Dzūkija national park

Park area: 60,000 ha Forests: 85%

Dzukija National Park contains many ancient villages, historical and cultural monuments and pine forests.

Merkine is one of the historical attractions of Dzukija National Park. It dates back to the 14th century, and is situated at the confluence of the Nemunas and Merkys rivers. The Merkine castle hill, which gave rise to the town, offers an unforgettable view of the Nemunas valley and surrounding woodlands. Liskiava, a settlement on the bank of the Nemunas River, is famous for numerous legends and folk tales, and is easily reached by boat or bus from Druskininkai. Most legends are connected with the Hill of Liskiava Castle, on top of which one can still find the remnants of the 14th century castle. There are a number of other ancient villages near Liskiava and Merkine, some dating back to the 16th century, that have retained the traditional layout of forest villages and architecture. The inhabitants of these villages still practice the traditional folk crafts of weaving, woodcarving and pottery. Marcinkonys, the administrative centre of this park and ancient structured village, can be reached by bus or train. There you can find the guest house offering lodging, conference facilities and ecotourism routes.