Vilnius

The Lithuanian capital is at once historic, modern, romantic, intellectual, grandiose and elegantly understated.

Vilnius, Lithuania

The capital city of Lithuania, Vilnius is underexposed as a tourist destination but has so many wonderful treasures waiting to be discovered. Lithuania gained independence as late as 1991, and in 1997 the Uzupis district (over the river) declared itself a separate republic. The people are wonderful, vibrant and at times bohemian.

Exploring Vilnius

The gate of dawn is one structure that has survived wars, occupations, fires, and destruction as armies and enemies have down their best over the centuries to pull Vilnius down. It includes a painting of Madonna and is said to have supernatural healing powers. Our services include day trips, city tours and any charter expeditions our clients might want to experience.

Vilnius adventures

While Vilnius is world-renowned for hot air balloons and hot air ballooning adventures, it also offers great running tours, and with running still soaring in popularity the world over, it is a great way to see some of the city, as well as the countryside, and keep our level of fitness up while on holiday while enjoying the local food and wine. Speaking of which…

Eating and drinking in Vilnius

Vilnius has a proud tradition of serving Lithuanian soups as part of their traditional servings, including the warm ų kopūstų sriuba (sauerkraut soup), sometimes served with smoked sausage, and almost always with a dollop of sour cream. In the summer months the most popular soup is the Šalta ridikėlių sriuba (cold radish soup). Pork is the most popular dish of the national cuisine, and one of the pork specialties is tried kiaulės ausis (pig’s ear), either served as a main dish cooked in a pan with sauce and potatoes, or as a bar snack.

What to see and do in Vilnius

It is a wonderful idea to go and visit the Republic of Uzupis. It is a neighborhood that gained independence in 1997, and the creative people who live here believe in three things, ‘don’t fight, don’t win and don’t surrender.’ It has an amazing art scene, on the streets and in galleries.

Where to stay in Vilnius

The Old Town area is quiet and relaxed, and there are plenty of budget accommodation options here, while the Snipskes area is busy, with business, residential and construction all happening to make it very active as an area but also quite exciting. The lights are on until late in this area. The Naujamiestis zone is a quieter part of the city where peace and quiet can be found with relative ease.

How to get around in Vilnius

The best option for travel in and around the city is to book a bike through Cyclocity – a self-service rental system that has close to 40 stations and around 400 bikes for hire. Drop off and pick-ups are easy, and it is budget friendly.
Or ask OsaTravel staff to help you with transport in Vilnius.