Find, compare, and book sightseeing tours, attractions, excursions, things to do and fun activities from around the world. The site is surrounded by a vast garden and is also close to St. Annes Church and the Vilnele River, meaning theres plenty of things to see and do during your stay. As I visited Vilnius in December, I didnt get to visit these gardens for long. A day well spent in Vilnius is a day spent strolling around the Old Town.The houses were adorable, with tiny cobbled streets going in all and any direction (we didn't find one straight corner there), and small parks and green areas scattered around.The last part particularly surprised me - there were so many pretty parks and green squares . 41 places sorted by traveller favourites. Although many businesses and attractions here do take cards, I would have cash on you at all times. Just be patient with the traffic and masses of tourists using the crossroads! Founded in 1988, this unusual museum regales visitors with stories about the formation, colour, harvesting and processing of the ancient fossilised tree resin known as Baltic amber. But, the reality is that the French soldiers used it for shelter during the Napoleonic wars. All rights reserved. They have slots available daily. This museum . Join a Free Tour. More travel. Youve got the Gate of Dawns in the background, a whole range of historic architecture including the Philharmonic building, church spires, and cobbled streets. Save money and book directly from local suppliers. Taking pride of place on one of Vilnius' main squares, the Vilnius Cathedral is a sight you're sure to see. The Church of Casimircan be shot from the outside 24 hours a day. In other words they can be carried anywhere at any time. As well as the castle, you can explore Lithuanias smallest national park, learn about the Karaite community, sample Kibinai pastries and hop around historic mansions. 6. But, in the summer I reckon this will be a small green oasis in the heart of the city. This is a chargeable museum but there are hundreds, if not thousands, of artifacts inside! 1. The district also plays host to regular feasts, fireworks shows and open-air art exhibitions, so be sure to check local events schedules during your visit. But get in quick the monument will come down one day, with all of its coins earmarked for childrens charities. Look for it's unusual small pink arched entrance. Frank Zappa often spoke of revolution in his songs and became an icon to the youth in the city after their newfound freedom! (the . See the official website for opening times. Do They Speak English in Lithuania Vilnius? Plus its only 30 minutes from Vilnius making it the perfect day trip. Vilnil. It is one of the main shopping streets. Paneriai Memorial Museum - Holocaust memorial in a forest where tens of thousands of Jews lost their lives. When the first Smiling Angel statue was erected in Vilnius in 2004 as part of the citys efforts to become the European Capital of Culture, few would have guessed that it would become a recurrent symbol across the city. 3. The Fabijoniks district plays the part in the infamous Pripyat, The Museum of Occupations plays the KGB prison and a few of the former government buildings and guest houses were transformed into courtrooms and hotels. The part that really gave me the chills was the death chamber. Eventually, when Lithuania was granted its independence it was renamed Gediminas Avenue after the Grand Duke Gediminas who founded Vilnius. He had a prophetic dream on a hunting trip where he dreamt of a wolf made of iron, howling with the power of a thousand wolves. I think if one street captures the essence of Vilnius, this is the shot. He brings a world-class level of gastronomy to the Lithuanian capital. This is one of them. Just outside the Cathedral Basilica of St Stanislaus is the Vilnius Cathedral Bell Tower. The tower, which is one of Vilnius' oldest and most popular tourist attractions, offers a 360-degree panorama of the city and exhibits objects related to Lithuania's history. Its well worth putting this stop on your itinerary for lunch to do what the locals do! Sacred Spaces 4. The Cathedral Basilica of St Stanislaus and St Ladislaus of Vilnius is seen as the heart of Catholic spiritual life. It can be found around 19 kilometres out of Vilnius City Centre. On our three-hour tour, we explored and ate our way through the Old Town. So, its well worth checking out if you want to learn all about it! You will see public art all over Uupis. I visited Azia Spa as one of my experiences with Tinggly. Today, it is the home to many government authorities in Vilnius but its also home to hundreds of retail outlets, restaurants, cafs, and the Museum of Occupations. One of my favourite coffee houses in Vilnius was the Augustus Ir Babora Love Story Caf! You can get there by taking bus number 66 straight to the location of the park. Over the years, this has been expanded and now there are over 200 plaques dedicated to authors who have a connection with Vilnius and even those from around the globe. If you cant get enough of the view over Vilnius, you can head to the Three Crosses Hill, a hill overlooking the city with three 12m tall white concrete Crosses overlooking the city. It was included amongst the worlds most beautiful churches on Churchpop, alongside cathedrals in England and Italy. I was gutted I didnt get a chance to explore the inside of the library, but you can go inside on an organised tour if youre interested. As was tradition, many of these gates had religious artifacts inside to protect the city from attacks and bless travellers that walk through them. The mead from here was incredible. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hey there! Stays Stays. They even have location tours now. During my week spent in Vilnius, one of my favourite tours had to be the Flavours of Vilnius tour that I took with Urban Adventures. This cookie can only be read from the domain they are set on and will not track any data while browsing through other sites. There are historical exhibitions, excavations, lavish reconstructed rooms (my favourite part) and also artwork too! It costs 4 Euros and is open from 10am 6pm Wednesday to Saturday. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. There are also several lovely green spaces to escape to, including Kalnu Park. . One of my favourite streets in the whole of Vilnius is Ausros Vartu Street. One of those is a set of footprints. . Exhibitions of the works of artists working with amber are also regularly held here and visitors can buy amber jewellery in the on-site store. Visit the streets of the Vilna Ghetto (Jewish Ghetto), 17. Reservations are recommended for large groups and at peak times. Its a great investment. So thats all the things to do in Vilnius, but if youre here for a few days and fancy a day trip, there are lots to choose from. Climb the University Bell Tower. Visit the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, 6. It was cheap and convenient. You never know where it may lead! But, most of the food stalls will not open until 9/10am. This bell tower has unobstructed open views from its windows at the top which is why people prefer it over the Cathedral Square Bell Tower. 25 Things To Do In Vilnius Lithuania in Winter. Perhaps the most unusual of sites in all of Lithuania, the Hill of Crosses in the north of the country is a must-see on any road . Later, in the 17th century, the church belonged to the Uniates of the Basilian Order. So, the town became derelict making way for less desirable members of society to move into the neighbourhood and it got a bad name. From an Old Town that looks like something from a fairytale, gothic castles, and breathtaking viewpoints. Prices start from 45 Euro for a one-hour treatment which is really reasonable for full-body treatments. So, without further ado, here are all the amazing things to do in Vilnius on your trip. The palace has a long and noble history and has stood here since the 14th century during the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The most famous mural that Vilnius is known for is the shotgun mural of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin called Make Everything Great Again by artists Dominykas ekauskas and Mindaugas Bonanu. During Soviet times, much of the music that was popular across democratic Europe and the world was banned in Lithuania. In Vilnius, all roads lead in the Old Town lead to the Cathedral Square! Then, when I popped my head inside, I knew I HAD to pop back and have lunch there so that is exactly what I did. The City Bastion Viewpoint can be visited 24 hours a day, but if you want to go insidethe museumor onto the terrace, this is only open from Tuesday Sunday from 10am 6pm. How many of the churches were destroyed and how so many Lithuanian people were deported to hard labour camps, imprisoned, or killed. As a result, you can never quite be sure where youll see one but you can have plenty of fun guessing! Make sure you arrive hungry! The Cathedral Square with the Cathedral of St. Stanislaus is a must-see during a sightseeing tour in Vilnius. There is a legend surrounding this hill (known as Bleak Hill) that 14 Franciscan monks were invited to Vilnius and started preaching about God. 10am 5pm Sundays. A cookie set by YouTube to measure bandwidth that determines whether the user gets the new or old player interface. Thats because he is known as the founding father of Vilnius! If youre interested this church was built in 1387, so it has a lot of history to tell and is worth popping in to have a look too. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Make sure you take a bucket list selfie in the Uupis consitution. Lithuania is a small country and so most big cities and attractions can be reached in less than a few hours from the capital. The Gediminas Tower of the Upper Castle is the last remaining part of his legacy here. My guide on a Vilnius walking tour also told me that you can always navigate your way around the city by heading down to this spot. The Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights is a very interesting and important museum as it explains the atrocities committed by the KGB. As the sun rose on Near Years Day 2015, the people of Lithuania woke to a new national currency, the euro. Good for. Once the Nazi occupation came around, unfortunately, a lot of the residents were deported to hard labour and concentration camps. When you enter the cathedral, youll often find pilgrims falling to their knees in prayer. Uupis Republic Discovery Tour - This is the bohemian part of Vilnius and I recommend you see it with a local guide. Soon after, he commissioned a sculptor to create a bust of Zappa on a patch of land in the city centre. The Uupis district, a self-declared independent republic since 1997, shows a more bohemian side to the city, full of artists, creative studios and colourful graffiti. It is HUGE at over 1,000 feet high, so youre bound to feel like youre up in the clouds. Its the oldest market in Vilnius that is still thriving today and sells everything from all sorts of meat including pigs ears, fruits, cheese, mushrooms, bread, to clothes and electricals. During this period the building was used to house prisoners and to conduct executions and torture in its basement. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. I visited in December and loved the festive feel of the square. It does not store any personal data. But, unfortunately, I ran out of time. Read my complete Trakai guide here and the best way to get there here from Vilnius! 5. Corruption was everywhere and you didnt know who to trust. Its a great place to sample a few dishes as the prices wont break your budget! benefits of using the Go Vilnius card. Hals market can be found on Pylimo gatve and is open from 7am. Cookies containing your personal data may be used for personalized and non-personalized advertising to you. Have a Instagrammable lunch at Augustus Ir Babora Love Story Caf, 19. Click here to find out more about booking a tour of the library. Explore the Old Town. The gardens were built as part of their monastery. Browsing an art gallery is something I LOVE to do in cities and I had my heart set on the MO museum. The Museum of Occupations is a must-visit. Escape Games. A dark and disturbing testimony to the events that still cast a shadow over the city. There are free tours to go inside the Palace on Saturdays. Frequented by artists, writers and other creative types since the fall of Communism, the district actually declared itself an independent republic in 1998, resulting in its citizens being furnished with their own flag and national anthem. And if youre a committed train spotter too, all the better. The Vilnius Cathedral Bell Tower is open from 10am 7pm in summer and 10am 6pm in winter. Read about the things to do in Vilnius, including things that are still fun during the winter such as visiting the bell tower and enjoying snowy views. The Vilnius Museum of Modern Art opened its doors in 2019. Take a closer look at this bustling city with our suggestions for unique things to do in Vilnius. Then it switched hands to the Orthodox Church in the 19th century and eventually, after the independence, went back to the Uniates! Three Crosses Hill: Another monument to Lithuania's tense past with . Look out for the The Walls Remember, People Tell street art around here, these are paintings inspired by real people who used to live in the area. As well as the historical architecture of the Old Town, the New part of Vilnius has many art galleries that exhibit all sorts of art from classical portraits to contemporary works and installations. It means youre officially a resident of Uupis! This was a decree of the Flemish rule which granted certain members authority in the city. We visited Vilnius this summer for a weekend from Norway on an invitation from Tinggly Experiences. Groups & meetings. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in January. Such is the potency of the tiles historical significance that many believe it now has magical, wish-granting properties. See Tripadvisor's 1,56,019 traveller reviews and photos of kid friendly Vilnius attractions They dress up in reconstructed uniforms from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the 14th century as part of an ancient tradition. Facebook sets this cookie to show relevant advertisements to users by tracking user behaviour across the web, on sites that have Facebook pixel or Facebook social plugin. See here for details. Perfect for those who don't enjoy the grueling climb. The Old Town is also 10 minutes away by foot. Its lucky that this gate survived at all, because all the others were destroyed on orders from the government in the 18th century! The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Source: Shutterstock. The architecture on the outside of the church is stunning, but when you go inside you can see what the church is famous for; over 2,000 stucco figures and a Rococo pulpit! If you only have time for one, I would recommend visiting either the National Gallery of Art (LAM) or MO Museum. The Hill of Crosses is one of the most important attractions in Lithuania and is a symbol of light and hope. Vilnius, Lithuania. Traditional Lithuanian dishes start on their menu at 7 8 Euros, so I would definitely make a booking if youre keen. During the Soviet Era, it was converted into a warehouse. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. This library is one of the oldest and largest academic libraries in Lithuania founded in the 1570s by the Jesuits. Mykolo g. 8 HOURS Mon-Sun 9am-5pm 10am-7pm. 7 were executed and thrown from Bleak hill and the other 7 were crucified thrown into the Vilnia River. It then changed to Stalin avenue and Lenin Avenue. But with the fall of communism came a cultural liberation and suddenly bands that were previously outlawed were pumping out of teenage bedrooms, park stereos and music venues across the nation. I think if there is one bar or restaurant you need to visit while in Vilnius, its the quirky and eccentric nekutis! As this act was seen as a miracle, a special tile was placed in the Cathedral Square which people now call the magic tile. Things aren't quite what they seem at this mind-bending museum. This cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen. At that time Lithuania was Pagan and the people didnt really appreciate the monks bad-mouthing their Lithuanian Gods. Here are a few of my favourite streets and courtyards in the old town; Click here to book a courtyard tour of Vilnius. Vilnius isn't just beautiful to behold - it's also an economic powerhouse in the Baltics. 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