Siauliai district with children

Siauliai District with children – something to be surprised by! We can confidently say that after visiting here. And if you’re still wondering where to go with your children, then we highly recommend Siauliai District. Siauliai District has exceptional, extreme and active attractions, interesting and unique places to visit, beautiful nature spots and friendly animal farms.

We highly recommend that you add Siauliai District with children to your list of places to visit and your itinerary, because you will be amazed and there will be activities for the whole family. So save this article and we invite you to discover this wonderful region together. And if you’re travelling here, be sure to visit Siauliai too. Our Siauliai with children: city guide will help you discover the most beautiful and interesting places in this city.

Siauliai district with children

Siauliai District with children is a great destination for the whole family, with fun activities and attractions. We highly recommend that you spend at least two days here, as we were here for two days and we certainly didn’t have time to see everything. When visiting the Siauliai district with children, you can also visit the city of Siauliai. Siauliai with children: city guide – our most comprehensive list of attractions and recommendations for Siauliai.

Siauliai district with children – TOP attractions

Hill of Crosses

The Hill of Crosses is one of the best known and most visited tourist attractions in Lithuania. Even if you are not a believer, we highly recommend visiting this place with your children. It is truly spectacular, and the aura here is exceptional.

For older children, it is a great living history lesson. Did you know that the history of this place goes back to the Middle Ages? In the Middle Ages, a wooden castle called Kula in the chronicles stood on this hill, which was destroyed by the Livonian army in 1348. For many years, the hill, known as Castle Hill, Prayer Hill, Jurgaiciai Hill, Domantai Hill, stood bare. Local people said that the first crosses were placed in the middle of the 19th century, praying for God’s grace and health, as people considered the hill a sacred place. Others said that the crosses were built to commemorate those who died in the 1831 and 1863 uprisings against Tsarist Russia. After the uprising was suppressed, the occupying authorities forbade the planting of crosses and destroyed those already there.

In spite of everything, the Hill of Crosses remained a symbol of heroic resistance and belief in freedom throughout the Lithuanian occupation.

You can take your children for a walk along the narrow paths between the crosses. You can buy a cross at the entrance, write the names and wishes of your family or friends on it and leave the cross on the hill.

Naisiai

Naisiai is a small and quaint town that is a must-visit in the Siauliai area. Although Naisiai is best known for its festival and the TV series that once aired under that name, this small settlement is a very interesting and unique place. It is home to Lithuania’s only Museum of the Baltic Gods, which is decorated with more than 50 oak sculptures of the Baltic Gods. There is also the Museum of Baltic Herbs, the Siauliai Region Literature Museum and the Museum of bird nesting boxes.

And if you say you’re not interested in museums, then we’d simply recommend you come here for a walk, as the town is very tidy and the sights – Sun Square, Alka Hill, Fire Square, the Eye of the Moon, the Lake of Happiness, the Island of Love, and the fantastically large Baltic Arena – are really impressive. By the way, did you know that this arena is the size of the Roman Coliseum? The arena has a capacity of 25 000-30 000 visitors.

Children will especially enjoy Rabbit Island. Yes, an island where many purebred rabbits live freely – Belgian giants, German spotted giant butterflies, Californian rabbits, Zealand reds. Rabbit Island is close to the Rabbit Island Swing Park and a beautifully landscaped coastline for swimming. There are changing rooms and a seasonal café. There is also a great playground for children.

Autodrome / Karting track – Siauliai TMC

We have wanted to visit this place for a long time, as the whole family are big karting fans and lovers. The track is very interesting, with uphill and downhill slopes that we have not seen anywhere in Lithuania. We liked it very much. We heartily recommend that you try it too.

However, there were also other attractions that we had never tried before, but we really wanted to try. There is a roundabout at the Šiauliai TMC Autodrom. This track is 1.9 km long. There are more than 20 sharp corners and a 300-metre straight where you can test the power of your car and your driving skills.

But the most fun and the most anticipated part is the slippery tracks. Have you heard of them? For us, it was an extreme and very interesting, we would even say unique experience. There are 2 modules with slippery tracks in the Šiauliai TMC Autodrom. They are a dynamic braking zone with a permanent slide track and a dynamic plate to push the rear axle of trucks, buses and cars to the left or right, creating a sideways slide of the rear axle. And a downhill (uphill) with a “U” turn at the end of it. A wet coefficient of grip of 0.25. This white coating is applied to the asphalt and when wet produces a slippery surface. Even if you are not a big car enthusiast, give it a try, because it was probably the most extreme experience we had in Lithuania with the whole family.

Kursenai – town of the famous desert

Kursenai is the largest town in Siauliai District. Its name is familiar to many because of the popular pie Kursenai vyniotinis (Kursenai roll), which originated in the town. Yes, it was in this town that this exceptional dessert was born half a century ago. Although similar cottage cheese pastries are made in many towns, the real, traditional Kuršėnai rolls can only be tasted here. It is a secret that the granddaughter of the cake’s inventor makes this roll, based on her grandmother’s recipe, and it is available in a small island in the Maxima store in the city centre.

But Kursenai is not only famous for the roll. Kursenai is famous throughout Lithuania for its uniquely constructed pedestrian bridge over the Venta River, opened to the public in 2020, which is one of the most beautiful, modern and longest in Lithuania – 262 metres long – and connects the town’s main square, Laurynas Ivinskis Square, and Kursenai Manor Park. Children will love the nearby playground and the excellent paths for cycling or the swings hanging from the bridge. There are also outdoor fitness equipment, a marina, a swimming pool, an outdoor terrace and a green area.

By the way, visit Kuršėnai Manor too. Kuršėnai Manor is the only valuable legacy of wooden manor architecture in Siauliai District. The authentic staircases, window frames and wooden exterior doors have been preserved. The manor is very beautiful and we really liked it.

Because of the availability of clay near Kuršėnai, which is suitable for fine ceramics, pottery has been thriving in the town for a long time. Since the last century, Kursenai has been famous for its markets, which have always been full of pottery. Even today, Kursenai is still known as the “Capital of Pottery”.

Kurtuvenai – stud farm, manor complex, visitor centre, church

Kurtuvenai is a wonderful destination with children. For us, it is one of the most beautiful places in Siauliai district. Although Kurtuvenai is a small town, it has a lot of attractions and places to visit. In Kurtuvėnai you can take a stroll in a very well-kept park, ride a horse, see a restored wooden manor house and a visitor centre, which was set up here in 2019.

Kurtuvenai Stud Farm and Museum of the Living Horse

We always visit horse stables when we travel, because the whole family admires these animals and Motiejus and his dad love to ride. The Kurtuvenai Manor Stud Farm is located in a beautiful location in a regional park. The stud farm is home to over 30 horses, offers riding school lessons, individual lessons and is always open for those who want to try riding. Of course, we rode with the whole family. You can also take a ride in an authentic carriage, a carriage or a two-wheeled carriage. If you’re looking for a very unique experience, there are guided tours along the routes of the regional park.

If you want to learn about the history of the stud farm and its inhabitants, you can book a tour of the Living Horse Museum. And if you or your children want to get to know the horses better, you can book educational programmes.

Kurtuvenai Regional Park Visitor Centre

The Kurtuvenai Regional Park Visitor Centre is an excellent example of how regional park visitor centres can be very modern, interesting and attractive to visitors. The whole visitor centre is very modernized, interactive and really interesting for children. Here you will learn about the values of the Kurtuvenai Regional Park, the concept of landscape, its configuration, change and conservation.

Kurtuvenai Complex

Kurtuvenai is a beautiful town. In the very centre of the town is Kurtuvenai St. apostle Jacobs church. Take a walk around the Kurtuvenai Manor complex. It is full of a wide range of manor attractions and services. There is a small but very cosy café with a huge garage for children’s vehicles. In Kurtuvenai, you can take a walk in the park between the ponds, admire the restored wooden baroque barn and the wheelhouse, which houses the above-mentioned Visitor Information Centre and the exhibition – Diversity of the Landscape.

Animals in Siauliai district

Dargaiciai ZOO

We love to visit animal farms everywhere we go, so this zoo was a must-see when we travelled to Siauliai District. Dargaiciai zoo or Alpaca Farm is a zoo located in the village of Dargaiciai. It is one of the largest zoo parks in Northern Lithuania and the Baltics, which welcomes individual visitors and tours.

The zoo is exceptionally tidy, the animals are well cared for and there is plenty of space. It is a pleasure to be here. And of course the most fun part is meeting the alpacas and other animals. The farm is currently home to 50 different species of animals: alpacas, llamas, camels, chinchillas, REX rabbits, donkeys, Queensland sheep, Dutch miniature goats, the world’s smallest horse, the Falabella, African ostriches, Jacob’s sheep, Coburg sheep, Coburg leaf sheep, a Hayden cow, an Arabian horse, and a black-nosed sheep.

The animals can be fed, petted and photographed together under their owners’ supervision. Children can ride the friendly ponies. The zoo has a large car park, coffee and snacks, and seating areas. Alpaca wool yarns and a range of alpaca wool products – socks, gloves, scarves – are available for sale. A wonderful place that is sure to appeal not only to children but also to adults.

Spotty pony

“Margas Ponis” (Spotty pony) is one of the nicest and cosiest animal farms you can find in Lithuania. Its owner Apolonija is a warm person who will make you feel at home. Margas ponis- a place with animals – our ready-made story about this place and its wonderful owner.

You will be surprised how much there is here – 6 horses, 4 ponies, farm birds of all breeds, small goats and rabbits. They all have names and they are all part of a big, close-knit family.

It has a wonderful environment with lots of animals and excellent, interesting, beautifully adapted infrastructure for a modern village. The spotty pony organises wonderful educational activities for children. Each participant has the opportunity to prepare a horse or pony for riding. During the education the horse is brushed and saddled. A lesson on how to take care of a horse. The owner of the Spotty pony, Apolonija, who is by the way a person of great sincerity and sweetness, will tell you many interesting things about horses. During the education you can also ride a pony or a horse. Be sure to book your visit in advance, as the farm only accepts one family at a time.

The farm is also available for personal celebrations, photo shoots and events. Summer day camps or overnight camps can also be organised here.

We’ll definitely be back in Siauliai District

We really enjoyed it and it was very interesting – so we will definitely be back, as there are many places we haven’t visited. We didn’t manage to visit Bubiai Manor, we didn’t swim in Bubiai Pond or the Siauliai Sea. We saw it when we climbed the Bubiai Mound. And how many more active activities were left untried. So we say goodbye to the Siauliai region and we invite you to discover this region of Lithuania too.

We have also prepared guides for other Lithuanian cities – what to do with children in Vilnius, what to do with children in Kaunas, Klaipeda with children, Anyksciai with children, Birzai with children, Panevezys: what to see – and we invite you to read them and use them to find ideas for a fun day out or even a holiday with your children.

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