Five steep, grassy mounds rise above a bend in the Neris river about forty kilometres north-west of Vilnius, and from the top of them you look out over meadows, woods and water much as the medieval inhabitants did. This is Kernavė, the first capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and its hillforts and the remains of the town below make up a World Heritage site that covers ten thousand years of human settlement.
People camped here at the end of the Ice Age, and the site was occupied almost continuously through the Stone Age, the Bronze Age and the Iron Age. By the thirteenth century, Kernavė was a thriving town of craftsmen and traders, with wooden castles on the hilltops, and it served as a seat of Lithuanian rulers. In 1390 it was burned by the Teutonic Knights, and the capital moved to Vilnius. The town was never rebuilt on the same scale, which is why so much remains buried in the ground, giving archaeologists a remarkable record of medieval life.
Riding to Kernavė is easy and pleasant. From Vilnius, the roads run through gently rolling countryside, past villages, lakes and forests, with smooth surfaces and light traffic. The final approach drops into the Neris valley, offering a fine view of the hillforts. Lithuania is mostly flat, so this is not a place for dramatic mountain roads, but the scenery is calm and green, especially in late spring and summer. Winters are cold and snowy, and roads can be icy.
The Neris valley is lush and peaceful, with meadows full of wildflowers, oak and pine woods, and birds such as storks, cranes and herons. In early summer, the site hosts a festival of experimental archaeology, where people in medieval costume demonstrate crafts, cooking and battles. The midsummer night celebrations, known as Joninės, are also celebrated here with bonfires and singing.
Kernavė has a small museum, a café and limited services. For fuel, Vievis, about thirteen kilometres away, and Širvintos are the closest towns, while Elektrėnai is a bit further but larger. Vilnius, with its baroque old town, is less than an hour away. Try cepelinai, the hearty potato dumplings, or kibinai, savoury pastries from the Karaim community in nearby Trakai.