What to see in Biržai in 1 day

Biržai is a Lithuanian town located 100 km from Riga. Just 1.5 hours and you’re there! It’s 201 km from Vilnius, about a 2.5-hour drive. Biržai is located in northern Lithuania and is the center of the Biržai Regional Park. The town’s population is approximately 13,000. Its area is only 16.35 square kilometers. Despite its small size, Biržai truly has a lot to offer!

The sights in Biržai are located fairly close to each other. You can see all of Biržai’s attractions in one day. However, if you prefer a more leisurely pace, I recommend a two-day trip.

So, what’s up? Let’s start exploring the sights of Biržai and its surrounding area:

Biržai Castle (Biržu pilis)

The main attraction in Biržai is Biržai Castle. When searching for landmarks, it will always top the list because Biržai Castle is the most visited attraction in Biržai.

A powerful and modern fortress guarded Lithuania’s northern borders. The castle was built back in 1589, at the initiative of Kristofer Radziwill.

Today, Biržai Castle houses the Sela Regional Museum. It’s a must-see if you’re visiting Biržai for a day!

The Sela Museum’s collection contains over 110,000 exhibits. Visiting all 25 halls will provide insight into the region’s history and culture. The former arsenal building houses a permanent weapons exhibition.

The castle is surrounded by a wonderful park with a beautiful view of the lake. It’s a perfect place for leisurely strolls at any time of year!

Admission: 3 euros (exhibitions in the castle and arsenal building)

Address: J. Radvilos Street 3, Biržai

Pedestrian bridge across the lake (Širvėnos ežero tiltas)

The longest pedestrian bridge across a lake in Lithuania is the Širvėnai Lake Bridge. It is located in the city of Biržai, near Biržai Castle.

Lake Širvėna is the oldest artificial reservoir in Lithuania. It was created to protect the city of Biržai and the fortress on its northern side.

In 1928, the Tyszkiewicz family built a pedestrian bridge across Lake Širvėna. The bridge connected Biržai and Astravas, where a flax factory was located. The bridge is 525 meters long and 2.45 meters wide.

In 2019, the bridge was reconstructed, with railings and wooden decking updated, bridge lighting and video surveillance installed, and a bank and rest area near the bridge also improved.

Incidentally, the lake is home to many different rare bird species. Birdwatchers will find it fascinating!

Astravskoe estate (Astravo dvaras)

The Astrava Palace, built in the style of Italian villas, belonged to the Tyszkiewicz family.

Restoration work is currently underway in and around the palace, but you can still see it from the outside and stroll through the park to the pedestrian bridge.

Cow Cave (Karvės ola)

Biržai is famous for its sinkholes. There are countless of them! The largest and most famous sinkhole in Lithuania is the “Cow Cave.”

The sinkhole is 10-12 meters in diameter and over 12 meters deep. It’s believed to be over 200 years old, but it’s still actively evolving. The parameters of the sinkhole itself, its caves, and the shape of the funnel itself are constantly changing.

That’s why descending to the very bottom of the cave is prohibited. A chain hangs at the end of the ladder, restricting further passage. This sinkhole contains five small caves, one of which even contains an underground lake.

Why the name “Cow Cave”? Because a cow was grazing here when the sinkhole formed. She fell into the hole, leaving only her chain hanging above… A monument to this unfortunate cow was erected near the cave!

The Cow Cave is located near the town of Biržai.

Barefoot Trail (Eko Basų Kojų Parkas Biržuose)

The Barefoot Eco Park invites you to stroll along a 1,300-meter barefoot trail. It seems like it’s 1 kilometer and 300 meters long… a short trail!

But it’s not that simple! It will take at least an hour to complete. Various challenges and obstacles await your legs along the trail!

Pebbles of various sizes and shapes, spruce and pine cones, a mud bath, sawdust, a tub of ice water with sharp pebbles at the bottom, reeds, tree bark and roots, wooden bridges, stumps, and, of course, pleasant sand…

I was pleased that you only pay for the trail once, but you can walk it as many as 10 times! It all depends on you and what your legs are capable of. For us, being unaccustomed, one lap was enough…

I really loved the trail, and especially how my feet felt after completing it… Such a massage and relaxation for my feet! Mmmm… my feet felt like a baby’s!

By the way, there’s a stud farm near the trail, and gorgeous horses graze in the field. Horseback riding is available (10 minutes = 10 euros).

The eco-park is located near Biržai, Lithuania. Admission is 4 euros.

MORE DETAILS HERE

Kirkiliai Observation Tower (Kirkilų apžvalgos bokštas)⠀

The observation tower in Kirkiliai is the most romantic tower I have ever seen.

The guidebooks say the tower is shaped like a canoe or a boat sinking. But I call it the moon.

The tower is 32 meters high, but the observation deck is located at a height of 30 meters. The tower is very reliable and stable.

The tower’s location here is no accident. It was built so that any tourist could enjoy the magnificent view of the blue lakes of the Kirkiliai Nature Reserve.

But in fact, these lakes are not lakes at all, but karst sinkholes, of which there are more than 30 here.

A nature trail with wooden decking, bridges, and places for rest and nature observation has been built near the observation tower.

There are friendly cows grazing almost right next to the tower.

By the way, Lithuania has many interesting and original observation towers! For example, the tower in Märkine.

Kirkiliai Amusement Park (Kirkilų pramogų parkas)

Not far from Biržai, and very close to the Kirkiliai observation tower, is the Kirkiliai amusement park, which will be interesting for both children and adults.

Kirkiliai Entertainment Park offers a gravity house, a hemp maze, an educational trail, and trampolines.

Entry to the entire park costs 5 euros. The gravity hut alone costs 3 euros.

More information HERE

Mantagailishkes Manor (Mantagailiškio dvaras)

This once luxurious estate is now experiencing hard times. All that remains of the palace are romantic ruins… They are magnificent and attract the attention of tourists!

Nowadays, the estate belongs to Sigitas Kalkis, who maintains the estate park.

The game of monteball originated in Mantagailiškės Manor. It was first played in this park in 2010. The goal is to get the ball into the hole with the minimum number of kicks. This game can be played by groups of 5 to 63 people.

The game is actively played during corporate events, graduations, and other occasions. It has become a popular fixture in the Biržai district. If you’d like to play Monteball, please book a game by calling +370 65978169. More information can be found HERE.

Monument to the narrow-gauge railway (Siaurojo geležinkelio kompleksas)

A section of the Panevėžys-Biržai narrow-gauge railway once passed through Biržai. Today, Biržai retains a station, a depot, a water pumping station, and several narrow-gauge railway cars.

But if that’s not enough, and you’re a fan of casting, these two points are for you. They’re located 20 km from Biržai and 4 km from each other.

Gulbinenu Estate (Gulbinėnų dvaras)

This 18th-century Baroque palace is a real gem. Unfortunately, it’s abandoned, and all entrances and exits are boarded up. It’s impossible to get inside and explore.

Next to the palace there is a huge “settlement” of crows.

Dauchkenai Estate (Daučkėnų dvaras)

An abandoned estate. In a sorry state. Everything inside is destroyed and broken. Surrounded by huge thickets of grass, from where I took Valera, the tick, to Riga.

I almost forgot about one more place! But it’s only worth visiting in the summer, in July and August.

Lavender field «Levandų Ūkis»

You can take tons of beautiful and vibrant photos here! I loved that the course entrance fee is only 2 euros, and you can take as many photos as you like! We took photos with both our phones and cameras, and no one said a word to us…

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We were there on a weekday, around 4:00 PM, and the field was ours alone! Not a single other person…

In a small but very cozy cafe (the ticket office is located there) you can drink tea or coffee, and also buy souvenirs

The lavender field is located near the town of Biržai, in the village of Močkūnai.

Address: Dvaro Street 10, Mockūnai

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