The Best Places to Visit in Lithuania
Lithuania is one of the 3 Baltic countries in northeastern Europe, bordering Latvia to the north, Poland to the southwest, Belarus to the east and south, and Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave to the west. Out of the Baltic states, it’s the biggest in terms of population and also land area. It’s obviously extremely flat, with no mountains in the whole country. Instead, you’ll find extensive countryside and a bunch of rivers and wetlands. In the past it’s been occupied by both the Soviets and Nazis, as well as being a part of the USSR until independence in 1990. You can still kind of see the influence of Russia in the Soviet-style housing blocks, plus all the churches and castles all around the country. Overall it’s a calm and quiet European destination with some underrated cities too.
Capital: Vilnius
Currency: Euro
Language: Lithuanian
When to visit: April to December
1) Vilnius
Vilnius is Lithuania’s capital, but it still isn’t a massive city at all. Only around 580,000 people live here, so it’s easy to navigate the historic center and surrounding neighborhoods. It sits in southeastern Lithuania, close to the borders with Belarus and Poland and it used to be one Europe’s most diverse cities in the past. It’s a charming city with some beautiful streets and the countries top destination.
Things to do:
As mentioned, the cities heart is the Old Town of Vilnius, and it’s one of the largest medieval old towns in Europe overall. Walk the beautiful streets and stop in to explore Cathedral Square, where Vilnius Cathedral stands out and everyone gathers. Of course, there’s plenty more churches all around the Old Town, each one unique. And right by the Old Town is Gediminas’ Tower, which sits up on a hill making it easily recognizable and very iconic. It’s the best place to get an overview of the city, so definitely walk up there. A little further east is Three Crosses Monument which is another good viewpoint. Now right outside the old town, we have the neighborhood of Užupis which is creative, and equally as cool. It has a very Bohemian style and the artistic community even declared it as an independent republic. Mainly just enjoy the vibe of Lithuania, check out the Bernardine Gardens if you want and walk along the river.
How to get there:
Vilnius International Airport (VNO) has a decent amount of direct flights from cities all over Europe.
You can also take a bus from Latvia or Poland, plus other cities in Lithuania like Kaunas.
2) Trakai
Trakai is a is a small, scenic town set among lakes and forests just outside of Vilnius (can be done as a day trip). It’s known all for the fairytale castle which puts this small town of 5,000 people on the map for tourists. The town is kind of spread across different strips of land between lakes, and there is quite a few islands in Lake Galvė to the north.
Things to do:
What everyone is here for is the Trakai Island Castle, probably Lithuania’s most recognizable landmark overall. It’s connected to the main town by wooden bridges, and you can walk all around Lake Galvė to get a bunch of different viewpoints. There isn’t much else to the town besides a couple main streets with traditional houses and some bars and shops, but you can see the Trakai Peninsula Castle right outside on the peninsula, although it’s definitely not as spectacular as the main castle.
How to get there:
You can take a regular train or bus from Vilnius right to Trakai.
3) Klaipėda
Now if we head over to the coastline along the Baltic Sea, we have the city of Klaipėda which is known for it’s ports and being the main maritime city of Lithuania. It has a really good atmosphere, especially in the summer where you can fully experience coastal charm as the seagulls fly overhead and ferries come in and out of the harbor.
Things to do:
While it may be small, the Klaipeda Old Town is very nice, the heart of it all being around Theatre Square. Here you can see the drama theatre and the Statue of Ann from Tharau, the cities icon. Then just wander the streets, and you can also the archeological site where The Castle of Klaipėda used to stand before it fell apart. The Castle Museum is now there, and it introduces you to the history of the city and the castle. It’s cool to walk around the port areas and see the cruise terminal and how important it is to the city. And lastly, up in the more northern areas is Sculpture Park - an underrated random spot with a bunch of modern and Soviet-era sculptures inside.
How to get there:
There are direct trains and buses from Vilnius or Kaunas to the city.
4) Kaunas
The last place on my list is the very cool city of Kaunas, Lithuania’s second largest city with a population of ~300,000. It use to serve as the countries capital during the time Vilnius was under Polish control, but now it exists as an awesome, clean and functional city in the south-central part of the country. It’s not even far from Vilnius at all, there is no reason to skip it.
Things to do:
Obviously start in Kaunas Old Town, see Kaunas Castle, the #KAUNAS Sign, and the epic Vytis Monument. They all sit right next to eachother so it makes exploring really easy. The Town Hall Square marks the heart of the Old Town, and it’s clear to realise when you’ve walked in as you cant miss the pretty, white church. You’ll also probably find yourself on Laisvės alėja, which is the longest pedestrian street in the city with lots of buildings from the 1800’s, plus the overpowering Church of St. Michael the Archangel on the eastern end. If you want to venture a little further outside the city, you absolutely have to make your way to Pažaislis Monastery and Church. It’s a massive Baroque complex built in 1664, with so much green space and charming views. If you have any spare time in the day, you have to go. You should also head north of the city to the Ninth Fort, where you can find the big Monument to commemorate the victims of Nazism. The old fortress was used as an execution site during WWII.
How to get there:
Kaunas Airport (KUN) is mainly served by budget airlines around Europe with many direct flights.
You can also take a train from Vilnius or Klaipeda, and a bus from there too, as well as places like Riga or Warsaw.
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