Alytus with Children

Rasa’s family raises two children – Emma and Matas. Rasa shares: “Even before we had children, my husband and I liked to spend our free time more actively, walking a lot. Nothing changed even after the birth of children. When my daughter was a few months old, we had already participated in a walking competition and a “Trenkturas” walk along the Nemunas loops. My son and I started participating in such events even earlier, when the month was over. We visited a lot in and around our hometown, so now we started to explore other corners of Lithuania. Spending our free time in this way is much more interesting and easier for us than thinking about how to occupy the children at home.”

Alytus with children. Following the bends of the rivers and forest tracks, we unconsciously travel to the beautiful and singing Alytus. The city and its surroundings are mesmerized by the winding Nemunas, rustling forests, and it is not for nothing that it is called the capital of Dzūkija, which also captivated the Vilnius family, with the charming Rasa at the forefront.

Down the Parks of the Meteliai Regional Park

This should be the first place you visit. You can reach the Meteliai regional park by navigating to the “Meteliai regional park visitor center”. When you arrive, leave your car in the conveniently equipped parking lot. When you purchase your tickets, you will speak to the friendly staff who will tell you about the visitor center.

Amenities. There is a toilet on the first floor of the Visitor Center with a sink and soap for washing hands. There is a beach near the visitor center where there are swings in the water, the only ones of this kind in Lithuania, you just have to dare to wade into the water. Fun entertainment for the whole family if you are not afraid of colder water at the beginning of summer.

There is an outdoor cafe next to the visitor center where you can have a coffee and a snack. Rasa did so: after the trip from Vilnius, she drank coffee with her husband, and the children swung around in the swing set nearby.

Unfortunately, if you have a dog, you will have to visit here without them. Pets are not allowed in the visitor center and regional park.

What do People Say?

“After resting, we went to the nearby Bijotai-Širvintas forest hiking trail. You can choose a 2.5 km or 3.5 km route. Since we like to walk a lot, we obviously chose the longest one. The educational trail is beautiful, there are information stands. Since we were in the rain, there were puddles in places, so it was difficult to pass in some places.”

If you carry a child with a stroller with big wheels, you will pass everywhere, but if it is a simpler carriage, it will be more difficult. On the educational trail, everyone will really like the high marsh and the lake of Dusia.

More information with exact coordinates of this location can be found in the “Travelling with Children ®” attractions map.

After walking along the nature trail, turn towards the Meteliai observation tower, which is about a kilometer from the visitor center. The employee of the visitor center mentioned that it is still worth going around the Dusios lake itself, in terms of distance, that’s over 20 km. It’s a great opportunity to ride bikes and make a wonderful tour around the surroundings of Lake Dusia.

Ghosts and Apple Trees on Mounds

Rasa recommends visiting the Kaukai (Ghosts) and Obelytė mounds.We do not recommend using Google Maps when going to these mounds, as they lead everyone to the other side of the mounds, where unfortunately there is no passage. But in this case, your children will have the opportunity to see many cows and sheep.

“After reaching the mounds, it turned out that they were forgotten. The grass is not cut, the bench is overturned, there is a pile of garbage next to the bench. The stairs of Kaukai mound are also not in a good condition, large nettles have grown between the stairs. We climbed up, took a picture, but it didn’t leave an impression. The Obelytė mound is nearby, but it is already disappearing, there is not much access to it, because everything is covered with grass,” says Rasa.

More information with exact coordinates of this location can be found in the “Travelling with Children ®” attractions map.

Mystical Žuvintas and Unsung Tracks

If you go to to the reserve of Žuvintas, keep in mind that the Visitor Center is only open until 5 p.m. There is a parking lot next to the visitor center, two tables with benches – and that’s all you’ll find here. The applique is arranged, mowed.

Upon arrival, when the visitor center is not working, you can take a walk on the nature trail of Lake Žuvintas. This path is quite short, but well-maintained, easy to pass with a stroller. The trail is equipped with information stands and a lookout tower-house. You will definitely hear a lot of birds around. When the Visitor Center is open, you can enjoy the views from the roof of the Visitor Center.

More information with exact coordinates of this location can be found in the “Travelling with Children ®” attractions map.

Traveling further, you will come to a small Bambininkai mound. You will not find a place to park your car here, you will have to leave it right on the edge of the street. The mound, like the mounds of Kaukai and Obelytė, will appear to be forgotten by everyone: everything is covered with tall grass.

Resort Park

You will like this place very much, where you can spend the whole day after taking food. The resort park is very large, it starts behind the square of the Freedom Angel and continues along the Health Path to the Nemunas River in the Valley of Songs. In the square of the park, next to the Liberty Angel Square, there is a memorial commemorating the sufferings of the nation “Silent Bell”, equipped with outdoor musical instruments and children’s playgrounds, where we spent a lot of time. Children will swing, dance, play musical instruments – a melodious time for everyone.

Along the walking paths, you can reach the lakes of the Great and Small Woodworkers lakes formed in the old river of the Nemunas. There is a playground and a beach near the small Dailde lake. Stop at the beach, swim, play in the sand.

You can leave your car right next to the Kurortas park, near the square of the Freedom Angel.

More information with exact coordinates of this location can be found in the “Travelling with Children ®” attractions map.

Cozy City Gardens

The city garden is located on the other side of the Liberty Angel Square from the Resort Park. It’s a small cozy park with a fountain and planted roses. This garden is more suitable for sitting quietly by the fountain and reading a book or walking with a sleeping baby, because it is very quiet around, there was no one else in the garden besides us. Children may not be impressed by the garden, as there will be no activity for them except to run around the fountain and splash with the fountain water. If you want to eat, you will find cafes nearby.

The Alytus Mound

There is a small parking lot, toilets, children’s playground and gazebos next to the Alytus mound. When you arrive, you can first sit down to have a snack, and the children will play on the playground. Nearby you will find a small stream, which the children will love to walk back and forth on the stones.

After resting, you can climb the mound. The mound is high, some of the stairs are not in good condition, but you can still successfully climb them all. There is an altar on the mound, the mound is rarely maintained and overgrown with tall grass. The foot of the mound is decorated with an exhibition of sculptures called “Ancestors of the Alytus mound”.

More information with exact coordinates of this location can be found in the “Travelling with Children ®” attractions map.

Geruliai Mound

Continuing the tour of the mounds, visit the Geruliai mound. The mound is located 4 km from the fountain of the town of Butrimoniai, in the village of Geruliai. It is a small mound beside the road.

Leave your car right on the gravel road next to the mound, as there is no parking. The mound is small, but it will turn out to be quite interesting, when you climb it, there is like a hole in the middle, a beautiful view of the fields opens up, and at the foot of the mound you can see water (it looks like two ponds). The mound is located between two nameless streams.

Do Roses Grow on Bridges?

The White Rose Bridge is the the highest pedestrian and bicycle bridge in Lithuania, built in Alytus in 2015. It was built on the surviving things of the former railway bridge and has entered the Lithuanian Book of Records. Its height is 38.1 m, and the length is 240.52 m. The bridge is really impressive, with beautiful views. At the approaches to the White Rose Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge, a heart of roses made of stainless steel is built, on which you can safely hang love locks.

This Alytus bridge is the only place in Lithuania where you can measure your love in meters. There are six markings on it every 40 meters, which indicate the type of love according to Aristotle’s philosophy. The bridge is decorated with the sculpture “Obels ring”. We recommend visiting this bridge more than once and reaching it by different routes – walk from the Alytus mound along the path, or leave your car on the other side of the Nemunas River, in the Valley of Songs.

There are toilets and a coffee vending machine by the White Rose Bridge (coffee costs 1.5 EUR, it is best to have cash, as payment by card does not work).

More information with exact coordinates of this location can be found in the “Travelling with Children ®” attractions map.

Youth Park

The Youth Park is a large park with children’s playgrounds (it’s suitable both for younger and older children, it has many interesting swings), a volleyball and roller-skating court, and a roller coaster track. The youth park is decorated with sculptures and rose gardens, there are many benches, a gazebo, in one place we saw barbecue grills built near the benches and tables.

There is a toilet, there are two kiosks where you can buy ice cream, bubble waffles, coffee, etc.

The park has marked bicycle paths, and the paths are beautifully painted with pictures.

You can leave your car in the parking lot near the park.

More information with exact coordinates of this location can be found in the “Travelling with Children ®” attractions map.

Likiškiai Park

The park is located near St. Virgin Mary Christian Aid Church. The only monument in Lithuania to the Lithuanians who died in the war in Afghanistan in 1979-1989 has been built next to the park. In honor of the memory of these people, an oak grove was planted nearby. The highest (165 m) hill in Alytus is located in Likiškiai Park, but we did not find it.

Only the beginning of the park will be mowed near the church, then everything will be overgrown with grass, illegal gardens will be planted in the park area.

Leave your car in the Norfa parking lot near the park. The impression in this park is contrasting, but after all, all the experiences and impressions fill our travel backpacks.

Fountains in Flasks

Traveling further from the city, you will reach the Butrimoniai city fountain. The fountain is located in the center of Butrimoniai town, in the only triangular square in Lithuania. The fountain is in the shape of an acrylic flask, with a huge whirlpool of water spinning inside. Water flows through the wall of the fountain, which creates a unique sight. After dark, the fountain lights up in different colors. Such a fountain is the only one in Lithuania.

Next to the fountain, there is a playground for outdoor musical instruments, a swing, and a water column. There is a coffee vending machine next to the fountain (coffee costs 1.3 EUR), and there is a local shop where you can buy ice cream or other snacks. Both adults and children will like it.

More information with exact coordinates of this location can be found in the “Travelling with Children ®” attractions map.

And now, we recommend you read the following articles:

To the region of Alytus – Getting to Know the Heritage.

This article is author’s work and was prepared by “Travelling with Children ®”. Copying and use without the permission of the author or “Travelling with Children ®” is strictly prohibited.

Don’t forget to follow us on social networks. You can find more about travel in Lithuania on the Facebook account “Travelling with children” and on the Instagram account “Travels with children”.

Information about traveling around the world can be found on the Facebook account “Travelling with children around the world” and on the Instagram account “Travelling with children around the world”.

Looking for more places to visit with kids, travel tips and recommendations?! Join groups of travelers with children. We also invite you to share your travel experiences here.

Want to share your trip or experience traveling with children? Email us.