Lithuania

Lithuania:

Lithuania is the largest and most northern of the three Baltic States. Although it is a small country, it once ruled a vast empire, stretching from the Baltic to the Black Sea. Lithuania is rich in history and culture – visitors spending their holidays there will not be disappointed by the scenery or how warm and outgoing the local people are. From city breaks in Vilnius to coastal holidays, you will discover that Lithuania is a very different Baltic state and a place of strange contrasts.

Vilnius is the capital and largest city in Lithuania, but in reality is a very small place It was one of the biggest cities in Eastern Europe in the 16th century and today it boasts a beautiful Baroque Old Town; one of the largest in Europe and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. Vilnius has always been a multicultural city with many Polish, Russian and Jewish minorities. The old town was once the Jewish ghetto and, in 1812, when Napoleon passed through Vilnius he called it, ‘the Jerusalem of the North’. Popular attractions are Gediminas Castle and the Cathedral.  Outside the Cathedral, in the square, look for a particular tile on which there is written one word, “Stebuklas” (meaning “miracle” in Lithuanian). Stand on it, make a wish and turn around three times. Your wish should come true. This tile marks the end of the Vilnius-Tallinn human chain of the 1989 protest against the Soviet Union. For those interested in more recent history, this old city is home to the Museum of Genocide Victims, commonly referred to as the KGB museum.  In contrast you can visit Frank Zappa’s statue or the Contemporary Art Centre. Today Vilnius has been transformed, and the town has emerged as a modern European city.

There is much more to Lithuania than just Vilnius. If you want to see an amazing memorial to Lithuanian national identity, a visit to the Hill of Crosses is essential. Located about 150 miles north west of Vilnius is a small hill where hundreds of thousands of crosses have been placed to represent the peaceful resistance to foreign oppression. In addition, the National Parks offer lakes, hills, swamps and forests containing unique, old villages. For those with time take a ferry trip from Klaipeda to visit the Curonian Spit (another World Heritage Site), containing the largest drifting sand dunes in Europe, and which separates the Baltic Sea from the Curonian Lagoon in Russia.

Whatever your interests or tastes we will be happy to tailor an unforgettable experience for you in Lithuania.

photo credits: David Holt, S.K. LO