Lithuania, the stylish country in the Baltic states.
Lithuania, located in the northeast of Europe you will find the special country of Lithuania. As part of the Baltic States, it is no wonder that they work together with Latvia and Estonia have a lot of similarities. Yet every country has its own charm. Lithuania is no exception. Where, for example, Estonia is much more related to Finnish culture, and Latvia is a mixture. Lithuania has a culture that is more similar to Poland. Traveling in the Baltic states is therefore very interesting. In this relatively unknown part of Europe you will not be overrun by tourists, and you will be surprised with colorful cities and vast nature. And it's affordable too!
Lithuania quick facts:
- Lithuania was part of the Soviet Union. The culture is still partly there, although together with Latvia and Estonia it has become one of the best countries in terms of development after the fall of the wall.
- Lithuania is also called the land of lakes.
- Lithuania has only 2.8 million inhabitants.
- Its 1 hour later then Western-Europe
- Lithuania is the geographical center of Europe. From the Kazakh steppe to Ireland, Lithuania is in the middle!
We have only been to Vilnius ourselves. In our travel blog we will only discuss Vilnius. Although cities like Kaunas and the beautiful nature certainly want to make us come back to this country!
All tips for your city trip to Vilnius!
The capital of Lithuania is of course Vilnius! With approximately 600,000 inhabitants, the city cannot even be called enormous. However, we were positively surprised by our visit and discovered that this is a wonderfully relaxing city with a lot of sights! We were in the city for 3 days and thought this was enough to explore the city at a leisurely pace. Vilnius is a city that is actually nice in every season. We were there in the summer, so the colors of the city really stood out beautifully! However, the city should be very nice even in the harsh winters. It fits in with the cozy Northern atmosphere there.
Highlights Vilnius
Located on the Neris River, Vilnius Old Town is surrounded by both the river and the hills behind the old town. This, and in combination with the many city parks in and around Vilnius, make this capital one of the greenest capitals around. A characteristic that also suits this wooded country. Those hills provide nice viewpoints over the city, more about this later.
Vilnius Cathedral and Gediminas Hill
Start your city trip on the city's central square, at the impressive Vilnius Cathedral. This beautiful and stately white complex is the heart of the city and is characterized by the large white tower that stands apart from the rest of the church. From here you can walk straight into the city, or first go up the hill to the Gediminas Tower on Gediminas Hill. This ancient fortress has seen a lot of history in the many centuries it has stood, and today it is an important monument in Lithuania's path to independence. Once at the top, which can also be done by funicular, you have a great view of Vilnius! Both about the old city and the surprisingly beautiful compact skyline of the new district on the other side of the river!
Užupis
Perhaps the most famous of Vilnius. This neighborhood just outside the old city has seen a lot of residents throughout history. Before the Second World War, this neighborhood was home to the Jewish population. After the Second World War, the district fell into decline and the underclass mainly came to live here. After the fall of the wall, artists and people who are not easy to pigeonhole came to live there. This led to the district being, unofficially, declared an independent republic of Užupis. With their own rules, flag and national anthem, this leads to a very idiosyncratic neighborhood. You can easily visit the district to enjoy the alternative atmosphere and the many art studios!
The historic city center
Walking through Vilnius you discover that your stereotypical image of Eastern Europe is not entirely correct. Because this city is so colorful and stylish! From the Vilnius Cathedral you can easily walk into the compact city center. The many winding streets and cute squares with artists make this city a very pleasant place to stay. Without the tourist crowds that you see elsewhere in Europe. Walk through the city center to the Gate of Dawn. This old city gate is one of the few remaining city gates here and is characterized by its beautiful blue color. Then walk further to St. Nicholas' Church for a typical Russian Orthodox church, as a significant part of Lithuanians are Russian. Further on in the city there is the beautiful pink Catholic church, the St. Casimir Church. Vilnius is known for the many church towers that you will find here in the city.
We ourselves had a delicious meal on the town hall square at both Maurizio's Italian Food restaurant, where the pizza was really good 🙂 and Lokys restaurant for some typical dishes from the region. Tucked away a little further in one of the nice side streets, we also ate divine Tapas in restaurant Bistro 18. We also thought this was a nice neighborhood with many restaurants and nice shops. It gave us the feeling of being in a city in Southern Europe, but we were really in Lithuania 🙂 Also in terms of prices!
Cat lover? Vilnius also has a nice cat cafe! Near the Vilnius Cathedral there is the cozy cat cafe where we sat a little too long 🙂 
Go from the classic city center to the Brutalist Soviet buildings and modern skyscrapers.
On the northern side of the Neris River you will find a completely different Vilnius. Here you will find the impressive new skyscrapers of the business district. It might as well have been Frankfurt! I thought it gave a nice contrast. Nearby you will also find one of the few remaining Soviet buildings in the city, which is now quite dilapidated, namely the Palace of Culture and Sports. A real Soviet building that clearly shows the spirit of the times. You will also find a number of buildings from the Soviet era around the Vincas Kudirka square, including a Soviet mosaic from that time.
In short, Vilnius is really worth a city trip! The city positively surprised us with its nice atmosphere and friendly locals. The city itself is admittedly not very big. However, there is plenty to do in terms of sights and neighborhoods as well as nature in the area to give yourself a wonderful time in Vilnius! Or you can of course start your further tour through the Baltic states from here! We have only seen Vilnius in Lithuania, but we would like to come back to see more!
How do you come here?
Air Baltic has connections several times a day to all major cities in the Baltic states. Budget airlines such as Ryanair and Wizz Air also regularly fly to Vilnius or Kaunus. Traveling by train is currently a bit cumbersome, partly due to the different track gauge that dates from the Soviet era. The Rail Baltica project is currently in full swing, and in the future you will be able to travel by high-speed train from Warsaw to all Baltic capitals. Until then, it is best to travel by bus, where there is plenty of choice in terms of luxury and budget.
From Vilnius Airport it is a short bus ride for a few euros to the city center with bus number 88 or 3G.
Practical tips Lithuania:
- Vilnius is a full-fledged EU country and NATO country. Your EU ID is enough to get in.
- You don't need to bring a special non-EU power adapter
- Summers can be warm, winters cold. As there is a continental climate.
- If your SIM card is valid in the EU, you're in luck. Otherwise, an Esim is always a better choice.
- It is best to book your bus tickets in advance, bus lines throughout the country are popular as it is the only form of public transport between the capitals
- There is a train connection to Warsaw and Riga, which is very cumbersome. Save your Interrail days and buy individual tickets if necessary.
Lithuania, it may not be the first country that comes to mind, but that makes it a very surprising country! From the historic cities to the vast nature. The Baltic States is definitely one of the more beautiful corners of Europe! Read more about it on our travel blog Latvia and Estonia
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