MERKINĖ
The King of Poland, Władysław Vasa, was particularly fond of Lithuania and, among other things, greatly enjoyed hunting here. This royal history leads us to Merkinė, where Władysław Vasa, having caught a cold during a hunt, eventually passed away. His body was buried in the Vasa Chapel in Kraków, while an urn containing his heart was placed in Vilnius Cathedral. In Merkinė, you can visit the preserved house where the king died – a memorial plaque marks the site. While visiting Merkinė, it is also worth exploring another regal site – the old Gothic church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Over time, it acquired Baroque features and was rebuilt from a fortress under the orders of Polish King Jogaila before 1387.

NEDZINGĖ
We recommend visiting the village of Nedzingė and viewing the church built in 1844 according to a design by Vilnius University graduate, architect Karolis Gregotovičius. It was constructed by General Vincentas Žilinskis, a representative of the Žilinskis noble family of Polish origin. It is said that bricks for the church were passed hand-to-hand by people from Varėna to Nedzingė.

PERLOJA
It is also worth traveling to Perloja, where in the summer of 1943, Professor Jerzy Hoppen of the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts, who had been taken prisoner by the Germans, together with five of his students and local craftsmen, decorated the interior of the new church in Perloja.

BABRIŠKĖS
A visit to the Babriškės village cemetery reveals a modest, small Church of St. Michael the Archangel, built from fieldstones in 1838 by the Polish nobleman Martynas Rosochackis.

DUBIČIAI
In Dubičiai, you will find a monument commemorating the place where Lithuanian and Polish insurgents died fighting against the Russian Empire. On May 4, 1863, one of the uprising’s leaders, Liudvikas Narbutas, along with many other men, died in battle near Dubičiai. This was the largest battle of the uprising – after its defeat, the rebellion began to decline.

VALKININKAI
To conclude your journey, a visit to Valkininkai is a must. This town held great significance for the kings of Poland and the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, often mentioned in their writings and donations. Valkininkai once housed a firearms factory producing cannonballs and cannons. Today, it is one of the most striking examples of Lithuanian folk wooden architecture and a preserved urban complex, noted for its distinct radial layout.