Photo: Pudelek (Marcin Szala) · CC BY-SA 3.0Northern Lithuania: Manors & Crosses
Join Anykščiai, Biržai, Pakruojis, the Hill of Crosses and Šiauliai on a four- or five-day circuit from Vilnius.
- Allow
- 4–5 days
- Route
- 539 km
- Drive time
- 6 hr 55 min
- Stops
- 6
Northern Lithuania rewards a route built around differences. Anykščiai begins in forest and literary country, Biržai adds castle and karst landscape near the Latvian frontier, Pakruojis gives manor scale, and the Hill of Crosses demands a quieter kind of attention before Šiauliai provides the practical final base.
The route does not require crossing any border. Keep to public roads, respect the Hill of Crosses as a living pilgrimage site, and check manor programs directly—festivals and private functions can change access as much as the season.
The road, in one glance
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Drawing the route…
The route earns
its distance
Each pin is selected as a place to do something—not merely proof that you passed through.
Photo: Lestat (Jan Mehlich) · CC BY-SA 3.0Vilnius
Head north only after the capital’s car-free days, with an Anykščiai night booked.
Vilnius ( VIL-nee-əs, Lithuanian: ) is the capital of and largest city in Lithuania and the most-populous city in the Baltic states. The city's estimated January 2026 population was 617,984, and the Vilnius urban area (which extends beyond the city limits) has an estimated population of 767,907. Vilnius is notable for the architecture of its Old Town, considered one of Europe's largest and best-preserved old towns.
Photo: Hugo.arg · Public domainAnykščiai
Forest, a treetop walk and a strong literary identity make an active first base.
Anykščiai (; see other names) is a ski resort city in Lithuania, 20 miles (32 kilometres) west of Utena. The Roman Catholic Church of St. Matthias in Anykščiai is the tallest church in Lithuania, with spires measuring 79 metres (259 feet) in height.
Photo: Dosmi · CC BY-SA 4.0Biržai
A bastion castle, lake and sinkhole landscape define Lithuania’s northern karst country.
Biržai (, also known by several alternative names) is a city in northern Lithuania. Famous for its reconstructed Biržai Castle manor, the whole region is renowned for its many traditional-recipe beer breweries.
Photo: Андрей Романенко · CC BY-SA 4.0Pakruojis Manor
A large surviving manor complex turns estate history into an immersive stop.
Pakruojis Manor is a former residential manor 2 kilometers from Pakruojis, Lithuania, on the right bank of the Kruoja river. Built in the 19th century currently it is reconstructed and used as a hotel, restaurant and a tourist attraction.
Photo: Pudelek (Marcin Szala) · CC BY-SA 3.0Hill of Crosses
Thousands of crosses form a living place of pilgrimage, memory and national identity.
Hill of Crosses (Lithuanian: ) is a site of pilgrimage about 12 km (7.5 mi) north of the city of Šiauliai, in northern Lithuania. The precise origin of the practice of leaving crosses on the hill is uncertain, but it is believed that the first crosses were placed on the former Jurgaičiai or Domantai hill fort after the 1831 Uprising.
Photo: Enric Bach from Barcelona, Spain · CC BY 2.0Šiauliai
A walkable regional city and museums provide the natural final overnight.
Šiauliai (; Lithuanian: ) is a city in northern Lithuania, the country's fourth largest city and the sixth largest city in the Baltic states, with a population of 112,581 in 2024. From 1994 to 2010, it was the capital of Šiauliai County.
Drive the conditions,
not the itinerary.
Stay on public roads near the border region, drive forest sections in daylight and check manor/event access before departure.
Checked against
the people who run it
Distances and driving times are planning estimates. Conditions, closures, ferries, permits and park rules can change, so check the linked official guidance before setting out.