Merkinė is a small, historical town in the ethnographic region of Dzūkija. It is one of the oldest inhabited settlements in Lithuania, and its castle was one of the three most strategically important in fending off the Teutonic Order in the 13th century. This charming place makes for an interesting and beautiful visit.

Get in

By bus

Merkinė is serviced by intercity bus, mostly as a stop on a Vilnius - Druskininkai route.

Get around

The town is small, and most places of interest should be reachable with a short walk.

See

• Merkinė Region Museum (Merkinės krašto muziejus), Dariaus ir Girėno a. 1, vienaragiui@gmail.com. A small, concise museum about the town's history, housed inside what used to be the town's Orthodox church. (updated Jul 2024)
• 1 Merkinė hillfort (the parking lot is on the left, before the bridge south of town, on Seinų g). The hillfort (offering more hill than fort) sits just outside of town, and offers a beautiful panorama of the winding river and forests below. (updated Jul 2024)