Sometimes the biggest discoveries hide in small towns. And we find them completely unexpectedly. Rietavas, a small town in western Lithuania – exactly like that: calm, green, full of activities for families and endlessly interesting. Here in one day or a weekend you can dive into water activities in the swimming pool, try horse riding, visit a playroom, taste probably the most delicious pizzas in Lithuania, visit one of the biggest markets in Lithuania and climb the mysterious Lopaičiai hillfort. It is a city that pleasantly surprised us and reminded us that adventures lie very close – you only need to turn off the main road.
Lithuanian city that surprised and fascinated: Rietavas with children
Lithuanian city that surprised and fascinated: Rietavas with children. A small city with just over three thousand inhabitants welcomed us with autumn weather, but impressed us so much that we will want to come back. You will probably ask what interesting things such a small city can offer? And in reality it can offer a lot: a swimming pool with a water slide, pizzas baked by a real Italian, a modern horse stable, a fantastic playroom, wonderful nature and one of the biggest markets in Lithuania. So definitely save this direction, because you only need to turn aside a few dozen kilometres from the highway, and believe me, this place will surprise you just like it surprised us.
A city in Lithuania that surprised and fascinated: Rietavas with children in the fresh air
Rietavas horse stable
Rietavas horse stable – one of the most interesting and most charming places for children in this small Samogitian town. The stable is located near the centre of Rietavas. It is famous not only for beautiful horses, but also for the tidy territory and great instructors and staff. Here you can not only see how horses are cared for and learn about their life. You can also ride – either a big horse or a smaller pony.
We always like to stop by horse stables and animal farms when travelling, so arriving in Rietavas we simply could not miss the stable. If you or your children have never ridden, Rietavas horse stable is a perfect place for that: the instructors are friendly, explain everything patiently, and you can ride in a very well-kept territory.
If you plan to visit on a weekend or with a group, it is worth booking a time in advance, because the number of places is limited. Also, when going there, take carrots or apples – with the staff’s permission you will be able to feed the horses.
Lopaičiai educational trail, spring and hillfort
It is a wonderfully and very beautifully arranged complex, perfectly suitable for a family walk in nature. The whole territory of the complex is very neatly arranged and renewed. Did you know that Lopaičiai educational trail is one of the most impressive and most visited recreational objects in Samogitia. It is maintained by the State Forest Enterprise foresters and is also one of the most popular in the whole of Lithuania.
Walking the trail you will be able to listen to a virtual forester’s story. On the information stands QR codes are installed, and after scanning them with a smartphone – the forests will speak in Samogitian. For children this is really interesting.
When we arrived here, we found a full parking lot, so we had to leave the car much further from the entrance on the road. So we were very surprised. But later we understood that this place is not only popular among families looking for a beautiful walk, but also among locals who come here to collect water from the spring. Many people consider this spring miraculous. Besides this miraculous spring, Lopaičiai trail offers many other interesting places that, according to some beliefs, once served as pagan ritual sites – a sacred place.
Lopaičiai trail can be boldly called a trail of stones, because they are everywhere. Both single ones and in various compositions. All the way to the spring leads a very interesting wooden path, in some places high above the stream. So the views are very beautiful.
You can complete the whole Lopaičiai educational trail with a baby stroller. Only climbing the hillfort itself will not be possible, because you need to climb stone steps. If you are with older children, do not be lazy to climb to the hillfort, the views very beautiful.
A city in Lithuania that surprised and delighted us: Rietavas with children in any weather
Rietavas swimming pool
When travelling around Lithuania, we genuinely envy Lithuanian towns and cities for having swimming pools. It is very sad that we in Vilnius do not have swimming pools adapted for families, and to take a swim we have to travel to other Lithuanian cities. Rietavas, having only three thousand inhabitants, truly surprised us because it has a really great swimming pool for families. Hard to believe, but really so. And the swimming pool is not just any – it even has a water slide for our children’s joy. Rietavas swimming pool is a 25-metre-long and 7-metre-wide pool. One of its sides is not deep, so it is perfect with children. There is also the slide exit and a massage cascade. There is also a sauna here. And what is the nicest – both the pool environment and the water are very warm.
By the way, the swimming pool price is really funny, it even surprised us how little a family visit can cost.
Trepu Trepu playroom
Trepu Trepu playroom – a truly great space in Rietavas that even a bigger city could envy. Here are several different rooms where children of any age and interest will find activities. In one area there is a huge trampoline: 8 m long, 4.8 m wide and 2.75 m high. It is not just a simple trampoline – it has a lane with various obstacles (spherical, conical, vertical and horizontal) and a climbing wall. In another room there is a table tennis table.
In one area there is a very stylish snack corner, a zone for little children’s games, virtual reality glasses. You will also find a computer games table, a huge play area with a ball pit, labyrinth and climbing structures. It was really hard to pull our children out of here.
Ballaro – divine-tasting Italian pizzas
Another place that surprised us in Rietavas is Ballaro pizzeria. It is unbelievable that in such a small town like Rietavas we ate one of the most delicious pizzas in Lithuania. Really so – an Italian Fabio lives in Rietavas, who has opened a small restaurant here and bakes divine pizzas, lasagna and makes desserts. Believe me, this place is a must. I truly know where we will stop for lunch next time when driving home from the seaside, because from the highway you only need to turn about ten kilometres to reach Rietavas.
Rietavas market – one of the biggest markets in all of Lithuania
We as a family really love markets, and Rietavas market is truly exceptional. It is one of the biggest markets in all of Lithuania, and the biggest in western Lithuania. Here people sell not only food, clothes and plants. You can also find antiques, various goods and many individual sellers offering homemade food. You will even find a place where sellers offer domestic birds and animals. Rietavas market is like a separate republic – on Sundays a separate life is bustling here. Even if you are not a big market fan, visit with children, it is really interesting to see. And besides, you will buy treats that you will not find in shops.
Where to stay in Rietavas
If you decide to stay in Rietavas – we sincerely recommend Veiklus Rietavas apartments. Renovated, cosy apartments near the park, only a few hundred metres from Rietavas swimming pool. You can enter the apartment with a code, with contactless check-in, so it is very convenient to arrive at any time. The apartments are really clean, tidy and at a very friendly price.
So if you are looking for an interesting and non-traditional direction for a weekend. Or if you simply want to visit somewhere with your family where you have not been yet. We highly recommend Rietavas. Believe me, it is a city that will surprise you just like it surprised us.
More ideas for travelling around Lithuania can be found in the “We travel Lithuania” section on our website.
