We visited Lithuania to join in with our friends wedding and got the opportunity to spend a few days in the lovely capital of Vilnius. I’ve only been to Estonia in the Baltics before so was really excited to see Lithuania, but wasn’t sure exactly what to expect.
Good to know
Currency: Euros
Electric plugs: Type C (“euro-plugs”)
Uber from airport: Was around €10-€13 for us and takes around 15min. We were recommended by friends to order Uber instead of taxi as they can sometimes charge higher prices to tourists. The Uber can pick you up from the parking spaces just in front of the airport.
To See & Do
Gediminas Castle Tower
The tower is only a short walk from the Old Town and offer a lovely view of the city. We could see it from our hotel balcony the first evening and it’s quite a lovely view. Such a shame we didn’t manage to walk up, but definitely on the list for next time.
Walk along Pilies Gatvè
Pilies Gatvè seems to be one of the main streets in Old Town as it’s lined with shops, cafés and restaurants. Unfortunately we didn’t get to see many of the restaurants, but many seemed very cosy. We did however discover that many of the shops have products in linen & amber which turned out to be materials that Lithuania are known for. I couldn’t resist wearing my red Son de Flor dress on this holiday as the brand is Lithuania based, but I didn’t know that the country was known for linen before this trip, but that just means that this brand focusing on linen garments makes even more sense.
Stop for a coffee, cocktail, lunch or brunch
We managed to visit both Sugamour or Augustas ir Barbora which were both two lovely places for something to drink or eat. Sugamour have desserts that look like artwork and I’d definitely recommend the one that looks like a red heart which has a lovely strawberry cream filling, sponges and crispy base. It has a clean and modern interior design and also an outdoor terrace if you are visiting in the summer.
For more atmosphere and cosy vibes check out Augustas ir Barbora Love Story Café. It’s tucked in on the side of one of the cutest streets we walked past. There’s also music playing inside and if you fancy a glass of Perrier Jouet that is the featured champagne. I’ve posted more photos here and the café has gotten its name from a tragic story.
The story involves Barbora Radvilaitė, Grand Duchess of Lithuania and King Žygimantas Augustas of Poland from the 16th Century. It has been said that Barbora was one of the most beautiful women in Europe, and in spite being born into one of the most famous noble families in Lithuania it was a scandal when the couple met and fell in love, as the king was not to marry a women who was not from a royal family. After hidden meetings for years and also marrying in secret, the truth came out and destroyed the family who would not accept Barbora. In spite of this she became Queen of Poland in 1550.
But the story has a sad ending and Barbora fell ill and passed away shortly thereafter. Some rumours say it was Augustas angry mother who poisoned the young queen. He returned her remains to Vilnius where she now lives on as a symbol of beauty in the hearts of the people and some stories claim that Augustas mourned his love and wore black almost every day for the rest of his life.
Now there also the Barbora Radvilaitė and Žygimantas Augustas Awards which is a medal awarded to women who has made important contributions to Vilnius.
Try Lithuanian whisky at the King & Mouse
We meant to visit the King & Mouse bar to try some Lithuanian whisky, but unfortunately didn’t have the time. Our friend did visit however and had a lovely time whilst trying whisky from Alita and some various other samples. I always love trying local whisky when traveling!
Admire the architecture
In the Old Town in Vilnius there was such an interesting and varied architecture so there’s plenty of buildings to admire whilst you stroll along the cobbled streets.
Afternoon tea
If you fancy an afternoon tea I found a few places that I was going to try and visit, but as our trip got cut short because of rescheduled flights I unfortunately did not have enough time but I will share them here for you. Barbora ir Augustas, Sugamour, Shakespeare Boutique Hotel or The Grand Hotel Kempinski.
Where to stay
We stayed in two different hotels during our stay in Vilnius. They were both lovely and I would consider staying in both of them again!
Shakespeare Boutique Hotel – you can read my review here
Cosy and rustic hotel in the old town, with more affordable prices. The hotel also has a restaurant and bar.
We paid £72 / night without breakfast.
Grand Hotel Kempinski Vilnius – you can read my review here
A higher end option, yet still more affordable than other five star hotels in other European cities. The hotel has a fine dining restaurant, a bar that also serves food, a café and a spa.
We paid £315 / night including breakfast.
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