We recently had the opportunity to visit a new country for us, Lithuania. We were only there for three days, but had a packed program and visited three different cities and places. Lithuania has really surprised us. We had few expectations beforehand but were completely overwhelmed. During and after our trip we only became more enthusiastic. In fact, it has made us even more curious to see more of Lithuania and the other Baltic States.
But where do you start if you want to visit a relatively unknown country like Lithuania for the first time? After our visit to Lithuania we decided to put together this 'three day travel guide for Lithuania'.
Table of Contents
This blog was written by travel writer and Traveltomtom team member Ashley. She was invited to explore and experience Lithuania on behalf of Traveltomtom, and wrote this blog about her experiences.
We hope to help you on your way and inspire you to go to Lithuania yourself!
Lithuania has two international airports, in Vilnius and Kaunas. These are perfect cities to use as a base or to start your trip through Lithuania. Vilnius is the capital of the country and therefore has the largest and busiest airport. Vilnius International Airport therefore offers the most connections. We chose a direct connection to Vilnius for this trip.
What really struck us was how much green and nature there is in Lithuania. We didn't expect this at all. The urban areas in Lithuania also have a lot of nature. In Vilnius, for example, you can be in the middle of the forest within a few minutes' walk of the busy city center.
It is therefore logical that Vilnius is the European Green Capital for 2025.
Day 1 – Vilnius
Vilnius is a great city. Definitely worth visiting for more than just a day. However, many travelers want to see more of a country, so we show you how to experience Vilnius in one day.
Vilnius Old Town
The best and most ideal place to start is Vilnius Old Town. The new business area is modern but in our opinion not a tourist spot. Vilnius Old Town is exactly what you would expect from a capital in Eastern Europe.
Cobblestone streets, colorful buildings and red roofs. Wherever you go, there is a new surprise around every corner. Old Town feels small and cozy.
The streets are full of bars, restaurants, shops and coffee shops. Vilnius Old Town is extremely inviting. We were very lucky because our hotel was right in the old town of Vilnius, so all these nice alleys and streets were within walking distance for us.
Walking Tour Vilnius Old Town
The best way to discover Vilnius Old Town? By going on a walking tour. Of course, you can do this on your own. But there are a lot of walking tours, both paid and free, that you can join. During these walking tours, you will of course get a lot of information about the city and you will see the best and nicest places. We also went on a Vilnius Old Town Walking Tour and saw places that we would otherwise not have seen ourselves. A walking tour to explore Vilnius Old Town is highly recommended!
Gediminas Tower
Vilnius has some great sights that you absolutely shouldn't miss when visiting the city. Let's start with the Gediminas Tower, the symbol of Vilnius. It's visible from many places in the Old Town. It is one of the best places to see the magnificent panoramas of Vilnius. It's a short but very steep climb up to the tower. You can also take the funicular up to the tower. If you want to visit the tower itself, there are costs involved. If you walk up, you can enjoy the great views over the city of Vilnius without it costing you anything. The Gediminas Tower is portrayed in numerous works of art. We took home a Christmas ornament which has the Gediminas Tower on it as well. This one really has to be on your itinerary when visiting Vilnius.
Republik of Užupis
Did you know that an independent republic can be visited in Vilnius? You can, so make sure to bring your passport when crossing the border into Užupis.
Užupis is the smallest district in Vilnius. It's separated from the Old Town by the Vilnele River. In the 90s this was really a problem area and you would rather not visit it.
However, over the years Užupis has grown into an amazing neighborhood for artists, intellectuals and entrepreneurs. In a somewhat crazy mood residents of Užupis sarcastically declared independence on April 1st 1997. Like every independent republic, Užupis also has its own money, power, anthem and constitution.
We found Užupis to be a highlight of our stay in Vilnius. A completely different atmosphere and environment than the rest of the city. When you walk into the republic, you will pass the customs shop right after the bridge. You can buy souvenirs here, but even more fun is that you can have your passport stamped here.
It costs nothing and is still an extra special stamp.
Užupis is full of art, special shops and nice cafes. In a side street of the main street you will find the Užupis constitution wall. The Constitution has been translated into 26 languages. Make sure to visit this special place when in Vilnius.
Presidential Palace
A somewhat unknown and hidden gem in Vilnius. Not the Presidential Palace itself, but the historical park and courtyard behind the palace. Behind the palace are the gardens and the courtyard. These can be visited during the week from 6PM to 9PM and in the weekend from 11AM to 10PM.
You can just walk in here for free and enjoy the gardens and the peace. There are chairs and loungers, there is a large chess game and a beautiful fountain.
Do you also want to visit the palace itself? Then do this on Saturday or Sunday, then there are free tours of the palace available. Please register, not later than 3 days before the day of the tour.
Hill of Three Crosses
Just as unmissable to see from the center as the Gediminas Tower, the Hill of Three Crosses and the Three Crosses Monument. The memorial consists of three white concrete crosses that are visible from afar.
It is quite a tough climb, but it goes through beautiful nature and forest area. You don't feel like you are in a capital city at all. Very rewarding views make it worth the effort.
But if you climb the hill you will be rewarded with great panoramas of Vilnius Old Town.
Where to eat in Vilnius?
We have a great restaurant tip for you! Le Mans Restaurant, located in Užupis. Where the love for French cuisine and Porsche cars have found each other. The restaurant has a luxurious and elegant appearance and interior. The food is incredibly tasty and the service is of a very high standard.
Fine dining in an accessible setting. Definitely a must if you are in Vilnius!
Where to sleep in Vilnius?
As the capital, Vilnius naturally has a lot of choice in hotels. However, we would like to highlight one hotel in particular. We were very fortunate to stay here during our trip in Lithuania. This was so incredibly good, that we have to share it!
I'm talking about Stikliai Hotel in Vilnius Old Town. Stikliai Hotel is a five-star hotel located in the most prestigious part of Vilnius. World leaders, world stars, members of various royal houses, they all choose Stikliai Hotel when they have to be in Vilnius.
The hotel exudes luxury. You are served to your every need. As a guest you feel that you are important. A special hotel with the most perfect location you can imagine.
It may sound like a long list for a day in Vilnius. But Vilnius is small, especially if you skip the modern business center. All the sights are really within walking distance of each other. You can easily visit them in a day without having to rush.
Day 2 – Kaunas
Day two in Lithuania is dedicated to the country's second largest city, Kaunas. If you are staying in Vilnius, Kaunas is very easy to reach. There are three best ways to get to Kaunas from Vilnius. You can travel by train, bus or car. If you have your own car, travelling by car is probably the best and easiest option.
If you don't have a car, like us, the train and bus work very well too. The train from Vilnius to Kaunas takes about an hour, so just a short ride. The bus takes a bit longer, around 1,5 hours.
Things to do in Kaunas
Kaunas is a relaxed and fun city to visit. Very different from Vilnius. There's a lot to see and do in Kaunas, we'll highlight some of our favorites here.
Amsterdam School Museum
Everyone has visited a museum at some point. In Kaunas you can visit a museum like you've never done before. The Amsterdam School Museum is far from a standard museum. In fact, it's basically just an apartment in an apartment building. The building in which this apartment and museum is located is the only building in Lithuania representing the Amsterdam School architectural style.
The apartment was purchased in a dilapidated state but after a long process the owners have restored it to its original state, as it was during the Interwar period in Kaunas. They used special techniques to find out the color of the walls, for example.
In the museum you will also see how they found it, and what they have made of it now. If you want to visit the museum, you have to book an experiential tour. These are with small groups and very personal. You literally walk back in time through this museum. It's hard to really explain well how special this museum is.
So if you're in Kaunas, just book a tour and experience it for yourself.
There are more interesting museums to be found in Kaunas. For example, the Museum of Art, the Devils Museum and the Great War Museum are located close to each other in the city centre.
Kaunas Old Town
I found the centre of Kaunas very attractive and inviting. This is partly due to the fact that the main street of the centre is completely closed off from traffic. As a pedestrian and cyclist you have priority everywhere here. It makes such a shopping and entertainment area a lot more pleasant without traffic.
Laisves Avenue is the most important street of Kaunas in the New Town and one of the longest pedestrian streets in Europe. When visiting Kaunas it's an absolute must to walk along this street. The length of Laisves Avenue is almost 1.7 kilometers. The avenue is full of cafes, bars, restaurants and nice little shops.
If you walk all the way down Laisves Avenue, you almost immediately enter Kaunas Old Town. You notice it right away. There is a different atmosphere, cobblestone streets and older buildings that make it feel very cozy.
Old and new are very close together here, yet the difference is clearly visible. Many nice terraces and bars in Old Town make it a really good place to stay. Unfortunately, they were doing a lot of renovations during our visit, so we were not able to see the entire Old Town.
Kaunas Castle
Kaunas Castle was built in the 14th century to defend against the onslaught of crusaders. This is not only one of the first stone castles in Lithuania, but also the only one that has two rows of defensive walls. Nowadays the castle is a Kaunas city museum branch and annual cultural events are held in and around it. Santaka Park which is next to Kaunas Castle is called the heart of Kaunas. Here you can see the confluence of the rivers Nemunas and Neris. It's a great place to visit and to spend some time.
Traveltomtom's hidden gem tip of Kaunas
Yard Gallery
As we walked through Kaunas we passed a colorful alley. There was a sign next to the passageway that said this was the Yard Gallery. We decided to walk in and take a look. What you see is unbelievable. It is a courtyard between buildings. But not just any courtyard, they have made a real gallery or almost a museum out of it. You just don't know where to look.
Everywhere there is something different and new to see. It all started when artist Vytenis Jakas moved into a house in this courtyard and noticed a distant and fail to remember the shared past of the courtyard. He started transferring photos of Jewish families that used to live here on the buildings and walls of the courtyard and received great support.
As time goes by new objects appear, new artists leave their mark, neighbours celebrations take place and tourist love visiting this place. Please keep in mind that when you visitthe Yard Gallery that people live here and they have the right to peace and quiet. Visit with respect.
Lunch spot
When you are actively exploring a city all day long, you also need to eat and drink well. We have a nice lunch tip for Kaunas. It's restaurant Višta Puode, translated to English this means chicken in a bowl.
It's quite a new place in Kaunas but already very popular. This is because they serve traditional Lithuanian dishes. That's why we want to recommend this one. We love to explore local food when travelling. At Višta Puode they use old recipes and transform them into a 21st century menu.
Our number one recommendation from their menu is the national dish of Lithuania, the Cepelinai. These are potato dumplings made from grated potatoes and stuffed with ground meat or dry curd cheese. Absolutely delicious and a must try in Lithuania!
Traveltomtom's tip for dinner
This is one of the most special places we ever had dinner. It's set within a historical property in a large park just outside of the city center, surrounded by the Kaunas Lagoon.
Monte Pacis is a four-star hotel and restaurant founded in Pažaislis monastery. At the restaurant they reinvent Lithuanian cuisine into a modern and visually appealing way.
Dining here is really next level. The food is of an unprecedented high standard. The setting makes the experience complete.
Treat yourself and dine here when you visit Kaunas.
Day 3 – Trakai Castle
On our last day in Lithuania we wanted to see something new. The hotel reception gave us the tip to take a look at Trakai Castle. When we saw the pictures on the internet we were quickly sold! We decided that Trakai Castle was going to be our destination for our final day in Lithuania.
There are several ways to get from Vilnius to Trakai Castle. From Vilnius it is an ideal day trip, Trakai is about 40 minutes from the city. Plenty of trains and busses run between Vilnius and Trakai multiple times a day. The journey takes about 40 minutes. Please keep in mind that if you travel by train or bus, both the train station and the bus station are located 3 kilometers and 2.5 kilometers away from the castle. So take into account a longer walk to finally reach the castle.
Travelling by car is the easiest way to reach Trakai Castle. You can also use a taxi or Uber. Keep in mind that in quiet times an uber from Trakai back to Vilnius can be very difficult. We experienced this ourselves!
Trakai Castle was built in the 14th century and served as a residence for the Grand Dukes of Lithuania. Since 1962 the castle is part of the Trakai History Museum. The castle is famous for its gothic architecture and its special location.
It's located on an island on Lake Galve, one of the deepest lakes in Lithuania. The view of the castle comes straight out of a fairy tale, it's amazing. You can reach the castle by crossing a long wooden bridge. In the winter the lake freezes over and becomes a huge natural skating rink. How magical.
If you have some spare time in Vilnius, take advantage of it and visit Trakai Castle.
Coffee culture
What really struck us during our visit to Lithuania and especially Vilnius is that it really is a coffee-loving country. There are so many cafes and coffee shops in Vilnius, it's unbelievable. Often they are opposite or next to each other. Vilnius just smells like coffee. So if you really want a local experience, just step into a coffee shop.
Lithuanians are true coffee lovers. More importantly, they know how to enjoy it the best. If you really want to go local, visit one of Lithuanian coffee chains Huracán Coffee, Caffeine LT, or Cafe Vero.
Overall opinion of our trip to Lithuania
During our trip to Lithuania we stayed 3 nights in Vilnius. From Vilnius we visited Kaunas and Trakai Castle. These destinations are perfect to do as a day trip from the capital.
As you can see, even if you only have three days in a country, you can see a lot. Only if you plan everything well and know where to go. We hope that with this three-day guide to Lithuania you will get more out of your visit than you previously thought possible. And that we gave you some nice tips that you had not heard of before. Anyway, enjoy Lithuania, it's awesome!