Trakai is Lithuania's postcard town, built on a chain of lakes about 30 kilometres west of Vilnius. The star attraction is the Trakai Island Castle, sitting on a spit of land in Lake Galvė and connected to the shore by a wooden footbridge. Originally built in the 14th century and painstakingly restored in the Soviet era, it is the only island castle in Eastern Europe and looks spectacular from every angle, especially on a still day when the lake mirrors the towers.
The town has a unique cultural layer thanks to the Karaim, a Turkic community brought here from Crimea in the late 14th century by Grand Duke Vytautas to serve as his personal guard. Their brightly painted wooden houses line Karaimų Gatvė, and their legacy lives on in kibinai — crescent-shaped pastries stuffed with mutton or vegetables that have become Trakai's signature dish. The Trakai Kenesa, their prayer house on the same street, is one of only a handful surviving in the world. You will find kibinai at nearly every restaurant in town, most authentically at Kybynlar.
Most visitors come as a day trip from Vilnius, and the journey is easy by bus or car. But Trakai rewards a slower visit. The ruined Peninsula Castle and Užutrakis Manor across the lake add depth to the visit, and the surrounding Trakai Historical National Park offers lake swimming in summer, kayaking between the islands, and quiet forest walks. On a warm afternoon, renting a paddleboat on Lake Galvė and circling the castle is one of the most pleasant things you can do near the Lithuanian capital.