City
Vilnius
Lithuania
A baroque capital with one of Europe's largest old towns, hilltop views and a bohemian district with its own c...
Northern Europe
Lithuania
A Baltic country of baroque Vilnius, a lake castle at Trakai, a hill of thousands of crosses and the sand dunes of the Curonian Spit.
For storytellers
Why Lithuania matters
Lithuania is the largest of the three Baltic states, and it surprises almost everyone who visits. Vilnius has one of the biggest surviving old towns in Europe, with baroque churches on nearly every corner and a scruffy, creative neighbourhood that declared itself a republic. A short drive away stands a red-brick castle on an island in a lake. Further out, there is a hill covered in countless crosses, a cosmopolitan interwar capital in Kaunas, and a thin ribbon of sand dunes and pine forest on the Baltic coast. It is affordable, uncrowded and full of quirky stories.
Talking points
- Vilnius has one of the largest historic old towns in Europe, packed with baroque churches.
- Trakai Castle stands on an island in a lake, within easy reach of the capital.
- The Hill of Crosses is a pilgrimage site covered in a vast number of crosses left by visitors.
- The Curonian Spit is a long strip of dunes and pine forest between the Baltic and a lagoon.
- Kaunas was Lithuania's capital between the wars and keeps a rich modernist architecture.
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- Capital
- Vilnius
- Languages
- Lithuanian
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Best time to go
- May to September for warm weather and the coast; June for long light evenings; September for fewer crowds.
Where to base yourself
Cities and towns in Lithuania
City
Kaunas
Lithuania
Lithuania's second city, the interwar capital, with a modernist legacy, a medieval old town and a long pedestr...
Village
Nida
Lithuania
A small fishing village on the Curonian Spit, with colourful wooden houses and the biggest dunes nearby.
City
Klaipėda
Lithuania
Lithuania's Baltic port, with a half-timbered old town and ferries to the Curonian Spit.
Town
Palanga
Lithuania
Lithuania's main summer resort, with a long sandy beach, a pier and a botanical park.
Top places
What to see in Lithuania
- Top places
- Church, mosque or temple 5
- Neighbourhood 3
- Viewpoint 2
- Historic site 2
- National park 2
- Tower 1
- Castle 1
- Square 1
- Shopping 1
- Museum 1
- Scenic route 1
Neighbourhood · UNESCO
Vilnius Old Town
Vilnius, Lithuania
One of Europe's largest surviving medieval old towns, filled with baroque churches and courtyards.
National park · UNESCO
Curonian Spit
Nida, Lithuania
A narrow sand peninsula of dunes, pine forest and fishing villages between the Baltic and a lagoon.
Castle
Trakai Island Castle
Trakai, Lithuania
A red-brick Gothic castle on an island in Lake Galvė, reached by a wooden bridge.
Tower
Gediminas Tower
Vilnius, Lithuania
The remains of the upper castle of Vilnius on a hill, with the best view of the red-roofed old town.
Church, mosque or temple
Hill of Crosses
Lithuania
A hill covered with a very large number of crosses, rosaries and religious figures left by pilgrims.
Church, mosque or temple
Vilnius Cathedral
Vilnius, Lithuania
A neoclassical cathedral with a separate belfry on the main square, the heart of national life.
Church, mosque or temple
Church of St Anne
Vilnius, Lithuania
A tiny Gothic church of red brick with an intricate facade, admired for centuries.
Church, mosque or temple
Gate of Dawn
Vilnius, Lithuania
The last surviving city gate of Vilnius, with a chapel above it holding a revered icon.
Square
Kaunas Town Hall Square
Kaunas, Lithuania
The old town's central square, dominated by a white town hall nicknamed the White Swan.
Viewpoint
Parnidis Dune
Nida, Lithuania
A huge sand dune near Nida with a sundial and a panoramic view over the lagoon and the sea.
Neighbourhood
Užupis
Vilnius, Lithuania
A bohemian artists' district that proclaimed itself a republic, with a playful constitution on a wall.
National park
Aukštaitija National Park
Lithuania
Lithuania's oldest national park, a landscape of forest, lakes and traditional villages in the northeast.
Church, mosque or temple
Christ's Resurrection Church
Kaunas, Lithuania
A large modernist church on a hill, begun in the interwar period as a symbol of independence.
Viewpoint
Hill of Three Crosses
Vilnius, Lithuania
A wooded hilltop above the old town with three white crosses and a lovely view.
Neighbourhood
Klaipėda Old Town
Klaipėda, Lithuania
A small old town of half-timbered buildings and cobbled streets beside the Dangė river.
Shopping
Laisvės alėja
Kaunas, Lithuania
A long pedestrian boulevard lined with trees, shops and interwar buildings in the centre of Kaunas.
Scenic route
Palanga Pier
Palanga, Lithuania
A long wooden pier stretching out into the Baltic, the focal point of Palanga's seafront.
Historic site
Vilnius University
Vilnius, Lithuania
One of the oldest universities in the region, a complex of courtyards, a library and a baroque church.
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