01 | merkinėsapžvalgosbokštas / Observation tower in Merkinė
Our first stop over the border was inside the Dzūkija National Park.
The Merkinė observation tower it is one of the tallest observation towers from Lithuania, with 26 meters high.
From the observation deck at the top of the tower, the Nemunas Landscape Reserve, the confluence of Nemunas and Merkys, the Pastraujas Island, the Merkinė Bridge and the Merkinė city opens.
Lithuania is a very flat country, so the construction of observation towers is the best way to enjoy good panoramic views from the heights.
We wandered through the village and went for our first Lithuanian meal, and so we tried the Kokorai, a kind of cabbage stuffed potato pancakes, vegetables, bacon ... They were very good! In the vicinity there is also the Merkinė Pyramid and the Merkinė Mount, which are two very curious places to visit.
Where to park and spend the night in a motorhome in this destination
In our tour of Lithuania in a motorhome, we discovered that at the base of the observation tower there is a small parking lot, but to spend the night there is a small lake 4 km away, in the direction of Merkinė, with a covered picnic table and a bonfire for barbecue. . Small, simple and charming at the same time.
02 | electricity, modern city founded in 1960
This is where our papa bear grew up and where so many memories of his childhood he has.
Located halfway between Kaunas and Vilnius, is one of the newest cities in Lithuania (founded in 1961), as it was established during Soviet times as a living space for power plant workers and hence its name.
It is near the Elektrėnai Reservoir, an artificial lake that was created to cool the power plant. The water is several degrees warmer than the water in the other nearby lakes.
He showed us that peculiar modern church.
He explained to us what were those 3 icons of the city that are now missing, such as the three chimneys in the plant (of which now only one and a half remain), the 10m high springboard that was in the lake or that huge Ferris wheel from the one that saw the whole city.
We went to old amusement park and we saw the remains of the roller coaster, now out of operation, but we had a laugh when we remembered the fear that was passed when riding on it, fear of not being thrown off the rails and of the squeaks that hit! Now everything is converted into a skate area, zip line and park for children.
We visited the ice stadium where hockey games are played and ice skating is done, but at the time it was being used to vaccinate.
We walk through the city and through that cool park where you can play chess in a big way or play with the water jets.
And of course, we end by bathe in the lake, although the day was gray and cool.
Where to park and spend the night in a motorhome in this destination.
We stayed to sleep at the grandfather's farm, but in a nearby lake there is a campsite (it costs about € 15 per camper / day) with services and a lake for bathing.
03 | Kernavė archaeological museum, from capital to town
We continue with our route through Lithuania by motorhome.
What do we like a museum and even more, those that take you to other times!
The price of the ticket is at will, leaving one euro in the mailbox or sending an SMS.
The first thing we see are some mounds with stairs and incredible views of the Pajauta Valley. These mounds, in Lithuanian are called "piliakalnis" which would be a fortified mound or castro.
Kernavė in the past It was the capital of Lithuania (XNUMXth century). It is estimated that it was the last European pagan capital. Today it is a town of little more than 300 inhabitants.
Next to the piliakalnis, there is a small recreated village where you can go into each house and imagine how life developed there 10.000 years ago. And then they already had a sauna !!! Although according to the kids it smelled like barbecue.
The best date to get to know it is undoubtedly that of San Juan (Jojines), where the ancient rites of the Summer Solstice: There is a folk music festival, bonfires are lit, wreaths are woven and floated, a ring of ferns is found, sailed, danced and sung. The event ends in the morning with the consent of the rising sun.
Where to park and spend the night in a motorhome in this destination.
In Kernavė there is a pay area (about € 10 per day) with all the services that is about a historical place that they are recreating. It is a former cooperative farm from Soviet times.
