Full-Day Private Trip, Hill of Crosses, Rundale and Bauska Castle

Lithuania's Hill of Crosses is a symbol of defiance as much as a pilgrimage site. More than 100,000 crosses have been planted, many of them strung with rosary beads that rattle softly in the breeze. The tradition began during the 1831 Uprising and reached its height in the 1960s, in defiance of anti-religious Soviet rule. At night locals crept here to lay crosses, infuriating their oppressors. Legends swirl around the Hill of Crosses. Some locals claim that the mound conceals the bodies of 14th-century warriors, others swear that it's haunted by monks. It's more than likely that the hill was a pre-Christian worship site. Efforts to bulldoze the hill during the 1960s and '70s didn't deter locals from placing crosses here, despite the harsh punishments for being caught. Today it is forbidden to remove a cross from the site, and any visitor may plant a cross. Vendors sell simple wooden crucifixes near the visitor centre, write a prayer or wish onto the cross before placing it in the soil.

Rundale Palace was built for the Duke of Courland Ernst Johann Biron by the design of the architect F.B. Rastrelli in two periods - from 1736 to 1740 and from 1764 to 1768. Most of the interiors were created by the sculptor J.M. Graf and painters F.Martini and K.Cuki. In the East wing there are several representation areas open for visitors - the Golden Hall, the White Hall and the Large Gallery. The central part of the building hold the Duke’s apartments - parlours and private apartments, while the West wing includes the apartments of the Duchess that have been fully renovated. The exhibition halls showcases applied arts, fine arts and cultural exhibits, the castle also hosts the Early Music Festival and classical music concerts. The guests can also visit the French style regular park with a rose garden, the Green Theatre, decorative parterres and a fountain. During summers, a Garden party is hosted in the park. 12-17 euros / person credit cards accepted.

Bauska Castle sits on a picturesque hillock squeezed between two rivers – the Mūsa and Mēmele – that flow parallel to each other. It is actually two castles melded together. The oldest part is in ruins and dates to the Livonian Order in the 15th century. The newer portion is a fortified manor house built by the Duke of Courland in the 16th century and is mostly intact. A museum covers the entire tangled history of the castle and the region. During the 18th century an Italian by the name of Magno Cavala moved to Bauska in search of a new business venture. He was something of a Casanova (and a conman), and started collecting the water at the junction of the two rivers near the castle. He claimed that the water was a pungent love potion and made a fortune scamming the poor townspeople. 5-9 euros / person credit card payments accepted.