Programme

Day 1: Amsterdam - Vilnius - Aukštaitija You will fly with a direct flight from Amsterdam to Vilnius. The flight takes about 2,5 hours. On arrival in Vilnius you will continue your trip right away to the hotel in Aukstaitija where you will stay for 4 nights. Since some of you will most probably have left early in the morning, we will have an easy day today. At the end of the day we will organise for you a traditional welcome party.

Day 2: Aukstaitija Today you will set on a discovery trip in the region of Aukstaitija. An important part of your trip you will spend in the Aukstaitija Nationaal Park. The trip through the park is about 40 kilometers. You will pay a visit to the museum of the Park, a šakotis bakery and a traditional bee-keepers' museum. Next to this, you will have the opportunity to fully enjoy the beautiful nature. On your return to the hotel you will get acquainted with the most famous local music instrument, the kankles.

Day 3: Aukstaitija On our third day, you will have the opportunity to get into action by yourselves. Based on your interests you can choose a workshop to attend. During the workshops, you will focus on local traditions, such as making of sodai or amulets, learning to play a local instrument or to sing sutartines. During the diner you will get acuainted with different traditional dishes en drinks. Some of the dishes you will learn to prepare by yourselves.

Day 4: Aukstaitija Today you can choose from something sporty (bicicling, rowing, horse riding or perhaps a balloon ride), or to dive into the nature under the guidance of a forest ranger, or simply spend a day by doing nothing and enjoying the nature or a sauna. Next to this, there is a possibility to do another workshop. At night you will have a diner.

Day 5: Aukstaitija - Vilnius On the fifth day, you will return to Vilnius where you will spend the remaining 2 nights. On your way, you will visit a few other places where you will get acquainted with even more forms of traditional Aukštaitija art. After the check-in in the hotel and the lunch, you will make a city tour, after which you will be able to enjoy Vilnius by yourselves.

Day 6: Vilnius - Trakai - Vilnius Today you will travel in the morning to the old capital Trakai, circa 25 km to the West from Vilnius. In the afternoon you will visit the Centre for Lithuanian Folk Culture in Vilnius, which will be the closer of your "discovery trip" to the traditional art of Aukštaitija. For the rest of the day you will have the possibility to look further around in Vilnius.

Day 7: Vilnius Today you will have time to explore Vilnius further on your own. Vilnius has a beatiful old town, several fine museums, numerous impressive chruches and is a paradise for people who love to shop. At night, you will have at one of the most famous restaurants your farewell diner.

Day 8: Vilnius - Amsterdam This morning you will fly with a direct flight back to Amsterdam.