Aukstaitija National Park

Aukstaitija was the first national park in Lithuania, and its heart is water: one hundred and twenty six lakes linked by streams and portages through old pine forest. It is classic Baltic lake country, best explored by canoe, with ethnographic villages and wooden churches scattered among the trees.

What you actually see

• The lake chains - linked lakes made for canoe journeys and portages.
• Ladakalnis hill - a viewpoint over half a dozen lakes at once.
• Old villages - ethnographic wooden hamlets like Salos and Suminai.
• The beekeeping museum - a folk museum of the region's old honey traditions.

When to go

Summer for swimming and canoeing, when the lake network comes into its own; autumn for colour and quiet. Bring or hire a canoe to see the park properly.

Honest expectations

The park is spread out and low-key, without big single sights, so it rewards slow travel and a boat more than a quick drive-through. Facilities are modest and English is limited. Mosquitoes are serious around the lakes in summer.

Nearby

The Ignalina area and the old Palus villages are close; the border lake country runs on toward Latvia and Belarus.