Žemaitija National Park — Lake Plateliai

Žemaitija National Park protects the heart of Samogitia — Lithuania's most culturally distinct region. The park is centered around Lake Plateliai, the deepest and one of the most beautiful lakes in western Lithuania, surrounded by forests of oak, pine, and birch. The Samogitian people (Žemaičiai) have maintained their own distinct dialect, traditions, and cultural identity for centuries. The park preserves not only the natural landscape but also traditional Samogitian farmsteads, wooden architecture, and folk customs. The annual Samogitian Festival at Plateliai brings these traditions to life with music, food, and crafts. Lake Plateliai itself is wrapped in legends — local stories speak of a castle submerged beneath its waters and mysterious lights seen hovering over the lake at night. The park also harbors one of Lithuania's most extraordinary secrets: the former Plokštinė Soviet nuclear missile base, hidden deep in the forest.