A 15 minute walk from Hotel Pacai. Our favorite place to get a birds eye view of the city. If you would like to learn about the history of the tower, and a bit about the history of Vilnius there is a small museum inside.

Right next to Gediminas Tower, the Palace used to be the centre of the political, diplomatic, and cultural aspects of the state and home to the Grand Dukes of Lithuania. Inside you will find historical exhibitions, excavations, lavish reconstructed rooms and artwork.

For more information please visit their website.



Lithuania has a long history of foreign forces occupying their country for centuries like the Teutonic Knights of Prussia (Germany), Russian Moscovy troops, Nazi invaders, and finally the Soviet Union, or the KGB. This museum was once a KGB prison and highlights what life was like during the Nazi and Soviet eras.

For more information please visit their website.

This area was one of the poorest parts of the city for some time. Once home to Jewish migrants and workers, scoured by Nazis and later abandoned by the Soviets. When Lithuania got its independence, a lot of the artists took advantage of the cheap housing that became available there, turning it into an art district. Then in the 1990s, they declared the district the Free Republic. They do have border control, their own flag, priests, churches, and even parliament.

Užupis is a fun place to explore, complete with street art murals and installations, boutiques, and art galleries. As you cross the bridge, look down below there is a swing just above the water for those cheesy tourist pictures!

Take a day trip 35 minutes away by bus to Trakai to visit the small town and its 14th century island castle. You can tour the museum, try local cuisine, or take a boat tour in Lake Galvė.

For tickets and more information visit their website.

For bus tickets and schedules from Vilnius to Trakai visit the bus site.

Traditional Lithuanian food is very much comfort food. As Roy would summarize it, it's mostly "Potatoes, meat, potatoes in meat, meat in potatoes"

• Cepelinai/ Didžkukuliai - Potato dumplings with minced meat typically served with a side of sour cream and bacon bits (Ieva's favorite)
• Bulviniai Blynai- Potato pancakes/ Latkes
• Kepta Duona- Fried bread and cheese, best as a beer snack (Roy's favorite)
• Kibinai- Meat filled pastry 
• Šaltibarščiai- Cold beet soup served with sour cream and a side of boiled potatoes topped with dill
• Spurgos- Curd cheese donuts (always leave room for these!)

Restaurants with traditional Lithuanian food:

Etno Dvaras- Aušros Vartu g. 2

Amatininkai- Didžioji g. 19