Biržai Regional Park

About

Biržai Regional Park is one of Lithuania’s most fascinating protected areas, shaped by a rare karst landscape where underground water slowly dissolves gypsum and limestone. This process creates sinkholes, caves, and disappearing streams, giving the region its distinctive, almost otherworldly terrain. One of the most interesting facts is that the park contains thousands of sinkholes, some forming suddenly and dramatically, which has influenced settlement patterns for centuries. Inside the park, visitors can explore the Kirkilai Lakes area, known for its curved observation tower that offers panoramic views of mirror‑like ponds formed by collapsed caverns. The Cow’s Cave, one of Lithuania’s few accessible karst caves, reveals the fragile geology beneath the surface. Educational trails explain how the land shifts over time, while the surrounding forests and meadows provide peaceful walking routes rich in wildlife. The park also highlights local cultural heritage, including traditional farmsteads and the long history of Biržai’s brewing traditions, making it a rewarding blend of nature and regional identity.

Biržai Lithuania

Location

Biržai Regional Park is a protected natural area in northern Lithuania, covering about 14,659 hectares near the border with Latvia. It was established in 1992 to preserve the region’s distinctive karst landscape, underground waterways, forests, and cultural heritage. About 20% of the park is covered by forest, and it is famous for its more than 9,000 karst sinkholes formed as underground water dissolves local gypsum. The park’s visitor centre is located in Biržai town at Rotušės g. 10, where you can buy entry tickets, get information on trails and tours, and book guided excursions in English, Russian, or Latvian. Nearby, just a short drive from the park, is Biržai Castle, Lithuania’s best-preserved bastion fortress, with the Biržai Region Museum “Sėla,” interactive warfare exhibitions, and restored fortifications beside Lake Širvėna. Right next to the castle is Lithuania’s longest pedestrian bridge over a lake, leading to the neoclassical Astravas Manor on the Astravas Peninsula. In the town itself, you can explore Julius Janonis Square with its flower gardens and hourly music, the Neo-Gothic Evangelical Reformed Church, the Church of St. John the Baptist, the narrow-gauge railway complex, and the Biržai Tourism and Business Information Centre for maps and guided tours.