Trakai Castle is an incredible and easy to reach destination and the great thing is that it only takes half a day if you visit from Lithuania’s capital Vilnius.
In this article you can find out all about Trakai Island Castle. How to get there. How much it will cost. What you can expect to see. And what else you can do in the town of Trakai.
Also read: Complete Vilnius City Guide With Things To Do & Itinerary Ideas
Best Things to Do in Trakai
Yes, Trakai Castle is the star of the show and the main reason people come here. But don’t make it a quick in-and-out trip from Vilnius. There’s more to see and do in Trakai than you might expect.
Visit Trakai Castle
The Gothic castle of Trakai sits on one of 21 islands in Lake Galve and is connected to the main land by a pedestrian bridge. Or actually two pedestrian bridges. The bridges connect the peninsular town of Trakai to UNESCO-listed Trakai Island Castle.
A little bit of Trakai Castle history
It is estimated that the castle was built around 1400, after which it shortly served an important military role for Grand Duke Vytautas. But over the centuries Trakai Castle was left abandoned and fell into disrepair.
It wasn’t until 1961 and a decade long reconstruction that the castle ruins were transformed into its current 15th century style. Nowadays Trakai Island Castle is a popular tourist attraction and a popular day trip from Vilnius.
Entering the castle
From the town of Trakai you need to cross two bridges. After the first bridge you get onto a forested island that’s perfect for a wander.
Then cross the second and longest of the two bridges to get onto Trakai Island. You can’t miss the castle, since it basically takes up the whole island.
To enter the castle you go through the main gate and have to pay an entrance fee of €12 from May to September, or €10 from October to April. Students and senior citizens get 50% discount.
Is it worth it to go inside Trakai Island Castle?
I had a good time exploring the interior of the castle, but in all honesty I didn’t find the displays that interesting. In the western casemates of the castle you will find 16 exhibition halls. And in those halls you will find collections of pipes, furniture, stamps, glassware and hunting trophies amongst many other things.
Still I would happily pay again, because I can imagine the upkeep is quite pricy. I feel like the entrance fees are really helping to maintain the splendour of Trakai Castle.
Walk Around Trakai castle
My favourite thing to do at Trakai island was to walk around the castle and take in the views of the lake. But of course also to admire the incredible castle.
Trakai Castle takes up pretty much the whole island it’s situated on, so you really can’t get lost. You can follow the shore and when you’re back at the bridge you’ve covered all there is to it.
Discover beautiful wooden houses in Trakai
Close to the boardwalk bridge to Trakai Castle Island, in the town of Trakai, you will find the streets lined with beautiful wooden houses. Take some time to look at these houses that are typical for the region.
Go boating on Lake Galve
Along the shore of Lake Galve, around the pedestrian bridge leading to Trakai Castle you will find a couple of boat rental outlets. You can choose between pedal boats and rowing boats here. These boats shouldn’t cost more than €10 per hour.
If you don’t mind the chance of getting wet, then you can also go supping. Just a little north of the pedestrian bridge you can find an outlet that rents out supping boards. Wetsuit and instructions are included and its costs €13 for 2 hours.
Other Things to Do near Trakai Castle
Apart from the Trakai Island Castle, there are also castle ruins on the pensinula of Trakai. When I visited Trakai, the site where the ruins are located was sectioned off, so I could not visit. However, when you’re visiting perhaps take a look to see if it’s open and explore.
Finally, on the peninsula you can also find the Karaite Ethnographic Museum. If you’re interested in learning more about traditional dress and items from daily life of the Karaites then visit this museum. The Karaite are a Turkic minority originating from Baghdad.
Also want to visit castles in Latvia? Then read:
Castle Day Trips From Riga, Latvia | Cēsis, Sigulda & More
Where to Eat and Drink in Trakai
I don’t really recommend Trakai as a culinary hotspot, but if you’re feeling a little peckish you could grab a pastry filled with meat, chicken, cheese or vegetables to go. The price of a pastry shouldn’t be more than €3.
You could also sit down and enjoy the views of the castle from one of the terraces on the shore of Lake Galve. The views alone at Bona Lounge for example are worth the price of a drink.
How to get to Trakai Castle?
There are a couple of ways to get to Trakai. And all methods of transportation are rather easy. You can take the bus, the train, a car, or you can go on an organised tour. Let me break it down for you a little further below.
Take the bus to Trakai Castle
Taking the bus to Trakai Island Castle is probably the easiest method of transportation. You need to go to the Vilnius bus station from where you can buy a bus ticket. Buses leave approximately every half hour and a one way ticket should cost €2.60.
You get off the bus at Trakai bus station, from where it is a 20 – 25 minute walk to Trakai Castle. From the bus station head in a northern direction and before you know it you’ve reached the pedestrian bridge to get to the island castle. The ride on the bus should take 30 to 40 minutes.
Ride the train to Trakai Island Castle
If you love taking the train, then know that this is also a good option to get to Trakai Castle. The train is even a little bit cheaper than the bus. A one way ticket is just €2.40. However, the train station in Trakai is a little further away from the castle than the bus station.
The walk from the train station to the castle takes about 30 – 35 minutes. Furthermore, the train is less frequent than the bus, because there are only up to 10 trains per day between Vilnius and Trakai.
So if you like the train option you will need to plan a little better. You can take a look at the Lithuanian train website to plan your trip and also book your tickets there in advance.
Rent a CityBee car for a few hours
I’m a big fan of CityBee for short trips out of the Baltic cities. After signing up (for free) through the CityBee app you will see which cars are available. The cars are parked all over the city of Vilnius.
For example you could find a Toyota Yaris, drive it to Trakai and end the ride back in Vilnius 4 hours later. Total cost would then be €31.39 and that rate includes petrol and insurance. There are also full day packages available at similar rates.
Renting a car with CityBee gives you a little bit more freedom. Furthermore, it could work out great too if you’re travelling together and can share expenses.
Go on an organised tour to Trakai Castle
I wouldn’t really recommend booking an organised trip to visit Trakai Castle, because it’s so easy to do it yourself.
The only tour I would recommend if you want a unique experience is to go on a hot air balloon flight over Trakai. These flights are going either during sunrise or sunset.
The Hot Air Balloon flight over Trakai costs €170, includes pick up and return from your accommodation in Vilnius and a glass of champagne.
Final Thoughts on Trakai Castle
That’s all the information you need for an incredible half day trip to Trakai Castle. The trip from Vilnius is totally worth your time and effort and is a must on any Vilnius itinerary.
Have you been to Trakai Castle already, or do you have any questions? Then leave a comment in the section below, or send me a message on Instagram. And please subscribe to my newsletter for more travel inspiration.
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thank you for making this article very useful and keep up the good work
You’re very welcome. I hope you will have a great time in Vilnius and on your trip to Trakai Castle.