Friday 12 November 2021

5 things to do in Vilnius, Lithuania

Recently I booked myself a £15.99 return flight to Vilnius in Lithuania with Ryanair, and took myself on a solo city break to Eastern Europe. Vilnius is a capital city, a fairly small one, but there's still some great things to do! Here's what I got up to...

Climb up to Gediminas Tower


This is the last remaining part of the castle tower, and it's free to visit - then €5* to get inside and out onto the roof for those glorious panoramic views. To climb up the tower it's around 1/4 cobbles and then a wooden staircase; there is a funicular which costs €2 but it is currently out of order. The tower museum is tiny with just a few artefacts and a little historic film, but the real draw is a the (very windy) rooftop, where you can see right across the city. If you're able to make the climb, I would 100% recommend!

*free with the Vilnius Pass (€16.99-€41.99) which was kindly gifted to me.



Visit Užupis


Where to start with this little gem! Užupis is a cute little neighbourhood on the river, with its own 'border control' and 'constitution'. On April Fool's Day in 1997 they declared themselves as independent from Vilnius, and it is very popular with artists - apparently, 1000 of its inhabitants are artists! It's a really lovely little part of the city, and the constitution is very fun to read. There's an angel statue, a hidden mermaid and just a lovely vibe all round.



Try some kibinai


Often likened to a Cornish pasty, because that's exactly what they're like, these are traditional Lithuanian pastries. You can buy them from street food vendors across the city and in restaurants too. They typically contain mutton and onions, but I opted for a chicken one and it was lovely!


Walk down Literatu Gatve


This narrow winding street, known as Literature Street, is covered in plaques and artwork dedicated to writers who have had connections with Vilnius and Lithuania over the years. There's hundreds, and some are really funky. Overall just a great vibe here and something really cool to see - plus it's free.


Count the churches


For a small city, there are a lot of churches. 28 to be exact - some small, some huge, some right next to each other. You can pop inside most of them, although some have not reopened since the Soviet era. I'm pretty sure I saw them all when I was there! Even as a totally-not-religious person, I love churches and architecture and they're all just stunning to see.


It's a cute and pretty city, and there are plenty of museums, bars & restaurants too. Have you ever been to Vilnius, Lithuania?

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