Holiday Centre Slenis

Start local explores by taking off to Trakai (10 minutes’ drive), a fab little town that’s not so much by the lake as in the middle of it thanks to its location on a two-kilometre peninsula. There are boat tours to take here and museums and orthodox churches to poke around, but the highlight is the fairytale-like gothic castle set on an island and packed with historic exhibits (ancient weaponry, chain mail and the like). Keeping it local, it’s also worth taking the 15-minute walk to the Hill of Angels, a sculpture park full of folk-style wood carvings. Hop in the car instead and a half-hour drive will get you to the Kernave archaeological site or the huge Rumšiškės Open-Air Museum, where you can learn all about the area’s history and rural lifestyle. As it’s a mere half-hour drive away, it’s worth putting Vilnius on the schedule too, for wanders through its baroque Old Town, cathedral and museums and a climb up to the Tower of Gediminas.