With 289 lakes covering a total of 5,632.1 hectares, water shapes the landscape of Švenčionys District. The Žeimena flows through the area from north to south, has no dams and is one of Lithuania’s most important salmon spawning grounds. Part of Asveja Regional Park also lies in Švenčionys District.
Visitor Centre and Forest Educational Trail
The Labanoras Visitor Centre helps you plan excursions through the park; park maps and souvenirs are sold there. The exhibition introduces the natural and cultural values of Labanoras Forest and offers activities for the whole family. It therefore provides both guidance for park excursions and insights into the forest. Check current service information before your trip.
The trail through Labanoras Forest is 3 km long and takes about 1.5 hours. It starts near Labanoras and provides information about the ecosystems of bogs and lakes, plants and animals on Lithuania’s Red List, and nearby ancient burial mounds. Allow around an hour and a half as a guideline; trail conditions may change seasonally.
Spring and Local Tradition
Lino Verdenė spring is right beside Lake Sėtikis, at the lower part of the slope of a pine-covered hill. Locals consider it special and sacred. It is said that Rasa celebrations—that is, Midsummer celebrations—and gatherings associated with the changing cycles of nature and the equinoxes have taken place there for a long time. At the spring, a specific landscape setting meets a long-established local significance.
Cycling Route and the History of Kačėniškės Hill
The Daugava–Nemunas cycling route is 9 km long and connects Šventa with Kačėniškės Hill. It offers a different scale from the 3 km Labanoras Forest Educational Trail, for which an approximate duration of 1.5 hours is given: here, a cycling connection between two named places contrasts with a themed forest trail. Before setting off, check the surface and signage, as both may change.
Kačėniškės Hill, also known as Pasijų kalnas, is in Švenčionys District and belongs to Sirvėta Regional Park. It dates from the first millennium AD and the beginning of the second millennium. The hill was an important defensive fortification and belonged to the land of Nalšia. The cycling route connects two named places; at Kačėniškės Hill, the landscape also has its own historical significance.
Traditional Crafts in Reškutėnai
The Traditional Crafts Centre in Reškutėnai offers a workshop on painting dowry chests. Participants learn about the history of the chests’ development, their purpose and symbolic meaning; decoration and painting are also covered. This adds a practical insight into traditional crafts to the nature and history themes. As booking and operating details may change, check them in advance.
Discover more destinations: Kaltanėnai, Švenčionėliai, Labanoras, Ukmergė District Municipality, Trakai District Municipality, Švenčionių rajono savivaldybė, Trakų rajono savivaldybė, Ukmergės rajono savivaldybė.
For the broader travel overview: Vilnius District.
