Labanoras Regional Park

Labanoras Regional Park protects Lithuania's largest continuous forest complex — over 55,000 hectares of pine, spruce, and birch forests interspersed with lakes, bogs, and rivers. This is one of the last great forests of Central Europe, a landscape that gives a sense of what much of the continent looked like before modern development. The forest is famous throughout Lithuania as a mushroom forager's paradise. In autumn, thousands of Lithuanians descend on Labanoras to gather boletus, chanterelles, and dozens of other edible mushroom species. Mushroom foraging is practically a national sport in Lithuania, and Labanoras is its unofficial capital. The park is also one of the best places in Lithuania to encounter large wildlife. Wolves, lynx, elk, and wild boar all inhabit the forest, and patient visitors may spot their tracks or, with luck, the animals themselves. The network of forest roads and trails makes the area accessible for hiking, cycling, and horseback riding, while the lakes and rivers offer canoeing and fishing opportunities.