Joniškis District Municipality: Mūšos Tyrelis, Žagarė and Joniškis

• The 6.7 km Mūšos Tyrelis boardwalk runs through the eponymous telmological reserve; a wooden observation tower stands at its entrance.
• Žagarė Ozas is a ridge formed by glaciers and lies within the Natura 2000 site in Žagarė Regional Park.
• Held every summer, the annual Žagarė Cherry Festival links the cherry with the town’s cultural identity.
• In Joniškis, the White and Red Synagogues form a synagogue complex with exhibitions on the town’s history and its Jewish community.
• The Joniškis History and Culture Museum focuses on the history, archaeology and cultural heritage of the region.
• The “Hidden Joniškis” routes take you through Joniškis and its surroundings as an orienteering game.
• A two-day Camino Lituano route runs from Žagarė to Gataučiai; on the second day, it passes through Joniškis.

Moorland and trails around Žagarė

Žagarė Ozas itself is a long, narrow ridge formed from sand and gravel by retreating glaciers. It is part of the Natura 2000 site in Žagarė Regional Park. The Žagarė Ridge Discovery Trail is a separate trail: it starts near Žagarė, is 5 km long, and has an observation platform and a tower. These three trail lengths can help you choose nature experiences to suit your preferred distance, while keeping the different landscape features in view.

Town history, sacred architecture and museums

Joniškis offers several ways to explore its cultural history. The synagogue complex comprises the summer synagogue, the “White Synagogue,” and the winter synagogue, the “Red Synagogue.” An exhibition in the White Synagogue tells the story of the town’s historical development and key moments in its history. The complex also houses an exhibition on the history and culture of the Joniškis Jewish community up to the Second World War.

The Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Joniškis is a significant architectural and cultural monument from the 18th and 19th centuries in Joniškis District. The Joniškis History and Culture Museum presents the region’s history and archaeology, as well as its ethnic and sacred cultural heritage. Exhibitions, educational activities, lectures and traditional events are part of the programme at the museum and its branches.

Visitors interested in particular topics will find other ways to explore the area. Since 2009, the Joniškis Basketball Museum has been telling the story of basketball in Joniškis, Lithuania and around the world. One distinctive feature is a basketball court on the ceiling, with handprints of basketball players who have visited. Another exhibition commemorates Sofija Kymantaitė-Čiurlionienė, who was born in Joniškis and worked as a writer, public figure, literary and art critic, playwright, poet and translator.

Žagarė: cultural heritage and hands-on activities

Žagarė also brings together nature and culture. The Old Church of St. Peter and St. Paul is a sacred building and one of Lithuania’s most valuable Renaissance architectural monuments. The Old Church reopened in 1994 after restoration; a symbolic coffin of Blessed Barbora Žagarietė was reconstructed in its crypt. At the Žagarė Regional Park Visitor Centre, the “History of the Žagarė Region” exhibition displays more than 2,000 old objects from the 19th and 20th centuries, collected in Žagarė and the surrounding area.

Visitors who prefer to experience culture hands-on can take part in activities with specific arrangements. At the “Lėlių namai” Doll Museum and Educational Space in Žagarė, doll-making activities are held by prior arrangement; you can make a doll to take home as a souvenir. The Žagarė Scarecrow Factory offers educational activities for children and adults on making scarecrows. If you are travelling with different age groups, you can plan this activity accordingly.

Routes and seasonal events

The “Hidden Joniškis” routes let you explore Joniškis and its surroundings as an orienteering game. Try the routes on foot, by bike or by car using the Actionbound mobile app. The Camino Lituano offers another way to link places: in Žagarė, it meets the Camino Latvia and continues south towards Poland’s Camino Polaco. On the second day, the two-day tourist and cultural route from Žagarė to Gataučiai passes through Joniškis.

A seasonal highlight is the annual summer Cherry Festival in Žagarė. The cherry takes centre stage as a symbol and part of the town’s cultural identity. The festival features concerts, fairs, sports competitions and artistic performances. If you want to plan your trip around this event, check the dates in advance. This will help you decide whether to focus your stay on trails and museums or on the summer events programme.

More destinations in the directory: Akmenė District Municipality, Pakruojis District Municipality, Radviliškis District Municipality, Šiauliai District Municipality, Kelmė District Municipality.

Back to the main travel overview: Šiauliai County.