Žemaitija National Park is a real discovery for travellers who wish to explore wild nature and original traditions of the region. It is recommended to naturalists, cycling tourists, yachtsmen and scuba-divers since the Park offers a number of opportunities for active and interesting leisure time. The lake compound of Plateliai, vast woodlands, the architecture and traditional archaic feast of Žemaičiai Calvary as well as articles of wood craftsmen, a traditional Pancake Tuesday festival, the possibility to hear, touch and feel all that legendary character of Žemaičiai – all of that attracts visitors to Žemaitija National Park.
The Lake Plateliai (1205 ha), the biggest and cleanest lake in Žemaitija, along with another 25 lakes, provides opportunities to water sport and tourism, scuba diving, fishing and bird observation fans as well as professional scientists.
The national park is also a territory of European importance – Natura 2000, is meant for preservation of natural habitats and habitats of birds.
Visitor Centre of the Management of Žemaitija National Park is located in Plateliai borough. There are many visiting places, museums, expositions in Žemaitija National Park. Those interested in all that can choose short tours or a week-long stay. Tourists are welcome at holiday homes and hotel, 23 rural tourism farmsteads and 9 camping sites as well as cafes, inns and restaurant. The Samogitian kastinys (sour cream butter), spirginė (flaxseed and potato dish), cibulynė (onion and herring soup) or lake fish are really specific and delicious foods of the region. The Park fosters and revives old cultural traditions and festivals of the Žemaitija region. Tourists will be welcome by the guides having preserved their old dialect, customs and peculiarities of temper.
Žemaitija National Park is a real blessing for eco-tourists and scientists of wide profile. The glacier-formed waterhole of Plateliai Lake and small lakes of thermokarst origin, distinguished by exceptional relief landscape complexes of Gardai Ridge, Mikytai, Jazdauskiškiai and Šarnelė, large marshlands densely inhabited by birds, and ravines carved with springs and upper reaches of rivers – all of that you can find in an area of 21720 ha. It should be noted that some 10% of the Park’s territory are not available for tourists; these include Plokštinė and Rukundžiai natural reserves, which also turn into telmological (marsh) reserves in spring and summer.
The National Park contains 21 monuments of nature, including trees, springs, peninsulas and islands; however, not all of them are accessible easily. The most impressive in the territory of Plateliai Manor is the Ash-tree of Witch being the thickest ash-tree in Lithuania (the trunk size is 7.2 m, height–32 m). Other monuments of impressive dimensions or forms also worth while seeing include the Plateliai elm and linden growing in the same Park of the manor, a high hill of Pūkštė, the springs in the Plokštinė Forest, and the islands in the Lake of Plateliai.
If you wish to explore the underwater world of nature, you will be assisted by the enthusiasts of scuba diving club. At the same time you will see piles of the castle bridge that has survived from the Medieval Ages.
The Park contains more than 200 cultural heritage values, including 30 archaeological sites: traces of camps of the Stone Age, mounds, the hills of Alka (ancient sacred places) and ancient cemeteries. The ring of mounds and hills of Alka (the mounds of Žemaičių Kalvarija, Grigaičiai, Užpelkiai, Pučkoriai, Gegrėnai and Mikytai villages, the hills of Alka in Vilkai, Godeliai and Mikytai villages) stretching along the north-eastern part of the Park joins the most famous mounds of Skuodas-Kretinga District (Apuolė, Impiltis). Piles of the ancient bridge that connected Plateliai town with castles in the island have survived in the Lake Plateliai.
The most valuable architectural monuments include the churches and ancient farmsteads of Beržoras, Plateliai, Žemaičių Kalvarija as well as Babrungėnai Mill. Žemaičių Kalvarija boasts many monuments of architecture, arts, archaeology and history. The most important of them is a Calvary with 19 chapels built in the 17th century. A Calvary with 14 chapels was also restored in Beržoras.
The National Park has preserved Samogitian crosses, chapels, and roofed crosses with statuettes of the Saints, which even nowadays are placed on roadsides or built in trees in this region. Their birth can be witnessed at the Museum of folk artists Regina and Justinas Jonušai, Kazys Striaupa’s Granary, Folk Art Exhibition of Rimantas Laima, Folk Art Exhibition of Vytas Jaugėla and the private art gallery-artistic workshop of Leonardas Černiauskas. The Granary of Plateliai Manor-house displays the exposition of Shrovetide masks, archaeological artefacts from Šventorkalnis and Castle island, ancient tools and household utensils. It also hosts regular exhibitions. The Museum of Writer Žemaitė represents the native farmstead of the writer with a survived house, personal belongings and a work exposition of the writer. The Museum of Vytautas Mačernis tells its visitors about the life and creative work Vytautas Mačernis, a Lithuanian poet of tragic fate. The exposition of militarism established on the underground launch site of thermonuclear missiles, surrounded by the Plokštinė Forest, built by the Soviet Army in 1962, has become the most famous sightseeing place in Žemaitija region.
You will receive information about heritage objects and sightseeing places at Žemaitija National Park Visitor Centre in Plateliai. Here you may book guided tours, receive information about accommodation and camping conditions and acquire permits, camping sites are equipped by Plateliai and other lakes (a fee is charged for camping). The tourists can stay at Plokštinė Ecological Education Centre, a small hostel Dvaro Svetainė, rural tourism farmsteads, holiday homes and a recreation facility.
A survey site by Plateliai Lake reveals a beautiful panorama of the lake. Šarnelė mound, Mikytai hill of Alka, and the sceneries of Jogaudai and Paplatelė open up wide horizons.
Those who like hiking will enjoy sightseeing trails. Šeirė nature trail (4.1 km long) introduces the relief, flora and fauna typical to this region. The hiking trail The Trip of Acorn and Conker in the Park of Plateliai Manor (1 km long) is intended for primary school pupils. It introduces plants and reminds of how one should behave in the forest. Walking along the Plokštinė Cognitive path (3.2 km long) you will see the relicts of the fence of the military base, nesting – boxes for the bats, will admire the hilly conformation, ice-free spring of Pilelis which is a natural monument. Walking along the Paplatelė Cognitive path (2.3 km long) you will see the wooden sculptures of folk Artists near the Pond Sultekis, some species of birds (Porzana porzana, Botaurus stellaris, Podiceps grisegena, Circus aeruginosa), rare species of plants (Dactylorhiza incarnata, Dactylorhiza fuchsii). Mikytai Cognitive Path (1 km long). In the village of Mikytai there is a hill surrounded by the swamp and the rivulet. It is called the hill of Alka; it was a sacred place of the pagans.On the northern slope of the hill of Alka there is the Stone with the Devil’s Footprint. The Well of Prayers (offerings)is in the eastern part of the ancient sacred place. Tourists hiking or cycling along Plateliai-Beržoras trail (1.5 km long) can enjoy natural and cultural heritage values of these areas.
The Lake Plateliai is perfectly suitable for sailing, boating, water cycling, surfing, yachting and using other engine-free vehicles. The supply of services here is very wide and includes scuba diving, bike rent and repair, pedal boat and boat rent. It also offers good conditions for fishing. The permits are issued at the Plateliai Visitor Centre of the Žemaitija National Park Administration.
Žemaitija National Park boasts perfect conditions for the organization of conferences (hall rent, accommodation and catering services).
Visitors may order specialized events (Samogitian songs and dances).
Address:
Žemaitija National Park Administration
Didžioji g. 10, LT-90420 Plateliai,
Plungės raj.
Tel. +370 448 49 337, fax 370 448 448 49 337
Plateliai Visitor Centre:
Didžioji g. 8, LT-90420 Plateliai, Plungės raj.
Tel. +370 448 49 231, fax +370 448 49 337
Watch the presentation
