Zarasai In Your Pocket

Established at the tail end of the 15th century, Zarasai has suffered its fair share of misfortune over the years, experiencing the more wicked sides of plague, fire and war. Essentially flattened in 1812 by warring French and Tsarist troops, it was only after the Napoleonic wars that the town truly began to prosper. Falling under the Russian sphere of influence, the decision to run the Warsaw-St. Petersburg highway through the town saw it transform from one horse town to boomtown. Things are less frenetic now, although its status as a regional hub means that it's about the only place for a hundred kilometres where you'll find a menu in English and an internet café. With a population that barely touches 9,000, the town never loses its surreal atmosphere of history mixed with provincial madness, ambition and astonishing good will. Enjoy.