Exceptional value

Thousands of years ago, the last glacier shaped the highest part of the Dainava Upland in what is now Aukštadvaris Regional Park. It pushed up high hills and carved out deep hollows. The most famous and most visited of these is the Devil’s Pit – the largest of its kind in Lithuania. The Verknė and Strėva rivers begin their journey in this park, threading through over 40 lakes like beads on a string. The hilly, lake-rich moraine landscape stands out for its expressive terrain. It’s no wonder this region is often called the "Switzerland of Lithuania."

Aukštadvaris Regional Park is the only place in Lithuania where one can find the extremely rare aquatic plant Nasturtium officinale. The diverse landscape and variety of soils have created an exceptional richness of plant and animal life. The Mergiškiai Forest is considered a prime example of Lithuania’s broadleaf forests. Interestingly, without ever leaving Lithuania, one can encounter habitats resembling the steppe grasslands of Southern Europe and the West Siberian taiga. This park is also one of the few places in the country where 13 out of the 14 bat species known in Lithuania can be found.

During the time of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Royal Highway passed through the area of the present-day regional park, connecting the castles of Vilnius, Trakai, and Birštonas. This is reflected in many place names: Royal Manor, Royal Forest, Royal Kitchen, Karaliūnai Village... Along the former highway and deeper into the park, one can find scattered hillforts, ancient sacred hills, and other cultural heritage sites. One of the most unique is the Moša archaeological complex, which contains traces of the ancient Yotvingian culture.

The park is also a unique meeting point of different cultures. During the reign of Vytautas the Great, Tatars and Karaites settled in the Trakai region, bringing with them their culture and culinary traditions. Even today, traditional Tatar pastries like šimtalapis, kibinai, and kakorai (stuffed potato pastries) are still baked in the Aukštadvaris area. The town remains situated on the "Royal Highway" – now an international road connecting Western Europe to Vilnius.