Dzūkija National Park

Čepkeliai swamps

Dzūkija National Park (also know as Dzūkijos nacionalinis parkas in Lithuanian) is a 550 km² park located in the banks of Nemunas River, being the largest protected area in Lithuania, located in ethnographic region of Dzūkija (south of Lithuania). This National Park hosts many pine forests and 48 lakes plus some beautiful villages and towns like Merkinė, Zervynos, Liškiava and Musteika.

How do I arrive to Dzūkija National Park?

 The best way to reach this National Park is going to Merkinė (Marcinkonys, in the middle of the Park, is harder to reach).

• Boat:  there's a steamboat between Druskininkai and Liškiava in summer.
  
• Train: there are trains to Zervynos and Marcinkonys from Vilnius (aprox. 2 hours).
• Bus: there are buses to Merkinė from Druskininkai (aprox. 30 minutes; 2€) and from Vilnius (aprox. 1 hour 30 minutes).
• Car: if you rented a car, it can be reached Merkinė from different places like Varėna (aprox. 25 minutes), Druskininkai (aprox. 30 minutes), Prienai (aprox. 50 minutes), Trakai (aprox. 1 hour 5 minutes), Kaunas (aprox. 1 hour 20 minutes) and Vilnius (aprox. 1.5 hours). The park is also close to the border with Poland, being reached easily from places in Podlaskie Voivodeship like Augustow or Suwałki (aprox. 1 hour 25 minutes), and with the border with Belarus, Grodno (aprox. 1 hour 10 minutes) or Lida (aprox. 1 hour 40 minutes).
  

 Once in the Park, a good choice to move along it is renting a bike (the tourist office in Marcinkonys helps to do it) and cycling along it or canoeing.

History

A large part of Varėna District Municipality was on the Polish side of not-mutually recognized border during the interwar period after WW1, mainly due the strategic Warsaw-Saint Petersburg Railway. Unlike in neighboring regions, where the number of Poles is high, the territories now comprising the municipality always had a Lithuanian majority. In the WW2 most of the Lithuanian Jewish which lived in the region were murdered and it has also had an important Tatar minory since 15th century in Merkinė. During the Soviet Union the Varėna District was formed, with the small town of Varėna chosen as the capital (over the then much larger Senoji Varėna, "Old Varėna") because of its proximity to a railroad. Varėna only became the center of region in the 1970s when it underwent industrialization under Soviet leadership. During a municipality reform the territory was renamed to Varėna District Municipality and the westernmost parts of it ceded to Druskininkai Municipality. After the independence of Lithuania, Dzūkija National Park was established in 1991. This zone, as part of Dzūkija, is the traditional zone of the Dzūkian dialect, a version of Aukštaitian dialect. 

 

What can I visit in Dzūkija National Park?

These are many things to do in this National Park, explained now according to the town where they are or the nearest one:

• In the north of the park appears Subartonys (Subortowicze in Polish), a small 45 people village where the writer Vincas Krėvė Mickevičius was born. The most important monument is V. Krėvė Mickevičius Memorial House-Museum (9-18 Wed-Sun; free), a 19th century cottage where he and his family lived, with original furniture and speaks about him and his literary work; another nice museum is Lithuanian Tatars Household Museum (book in advance), museum about the Tartars, their folk costumes, music and history. Nearby there's Subartonys Oak Forest and Vincukas Oak, a forest with very old oaks.
• Merkinė (Merecz in Polish): 1228 people historic town, largest one within the National Park. It is said to have been founded by Vikings and here Władysław IV Vasa died in 1648. It had a very large Jewish population (73%) before WWII.
  • Merkinė Regional Studies Museum (9-18 Wed-Sun; free): museum located in a former Orthodox Church (1888) which shows main historical events in Merkinė, domestic life of Dzūkija residents, popular trades and black ceramics. In the same building it's located Lithuania’s Struggle and Genocide Museum (9-18 Wed-Sun; free), a museum where Lithuanian prissioners where tortured, with photographs and relics related to the times of resistance and places of exile.
  • St. Mergelės Marijos Ėmimo į dangu Catholic Church: 17th century Gothic church with Baroque elements.
  • Town Pillars of Merkinė: 16th century tower with bells, emblems of the states and pictures of saints. Just 2 remained nowadays.
  • Merkinė Cross Hill: biggest memorial for Lithuanian partisans, who died for Lithuanian independence in the battles against the Soviet occupation.
  • Merkinė mound: hill with views to the confluence of the Nemunas and Merkys Rivers.
  • Merkinė Old Jewish Cemetery.
  • Merkinė Bioenergetic Pyramid (9-21; free): place which is said to heal and gives a spiritual experience.
  • Black Ceramic Route (12 km): route around Merkinė shows this black pottery tradition, made by red clay and pine resin. It goes by Black Ceramic Workshop in Zakavoliai and Pelekiškė.
• Marcinkonys (Marcinkańce in Polish): 765 inhabitants village which is the administrative center of the Dzūkija National Park. During WW2 here was created the Marcinkonys Ghetto, which housed 400 Lithuanian Jews.
  • Dzūkija National Park Visitor Center and Ethnographic Homestead (8-17 Mon-Fri; 8-15:45 Sat; 1€/ 0.50€  adults/ kids): 20th century farm which shows the traditions of Dzūkija region, like weaving, wooden sculptures, basketmaking or bee-keeping.
  • Čepkeliai Natural Reserve Museum (8-17 Mon-Fri; 8-15:45 Sat; 1€/ 0.50€  adults/ kids): museum which shows wildlife, traditions and the landscapes at that reserve.
  • St. Simono ir Judo Tado Catholic Church: Neo-Gothic wooden church built in 1880 which has some pieces of fine and applied arts.
  • Dune Gaidžiai: located on the outskirts of Marcinkonys, this white sand dune is still moving.
  • Čepkeliai Educational Path (5 km): route that enables to get in Čepkeliai Natural Reserve, visiting  the marsh and area surrounding the marshland.
    
  • Marcinkonys Forest Path (3.6 km): path that goes to edge of the pinewood in Marcinkonys and around the old mill dam.
  • Neart the village there's Skroblus Sightseeing Path (4 km), route that explores nice landscapes and reaches Lake Bakanauskai and Samardotiškės Spring.
• Zervynos (Zerwiny in Polish): ethnographic 67 inhabitants village of forest protectors and observers with 48 homesteads from the 19-20th century construction plan and architectural features, considered national monument. In this area can be found some other nice villages: Mančiagirė and Lynežeris. Mančiagirė is small village whose origin is believed to be the 17th century, with the woods colonization. Near this village can be found the Spring Ūla Eyes, where rises up from deep underground water layers next to Ūla river, and Ūla Precipices, small canyon-like valley caused for the erosion of the sand dunes. Lynežeris (Linica in Polish) is a small village with 24 inhabitants, east 8 km from Zervynos, with 25 scattered homesteads and characteristics of a small linear village from the 19th century and the early 20th century.
• Čepkeliai Natural Reserve (groups of up to 10 foreign people, 20€): virgin natural area with bogs and continental dunes, forests, lakes and a varied flora and fauna, one of the only wetlands remaining in east Europe. The Natural Reserve is 5 km far and the guided visits are more or less 1.5 km and there's an Observation Tower. It's in the Belarusian border and most of this reserve continues in Belarus, in the Katra Reserve. It's neccesary booking in Marcinkonys visitor's center.
• Liškiava (Liszkowo in Polish): 57 inhabitants village founded in the 15th century that has remains of a castle built after the Battle of Grunewald. From Druskininkai there's a boat trip (lasting 3 hours) to Liškiava (12-18 Tue-Sat; 13-18 Sun; 2€ /1€ adults/students and kids).
  
  • St. Trejybes Catholic Church and Monastery (2€/ 1€  adults/ reduced): 18th late Baroque-style century church and monastery with Italian frescos. Some of its highlights are the seven Baroque-Rococo altarpieces and 18th-19th century benches with tarsia and sacral paintings.
  • Church Hill: hill with the remains of the 17th century building and nice views.
  • Liškiava Mound: hill in the left of Nemunas River with great views.
• In the south of the National Park there's Musteika (Mustejka in Lithuanian), a small 61 people village where it's located Wild Hive Beekeeping Exposition (8-17 Mon-Fri, 8-15:45 Sat; 1€/ 0.50€  adults/ kids), an apiary of old log hives where can be seen the bee caring and honey and wax handling procedure. Other things so see at Musteika are its 15 crosses around the village and the first Lithuanian school. The village and the surrounding area can be discovered following Bee Hollow Scenic Sightseeing Path (10 km).

Merkinė Mound

Liškiava Monastery by Nemunas River

Where can I eat in Dzūkija National Park?

The best choice in this National Park is booking a B&B, with awesome farms and houses, and buying at supermarkets food to eat out.
In August and September (but also from beginning of spring to the end of autumm) the National Park area is settled by mushrooms, specially golden chanterelle, boletus and less commonly, baravykas. Berries collection is also traditional and popular in this area, like blueberries in August and cranberries in September (the rest of berries can be collected all over the year, when they are ripened). On the road you may find local collectors selling just collected produces. Varėna has a Mushrooms Festival in September. 

Collecting mushrooms isn't a game. Don't collect mushrooms unless you are an expert or in an expert's company. Some of them can be very dangerous (even can kill you)!

Posted in: Europe,Lithuania,National Park