a number of ways you can get to Trakai from the Capital Vilnius.
If you are going by car it’ll take you no longer than 30min to get there. The roads are good and access is easy as well as well-signposted.
If you are planning to get public transport read on.
If you want to book a 4-hour tour, and get a tour bus to collect you from your hotel, then click HERE and pre-book a half-day guided tour to Trakai.
Suggested Walking Route from the Railway Station
Using public transport?
Take a very comfortable train from Vilnius railway station and about 30-40minutes later you will get off in Trakai.
Be prepared to walk a bit – the castle is about 2.5km from the station and you can either walk along the lake or follow the main street of the town.
The signs in the railway station show you a general direction, but you really won’t get lost.
Walking along Trakai main street.
Discover Lithuanian Karaim history and traditions
If you are going through the town, you’ll get a chance to admire the wooden architecture, telling the story of Karaim and Tartar (Turkic ethnic groups) communities, who were resettled in this part of Lithuania in the 14th – 15th centuries by Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas.
Karaim houses always have three windows facing the street. In the Middle Ages, having so many windows showed your superior status, since you had to afford to pay window tax!
In Lithuania, Trakai has always been the administrative, spiritual and cultural centre for Karaim ethnic group, who had autonomy and self-rule from the 14th until the end of 18th centuries.
As you walk along the main street, you can see the Karaim cultural centre where this community gathers to mark various occasions and celebrate their heritage.
Just before you turn to the castle area, on your left there is a Kenesa, a Karaim worship place (one of three in the world).
If you want to peek inside Kenesa, you’ll have to arrange a visit in advance.
Kenesa, Karaim worship place in Trakai.
Karaim religion (Karaism) is based on the Old Testament, rejecting all later additions and interpretations of the Book. Ethnically though, Karaims are not Jews, but belong to some of oldest Turkic tribes.
Click here if you’d like to find out more about Karaism in Lithuania.
Take a picture at this landmark and keep the Karaim story in mind, since we’ll come back to it again in a short while.
The Lake Castle
A bit further down the road and on the right-hand side you’ll see a sign saying Castle – you can’t miss it.
You will see the lake in front of you and a few stalls with Lithuanian souvenirs – amber, woolen clothing, linen items and clay souvenirs – everything you’ve ever dreamed of…
Leave the souvenirs for later and first head over the bridge to the main attraction – the Lake Castle.
Towering over the calm waters, the castle tells the story of the Grand Dutchy of Lithuania and its golden age. At that time the territory of the country spanned from the Baltic to the Black Sea.
The castle museum displays an extensive collection of artifacts and interesting historical displays about the castle, the town, the country, its history and people.
Inside Trakai lake castle front yard.
However, if you are used to visiting castles and palaces with elaborate interior designs and décor elements, this castle might come as a disappointment…
Unfortunately, the impressive décor elements haven’t survived the turbulent twists and turns of historical events.
NOTE. If you are carrying a camera, apparently you have to buy a separate ticket in order to be able to take pictures inside. I did not realize that, hence there are no pictures of castle interior here.
If you like sending snail mail to your loved ones back home, don’t miss the castle post office. You’ll have to go up those narrow stairs to the second floor (I think). You can get your letter stamped with the original castle stamp and surprise the ones at home with a card from the Medieval times.
The good thing about the castle is that today it is used for concerts and various other events (for example Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society hosts regular concerts here).
So look out for any announcements and you can time your visit to coincide with a beautiful musical soirée or even symphony or opera performances.
Keep your eyes open!
After admiring the historic displays in the castle, stroll around the castle on the island or head back to the mainland to shop for a few souvenirs along the way.
When you get hungry in Trakai…
….. it’s time to remember the Karaim community.
It is a tradition for us, Lithuanians, to eat some kibinai, traditional Karaim pasty and meat dish, whenever we visit Trakai.
One of the best places to try them is Kybynlar , a restaurant which seems to put a lot of effort into presenting the Karaim culture through their cuisine.
Kybynlar (or kibinai in Lithuanian) are very similar in shape and preparation to Cornish pasties.
Apart from being able to order traditional kibinai (or kybynlar), you are also offered traditional meat soups, pies and other dishes, giving you a true flavour of Lithuanian Karaim cuisine.
Meat soups are delicious here.
And all this without a hint of pork on the menu (unusual in Lithuania), since, as you remember, the Karaim adhere to Old Testament beliefs and traditions.
Kibinai have become so popular in Lithuania, that many cafes, shops and street vendors offer them as a fast food option.
A lot of commentators note that the small size of Karaim community is disproportionate to its strong influence in Lithuanian cuisine.
Admire the landscape around Trakai
After trying a dish or two from the Karaim menu, and if you’ve got some more time left before catching the train back to Vilnius, do take a leisurely stroll along the lake. Admire the castle, lake and forest views and their colours, especially if you are visiting in autumn.
Trakai, Lithuania
Galvės lake, Trakai Lithuania.
Last time I visited Trakai, I spent the most amazingly peaceful autumn Wednesday in this place, normally bustling with local and foreign visitors.
The suggested route above would give a first-time visitor a good idea of what the most important landmarks in this small town are.
However, if you are planning to stay around a little longer, or this is your second or third visit to the place, look through this website of Trakai Tourism Information Centre, you’ll see there’s so much more to this vibrant, historic town than I could cover in this brief description.
Visit Trakai, enjoy your life!
If you liked this post, you might also like
‘A City Break in Vilnius – Churches, Amber & Treats’, ‘A Must-See Exhibition for Every Fashionista Visiting Vilnius’ and ‘Exotic Fragrances in the Heart of Vilnius’.
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Hi, I am Vytenė, a travel blogger originally from Lithuania. Highlighting here European destinations worth exploring. You don’t have to go far to have the time of your life!
