Trakai is one of the most enchanting destinations in the Baltic states — a historic town 28 kilometres west of Vilnius, home to the breathtaking Trakai Island Castle, a red-brick Gothic fortress floating on Lake Galvė that is the only castle in Eastern Europe built on an island. Once the medieval capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Trakai combines spectacular castle architecture, a unique Karaim cultural heritage, and the serene lakeland landscape of the Trakai Historical National Park — Europe’s only historical national park.
Quick Facts: Trakai, Lithuania
- Best time to visit: May–September for boating on Lake Galvė; winter for the magical sight of the frozen lake surrounding the castle
- Top attraction: Trakai Island Castle (14th century) — fully restored and housing the Trakai History Museum
- How to get there: ~30 minutes from Vilnius by car or bus; regular buses from Vilnius bus station
- Don’t miss: Kibinai — traditional Karaite meat pastries, available from several small family-run cafés in the Karaim community on the lakeshore
- Unique: Trakai is home to the Karaim — a Turkic ethnic group brought to Lithuania from Crimea in the 14th century who maintain their distinct culture, religion, and cuisine to this day
Trakai is a historic city built on water about 30km west from the capital city of Lithuania – Vilnius. The area is a popular tourist destination. There are 20 lakes in the region. The deepest one is Lake Galvė (46.7m deep) with its 21 islands. One of the islands houses Trakai Island Castle, which is one of the largest Lithuanian medieval castles – occupies the area of 1,8 ha and it is also the most valuable monument in the park (together with the remnants of the peninsula castle and the ancient site of the Senieji (Old) Trakai castle with a church and village).
There are two parks in the region:
Trakai Historical National Park was established in 1991 to preserve Trakai as a centre of Lithuanian statehood and its authentic nature as well. It is the only historical national park in Europe.
Aukštadvaris Regional Park was established in 1992 to preserve the landscapes of Verknė and Strėva upper reaches.
View Trakai – the ancient capital of Lithuania in a larger map
Have you visited Trakai Castle or discovered Lithuania’s lakeland? Share your Baltic adventures in the comments! 🏰
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