Overview
Lithuania, the tiny, southernmost Baltic nation has much more to offer than people give it credit for. That can also be said for its capital city Vilnius, a city that captures the best of Western and Eastern European lifestyles. Being part of the Soviet Union for decades in the 1900’s plus years of independence and self determination has left Vilnius as a capital that has seen the good and the bad of communism and capitalism. In the last twenty years, there has been a revival of Lithuanian tradition and identity and Vilnius has been the hub for this activity.
A city characterized by its beautiful old town, its cathedrals and churches and its illustrious castle, Vilnius is moving towards modernity in great strides. It’s clean, safe and a great place to tour, especially during the summer season, as it is not yet overrun with mass tourism like other cities in Western Europe. It also has a budding nightlife scene that can’t be missed!
Is it Cheap?
Yes, but not as cheap as you would suspect. Vilnius, along with the other Baltic cities adjusted to the Euro just a few years ago, which spiked the prices in the region. While it is on the Euro, it certainly isn’t anything like Paris or Amsterdam, with the average cost of a meal around 10-12 Euros and a drink around 3-4. Luckily, hostels are still cheap as it is not a huge tourist city!
Downtown Vilnius
Trakai Castle
Baltic Style Houses in Trakai
What to Do
Vilnius is small, but there are certainly a ton of different options when it comes to keeping yourself occupied. It is the perfect location to also take a day trip from and explore the Lithuanian nature, which has been recognized as top class.
Trakai Castle: The castle sits on an island in a town that was recognized as the capital of Lithuania hundreds of years ago. The small town of Trakai might be the most touristy destination in Lithuania but it is definitely worth a visit. The town itself is lined with quaint, colorful huts and houses and is known for their delicious meat pies. The castle stands alone among the various lakes and rivers that cut through the peninsula. To get to Trakai, go to the central station and take the train in the direction of the city (Trakai). The ticket will be around 2 Euro and takes around 30 minutes. Trakai is only 15 kilometers out of the city center.
Walk around the Old Town: The old town of Lithuania is beautiful, clean and trendy; the perfect place to enjoy a cup of coffee, a hearty meal or to relax and people watch. Narrow streets and massive churches characterize the old town as probably the most unique in the Baltics, with the apparent German, Scandinavian and Russian influences shaping the landscape. The city offers great walking tours that go into detail about these influences and they even offer a Jewish walking tour that explains the Jewish presence that was massive during the early 1900’s and how the city has changed since then.
Go to the Vilnius Castle: The Vilnius Castle sits high up on a hill overlooking both the old town and the new. Shaped more like a brick turret, the castle offers the best view of the entire city and walking up is completely free.
What to Eat and Drink in Vilnius
The food in Vilnius and in the Baltics in general is an interesting mix of German and Russian cuisine, with a truly Lithuanian twist. Meat and potatoes along with potato dumplings and pancakes are staples and the food is heavy and will leave you stuffed. If you make your way to Vilnius make sure to try the following dishes.
Cepelinai: Imagine a large steamed potato gnocchi stuffed with ground pork/beef. They often fry them as well, leaving a crispy exterior and chewy, meaty interior. It’s a textural adventure and a great way to get your calories in for the day. They typically serve the Cepelinai with either a bacon and onion sauce or with sour cream.
If you'd like to learn more about this specialty, I cooked it my instagram and wrote a recipe for it here: https://www.tastesfromtheroad.com/post/cepelinai-from-lithuania
Kugelis: This dish is much like a potato gratin or pie, stuffed with various types of meat that hides away from view in the middle. Think potato pancake ingredients put into a ramekin and baked until the top is charred and the interior potatoes are tender. They too, top this with bacon and onion sauce and sour cream. It’s heavy.
Cold Borsch: Much like the Russian Borscht, the Lithuanians serve their beet soup cold, with lots of dill and small juliennes of the bright red root vegetable.
Kibinai: These are a specialty of the Trakai region. They are essentially meat pies stuffed with mutton (old lamb) or beef. Warm, filling, savory and delicious, we understand why Kibinai are so important to the LIthuanians.
For awesome Lithuanian food served in a local setting we recommend Forto Dvaras, a cave restaurant that has everything you need as far as local fare. If you are up to try something a bit more out of the box, head over to Meat Lover’s Pub and get the horse burger. Yes, we said horse burger and yes, it is real horse meat. It’s actually not as weird as you would think and they top it with caramelized onions, dijon and rocket.
Transport
Vilnius itself is a smaller city and super walkable. Most people stick to the old town so there isn’t much need for public transportation. If you want to go to the newer side of the city, Vilnius has public buses, some of which look like something right out of a Soviet movie.
Nightlife and Clubbing
The nightlife in Vilnius embodies the youth movement of modern Europe, with many trendy bars and nightclubs becoming increasingly popular and plentiful. Whether you are looking for a techno club or just a chill place to drink and enjoy a beer, Vilnius has what you are looking for. On weekends definitely check out Opium, Vilnius’ number one club. It is known for their loud electronic music that plays until the early hours of the morning. Other clubs worth checking out are Yucatan and Kablys. Yucatan has more of an underground and hipster electronic music vibe, while Kablys is your standard techno club.
If you happen to be in Vilnius in the summer make sure to check out Minimal Monday. The event takes place in a small courtyard with a few different open air bars, food trucks and loud music. Often times the stage is filled with a local band or DJ playing generally modern electronic music.
Peronas is a great bar to get the feel of Vilnius as it is actually attached to the train station. It’s one of the only places you can watch the trains roll by and have an ice cold tap beer.
Cafe de Paris has also been recommended to us by our local fixer as a place to get your groove on.
My Travel Essentials For A European Backpacking Trip
Below you'll find a list of my must bring backpacking items. I have gotten this list down to my essentials through trial and error over 4 years of living in a backpack. I hope you'll find these items helpful on your journey!
►Main Backpacking Backpack: https://amzn.to/3vUHdik [Amazon]
►Great Front Facing Duffle-bag : https://amzn.to/3SjK6Ra [Amazon]
►Quick Dry Towel : https://amzn.to/3uarxH8 [Amazon]
►Multi Country Charger Adapter : https://amzn.to/3Ul37p0 [Amazon]
►Refillable Water Bottle : https://amzn.to/48SnG0n [Amazon]
►Padlock : https://amzn.to/3SdyYp7 [Amazon]
►Earplugs : https://amzn.to/498xTpl [Amazon]
►Power Bank : https://amzn.to/3SyXP8e [Amazon]
Travel Photography & Video Favorites
If you're interested in creating your own video content on your trip, these are some of my favorite items I've had. They work, they're effective and besides the Sony Aa7C, they aren't going to break the bank either!
►On the Go Video | Go Pro Hero 12 : https://amzn.to/3u38oHh [Amazon]
►Photography | Sony A7C : https://amzn.to/3u1Y6ap [Amazon]
►Portable Tripod | https://amzn.to/42ojHqc [Amazon]
►Lavalier Microphone | https://amzn.to/3SbL41U [Amazon]
►Drone | https://amzn.to/47TCwSY [Amazon]
►Portable Monitor | https://amzn.to/3Hzv2dg [Amazon]
All links are affiliate links with amazon which I may generate revenue from. These are products I actually have used for years and would feel comfortable recommending to first time and experienced travelers alike.
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