Lithuania - the pearl of the Baltic Sea

By AzerNews

Lithuania is the perfect place for a relaxing family holiday, for those who want to swim in the sea, breathe clean air and improve their health. For a tourist who seeks new sights and adventures, Lithuania is a country with a long history, where you can admire the spires of numerous churches and the majestic towers of ancient castles.

It is a pleasure to travel to this majestic country, visit its historical pearls, breathe its fresh air, enjoy its green lands and old forests, taste its delicious meals, and simply be a guest of the hospitable and friendly people of Lithuania.

Amber Road originating from amber country

"Lithuania has a well-developed tourist sector which attracts more and more tourists every year," says Raymonda Balniene, Director General of Lithuanian State Department of Tourism.

"We are happy to say that the growth of incoming tourism placed Lithuania second in Europe in 2012. An excellent balance between price and quality for the services provided here is the secret key to such a growing success. People choose Lithuania as a recreation destination because of its wonderful climate, fresh air, majestic resorts, and interesting sightseeing sites."

According to Raymonda, amber, the yellow stone, the galipot of the Scandinavian pine trees whose age is estimated at several millions of years, is another reason to visit this land.

The word "amber" in Lithuania can be seen everywhere -in the names of beer, biscuits, hotels, jazz festivals, and comic TV series.

So, Amber is Lithuania's symbol on the map of world tourism. Now Lithuania is restoring its once famous Amber Road - an ancient trade route for transferring amber from the coastal areas of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. Sea merchants carried this stone with them during long journeys along the Amber Road. As an important raw material, amber was transported from the North Sea and Baltic Sea coasts overland by way of the Vistula and Dnieper rivers to Italy, Greece, the Black Sea, Syria, and Egypt thousands of years ago, and long after.

Lithuanians has an infinite number of stories and legends about amber's origin. According to one such legend, amber was the remains of the immortal goddess Jurate's castle, destroyed when the thunder- god Perk?nas punished her for loving a mere mortal.

Although amber has no carats, it has always been highly valued and treasured. Everyone is fascinated with the unique jewelry and unusual artworks made from amber, but amber is known also for its stimulating and health promoting properties. Amber has long been used not only for adornment, but also for treating illness and pain. Lithuanian ancestors used amber amulets to protect themselves against evil powers, and amber beads were given to kids to chew so their teeth would grow faster and stronger.

In Lithuania, you can visit the Palanga Amber Museum where you can personally make amber jewelry and try energy therapy using amber. In every corner of Lithuania you can find special shops selling amber products.

Trakai - a miracle on the island

The city of Trakai, located close to Vilnius, is an amazing place and certainly worth a visit. It was once the capital of Lithuania and its great princes. Here in the middle of the Lake Galve, Trakai Castle stands out like a pearl of rare beauty.

For over 600 years, a small Turkic ethnic group - the Karaites, belonging to ancient Turkic tribes Kipchaks, have lived in Trakai. The Lithuanian Grand Duke Vytautas brought several hundred Karaite families from the Crimea to Trakai after one of his war campaigns.

The history of the Karaites in Lithuania is rich. They are known not only for their military prowess, but also for their unique culinary heritage. One of the Karaites' most popular dishes is a pastry stuffed with lamb or beef called 'kybyn'. The Karaite national drink 'krupnik' is made with a variety of indigenous and oriental spices.

The cuisine of Lithuania

Lithuanian cuisine does not leave anyone indifferent. Each ethnographic region of Lithuania is proud of its dishes; mushroom dishes, sausages, fish, and various soups are very popular here. The most interesting dish for guests is zeppelins or kluski, made of grated potatoes stuffed with meat, cheese, vegetables, bacon and mushrooms.

Rye bread is the oldest and most important food found in every Lithuanian household. If you want to see how natural black bread is baked, you can visit several rural museums and wooden farmsteads where you'll be able to knead and shape a loaf of bread, and even put your initials on it, and take it with you when it's done. It would be hard to find so many varieties of bread in another country.

The mineral wealth of Lithuania

Lithuania is rich in natural resources, and its exceptional landscape has long attracted tourists.

One of the well-known resorts popular among tourists is Birstonas, one of the oldest and most beautiful Lithuanian resorts situated in the south of Kaunas. Since long ago, the resort has been known for its picturesque landscape and its natural and unique source of curative mud and mineral springs.

Egle Health Resort, located in Birstonas, provide the visitors with treatments and services that turns the healing process into fun. In this resort, great attention is paid to therapeutic and rehabilitative procedures such as mineral baths, underwater massage, and also massage with a healing white mud.

The oldest international spa resort in Lithuania is Druskininkai, where mud, mineral water, and climate therapy are used. The resort has abundant waters of different mineralization and therapeutic peat mud, which is effective in the treatment of musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, digestive, gynecological diseases, as well as endocrine and peripheral nervous system diseases.

The resort's mild climate and ionized air is another therapeutic factor. The air is very clean due to the pine forests surrounding Druskininkai and lack of industry activities.

If you are tired of crazy city life and daily routines, you can visit the incredibly romantic Kaunas, the second largest city in Lithuania. Kaunas is full of green alleys, public open spaces, and clean embankments. The city is surrounded by the old Oak Forest and seven parks, and you can climb Napoleon's Mountain.

Kaunas Lagoon (or Rumšišk?s) is one of the most beautiful settlements in Lithuania. The national and ethnographical museum near the town of Rumšišk?s is the largest ethnographic open-air museum in Lithuania, demonstrating the lifestyle of its old inhabitants, its houses reminding us of people's daily work, joys, and celebrations.

You can come to the museum and explore the lifestyle of Lithuanian peasants and townspeople from the eighteenth century to the first half of the twentieth century, and their work and traditions. The museum's hosts will offer to take you back to a nearly forgotten period in the country's history, and to explore the artifacts of ancient architecture, culture, and households.

In Kaunas you can also enjoy the majestic Pažaislis Church and Monastery. Known as one of the most beautiful monasteries in Northern Europe, it is situated on the northern shore of the Kaunas Sea and is considered a masterpiece of Baroque architecture. Built at the end of the 17th century, Pažaislis has managed to serve as an archive, a mental hospital, and a camp site over the centuries.

This now restored and functioning monastery is a place not only for prayers, but also for solitude. The architecture and history of Pažaislis attracts travelers all year round. Every summer, the monastery holds a grand festival of classical and sacred music.