Lithuania

Where to go in Lithuania

Places I saw and recommend in Lithuania: Vilnius and Kaunas. If you have extra time, visit the Curonian Spit and the Hill of Crosses.

Vilnius: a picture-perfect capital

When I finally arrived in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, I was blown away by its beauty, history, and elegance. The streets are enchanting and its architecture is spectacular. Founded on Gediminas Hill (which has a thirteenth-century castle on it), Vilnius’s Old Town is a maze of adorable streets with baroque churches everywhere you look. It was built on a swamp and some of the buildings are below street level. The Aušros Vartai (Gates of Dawn) is the only surviving gate of the original nine that encircled the city. The only reason that particular gate is still standing is that it has a Virgin Mary icon embedded in it. Russians feared destroying the gate, believing that God would punish them. Of course, God punished them anyway when He let communism happen.

After straying a bit from the main tourist spots in Vilnius, I accidentally entered another country. Few tourists know that there is a separate republic in a bohemian district of Vilnius. It is neither as well known as the Vatican, nor as serious. In fact, it’s a complete joke. A few years ago the people of Vilnus’s Užupis district declared independence, forming the Užupis Republic. Its people elected a President, wrote an anthem, and designed four flags (one each season). They have a not-so-grand palace, an army of 17, and a national holiday (April 1). On April Fools Day, comical guards protect the bridge and stamp everyone’s passport.