Three Birštonas Municipality homesteads awarded with Ethnocultural Rural Tourism Homestead Awards

In 2026, three nominations were awarded in the ethnocultural rural tourism homestead competition: "Ethnographic homestead", "Ethnocultural activities" and "Culinary heritage in a traditional environment". We present the winners of the competition.

Nomination "Ethnocultural Activities"
1st place – homestead “ Birštonas dvarelis ”. Dzūkija (Dainava)
Located in the village of Jundeliškės, approximately ten kilometers from Birštonas, "Birštonas Manor" invites you to get to know the traditions of Panemunė Dzūkija and the hospitality of the region.
"Birštono dvarelis" is a home of authentic educational experiences. Here you will experience the nurturing of cultural rituals, customs and traditions of the Panemunė Dzūkija region, the importance of crafts, folk songs and dances, folklore, and culinary heritage. You will get to know the hospitable people of Panemunė Dzūkija, who will treat you to the delicacies of their region, tell you how they are excellent at making Lithuanian mead, singing songs passed down by their elders, and nurturing traditions.
The homestead owners also cherish other local traditions: they bake homemade bread, introduce guests to folk songs, customs, and stories about Lithuanian mead. In educational programs, culinary heritage is presented as a living, experiential part of culture.

Nomination "Culinary Heritage in a Traditional Setting"
3rd place – “ Panemunio sodyba ”. Dzūkija (Dainava) Located in the Birštonas area, in the village of Panemunio, near the Nemunas, “Panemunio sodyba” cherishes traditional dishes of the Dzūkija region. Visitors are offered culinary heritage meals and educational programs that introduce local recipes and cooking methods.
The most important traditional dish of the farmstead is Dzūkiškas bulvinės bandos. They are made from grated and drained potato mass, shaped on dried cabbage leaves and baked in a wood-fired bread oven. The bandos are served with daryčinis – a warm dip of cottage cheese, cream or milk and butter – or with a homemade crackling and onion sauce.
The homestead also bakes homemade rye bread with natural sourdough, and serves herbal tea collected from local meadows and forests. Traditional dishes are presented here as an integral part of the culinary heritage of Dzūkija (Dainava).

For participation in the ethnocultural rural tourism homestead competition, attention to ethnic culture and heritage preservation, the following were awarded:
• Homestead " Krakila " (Dzūkija)

The information was prepared based on a report by the Ethnic Culture Preservation Council.