Swimming off the beaten track

Vilnius offers some fantastic swimming spots within a short drive from the centre. The Neris river has a handful of beaches upstream from the city, at Valakampiai and Žirmūnai, and there are nice spots along the smaller Vilnia, and the crowning glory of the lakes that surround Vilnius, the Green lakes in Verkiai regional park. But on a hot summers’ day, like the ones that have been gracing Vilnius almost constantly since mid-May, the popularity of these spots means that they tend to get overcrowded. The savvy summertime swimmer with access to a car would therefore be wise to go a bit off the beaten track, and head for the string of lakes strung out like a necklace along the northeastern border of Antakalnis – Antavalio, Balžis and Tapelių ežeras (the last one is the one in the photo, and the least crowded). These still attract a decent number of Vilnians looking to escape the heat, but not to the point where they get overcrowded. They have glorious sand beaches, and are stunning to look at. As a bonus, the forests they sit in are equally glorious, with ample hunting grounds for blueberries and mushrooms when the season sets in.