Balsiai

We will start our exploration of Balsiai from the cognitive trail that winds around the Balsiai Pro-Gymnasium. It is unique in its simplicity – it invites you to get to know the environment around us, to learn about the trees, bushes and other plants you see every day, and to observe their growth and changes in different seasons. The trail was created for the pupils to get in touch with living nature during outdoor lessons that have proved popular in Balsiai schools. So let’s get exploring!

Halfway along the trail, take a break in the ‘Square of the Senses’. This project was initiated by the Balsiai community a few years ago. Today, it is already delighting the inhabitants and visitors of the district. Here you will find a bug hotel, a book house, giant pencils, giant checkers, a barefoot trail, climbing frames, beds of fragrant spices, and trees and shrubs that will provide shade and delicious scents when they are grown. The square is designed to stimulate all of our senses.

The current Balsiai Progymnasium was opened in 2011 and can accommodate 800 pupils. It was the first school built in Vilnius after the restoration of Lithuanian independence. It is modern, contemporary, Scandinavian-model, comfortable, and functional, with spacious classrooms and comfortable leisure areas, well-designed and equipped sports and arts halls, a library and reading room on two floors, and a huge canteen that easily converts into an event hall. The fenced school grounds include sports fields and children’s play areas. The stunning stadium is not only a great place to play sports, but also a great place to host large events for the school community. On the other side of the school, be sure to visit the ethnic flower garden. 

You will need to register in the visitor’s log to enter the school premises. Visitors are not allowed during school hours. Pets are not allowed.

Walk around the school and you will see the sculpture ‘Kryžiokas’ (by Arvydas Ališanka) in the corner – in the old days, it was the name of both Lake Balsys and a Crusader. And what do you see – in which way do you interpret it? In the square in front of the school, you can read a letter to Professor Norbertas Vėlius, a scholar of Baltic culture who masterminded the district’s street names (A. Ališanka ‘Letter to Norbertas Vėlius’). Across the street, you will meet the master of the street – Bubilas, the Baltic god of bees (by Marius Zavackis). Next to the playground, you will find the sculpture ‘The Tower of Grass Snakes’ Souls’– probably the most beautiful name in all of Balsiai! This wonderful sculpture was created by the sculptor Rytas Belevičius, who is local to the area. Nearby, you will also see the sculpture ‘Kite’ by Gediminas Piekuras.

Be sure to stop by the sculpture ‘Romuva’ by Rytas Belevičius. Don’t be afraid to climb the steps, sit on the oak sculpture, and draw strength from the century-old oak tree. 

Did you know that the oak tree has always been considered a source of energy? It energises the mind and body, clears the mind, calms you down, as well as improving blood circulation and immunity. These qualities alone make it worth sitting here a little longer.

Balsiai Primary School first opened its doors to 600 children in September 2020. This colourful, modern, spacious, and functional school is decorated on the inside with traditional patterns and symbols in line with the district’s Baltic themes. There are cosy courtyards, a safe and modern sports field, and a fenced area for the youngest pupils in Years 1-3. Be sure to take a walk around the school, which is small but functional and suitable for little ones. It is estimated that within only two years of functioning, the school will not be able to accommodate all the district’s primary school pupils in another three years, as Balsiai is the district with the highest birth rate in Vilnius. 

To enter the school, you will need to get permission from the caretaker on duty. Pets are not allowed.

The Mythological Park, established in 2008, is a unique project initiated by the Balsiai community and created together with artists. “It’s like a code for an open, rallying, and unifying community”, say the creators of the park. In winter, the little hill here is used by the children of Balsiai to go sledging, while come summertime it is transformed into an amphitheatre, where you can sit and watch the events in comfort. On the other side, paths meander through the pine trees like grasssnakes, and benches invite you to relax. The park’s spaces are united by sculptures of mythological beings such as the ‘Spirit of the Oak’, ‘Žilvinas’, ‘Ragė’, ‘Austėja’, and many others. 

There is also colourful playground for younger residents of Balsiai. For those who enjoy reading, there is a small ‘book house’ to swap good reads, which operates on the principle of ‘bring one, take one’.

The ‘Žali’ Shopping Centre, which opened in 2018, is one of the most ecological in Lithuania. Heated by ground-source heat from the depths of the earth, the building itself is certified under the Sustainable Buildings Rating System. And the green roof is covered with stonecrops!

The environment of the shopping centre is friendly towards cyclists, and the modern pump track for cyclists, where you can do tricks, is popular with young children and adults alike. 

A modern children’s playground is located next to the centre. 

Tucked away in a hollow and surrounded by a mature forest, this little lake with a radius of just 0.1 km is very mysterious – even many locals are unaware of its existence. It is a thermokarst lake, formed by the melting of glaciers. During the melting process, large blocks of ice were buried under the ground, and as they melted, closed basins were formed. Interestingly, the ice blocks did not melt completely until about 5,000 years ago.

During the warm season, the extremely rare and highly protected broad-leaved Lady’s Slipper Orchids, also known as the Lithuanian orchid, blooms here! You have arrived at the second largest site of these rare flowers in Lithuania. You will find all the information you need on two information boards. We hope you will not only read about these wonderful flowers, but also be able to spot some.

Renovated and enlarged in 2019, the beach at Lake Balsys is beautified every year and becomes a major attraction in Vilnius during the warm season – not only because of the sandy shores and green-hued water, but also plenty of sports and leisure facilities, comfortable sunbeds, benches, changing rooms, very tidy toilets and, of course, two large piers. Both children’s and adults’ rowing training takes place here. And in summer, there are unique concerts on the water, as well as sports training, including swimming. In winter, the beach becomes the territory of hardy swimmers, skaters, and fishermen. From the beach, there are walking trails, popular with walkers all year round. In 2021, Balsys Beach was awarded the Blue Flag.

After climbing the steep steps, hold on tight to the railing of the viewpoint! And not just because you need to catch your breath after a fun climb. The stunning beauty of Lake Balsys is right in front of you! Every day is different – from soft green to emerald or greenish grey… depending on the season and time of day that you get here. The panorama is particularly magnificent in autumn, when the carbonate-rich water table turns the lake – uncluttered by holidaymakers – a bright emerald, and the centuries-old oak trees on the shores are adorned with gold, like a royal crown. In winter, when the lake freezes over and the trees have shed their leaves, you can admire the prominent shoreline and the colourful fishermen’s tents that line the lake. In spring, admire the lake but also listen to its ominous song as it tries to creak its way free of the ice. And everyone in Vilnius probably knows what this lake looks like in summer.