Vilnius travel guide
Vilnius rewards people who walk slowly and look into courtyards. This guide gives the order of the days, the costs, and a plan for the grey ones.
The city in short
Almost everything worth a visit lies inside the Old Town or a short walk beyond it. Gothic brick stands beside classicist white: the Cathedral is a plain columned temple, and St. Anne’s is a thicket of red spires.
Across the Vilnelė river lies Užupis, the smallest district, which declared itself a republic on 1 April 1997. The university quarter mixes Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Classicist buildings around thirteen courtyards, and entry is free for individual visitors.
The city is easy to cover on foot. Visitors say that a few words of Lithuanian are appreciated, and labas (hello) costs nothing to learn.
How long to stay
- Two days cover the Cathedral, the castle hill, the university courtyards and the churches of the Old Town, with an evening in Užupis.
- Three days add a morning at the Palace of the Grand Dukes or a museum, and a half day at Trakai.
- Four days leave room for Kaunas by train and one slow day without a list, which is when this city works best.
A three-day plan
Day 1: Cathedral and castle hill
Start at the Cathedral when it opens at 7.30 am, then climb to the Gediminas Tower (€8, open daily 10 am to 8 pm) for the view over the roofs. Spend the afternoon in the Palace of the Grand Dukes (€16), and finish on the Hill of Three Crosses at sunset.
Day 2: the old streets
Walk through the university courtyards in the morning, then go on to the Bernardine and St. Anne’s churches, timing them for the late afternoon when both stand open. The Gates of Dawn come after, and Užupis suits the evening, with a drink by the river.
Day 3: out of town
Take the train to Trakai for the island castle, back in Vilnius by dinner. Pick Kaunas instead if you would rather have a city day.
If it rains
Vilnius has about ten to thirteen days a month with at least a millimetre of rain, so a wet day is normal rather than a disaster. The Old Town has enough roofed stops to carry you through it.
- Morning: the Palace of the Grand Dukes, with its exhibitions on the castle, armaments and court life.
- Afternoon: the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights (€6), in the former Soviet security headquarters. It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
- Evening: the Cathedral stays open until 7 pm, and the Bernardine church keeps its doors open until 6 or 7 pm.
- Any time: the courtyards and arcades of the university, which are free for individual visitors.
Where to stay
- Old Town
- The sights are on your doorstep and you can walk home after dinner. The price is cobbled lanes for your suitcase.
- Užupis
- Quieter and more artistic, over the Vilnelė from the Old Town. A good pick for a second visit or for people who wake early.
- Gediminas Avenue
- A wide avenue leading away from Cathedral Square. You sleep outside the lanes but stay within a short walk of them, and the nights are calmer.
- Near the railway station
- The airport train runs straight to the station, and day-trip trains leave from it. Handy for short stays with an early departure, less handy for atmosphere.