Day tour From Vilnius to Belarus border a frozen corner of Europe

Pick up from the hotel and drive to Medininkai castle located just on the lithuanian/belarussian border.

Medininkai Castle is situated 32 km from the centre of Vilnius. Medininkai Castle was built in the late 13th or early 14th centuries. According to the space covered, it is the largest castle in the present territory of Lithuania. The castle was built in the transitional period from the Romanesque to the Gothic style, and it is one of the earliest enclosure castles in Lithuania.

Enjoy picturesque views while driving through an open terrains. Very short stop at Turgeliai to see a beautiful church.
The name of turgeliai appeared because in the past the town was known of large farmers markets.

The Republic of Paulava (Pavlov) is one of the most unique phenomena in Lithuanian history. It is an autonomous republic that existed in the 18th century, in the times of serfdom, in Merkinė, not far from Vilnius, in the present-day district of Šalčininkai, and had its own constitution, coat of arms, president, peasants’ parliament, money, treasury, mutual assistance fund, militia, and school. Today, we are reminded of it only by the fragments of the manor house, stables and other buildings, but in the second half of the 18th century it was the place where the most radical and progressive peasant reform in the Republic of the Two Nations was implemented.

After visiting Republic of Paulava we will drive to the "Dieveniskes Loop". There is a small checkpoint to enter the Stalin's pipe. It is very thin peace of land only 4 km wide. After a short stop we finally in appendix of Lithuania.

We are entering isthmus checkpoint. This is extremely narrow only 4 kilometers wide piece of land surrounded by the Belarus border. At the entrance travelers could be asked to show the documents.

There are 13 single-street ethnographic villages, such as Lastaučikai, Poškonys, Grybiškės and Rimašiai, which were formed by the Valakas land reform of the 16th and 17th centuries. Although they have have kept their structure to this day, most of the present buildings in these villages were constructed in the late 19th or early 20th century.

We will see impressive 1,000-year-old Grybiškės and Stakai oak trees, with their trunks of almost five metres in circumference, are cousins of the famous Stelmužė oak. The Grybiškės pine is a 100-year-old and potected by the state.

Visiting amazing 16th century Norviliskes castle which is lying just on the Belarus border.

Returning back to Vilnius

We will be visiting Bėčionys hillfort on the right bank of the River Gauja and it's wonderful view of the surrounding area from the top of the hillfort.