Trakai is a small town with a fairy-tale castle, located just 28 Km away from the capital Vilnius. Most of the town stands on a 2km long piece of land between two lakes.
Trakai Castle: A Medieval Fairytale in Lithuania
The castle is the main attraction here, and the views from outside are sublime. The Trakai Island Castle (Lithuanian: Trakų salos pilis) was built in the Gothic and Romanesque styles for defence purposes, estimated to date from around 1400.
When inside the castle, which now acts as a museum (€7), you’re free to walk around and explore, through the corridors and courtyards, but would be nice if they had more exhibitions going on.
Aside from the museum exhibitions, the grounds of Trakai make for an interesting visit. The main courtyard of the castle has several devices of punishment, that you can test, like a human-sized cage.
A visit to Trakai makes a great day out from Vilnius and during the short journey you get to see a little of the countryside.
From Vilnius to Trakai Castle by public transport
To get here from Vilnius it’s quite easy and cheap.
Go to Vilnius bus station (by the train station, outside the old town), and get an intercity bus that rides on Trakai direction. It costs €2 each way. You pay the ticket inside the bus from the driver.
Platforms No. 6, 7, 8 (local), 28 and 29 (intercity, via Alytus).
The Castle is at the opposite end of Trakai town, so takes around 20-30 mins walking to get to the castle.
Take a stroll in the town of Trakai
If you have time is also nice to have a stroll through the town of Trakai with its Karaites-style houses. It’s also possible to rent a paddleboat or kayak to explore the lake and get a different view of the castle.
Would you like to visit Trakai Castle in Lithuania?
photography – all rights reserved – Ana Rocha