PROGRAMME
We offer a short and spectacular day trip to the Lithuanian Provence in the Biržai region. You don’t have to travel thousands of kilometres to the south-east of France to get a closer look at Provence. Sometimes, a few hours’ drive is enough to feel the unique Provence atmosphere right here, in the Lithuanian village near Biržai. During the trip, we will visit the Biržai Sėla Regional Museum, where you will taste Biržai specialities and learn about the history of the birth of beer.
In the morning, you will leave from Marijampolė and Kaunas for Kėdainiai. Kėdainiai is often associated with cucumbers, ice cream and fertiliser production. However, the town has a long standing history, dominated by the Radvila family. 4 town squares, 4 denominations, 4 national groups. All of this perfectly illustrates the harmony between the special atmosphere and the inhabitants. Despite the city’s wounds from wars, disease and fires, it has retained its cosiness and the mystery of its history”. We continue our journey to Biržai.
The Biržai region has long been famous for its brewers and its delicious beer. In the past, almost everyone in the villages brewed beer, and everyone had their own technology, which they passed on only to their sons…
Biržai is famous not only for its beer, but also for its sinkholes, which is why you will visit the Karve Cave, the largest karst sinkhole in Lithuania. You will visit the Biržai Sėla Regional Museum and participate in the educational programme ‘A Biržiečė vaišin dainuodamūs’ *. Here you will learn about the old brewing equipment, the technology of home brewing and the Aukštaičiai feasting traditions. Sitting at a table with a white tablecloth, you will taste traditional Biržai treats. Together with a folklore ensemble promoting the archaic ethno-music identity of the country and feast songs, you will sing, blow skudučiai instruments, and dance.
After fun-filled storytelling and tasting, you will go to the Astravas Manor ensemble, which belonged to the Counts of Tiškevičius and is located on the shore of the oldest pond in Lithuania – the artificial lake Širvėna, and to visit the country’s longest pedestrian bridge and dam, and a park. You will climb the crescent-shaped Kirkilai observation tower, and from the top, you can see the waters of the karst lakes turn red on a hot summer day.
You don’t have to travel thousands of kilometres to the south-east of France to get a closer look at Provence. Sometimes it is enough to drive a few dozen, or at most a few hundred kilometres, and you can feel the unique Provence atmosphere right here in the Lithuanian countryside near the Biržai district. Lavender on the farm* doesn’t just have flavour and colour, it also has… sound. True, you will be able to see it for yourself, as you’ll hear the steady buzz of bees over the fields – not just lots of bees, but zillions and zillions of bees… Full of excitement, you’ll set off for home. In the evening, you will return to Kaunas and Marijampolė.
Cost of the trip: from EUR 28.00 per person. The price includes:
• Bus trip;
• Arranging travel documents;
• Tour guide service and sightseeing programme.
Not included in the trip price:
• Education tour Žaldokas beer – EUR 8.00, additional museum tour approx. EUR 3.50;
• Lavender farm visit –2.00 EUR per person.
Note. The tour organiser reserves the right to make minor changes to the tour programme and course due to unplanned temporary restoration works, weather conditions and other reasonable obstacles. The tour guide does not lead tours of paid sites.