This approximately one-hour route is designed for families, especially parents with children in pushchairs. While the little ones sleep in the fresh air, parents can admire the pearls of nature – the hills, the bubbling river Vilnia, the spectacular outcrop exposures – and visit historical sites, such as castle mounds, manor houses, mills, a cannon foundry.
After the walk, you will learn why the area is called Belmontas (Bello monte in Italian, meaning ‘beautiful mountain’). The hill, which rises about 50 m above the Vilnia River, was the site of exquisite villas and a tavern from the early 19th century. The picturesque surroundings of Belmontas were a place where Vilnius residents enjoyed relaxing, celebrating outings, and young people gathered. The romantic surroundings also attracted poetry lovers. Vilnius University students, philomaths, and the Filarets – led by the poets Adam Mickiewicz and Tomasz Zan – would read their works in Belmontas Forest and discuss issues of public interest. During the uprisings (in 1831 and 1863), rebels gathered here for secret meetings. Near Belmontas, there is a place mentioned in historical documents four centuries ago – Leoniškės; another place worthy of a visit is Pūčkoriai Manor (also known as Puškarnia), a cannon foundry dating back to the time of the dukes, and even the Pūčkoriai outcrop, whose exposed rocky crag is a reminder of the time of dinosaurs.
