Vilnius

Cathedral and Bell Tower

Vilniaus arkikatedra

Old Town

A neoclassical cathedral with a white colonnaded façade on Cathedral Square, built on the site of a pagan temple to the god Perkūnas. Inside is the Baroque Chapel of St. Casimir, patron saint of Lithuania, decorated with marble and stucco. A freestanding bell tower next to it can be climbed.

Tip: On the square by the bell tower, look for the tile marked 'Stebuklas' — meaning 'miracle' — which marks the end point of the human chain that stretched from Vilnius to Tallinn in 1989. Locals say a wish comes true if you turn on it three times clockwise. The bell tower can be climbed for a small fee. The Chapel of St. Casimir is the cathedral's most beautiful part.

Admission:

free, bell tower around €6

Time needed:

45 min

Gediminas' Tower

Gedimino pilis

Old Town

A brick tower of the upper castle on a hill above the confluence of the Neris and Vilnia rivers, a symbol of both Vilnius and Lithuania. The castle was founded by Grand Duke Gediminas in the fourteenth century. The tower holds a small museum, and the viewing platform overlooks the whole Old Town.

Tip: A funicular runs up from the courtyard of the National Museum when operating, or take the ten-minute footpath; the hill's slopes have suffered landslides in past years and parts of the paths are sometimes closed. It's best at sunset, when the church towers light up. In 1988, the Lithuanian flag was raised here for the first time in decades. At the foot of the hill stands the Palace of the Grand Dukes, restored as a museum.

Admission:

around €8

Time needed:

45 min

Gate of Dawn

Aušros vartai

Old Town

The only surviving gate of the sixteenth-century city walls, containing a chapel with a miraculous image of the Virgin Mary of Mercy, venerated by both Catholics and Orthodox Christians. The image can be seen from the street through a window above the gate.

Tip: The chapel is reached via stairs from the side of St. Teresa's Church. Inside is a wall of ex-votos — silver hearts and plaques left by the faithful. Pilgrims pray in the street below the window. Aušros Vartų street, leading down from the gate, is the most beautiful entrance into the Old Town, passing the Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity and Baroque façades.

Admission:

free

Time needed:

20 min

Užupis

Užupis

A district across the Vilnia river that declared its own Republic of Artists in 1997, complete with a president, flag, a twelve-man army, and a constitution posted on a wall in dozens of languages. Once run-down, the district is now full of galleries, studios and cafés.

Tip: The constitution hangs on Paupio street on mirrored panels in dozens of languages — look for the lines that everyone has the right to be unhappy, and that a cat does not have to love its owner. The main square holds a statue of the Angel of Užupis. Independence Day is celebrated on 1 April, with passports stamped on the bridge. The best cafés are along the river.

Admission:

free

Time needed:

1–1.5 h

Church of St. Anne

Šv. Onos bažnyčia

Old Town

A late-fifteenth-century Gothic church built from thirty-three types of fired brick, with slender turrets and delicate arches. Legend has it that Napoleon admired it so much he wished he could carry it to Paris in the palm of his hand.

Tip: The façade is most beautiful at dusk, when the brick glows red. Behind it stands the larger Bernardine church, which forms a single ensemble with it. In the courtyard behind the churches is Bernardinų Park, with a view over the river and Užupis. The interior isn't as striking as the exterior.

Admission:

free

Time needed:

15 min

Church of St. Peter and St. Paul

Šv. apaštalų Petro ir Povilo bažnyčia

Antakalnis

A late-seventeenth-century Baroque church on the edge of the centre, modest outside but adorned inside with more than two thousand stucco figures of angels, saints, plants and scenes, all in white. It ranks among the finest examples of European Baroque.

Tip: The church is two kilometres from the Old Town, but worth the trip — take a bus or walk along the Neris river. Inside hangs a ship-shaped chandelier. Enter quietly, as the church is active. The light is best in the morning.

Admission:

free

Time needed:

30 min

Vilnius University

Vilniaus universitetas

Old Town

One of the oldest universities in central and eastern Europe, founded by Jesuits in 1579, with thirteen courtyards, arcades, St. John's Church, and a library. The rooms are decorated with frescoes, the most beautiful being the Littera hall, painted with Lithuanian motifs.

Tip: Access to the courtyard and St. John's Church requires a ticket; the library hall and Littera room are visited with a guide. St. John's bell tower is the tallest structure in the Old Town and has a viewing platform. Inside the Littera bookshop is the finest ceiling in the city.

Admission:

around €5

Time needed:

1 h

Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights

Okupacijų ir laisvės kovų muziejus

Centre

A museum in the former KGB headquarters, where the Soviet secret police interrogated and executed opponents of the regime. The basement preserves cells, isolation rooms and an execution chamber; the upper floors display exhibits on deportations and the partisan resistance.

Tip: Locals call it the KGB museum. The basement with the cells is the most powerful part, and the room where victims' remains were found is equally striking. The names of victims are carved into the outer wall. Allow an hour and a half. Closed on Mondays. Not suitable for young children.

Admission:

around €8

Time needed:

1.5 h

Old Vilnius — lanes and courtyards

Senamiestis

Old Town

The Old Town is one of the largest in Europe and is best explored on foot along Pilies and Didžioji streets, which run from the cathedral to the Gate of Dawn, with side lanes leading to courtyards, café patios and the former Jewish quarter.

Tip: Pilies street is the busiest and priciest; the lanes of Stiklių and Žydų in the former Jewish ghetto are quieter. Look for courtyards you can wander into — they often hide galleries and cafés. The Jewish quarter is a reminder that pre-war Vilnius was the 'Jerusalem of the North'. Town Hall Square hosts markets and events.

Admission:

free

Time needed:

2 h