LT
Trakai
A red-brick island castle on Lake Galvė, Karaim heritage and kibinai, 28km from Vilnius
A red-brick island castle on Lake Galvė, Karaim heritage and kibinai, 28km from Vilnius
Built in the late 14th and early 15th centuries under Kęstutis and Vytautas, the Brick Gothic castle later fell into ruin and was reconstructed in the 20th century. It now houses the Trakai History Museum, with exhibits on the Grand Duchy, and hosts concerts in summer. A wooden footbridge leads to it from the shore.
Visit early or late in the day to avoid tour groups.
Photo: Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0
Pedal boats, rowing boats and yachts can be hired on the lake shore, and in summer boat trips circle the castle island. A walking path along the shore gives the best views of the castle.
Photo: Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0
On Karaim Street, colourful wooden houses typically have three windows facing the street. The kenesa (prayer house) and a small Karaim ethnographic museum explain the history of this community, one of Europe’s smallest ethnic minorities.
Check opening hours, as the kenesa is not always open.
Photo: Jerzy Strzelecki, CC BY-SA 3.0
On the far shore of Lake Galvė, this neoclassical manor was built around 1900 for the Tyszkiewicz family, with a landscaped park running down to the water. It is reachable by boat, bike or a walk of about 5km.
Photo: Vaido Otsar, CC BY-SA 4.0
Kibinai, Karaim pastries traditionally filled with mutton or beef, and now also with chicken, vegetables or cheese, are the signature food of Trakai. Several restaurants on Karaim Street serve them fresh, alongside other Karaim and Lithuanian dishes.
Lithuanian classics such as cepelinai (potato dumplings) and cold beetroot soup (šaltibarščiai) in summer are widely available, and lakeside cafés serve smoked fish.
Trains from Vilnius take about 35 minutes, and buses run frequently from Vilnius bus station. By car, the drive is around 30 minutes. Trakai is an easy day trip, though staying overnight means quieter evenings by the lake.
From the station it is roughly a 2km walk to the castle, along Karaim Street. Bikes can be hired in town for circling the lakes.
Lithuania uses the euro. Trakai is affordable, though restaurants near the castle charge more.
Many visitors come as a day trip and sleep in Vilnius.
Book summer weekends in advance.
Hot-air balloon flights over the lakes operate in summer.
One day covers the castle, Karaim Street and a boat on the lake.
Walk up Karaim Street to the Island Castle and its museum, then eat kibinai for lunch. In the afternoon, hire a boat or walk the shore path, and visit Užutrakis Manor if you have time.
Take the train out in the morning and back in the evening.
🛂 Entry rules: EES and ETIAS
Lithuania is in the Schengen area, which has two EU border systems for non-EU visitors.
EES (in force): since 10 April 2026 the EU’s Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors’ passport details, fingerprints and a photo the first time they enter the Schengen area, replacing passport stamps. Allow extra time at the border on your first trip; later crossings are quicker. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens are not registered.
ETIAS (not yet running): a €20 online travel authorisation for visitors who don’t need a visa, such as UK, US, Canadian and Australian citizens. It hasn’t started and no start date has been confirmed, so nobody can apply yet; ignore websites that offer to “pre-register” you for a fee.
Visa-free visitors can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole Schengen area, not per country.
Official information: EU: Travel to Europe (EES & ETIAS) · Reviewed September 2026
Order them freshly baked from a Karaim restaurant.
Trains take about 35 minutes.
Cycling is a good way to reach Užutrakis and the lakes.
Weekday mornings are quietest.
Quick answers for planning time in Trakai.
About 28km west; roughly 35 minutes by train or 30 minutes by car.
Yes. The reconstructed island castle houses the Trakai History Museum and its lake setting is one of the best-known views in Lithuania.
Karaim pastries, traditionally filled with mutton or beef, and a local speciality in Trakai.
Yes, it is easily done as a day trip from Vilnius.
May to September for boating and concerts; winter is cold, but the castle can look striking in snow.
Planning a wider trip? Our Lithuania travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.