Trakai Local Customs

  BY GALVE LAKE
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  • BY  GALVE  LAKE
      BY GALVE LAKE
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  • PRINCE'S COSTUME
      PRINCE'S COSTUME
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  • PRINCE ?
      PRINCE ?
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  • T-SHIRTS
      T-SHIRTS
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  • OLD COAT OF ARM
      OLD COAT OF ARM
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Most Recent Local Customs in Trakai

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Basketball + beer = friendship
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matcrazy1 8368 reviews
BASKETBALL  AND  BEER  T-SHIRTS
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I saw a lot of gifts and souvenirs referred to basketball sold in Trakai and generally in Lithuania. There were T-shirts with Lithuanian basketball players, with beer mug and inscription: "Vilnius = friends forever".

Well, my recommendation, is to get to know more about Lithuanian basketball (follow the link below), before you go to Lithuania. Unfortunately, I was ignorant on that subject when I was talking with my young friends in Vilnius :-(. They were proud of great succeses of Lithuanian basketball. I think that basketball was very good topic to start talking with esp. young locals. I could say: beer + basketball = friendship in Lithuania.

Updated Apr 4, 2011

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Karaims - Visit here!
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Toshioohsako 386 reviews
Karaims' Kenesa
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Kinesa - Karaims, a minority religious group, worships here. The origin of the minority group seems to open to different interpretations, so I recommend viewers of this tip to open "Karaims in Trakai in Lithuania" site.

Direction: go on the main road 2-3 minutes from Trakai castle toward the city center. on your right side: Address: Karaimu 30.

Updated Dec 22, 2007

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Stick a Zeppelin in your mouth
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scubaphoto 67 reviews
Its a plane no its a Zeppelin....

Take care with this one it has a nasty habit or burning you as you attempt to eat it. A Zeppelin shape pastry filled with hot meat.# and very tasty i must admit.
For the ultimate Lithuanian experience enjoy this little piece of heaven with a pint (or litre here) of a local beer. Both are best enjoyed by taking in the views of the castle from the lake shore and people spotting.

Written Dec 19, 2006

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Karaites
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albert34 253 reviews

The first karaite families were settled in Trakai in the XIV Century by the Gran Duke Vitautas.They came from Crimea and they brought with them their religion(jewish),their tartar (turkish) accent and customs.Nowadays they are only a few.
I ate an exotic food made in Trakai for the karaites.It is called "kibinai",a kind of cake with meat and baken in the oven

Written Aug 19, 2006

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Doggy pens and kennels/doghouses
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matcrazy1 8368 reviews
GERMAN  SHEPPARD  AND  HIS  AREA

Walking around Trakai I didn't meet any local walking a dog. Instead, I could see dogs imprisoned in usually relatively small, fenced areas (doggy pens) with wooden kennel/doghouse put inside. This German sheppard, on my picture, looked rather aggresive and was barking loudly when any-one was passing by.

Updated Aug 23, 2004

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With pretty view still and yet :-)
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PRETTY  VIEW
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They used to built more and more bars and restaurants along southern shore of Galve lake. As for now, they didn't destroy unique lanscape of that area, maybe a little bit. But you can taste delicious Lithuanian beer on a water with a pretty view over Galve lake and a castle on an island.

Sooner or later this very touristy area maybe full of similar restaurants, over-crowded and probably over-priced. But not yet... in 2004 :-).

Written Aug 23, 2004

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Lithuanian or... Turkish houses?
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TYPICAL  WOODEN  HOUSE  OF  TRAKAI
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There was a group of wooden houses located along Karaimu gatve (street) close to a bridge to a castle island - one of them on my picture. Map here. They were described as traditional Karaims' houses. Karaimes were people of Turkish origin brought to Trakai from Crimea at the end of the 14th century.


Well, the houses didn't look very old. Their roofs mostly of corrugated iron sheets and their chimneys made of white small bricks were not authentic. They were painted mostly in green or yellow/orange, never in blue and they didn't look different than typical Lithuanian houses. Hmm... the most beautiful wooden houses I found in Lithuania were not in Trakai but in Kedainiai.

Written Aug 23, 2004

Website: http://daugenis.mch.mii.lt/karaimai/index_en.htm

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If you look for souvenirs...
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matcrazy1 8368 reviews
SYVENYRAI = SOUVENIRS

Excuse, it's more Lithuania than Trakai local custom tip. I will transfer it to my Lithuania page soon.

Whenever you look for souvenirs/gifts from Lithuania look for a sign "SUVENYRAI", like on my picture. Well, they usually added English explanation (souvenirs shop) especially in touristy places like Trakai but is less visited destinations not always. Suvenyrai is in Lithuanian language plural for souvenir. Nouns in plural end with "ai" in Lithuanian as I noticed.


For more basic words in Lithuanian including their pronunciation (sound files to download) click here, please and select Lithuanian language.

Updated Aug 22, 2004

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Lithuanian wooden statues
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matcrazy1 8368 reviews
LITHUANIAN  WOODEN  STATUE

They used to put typical Lithuanian, wooden statues, like on my picture, in front of many touristy stores/shops in Trakai. Well, you can buy one if you have large car :-). Typical Lithuanian wooden statue was high and rather thin. Locals were not always that high and thin, though :-).

Written Aug 22, 2004

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Newly-weds go to Trakai :-)
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HONEYMOONERS  GO  TO  TRAKAI  CASTLE

During my 2-3 hours visit to Trakai island castle I met two just married couples although it was business day. They, together with numerous family members and guests, took family pictures with the castle in the background. Does the visit of honeymooners to Trakai castle guarantee them happy life?

Written Aug 22, 2004

Phone: +370 (528) 58241

Website: http://www.muziejai.lt/Trakai/Traku_muziejus.en.htm

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 During my 2-3 hours visit to Trakai island castle I met two just married couples although it was business day. They, together with numerous family members and... 

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Questions and Answers

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Q:  Does visiting Trakai require a full day or just a half day? I plan to go there from Vilnius and back. What is the best time... 

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A: hi Visiting Trakai half day is enough if you just want to see the castle. It's better done in the first half of the day. Just check the castle opening time and bus... 

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Top Trakai Writers

1

For history, lakes and... Turkish food lovers :-)

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 Trakai is a small town founded in the 14th century, only 28 km west of Vilnius. My eyes enjoyed a lot looking at lovely castle located on an island, my stomach was happy to taste unique Karaime... 

2

Trakai - historical capital with island castle

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  Nice daytrip to come there from Vilnius for locals and tourists, as all must see places are wonderful and are the symbols of Lithuanian Grand Duchy (14 – 15th centuries mostly). If someone says... 

3

A day at Trakai

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 Maybe not much people know that the small Trakai was once the Capital town of Lithuania, anyway what's most interesting now is that this small peninsula, and small islands are a wonderful place to... 

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...Trakai...

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  The Trakai National Park was designated in 1992 to embrace the historic city of Trakai, some 25 kilometers outside Vilnius, and the forests, lakes and villages in its environs. The total area of the... 

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Enchanting island castle

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 If you find yourself in Vilnius with a day to spare, a daytrip out to Trakai is a perfect way to spend a sunny warm day. We took the bus from Vilnius, the castle and the surrounding area is perfectly... 

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