Žemaičių Kalvarija meaning Samogitian Calvary is a village in the Samogitia region of Lithuania, 25 km northeast of the provincial chief town of Plungė. It's a Roman Catholic pilgrimage destination and in 2021 had a population of 600.

This place was first documented in 1253 as Garde, which translates as a stockade or enclosure - probably on the hill to the south. In the 17th century the settlement shifted north of the little river Varduvą to its present site. The basilica was built then and became a pilgrimage site, with chapels for the Stations of the Cross ranged around it. They even called it "New Jerusalem" for a time until someone noticed that there is not the slightest resemblance, so they settled on Kalvarija for the site of the crucifixion. Meanwhile another town of that name had sprung up near Marijampolė near the Polish border, so this one was specified as the one in Samogitia, Žemaičių Kalvarija.

The post-war communists didn't like the idea of people worshipping any higher power than the Supreme Soviet, and persecuted pilgrims, so 1964–1989 the village was renamed as Varduvą for the river. This proved almost as popular as "New Jerusalem" and at Lithuanian independence the historic name was restored.

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Map of Žemaičių Kalvarija

By road from Kaunas head northwest on A1 then branch north on Highway 164 through Budrikiai and Plungė. From Vilnius either go via Kaunas or head north on A2 to Panevėžys, then west on A9 becoming A11 at Šiauliai. At Telšiai turn north on Highway 161 then onto 4618 / 4603.

Three buses a day run from Klaipėda, taking 2 hr 15 min via Palanga, Kretinga and Plungė, and continuing to Mažeikiai. One bus a day is direct from Kaunas, taking 4 hr and heading for Mažeikiai. For schedules and tickets see Autobusubilietai.

Around Holy Week and the church festival you might find bus tours running from several major cities.

This is a small place, walk everywhere.

• 56.109822.01141 Basilica of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary (Švč Mergelės Marijos Apsilankymo mažoji bazilika), Gardų a 11, ☏ +370 448 43088. 24 hr. This is the principle church, built in Baroque-cum-Neoclassical from 1780, and restored after various calamities. Free. (updated May 2025)
• 56.10922.00822 Chapel of the first Station of the Cross (Kančios kelio koplyčia I) is west of the basilica on Barstyčių gatvė. Pilgrims visiting them all now turn southeast towards Piliakalnis, return to the village for the sixth, then loop back here continuing northwest for the seventh and beyond. The complete trail is 7 km.
• Vytauto Mačernio Museum is the house of that poet (1921-1944), at Alsėdžių g 4 on the lane south to Piliakalnis. It's seldom open. 50 m west is the chapel of the second Station of the Cross.
• 56.106122.01113 Piliakalnis means "castle hill" and most towns in Lithuania have one. This was the site of Gardų Castle, probably just a wooden stockade abandoned in the 14th century. That's a guess because its archaeology was swept away 1637-39 when it was used as a cavalry post (no, not calvary; and gardų means where you guard livestock, a stockade or enclosure). From that time it acquired the name Švento Jono kalnas, hill of St John, and the various chapels of the Stations of the Cross were built - the third and fourth stand here.

Great Žemaičių Kalvarija Church Festival (Didieji Žemaičių Kalvarijos atlaidai) is held over the first two weeks of July, with the main event on the first Sunday of July.

Aibė Danuva is the village store, in front of the basilica at Gardų a 5. It's open daily 08:00-20:00.

Kebabinė is Lithuanian for a kebab outlet, and there's one in front of the basilica at Gardų a 4.

No pub or licensed cafe.

There is no visitor accommodation at Kalvarija, not even camping. There's plenty around Lake Plateliai 15 km west and Telšiai 23 km southeast.

As of May 2025, Žemaičių Kalvarija and its approach roads have 4G from Telia and Tele2, but no signal from Bite. 5G has not reached the village.

• Palanga 80 km west is the main beach resort in Lithuania, and has the regional airport.
• Klaipėda 30 km south of Palanga is a city with several antiquities.
• Curonian Spit, a short ferry ride from Klaipėda, is a 99 km bootlace of sandhills and forest.
• Liepaja in Latvia is 80 km northwest of Žemaičių Kalvarija. It's a large beach resort with a scenic ruined fortress, a cathedral, and mementoes of its Soviet past.