Lithuania is famously known for the amount of churches and sacred
sites such as the Hill of Crosses, located in the outskirts of the town
of Siauliai which is a sacred site literary filled with hundreds of
religious artifacts.
Lithuania has strong Russian and German influences that
can be appreciated in places such as Klaipeda which used to be a German
City, and Vilnius where you will find many Russian Orthodox Churches. If
you’re wondering what to expect in Lithuania, the country boasts a
vibrant diversity that includes Jewish, Russian, and Polish influences.
In a nutshell, Lithuania is one of the top 10 eastern European destinations to visit because of the unique architecture and many sightseeing opportunities. I hope you enjoy the following list of must-see places in Lithuania:
1.Kaunas
Kaunas is the second largest city and one of the top eastern European cities to visit, and it's just 90 minutes drive west of Vilnius. Kaunas is a great destination if you’re planning on doing a day trip from Vilnius, though the city is also an excellent place to base your vacation in Lithuania.
Kaunas boasts many interesting things to visit such as Kaunas’ Old Town which is also one of my favorite places to visit in Lithuania because of the old-fashioned red phone booths, interestingly similar to the red telephone boxes found in London in England
Kaunas Old Town is another excellent place to enjoy a walking tour because of the amount of beautiful Gothic and Baroque buildings such as the House of Perkunas and Presidential Palace.
Overall, the main attraction in Kaunas Old Town is the amount of churches such as Gertrude Church and Vytauta’s Church.
Other interesting places to visit in Kaunas include:
- Kaunas Castle
- Kaunas Cathedral
- Town Hall
- Lithuanian Literature Museum
- Museum of the History of Lithuanian Medicine and Pharmacy
- Povilas Stulga Museum of Lithuanian Folk Instruments
The last two, are actually two of my favorite places to visit in Kaunas because of the interesting collection on Lithuanian artifacts such as photographs and music instruments.
2.Vilnius
Vilnius’ Old Town is one of the most fascinating places to visit in Lithuania, and one of the best ways to marvel at the architecture and many churches found here it’s on walking tour. The Main Square or Cathedral Square it’s the focal point and the starting point of any walking tour.
Within the vicinity of Cathedral Square, you’ll find:
- The famed Vilnius Cathedral and bell tower (pictured)
- The bronze statue of Gediminas
- The Wish Stone marble marking – Stebuklas - which is said to make your wish come true if you climb on it.
- St Anne’s Church
- Vilnius University
- Presidential Palace where Napoleon Bonaparte lived for some time.
Another interesting place to explore in Vilnius it’s Vilnus Castle Complex as it is home to the Upper Castle remaining tower (Gediminas’ Tower), the Lithuanian National museum, the remains of Upper Castle’s keep and two arsenals.
Gediminas’ Tower is actually one of my favorite places to visit because of the archeological museum housed inside, and because the location on top of a hill offers a great vantage point to get stunning views of Vilnius Old Town.
As a side note, if you’re planning on taking a self-guided tour of Vilnius’ Old Town, I would suggest heading first to Vilnius Town Hall to plan your trip.
3.Lithuanian Hill of Crosses
If you’re visiting the country for a short time and are looking for unique places to visit in Lithuania, one of these places would have to be the Hill of Crosses, located in the outskirts of Siauliai. The Lithuanian Hill of Crosses is literary a hill filled with crosses. In fact, you’ll find crosses of all sizes, as well as giant crucifixes, statues of Virgin Mary, effigies and rosaries.
The Hill of Crosses is sacred site for pilgrims and it’s truly a site like no other you've ever seen, or are likely to see anywhere in the world. Apart from the Hill of Crosses, the town of Siauliai itself makes for an interesting stop over so, it's worth spending a day to explore the many churches, and to soak in real Lithuanian culture.
4.Klaipeda
The city of Klaipeda can easily be the highlight of your vacation and it's a popular beach vacation during the summer.
Klaipeda is one of my favorite places to visit in Lithuania because the city serves as an ideal location to base your vacation if you plan to explore other northern European destinations such as Germany, Norway and Sweden.
In fact, Klaipeda Port has daily ferry connections to the German city of Kiel where you can take connecting ferries to Oslo Norway and Gothenburg Sweden.
The main attraction in Klaipeda is taking a walking tour of the old part of town as it features beautiful cobblestone streets, timber-framed buildings and interesting monuments such as Simon Dach Fountain and the United of Lithuania Arch which is the biggest monument in the country.
 |
In a nutshell, Lithuania is one of the top 10 eastern European destinations to visit because of the unique architecture and many sightseeing opportunities. I hope you enjoy the following list of must-see places in Lithuania:
1.Kaunas
Kaunas is the second largest city and one of the top eastern European cities to visit, and it's just 90 minutes drive west of Vilnius. Kaunas is a great destination if you’re planning on doing a day trip from Vilnius, though the city is also an excellent place to base your vacation in Lithuania.
Kaunas boasts many interesting things to visit such as Kaunas’ Old Town which is also one of my favorite places to visit in Lithuania because of the old-fashioned red phone booths, interestingly similar to the red telephone boxes found in London in England
Kaunas Old Town is another excellent place to enjoy a walking tour because of the amount of beautiful Gothic and Baroque buildings such as the House of Perkunas and Presidential Palace.
Overall, the main attraction in Kaunas Old Town is the amount of churches such as Gertrude Church and Vytauta’s Church.
Other interesting places to visit in Kaunas include:
- Kaunas Castle
- Kaunas Cathedral
- Town Hall
- Lithuanian Literature Museum
- Museum of the History of Lithuanian Medicine and Pharmacy
- Povilas Stulga Museum of Lithuanian Folk Instruments
The last two, are actually two of my favorite places to visit in Kaunas because of the interesting collection on Lithuanian artifacts such as photographs and music instruments.
2.Vilnius
Vilnius’ Old Town is one of the most fascinating places to visit in Lithuania, and one of the best ways to marvel at the architecture and many churches found here it’s on walking tour. The Main Square or Cathedral Square it’s the focal point and the starting point of any walking tour.
Within the vicinity of Cathedral Square, you’ll find:
- The famed Vilnius Cathedral and bell tower (pictured)
- The bronze statue of Gediminas
- The Wish Stone marble marking – Stebuklas - which is said to make your wish come true if you climb on it.
- St Anne’s Church
- Vilnius University
- Presidential Palace where Napoleon Bonaparte lived for some time.
Another interesting place to explore in Vilnius it’s Vilnus Castle Complex as it is home to the Upper Castle remaining tower (Gediminas’ Tower), the Lithuanian National museum, the remains of Upper Castle’s keep and two arsenals.
Gediminas’ Tower is actually one of my favorite places to visit because of the archeological museum housed inside, and because the location on top of a hill offers a great vantage point to get stunning views of Vilnius Old Town.
As a side note, if you’re planning on taking a self-guided tour of Vilnius’ Old Town, I would suggest heading first to Vilnius Town Hall to plan your trip.
3.Lithuanian Hill of Crosses
If you’re visiting the country for a short time and are looking for unique places to visit in Lithuania, one of these places would have to be the Hill of Crosses, located in the outskirts of Siauliai. The Lithuanian Hill of Crosses is literary a hill filled with crosses. In fact, you’ll find crosses of all sizes, as well as giant crucifixes, statues of Virgin Mary, effigies and rosaries.
The Hill of Crosses is sacred site for pilgrims and it’s truly a site like no other you've ever seen, or are likely to see anywhere in the world. Apart from the Hill of Crosses, the town of Siauliai itself makes for an interesting stop over so, it's worth spending a day to explore the many churches, and to soak in real Lithuanian culture.
4.Klaipeda
The city of Klaipeda can easily be the highlight of your vacation and it's a popular beach vacation during the summer.
Klaipeda is one of my favorite places to visit in Lithuania because the city serves as an ideal location to base your vacation if you plan to explore other northern European destinations such as Germany, Norway and Sweden.
In fact, Klaipeda Port has daily ferry connections to the German city of Kiel where you can take connecting ferries to Oslo Norway and Gothenburg Sweden.
The main attraction in Klaipeda is taking a walking tour of the old part of town as it features beautiful cobblestone streets, timber-framed buildings and interesting monuments such as Simon Dach Fountain and the United of Lithuania Arch which is the biggest monument in the country.
0 Comments
