Places of interest Lithuania

VILNIUS

The Old Town, historical centre of Vilnius, is one of the largest in Eastern Europe. The most valuable historic and cultural heritage is concentrated here. The buildings in the old town were built in a number of different centuries, therefore, it is a mixture of all European architectural styles. Although Vilnius is often called a baroque city, here you will find some buildings of gothic, renaissance and other styles.

 

The main sights of the city are the Gediminas Castle and the Cathedral Square, symbols of the capital. Their combination is also a gateway to the historic centre of the capital. Because of its uniqueness, the Old Town of Vilnius was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994.

KGB MUSEUM

KGB museum in Vilnius, which was established in former KGB headquarters, is the only one of it's kind in former Soviet Union and presents historical documents about the forms of physical and spiritual genocide against Lithuanian people, the ways and extent of the resistance against Soviet regime.

OPEN-AIR MUSEUM OF THE CENTER OF EUROPE "EUROPOS PARKAS"

Europos Parkas, the leading open-air contemporary art museum (20km from Vilnius). While enjoying the treasured landscape of the park, you will at the same time discover the admirable world of art. The goal of the museum is to give an artistic significance to the geographic center of the European continent. The exhibition spans an area of 55 hectares and displays over 90 works by artists from 27 countries in the world. The collection includes large-scale works by famous contemporary artists such as Abakanowicz, Oppenheim, and LeWitt among others. Acknowledged by Guinness World Records the world's largest artwork of TV sets is also on exhibit.

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TRAKAI

It's a town on water (28 km from Vilnius), the former capital of Grand Duchy of Lithuania with it's beautiful insular castle of the 14th century, erected on the situated island in the middle of a lake. The Castle that was restored in the end of 20th century is the only water castle in whole eastern Europe. Today, the castle is Trakai History Museum, which contains of prehistoric findings and the 17th-18th century objects d'art.

KAUNAS

The city (100 km from Vilnius) is the second largest industrial, scientific and cultural centre of Lithuania. The Old town of Kaunas fascinates a visitor by its restored towers of the old fortress, the light and elegant Baroque Town Hall (which the locals affectionately call the White Swan because of its graceful form and colour) dating from 1542. Nearby id the Vytautas Church, one of the Old Town (its construction was begun at the beginning of the 15th century) and Perkunas (Thunder) House, a good example of Gothic, built at the end of the 15th century, which was owned in turn by tradesmen and the Jesuits and Pazaislis Cloister (17th), one of the most beautiful Baroque style erections in Lithuania. Leisure time you can spend on the central street - Freedom avenue - bustling with street vendors, musicians, full of cafes and souvenir shops.

DEVIL MUSEUM

Devil museum in Kaunas, the only one of this type in the world, which holds a collection of over 3000 of devils.

 

 

  

 

CIURLIONIS PICTURE GALLERY

Ciurlionis Picture Gallery in Kaunas offers a chance to see the works of Ciurlionis, Lithuanian's most distinguished artist who ranks alongside M. Shagal, V. Kandinski and K. Malevic.

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RUMSISKES - open-air museum of country life

Situated 80 km to the northwest of Vilnius and 20 km from Kaunas is the Rumsiskes, an Open-Air Museum of Lithuanian Folk life, located on a 40-acre park. You can see all four areas of Lithuania as they looked 200 years ago. The museum displays about 80 000 exhibits. Some of the houses and implements were actually moved here from their original locations. In the summer months you may even see workers in the fields dressed in original costumes and children singing songs while weaving wreaths of flowers. Folk ensemble concerts and holiday festivals are held in the grounds of the Museum. Grutas

SOVIET SCULPTURES GRUTAS PARK

The biggest park in Europe of Soviet sculptures (110 km from Vilnius) with collection of Stalins, Lenins and most famous communist leaders. The collection of the museum consists of monumental sculptures and bas-reliefs of "heroes" of the Soviet period symbolizing brutality and absurdity of the Soviet system and occupation, reflects manipulation of the facts of history and shows the distorted memory of the history. Monumental sculptures and bas-reliefs displayed were erected in majority of Lithuanian cities and towns during the Soviet period. The sculptures in the park are arranged by the "merits" of their prototypes like in "Dante's Hell" � in separate circles: the totalitarian, terrorist, soviet and other circles.

HILL OF CROSSES

Jurgaiciai Hill-fort (214km from Vilnius), also known as the Hill of Crosses. It is considered that there was a castle and it was burned by Sword bearers in 1348. The crosses were mentioned for the first time in written chronicles in 1850, though their appearance is connected with the suppression of the rebellion of 1831. In 1923 a new tradition was established  the Church festival of the Hill of Crosses during which Mass is celebrated, crosses are consecrated. In 1993 Pope John Paul II acknowledged its importance as a symbol of resistance to religious persecution by visiting it. It is supposed that at present there are about 100 000 crosses of different size on the hill. 

SEASIDE RESORT PALANGA

Palanga (326km from Vilnius) is a resort situated in the forest and it is fascinating in every season. It's Lithuanian premier and most universal seaside resort. The Lithuanian seashore is famous for long stretches of fine sand beach, dunes, which can be found nowhere else on the Baltic Sea resort. Palanga knows like Lithuanian "Rimini" as well has many inns, cafes, restaurants, discotheques, bars, and nights bars, a casino. Pedal boats, bicycles, horses, tennis courts, a swimming pool, a complex of saunas, etc. are offered to those who like active rest.

AMBER MUSEUM IN PALANGA

Lithuanian Amber Museum's exposition in Palanga attempts to reveal the secret of amber, Lithuanian "gold", explaining how, 50-60 million years ago, a bed of amber was accumulated in the Baltic Sea.

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KLAIPEDA CITY

Klaipeda (312 km from Vilnius) is an ice-free port, fishing and sailing town, the Lithuanian gateway to the sea and the world. City tour includes the Old Town of Klaipeda with the Theatre Square and the statue of a girl Ann from Tharau, numerous old streets and buildings, Linden street with the old post-office, Mazvydas Sculpture Park.

 

 

 

CURONIAN SPIT

The Curronian Spit (361 km from Vilnius) is a narrow peninsula, 98 km long, separating the Baltic Sea from the Curronian Lagoon with the biggest sand dunes in Europe. The main settlements on the Lithuanian section of the Curonian Peninsula: Nida, Preila, Pervalka, Juodkrante and Smiltyne are grouped together in a single administrative unit, the town of Neringa. In the year 2000 the Curonian Spit was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site as one of the most beautiful and unique landscapes of Europe.

HILL OF WITCHES

Hill of Witches (20 km from Nida) is a unique collection of wooden figures which are collected on a forested hill in Juodkrante. Every figure comes from a Lithuanian ancient legend, folk tale, or is just a product of author's imagination. Visitors are welcome to walk and look at the figures at no charge.

 

NIDA

Nida in Curoninan Spit is a small town with traditional fishmen's houses covered with roofs of thatch and tiles is cosy and clean. The beach of Nida, as one of the cleanest in Europe, was awarded the Blue Banner. Nida is the warmest part of the country and enjoys the greatest number of sunny days per year.

DRUSKININKAI

Druskininkai (110km from Vilnius) is one of the oldest Lithuanian spas, established in 1794. Today Druskininkai is the most beautiful and well-known Lithuanian health resort located in the south of the country. It occupies 22 square kilometres and has about 22,000 inhabitants. City is surrounded by 50 000 ha of pine forests that are dry, sandy and rich of mushrooms. The main activity cultivated in Druskininkai is health centre and spa treatment: mineral water and mud treatments; physical and breathing exercises; bathing and tourism; cultural events. Magazine 'Newsweek' included Druskininkai in TOP 10 health resorts in Europe.

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