It might be you’re having a hard time spotting Vilnius on the map and let’s admit it, the Lithuanian capital isn’t as well-known as some of its European counterparts such as Prague, Berlin or even Budapest. It isn’t the first name that springs to mind either when thinking of a nice place to spend a long weekend in Europe but it definitely deserves to be on your list of places to visit and who knows if we’re not contemplating the next hot destination for a cool city break?
Based on our trip there in October 2017, we’ll be laying out a few of the city’s top spots and some of its gems we’ve particularly enjoyed.
DAY 1 -
Vilnius is served by quite a few low-cost airlines, and especially Ryan Air and Wizz Air, which are the cheapest options but also some of the most convenient as both these companies provide direct flights from the biggest European airports. You can also choose to fly with Air Baltic, the Latvian national company. Be careful when you plan your weekend though as you won’t find direct flights everyday so try and set up your dates accordingly.
Once you land, getting from Vilnius’ airport to the city centre will be pretty easy as several buses operate between the international airport and the city, among which are buses number 88, 4 and 3G. They will take approximately 30 minutes to get you to the heart of the city and only cost 1€ per trip. If you’re planning on staying far from the city center, you might wanna consider buying a 24h-ticket at around 4€ or a 72h-ticket at 6€. However, Vilnius is a pretty dense and walkable city, which is actually one of its most charming characteristic, so that won’t always be necessary. If you can walk for long hours a day, know that fantastic beer and some even greater comfort food will reward you and your sore legs by the end of the day, so just go for it!
If you arrive in the mid-afternoon as we did, we’d recommend you stay somewhere along the Traku gatve street as it is extremely well located and close to most of the city’s sights without being too touristy. To wash up your journey’s fatigue, there’s nothing better than to crash in one of Vilnius’ countless bars and pubs that will get you in the mood and start your weekend on the right trail. One of the best places to do so is the Amatininku Uzeiga, an old pub located only 10 minutes from Traku gatve which owns a nice terrace with a view on the Town Hall Square that you can enjoy on sunny days or an even better indoor hall made of wood and quaint artefacts. Take a seat on a wooden chair or relax on a comfortable couch, making it your nest for the night while you order some local bubbly beer (Kalnapilis) and the national dish of Lithuania called zeppelin (cepelinai), stuffed potato dumplings with a white sauce and crispy bacon on top of it. We promise you won’t be disappointed and will probably crave for more and end up ordering it at every meal.
DAY 2 –
As we said before, Vilnius is very pedestrian friendly and you won’t need to hop on a bus to get from one place to another. Instead, take some time to explore the city on foot and you’ll most likely discover some colourful baroque churches that weren’t on the map or an inviting coffee shop to start your day with an invigorating hot chocolate and an appel strudel. If you then head to the core of the city, you’ll end up on Pilies street at some point. This street is full of history as the country’s independence was signed there at number 26 but it also connects a lot of the city’s highlights and is definitely a good starting point.
Before you get there though, be sure to stop at the university of Vilnius. You can visit it for a mere 1,5€ fee and that will give you access to one of the grandest architectural compound in the city. Visiting the whole campus can take you up to an hour, and that includes the time it’ll take to navigate its 13 courtyards and get lost in the process. On top of your list should be the inside of St John’s church, a splendid example of Baroque architecture, the university’s library but also the Aisten hall and its striking though rather unusual vaulted mural paintings depicting ancient Lithuanian myths (or as we called it, the Shingeki no Kyojin Hall… see for yourself) After you’re done with your visit, you can go and take a look at the presidential palace through a narrow street that is home to some cool craft shops.
Head back to Pilies Street, wich will take you to the cathedral and climb to the Gediminas tower for a panoramic view of the city.
Get back to the ground and you can choose to visit the national museum or follow the lush river crossing through the Kalnu park that sits right next to Gediminas that will make you soon discover that Vilnius is not only brimming with a rich cultural heritage and extremely diverse architecture, it is also a very green city whose parks will give you all the fresh air you need. Wander around the park, taking pictures of the ducks bathing in the river or taking a welcome break under a tree, and you’ll spot at some point the red-bricked gothic spires of the Ste-Anne Church, which is one of the architectural marvels of the city designed in the Flamboyant Gothic style with bits of baroque and neo-gothic influences.
After all this exploring, your stomach will start roaring if it hasn’t started yet. Lucky for you, one of our favourite restaurants won’t be too far. Walk towards Svety mykolo street and you’ll find Gabi, a gem not only for its food but for its cozy atmosphere and its quaint interior. Warm up next to one of its iron fireplaces and sit comfortably on a wooden chair embroidered with delicate blue brocade. You’ll be in the right mood to indulge in a large bowl of local dumplings (koldunai) or in a tasty soup of the day. If you’re more of a comfort food lover, order some potato pancakes (blynai) and their even tastier version topped with cabbage and sausage, the Gipsy pancakes.
You’ll need a good walk to digest all this foodie goodness and once again you’re in luck as one of the quirkiest neighbourhoods in Vilnius is also a couple streets away. Uzupis, also known as the Independent Republic of Uzupis, is considered one of the top spots in the city for good reason as it declared its independence in 1997 and is as offbeat as it is pretty. Sure, some of the buildings might need some renovation but that only adds to the charm and the artsy vibe that all its inhabitants seem to convey. Although gentrification is slowly changing the face of Uzupis, it still remains unique and you’ll want to get lost in its alleys to really feel the place. Don’t miss the Republic’s constitution, translated in a dozen languages and stating things as bizarre as “People have the right to have no rights”. By the end of your visit, you can try to get your passport stamped with the official flag of the Republic of Uzupis, although we never could find the right place to do it :(.
When you’re done exploring Uzupis, head to the iconic Gates of Dawn through the Bastion of Vilnius City Wall. Along the way, you can also stop at Kazys-Varnelis House Museum and the Contemporary Art Centre. Don’t forget the many churches you can visit as well, including the Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit, Lithuania’s most prominent Orthodox place of worship and Church of St-Casimir. If you’re hungry, you can always go back to Amatininku Uzeiga and order some tender pig’s ears with chickpeas or some stylish chilled borscht soup made of beetroot for a bright pink colour, dill for a gourmet flavour and boiled potatoes for the filling effect. For a change of taste, try Lokys just a few blocks away that offers a variety of game dishes, at a higher price though. You’ll sleep well whatever your choice is and be ready for another day.