Vilnius, Lithuania Travel Guide

“This will be the first place we have traveled to where we will look like locals.” This was the consensus among the group of family that joined us in Vilnius, Lithuania. Vilnius, as we found, is a vibrant and historic city, rich in culture and coming into its own. 

Cobblestone Street, Vilnius

Ready for Lithuania

Knowing that Kevin’s family spent much of their lives under Soviet rule (the country declared sovereignty in 1990), we weren’t sure what to expect from Vilnius. What we found is a modern city that has also retained a distinct European charm and historic look. His cousins did point out some Soviet bloc apartments that were still standing, but overall, we fell in love with the picturesque streets and modern cafes and restaurants that wind through the Old Town. The contrast was especially evident in the city’s embrace of street art, with entire sides of classic buildings taken over to depict a modern scene.

Vilnius Street Art

Our journey to the “motherland” aka Poland and Lithuania was a long time coming. Due to the deaths in our family, we had to reschedule the trip twice and we were beginning to think it was cursed. However, since we were coordinating with several family members across the United States and Lithuania, we were happy that we pushed forward and made it happen in the summer of 2018.

What To See in Vilnius, Lithuania

Get Lost in Old Town

Vilnius, Lithuania Travel

We arrived from Krakow and, since we had a large group, we hired a driver to take us from the airport to our Airbnb in Vilnius’ Old Town. We all wanted to get out and explore immediately, so we began wandering through the old cobblestone streets. I’m not sure if Lithuania follows the same “siesta” lifestyle of other European countries, but it did seem pretty quiet for mid-afternoon. The Old Town is a maze, in the best way possible. The streets interweave together and you could easily get lost while wandering through. It seemed that every time we turned a corner, we were met with a new cute cafe with chatting locals. The smells of fried dough and potatoes filter through the winding corridors, adding a delightful facet to our walks.

On our first afternoon, we wandered into a shop where an older woman was sitting at a small desk underneath a bright spotlight. She ushered us in, and while she didn’t speak much English, we quickly gathered that she was creating painted eggs, a Lithuanian tradition called marguciai.. While usually made with real boiled eggs for Easter, these were made of plastic and dyed bright colors. The artist then took the tip of a needle to create beautifully elaborate (and different) designs on each egg. We were able to purchase a few from her and, since they came with strings attached to the top, they now adorn our Christmas tree every December.

Lithuanian Painted Eggs

Lithuanian Painted Egg Artist

Visit the Republic of Uzupis

Uzupis is a neighborhood of Vilnius on the other side of the Vilnia river that has long been an artist community. In 1997, the neighborhood declared itself a republic independent of Lithuania and is a special treat for tourists visiting Vilnius. As soon as you cross over into Uzupis, you are witness to a unique scene - the residents of the republic have created their own flag that flies freely, as well as posting their Constitution up on one of the walls in town. We visited while on a walking tour, and the tour guide mentioned that they do offer tourists with a stamp in their passports, however, she highly discouraged us from doing that, as you could get in trouble at customs given that Uzupis is not an actual country. Two young girls on our tour didn’t seem to care, and quickly pulled their passports out.

Uzupis Street Art

Take a Historic Walking Tour

If you have traveled with me and Kevin, you know how much we love a free walking tour. And yes, we always tip the tour guide, so while not technically free, we always find these tours to have great guides and are a wonderful way to get a lay of the land on your first day in a new city. This particular tour took us all over Vilnius, from the center square that houses the city’s cathedral to the presidential palace, where Lithuania’s president lives today. We also saw Vilnius University, the Republic of Uzupis and the gothic center of the city that houses the St. Anne and St. Francis churches.

St. Francis Vilnius

Literatu Street Project

What began as a way to honor Lithuanian poets has evolved over time to become a tribute to writers all over the world. Located on Piles street near the Cathedral, a block of walls have been transformed by art dedicated to writers over many different eras, and is definitely worth a visit.

Literatu Street Project

Where to Eat in Vilnius

Amatininkai

This traditional Lithuanian restaurant had a cozy atmosphere and was a great choice for our first dinner in Vilnius. We devoured some potato pancakes, dumplings and beetroot soup. 

Lithuanian Beetroot Soup

Vilnius, Lithuania Restaurant

Lokys

Lokys, another authentic Lithuanian spot in the Old Town, had a Medieval flare. It was there that I discovered one of my new favorite things in this world: Lithuanian fried bread, sticks of salty, savory carbs that I could have eaten all day. The large appetizer platter we got was also filled with a variety of local meats and cheeses.

Lokys Restaurant Vilnius

Amandus

One of the main reasons for the trip to Vilnius was to meet Kevin’s family there. Juste, our main connection, planned a wonderful dinner at a modern Lithuanian restaurant, Amandus for dinner. This fine dining spot offers modern, enhanced takes on traditional cuisine.

Amandus Restaurant Vilnius

Where to Drink in Vilnius

Who Hit John

This trendy spot proves that rock ‘n roll will never die and is a great place for an after hours cocktail.

Bistro 18

This is technically a restaurant that we unfortunately did not have time to eat at, but we did stop here for a drink as Kevin found out that it was owned by a Lithuanian-Irish couple. We had to tell our server that Kevin’s parents were also of the same origins.

No Longer, But Still Worthy of Mention

Trump Putin Mural Vilnius

At one point on our trip, Kevin and I went off to find the infamous Trump/Putin mural, which can be found on the side of a barbecue restaurant called Keule Ruke. Setting up our camera’s timer on the other side of the street, we got this great shot. It looks like both the mural and restaurant are no longer, but I love this photo so much I had to include it.

Old Town Vilnius, Lithuania