Druskininkai is a city where love lives not only in the legends, but also in the streets, in the bends of the river, in the old villas and quiet paths of the parks. It is here that spa romances were born, marriages were secretly made and promises were made over the waves of the Nemunas River.

This Love Trail invites couples, dreamers and all those who want to travel through the stories that united hearts a hundred years ago and today.

^{Sculpture “Fairies” (by the sculptor K. Pūdymas)}

Start your journey at the “Spring of Beauty”, where fairies with braided hair will take you back to the mythological origins of the mineral springs in Druskininkai. And then plunge into a whirlwind of fascinating love legends!

According to legend, after a successful hunt, the prince had to shoot a falcon to thank the gods. The prince fired, and the bird, pierced by the arrow, fell into the Nemunas. The prince followed the falcon to the water and plunged into it. The Duchess was the most frightened and nervous of all. She ran along the banks of the Nemunas, weeping mournfully for her husband and shedding salty tears. Some time later, the prince emerged from the water with a falcon in his hands, whole and healthy. And where the tears of the princess fell, salty springs gushed from the depths of the earth.

And this is just the beginning, as love stories and legends can be found at every turn in Druskininkai.

^{Monument to the “Crown” by sculptor Dalia Matulaitė and sculptor Vladimiras Stankevičius}

Right next to the “Spring of Beauty ” is the monument to the “Crown” – symbolic because it is a monument to the most expressive love story in Lithuania. There is not a person who would not know the love story of Barbara Radziwiłłówna and Sigismund Augustus, which is shrouded in legend and has inspired many artists. Travelling from the “Spring of Beauty” through the “Uno” adventure park along the banks of the Nemunas, you will soon see the spectacular panorama of the Island of Love.

^{Island of love}

The Island of Love is an island in the middle of the Nemunas where, back in the early 20th century, young people from Druskininkai used to gather for fun, dancing and singing. At that time, the left side of Love Island belonged to Lithuania and the right to Poland, so there was a barbed wire fence in the middle of the island, dividing it into two parts. Between the wars, Love Island was a very popular beach, connected to the Druskininkai shore by a pedestrian bridge, built every summer, with an elevated section for passing steamers. Admission to the beach was paid. Nowadays, Love Island is a botanical reserve in Druskininkai, which can be visited from up close by boat on the Nemunas.

Today, Love Island is a botanical reserve in Druskininkai, which can be visited up close by boat on the Nemunas River. It is one of the most romantic places in Druskininkai – ideal for a quiet moment for two or a relaxing exploration of the city’s history.

^{Druskininkai Municipality (former Bujakovskis’ Villa)}

Leave the bank of the Nemunas River and head along Vilnius Avenue – an integral part of Druskininkai. Stop by the current municipality building, formerly known as Doctor Bujakowski’s Villa.

It was here that on 19 August 1934. Halina Korolec-Bujakowska and Stanislaw Bujakowski boarded a motorbike and, shortly after their wedding, set off on an extraordinary 24,000-kilometre honeymoon trip to Shanghai. They swapped lavish parties for dusty roads and resort life for exploring the world together. This is a story of love, courage and shared adventure. It is a story of love, courage and the decision to go through life together.

^{Druskininkai Church of Our Lady of the Scapular}

The route continues to a place where love takes on a spiritual dimension. A special relic testifies to the fact that Druskininkai is called the city of love. In the Church of Our Lady of the Scapular there is a rare reliquary of St. Valentine, the patron saint of love. A small piece of the saint’s bone is respectfully placed in an ornate vessel – a place where lovers can stop, sit in silence and entrust their desires to the patron saint. The history of Saint Valentine dates back to the 3rd century. Legend has it that Emperor Claudius II forbade soldiers to marry, but Bishop Valentine secretly organised the wedding of lovers. He was imprisoned and killed for this, and his courage became an eternal symbol of love.

^{Druskininkai City Museum}

From the church, the road leads to the place where love has a tangible beginning. The Dr uskininkai City Museum is one of the most romantic nuptial places in Lithuania. Looking at this villa, it seems that plump ladies and gentlemen who have come to the resort in search of health… are about to descend the stairs. and love.
Hundreds of honeymooners have descended these stairs over the years, and the legendary ‘honeymoon birch’ that grows next to it has witnessed countless wedding photographs.

It is a place where history and the present come together to start a family.

^{Eyes of the Virgin}

The tour reminds us that not all love stories have a happy ending – but they all leave a mark.

Legend has it that once upon a time, a maiden charmed all the men in the resort with her beauty and ingenuity. Their dream was to meet her, talk to her and admire the expressiveness of her blue eyes. On the last day of summer, the girl made an appointment with all her fans at Lake Druskonis. Everyone was watching and waiting for the blue-eyed girl with bright eyes, but she did not appear. When the men found out that she had disappeared before dawn, they were alarmed, saddened and wept. Tears flowed in rivers down the hills and their foothills. This created two bodies of water, the eyes of the Virgin.

It is a place to pause, look at the tranquillity of the water and remember that not every love story has a happy ending – but every love story leaves a mark.

^{Curved bridge}

Favoured by locals and tourists alike, the Arch Bridge stands out not only for its graceful curved shape, but also for its unique aura. It is said to have a magical atmosphere and is often visited by newlyweds to cement their loving bonds. The bridge itself is often referred to as the Bridge of Love, with dozens of love locks from newlyweds appearing on its railings every year.

From the curved bridge, you can look down on the confluence of the Nemunas and Ratnyčėlė. Did you know that Ratnyčėlė, disobeying her father Latežeris, wandering through meadows and forests, met Nemunas much older than herself, fell in love with him and ran away with him?

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