Aukštadvaris: Trails, Landscapes and Cultural Heritage

Aukštadvaris offers several options to consider when planning your trip: landscapes, trails, canoeing and cultural heritage. Aukštadvaris Regional Park was established to preserve the upper landscapes of the Verknė and Strėva, their natural ecosystem and cultural heritage. The following highlights can help you explore the destination according to your interests.

Landscapes and Trails in the Regional Park

The park’s natural features include the Mergiškiai–Aukštadvaris hill system, Gedanoniai Hill and the valleys of the Verknė and Strėva. There are also around 80 lakes in the valleys, as well as Velnio duobė, which is 40 metres deep. To put these features in perspective, consider their different scales: hills, valleys and lakes describe larger landscape features, while the depth measurement gives a specific figure for a single natural feature.

The park has routes named Mergiškių žiedas, Protėvių takas and Rangavos žiedas. There are also five hiking trails and cycling routes such as Green Trail, Around the Town of Aukštadvaris, By the Devil’s Pit and By the Sacred Springs. Check the latest local route details before your trip so that you can plan based on the available route information.

Canoeing is possible on the upper section of the Verknė between Lake Vilkokšnis and Aukštadvaris Hydroelectric Power Plant. Water conditions and availability may vary by season. Check the conditions in advance if you plan to take part in this activity. This keeps canoeing as a distinct highlight alongside the hiking and cycling routes, rather than combining them into a single itinerary.

Cultural Heritage and Local History

The protected urban complex of Aukštadvaris includes a church and monastery complex, a landscaped park with Lithuania’s first trout pond system, a hydroelectric power plant, Aukštadvaris Castle Hill and Kartuvės Hill. This collection brings together religious buildings, landscaped grounds, and technical and historical themes. It gives you an overview of the different facets of cultural heritage brought together in the complex’s description.

Aukštadvaris Castle Hill is on the left bank of the Verknė. Archaeological finds indicate that it was inhabited in the 2nd–1st century BC. This timeframe places the history of the castle hill in context and adds an archaeological focus to the site’s other cultural and landscape features.

Museum and Visitor Centre

The museum of Trakų r. Aukštadvario gimnazija was established in 2000 in a historic primary school building constructed in 1913. The 2017 exhibition comprised 2,770 items arranged in separate sections. The dates mark different milestones: the school’s construction in 1913, the museum’s establishment in 2000 and the size of the exhibition in 2017.

At the Aukštadvaris Regional Park Visitor Centre, you can get information about the park, natural and cultural sites, trails and recreation areas. You can also buy publications, souvenirs and visitor tickets there. Confirm the current arrangements before your trip if you plan to use the centre’s services.

When canoeing, take water conditions and seasonal availability into account. This lets you tailor your trip plans to your interests without turning the destination’s different themes into a fixed itinerary.

Discover more destinations: Avižieniai, Strėva, Trakai, Kiemeliai, Liucionys, Žuklijai, Karvys, Madžiūnai

For the broader travel overview: Vilnius County.