Via Hanseatica landscape surroundings in Lithuania

In Lithuania Via Hanseatica is surrounded by to counties: Taurage and Šiauliai. The historical fate of the Taurage County was to be the smallest one in Lithuania. However this can be considered as an advantage. Having an external border with the European Union, we are the bridge connecting the East and the West. The largest Lithuanian river – the so-called father of the Lithuanian rivers – Nemunas flows along the borders of the region. The picturesque riversides of Nemunas of the Jurbarkas district make such impression that some even call them the Lithuanian Switzerland. Untouched and unspoiled nature, famous Renaissance castles of Raudonė and Panemunė built in the Middle Ages, and many other monuments comprise a particular coloring of the county.

The main part of the Taurage county is located on the Karšuvos lowland and the western part separated by the Vilkyškių ridge lies on the Pajūrio lowland. The Northern part of the county – mainly the municipality of Šilalė district – occupies the southern part of the Žemaičių upland. Here you can find the highest point of the county territory – the Medvėgalio hill (234.6 m). A considerable part of the territory (30.5 %) is occupied by forests of which coniferous woods predominate.

Šiauliai County situated in the North of Lithuania. The hilly landscape of Šiauliai County is patterned with crystal-clear lakes and torrential rivers. There are quiet valleys of Dubysa, Venta, Mūša and many small rivers, fertile fields, and forests. Here you will find manor parks mentioned in folk songs and legends, monasteries which reflect the unique history of the land, wooden baroque churches, and well-preserved shrines and crosses.

There are up to 67 natural monuments and parks in the region. One of the oldest nature reserves in Europe – Kamanų State Reserve – is located at Akmene district in the northern part of Šiauliai County. The reserve has an incredibly rich fauna and flora: there are more than one thousand species of plants and more than five hundred species of insects.

Find more information about Šiauliai region: http://www.siauliai.aps.lt/