Kaunas County: Castle History and Nature Trails

When looking for accommodation in Kaunas County, a good first step is to decide based on your travel interests: are you mainly interested in castle history and exhibitions, botanical landscapes, or walking trails? The region offers a variety of cultural and natural attractions. The destinations below provide specific themes to help you plan your trip.

Castles and exhibitions

Kaunas Castle is the city’s oldest historical landmark and one of the oldest brick castles in Lithuania. It was built in the mid-14th century. Today, the castle offers guided tours and educational programs. Exhibitions in the restored and reconstructed tower tell the story of the castle, covering important historical facts and figures, changes to the walls, and the castle’s changing functions from the 14th century to the present day. This allows you to focus your visit on both its long history of construction and use and the development of the building itself.

Raudondvaris Manor Castle offers a different historical perspective. It is a Renaissance architectural monument from the early 17th century in Lithuania. The interactive “Dramaturas” audio tour explores the history of the manor and the romantic tragedy of Žygimantas Augustas and Barbora Radvilaitė. Created using artificial intelligence, the tour comprises 14 stops in the halls, cellars, and park, as well as in the surrounding manor ensemble. Check seasonally whether the tour is running. Unlike the exhibition at Kaunas Castle, the focus here is on a narrated historical journey through different areas of the ensemble.

Botanical sites and landscapes

For those interested in nature and cultural history, Obelynė Park offers a botanical connection: the park was founded in Akademija, Kaunas County, by naturalist Tadas Ivanauskas. Kadagių Valley, by contrast, focuses on the landscape. It is a five-hectare slope on the Kaunas Lagoon, covered with wild common juniper and part of Kaunas Lagoon Regional Park.

In 2010, a 1.3-kilometer educational hiking trail was laid out along the edge of the steep slope in the upper part of Kadagių Valley. From there, you can enjoy panoramic views of the widened Nemunas, Dabinta Island, and impressive geological exposures. The details about the trail’s length and views make it easy to distinguish this site as a specific hiking option from the historical sites and botanical park.

Hiking trails by length and theme

Kaunas County has educational and health trails ranging from 2 to 17 kilometers long. The Šaltinių Trail in Kačerginė consists of routes ranging from 2.6 to 6 kilometers through a pine forest. Viewpoints offer views of the Nemunas; the trails lead to Pypliai Hillfort and back. The trail opened on September 8, 2026. A shorter, clearly measured educational trail runs through the most interesting parts of the Dubrava Reserve: along its 1.9 kilometers, eight information boards introduce visitors to features of the local flora and fauna.

A practical cultural activity is also part of what Kaunas County has to offer: the Antanas and Jonas Juška Museum of Ethnic Culture teaches the traditional craft of cord braiding. Visitors learn the braiding technique and how to coordinate colors. This complements visits to castles and exhibitions with an activity centered on a specific handicraft technique.

Choose accommodation based on your planned visits

Then compare the locations of potential accommodation with the specific places you want to visit. This way, your choice reflects your own travel plans without combining different destinations into a single itinerary.

Discover more destinations: Birštonas, Prienai, Utena County, Vilnius County, Telšiai County.

Go to the main travel overview: Lithuania.