Visiting Plateliai, Lithuania: Top Sights on Foot

The best things to do in Plateliai include exploring its historic wooden church, the ruins of Platelių Manor, and the Witch’s Ash in the grounds of the former manor park. Set within Žemaitija National Park and beside Lake Plateliai, this small town combines cultural heritage with forests, waterways and a peaceful rural landscape. Neywo has a free audio guide for Plateliai, with three narrated places available in 11 languages.

What to see in Plateliai

Raganos uosis, the Witch’s Ash

Raganos uosis, or the Witch’s Ash, stands in the grounds of the former Plateliai Manor Park, within Žemaitija National Park. It is a botanical natural heritage site and a protected natural object.

The tree received protected status in 1960 and became a natural monument in 2000. It is one of the most distinctive natural features around Plateliai, and a worthwhile stop while exploring the former manor grounds.

Church of St. Peter and St. Paul

In the centre of Plateliai, beside the manor park, stands the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, known in Lithuanian as Platelių Šv. apaštalų Petro ir Pauliaus bažnyčia.

This Roman Catholic church is a nationally significant part of Lithuania’s sacred heritage. The historic wooden building was completed in 1744, and its timber construction gives it a distinctive character. The site also includes a bell tower built in 1899. Together, the church and tower form a cultural heritage object and an important part of Plateliai’s historic centre.

The ruins of Platelių Manor

Platelių dvaro griuvėsiai are the remains of a historic estate in Plateliai. Although the manor itself is now represented by ruins and surviving estate buildings, the grounds still give an impression of the former complex’s scale.

The estate dates from the second half of the seventeenth century and belonged to the Oginskiai family for a long period. Several buildings remain, including a vegetable cellar, threshing house, office building, stables and granary.

The manor is surrounded by a 6.32-hectare park, where three natural monuments can be found. The best known is Raganos uosis, the Witch’s Ash. Its trunk measures 7.2 metres around and it rises to 32 metres, making it a remarkable landmark within the estate grounds.

Lake Plateliai and Žemaitija National Park

Plateliai is closely connected with Lake Plateliai and the landscapes of Žemaitija National Park. Forests and waterways surround the town, creating a setting for swimming, boating, cycling and outdoor exploration.

The natural environment provides a peaceful counterpoint to the area’s historic sites. A visit can combine time beside the lake with a walk through the manor park and a look at Plateliai’s wooden church.

The Cold War Museum

One of the most unusual places to visit near Plateliai is the Cold War Museum, located in the former Plokštinė missile base.

The Soviet Union built the base during the 1960s in secrecy, deep in the forest. The complex contained four nuclear missile silos connected to an underground command bunker. One silo is open to visitors, offering a rare look at the scale and engineering of Cold War military infrastructure.

The site also has an international connection. Missiles associated with the facility were reportedly transported to Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis, linking this remote Lithuanian base with one of the most dangerous confrontations of the twentieth century.

The contrast is striking: above ground, Žemaitija National Park offers quiet forests and lakes; underground, the former base reveals a hidden military history connected to global nuclear tensions.

A self-guided way to explore Plateliai

A Plateliai audio guide from Neywo lets you explore the town independently, with stories about three narrated places. Each story plays as you reach the place, at your own pace, with no group and no schedule.

Neywo does not currently list a tour route for Plateliai, so the app is best used as a flexible companion while visiting the town’s heritage sites and surrounding landscape. For more ideas elsewhere in the country, explore Lithuania, including Vilnius, Trakai and Anykščiai.

Download Neywo and explore Plateliai

Download Neywo to explore Plateliai with a free audio guide featuring three narrated places. The app tells the story of each place as you reach it, at your own pace, with no group and no schedule. Narration is available in 11 languages, making it an easy way to discover Plateliai’s church, manor remains and natural heritage while walking through the town.