- Place
- Plungė and Skuodas District Municipalities
- Region
- Samogitia
- Type
- national park of lakes, forests, wetlands, and cultural heritage
- Address
- Žemaitija National Park, Plungė and Skuodas Districts
- Coordinates
- 56.03362, 21.85317
- Visit duration
- 1-3 days, depending on chosen trails, museums, Lake Plateliai, and heritage sites
- Best time
- May-October for longer trails and cycling routes; check the visitor-centre seasonal schedule separately
Žemaitija NP, Žemaitija National Park area
This is a large protected area, not one single sight
Žemaitija National Park was established on 23 April 1991. Saugoma gives its area as 21,753.5 hectares, while VLE rounds it to 21,754 hectares; the park extends across Plungė and Skuodas districts. It protects Samogitia's largest lake-and-forest landscape, valuable wetlands, glacial landforms, archaeology, and cultural traditions.
The listed coordinate 56.033622, 21.853167 is a representative park point, not a gate, car park, or geographic centre of the whole territory. For a practical visit, choose a specific route or first go to the Plateliai Visitor Centre at Didžioji g. 8.
VLE says forests cover roughly 54 percent of the park, water 7.4 percent, and wetlands 9.7 percent; there are 21 natural lakes, two strict nature reserves, and 11 other reserves. For one day, choose one sector - Lake Plateliai, Plokštinė Forest, the Šeirė Trail, Žemaičių Kalvarija, or another specific landscape.
Lake Plateliai is the park's landscape axis
The official park description calls Lake Plateliai the largest and deepest lake in Samogitia. Its character comes not only from open water but also from islands, peninsulas, bays, wooded hills, and forests. The lake is home to a relict whitefish population, making it important for nature conservation as well as scenery.
Seven islands in Lake Plateliai, including Pilies and Veršiai, the Šventorkalnis peninsula, and the Auksalė and Kreiviškiai peninsulas add to the park's identity. From viewpoints these places merge into one water-and-forest panorama; from the shore, each has a different relationship with the landscape.
The lake basin is surrounded by the Plokštinė and Rukundžiai forests, wetlands, and diverse habitats. Visitors see a beautiful landscape but travel through a sensitive protected area, so avoid closed areas, do not damage the shore, and do not disturb wildlife.
Trails, towers, and water routes reveal different scales of the park
The park offers the Šeirė, Plokštinė, and Paplatelė nature trails, a cycling route around Lake Plateliai, Siberija Observation Tower, and several other viewing platforms. The routes differ in distance, surface, terrain, and subject, so choose one according to your day rather than treating them as one generic walk.
The Šeirė Trail explains the lakeshore, forest, Lake Piktežeris, and Gaudupis wetland up close, while the Plokštinė route travels through forest and spring landscapes near the Cold War exposition. The Paplatelė Trail offers a shorter introduction to glacial landforms and woodland.
Water activities can also be planned around Lake Plateliai, but check the rules, weather, wind, water conditions, and launch points first. Public access does not mean that every route or island is open for landing or that every type of boating is suitable.
Nature routes meet Samogitian history
Plateliai is a historic town on the western shore of Lake Plateliai, mentioned from the fifteenth century. Its central square, Saints Peter and Paul Church, Plateliai Manor estate, and park show that cultural heritage is not separate from nature in the national park.
Beržoras, Žemaičių Kalvarija, the Gegrėnai archaeological complex, Mikytai hill, Šarnelė, and many other hillforts, sacred sites, and villages add further layers. Samogitian culture continues through Shrove Tuesday traditions, pilgrimage routes, and local vernacular architecture.
The Cold War exposition in Plokštinė tells a different chapter of the area's history. A single trip can combine a forest trail, a lake panorama, a manor park, and an exposition, but check each site's opening hours and ticket arrangements separately.
Plateliai Visitor Centre helps choose the first route
At the Plateliai Visitor Centre at Didžioji g. 8, visitors can get information about the national park, its sights, and protected values. The exhibition Žemaitijos žemės slėpiniai explains the formation and underwater relief of Lake Plateliai, its islands, water activities, trails, and cultural heritage.
From 1 May to 30 September, the official page lists Tuesday-Friday 9:00-18:00 with lunch from 12:00 to 12:45, and Saturday 10:00-15:00. From October through April it lists Tuesday-Friday 8:00-17:00 with the same break and Saturday 10:00-15:00; Sunday and Monday are closed. Check the current schedule before travelling.
In the official price list updated in April 2026, independent admission to the exhibition cost €1 per person. The ground-floor section, entrance ramp, and toilet are adapted for people with physical disabilities; this applies to the visitor centre, not automatically to every trail or museum.
A protected park rewards slower and more precise planning
Camp and make fires only in designated places, and follow park rules with pets rather than letting them run free. Stay on permitted roads, do not damage slopes or shores, do not pick protected plants, and take rubbish away.
Some parts of the park are strict or managed reserves, so seasonal access restrictions may apply. A trail, observation tower, exhibition, boat trip, and visitor centre each have different availability; there is no single opening time for the entire park.
The directorate's visitor-ticket page lists a €1 single ticket valid on the purchase day in one protected area, a €5 monthly ticket, and a €25 annual ticket. Check the current arrangements before travelling and treat the ticket as support for protected-area maintenance.
