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Lithuanian ethnographic region
Photo: Wojsyl, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Dzūkija or Dainava is one of the five "cultural regions" of Lithuania, in the south of the country bordering Belarus. This region is ill-defined, so on these pages it's taken as Vilnius city and county plus Alytus county.
Vilnius is the transport hub for the entire country. Its airport (VNO) is six km south of the city and has flights from across Europe, many by budget carriers.
Read in the guideYou need your own car to see much of this region. Highways radiate from Vilnius and are in good condition, well-signposted and toll-free. Winter driving can be challenging.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Vilnius · International · VNO
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Vilnius is the capital and largest city of Lithuania. It has a beautiful baroque Old Town, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and excellent tourist facilities in all price ranges.
Trakai is a city in the Dzūkija region of Lithuania, 28 km west of the capital Vilnius. It's on the shores of Lake Galvė and its star attraction is the Island Castle - this and the Peninsula Castle are from the 14th century, when the capital moved here and was fortified against attack.
Alytus is a city in Dzūkija or Dainava Region of southern Lithuania. It has an old core but is mostly modern and industrial, and you'd probably only visit if you were in the refrigerator business.
Daugai is a town in Dzūkija the southern region of Lithuania. It's on the banks of Lake Didžiulis and is a holiday resort, with a population in 2020 of 928.
Druskininkai is a town in Dzūkija, the southern region of Lithuania, with a population of 13,170 in 2023. It's a spa town with very salty spring waters.
Merkinė is a village in Dzūkija, the southern region of Lithuania, with a population just under 1000 in 2021. It stands on the navigable River Merkys, once guarded by a wooden castle.
Ukmergė is a city in Aukštaitija, the northern region of Lithuania. It has light industry and in 2023 had a population of 21,000.
Articles and travel topics about Dzūkija and Lithuania.
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