Šiauliai

A city in northern Lithuania near the Hill of Crosses, covered with more than 100,000 crosses, with a bicycle museum and an Art Nouveau villa in town.

Šiauliai is Lithuania's fourth-largest city, set on the plains of the country's north, about 50 km south of the Latvian border, roughly 210 km from Vilnius, 140 km from Kaunas and 130 km from Riga. The city is linked to the Battle of Saule in 1236, when Lithuanians crushed the Livonian Brothers of the Sword, and is known as the "City of the Sun" – sundials and the figure of the Golden Archer appear all over town. In the Soviet era it was a major center of bicycle, television and leather manufacturing, which left behind a collection of distinctive small museums.

The main attraction is the Hill of Crosses, about 12 km north of the city, where more than 100,000 crosses stand crowded together; it is a symbol of Lithuanian national identity and faith, and most visitors come specifically to see it. The city center is compact and walkable: Vilniaus Street, a pedestrian thoroughfare, links museums devoted to bicycles, photography, and radio and television; at its eastern end are Sundial Square and the Art Nouveau Frenkel Villa, to the north stands the Renaissance-style cathedral, and Lake Talša on the east side of town is pleasant for a stroll. Out of town, Kurtuvėnai Regional Park, the Bubiai hillfort, Pakruojis Manor and the Tytuvėnai monastery make a half-day to full-day trip by car.

The best season is May–September, with long summer days and temperatures around 20°C; winters are cold and snowy, though the Hill of Crosses has a special atmosphere under snow. Direct trains or long-distance buses run from Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda and Riga, taking about 2–3 hours. Plan to stay 1–2 days; to reach the Hill of Crosses, take a bus to the Domantai stop and walk, or go by taxi. Most museums are closed on Mondays, and admission costs a few euros.

Top sights

• Hill of Crosses – More than 100,000 crosses and rosaries crowd a small hill, a symbol of Lithuanian faith and the spirit of resistance.
• Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul – A white Renaissance-style cathedral completed in the early 17th century, with a spire about 70 meters tall and an ancient sundial on its so…
• Sundial Square – A city landmark famed for its giant sundial and the gold archer statue atop a tall column, commemorating the 1236 Battle of Saule.
• Vilniaus Street – A pedestrian boulevard through the city center, lined with cafés, sculptures, and several museums; the main axis for exploring the city.
• Bicycle Museum – Lithuania's only bicycle museum, with everything from wooden antique bikes to products of the local Vairas factory, plus interactive exhibi…
• Chaim Frenkel Villa – An Art Nouveau villa built in 1908 by a leather tycoon, one of the best-preserved Art Nouveau residences in the Baltic region.
• Aušra Museum – Aušros Avenue Palace – The main building of one of Lithuania's oldest regional museums, focused on archaeology, history, and local notable figures.
• Cat Museum – A fun museum with more than ten thousand cat-themed objects, from sculptures and paintings to stamps and toys; a must-visit for cat lovers.
• Chocolate Museum – A chocolate museum beside the century-old 'Rūta' candy factory, where you can learn how chocolate is made, taste it, and make your own.
• Šiauliai Photography Museum – Lithuania's only museum devoted to photography, showing vintage cameras, early photographs, and rotating contemporary exhibitions.
• Radio and Television Museum – A small museum of vintage radios, televisions, and gramophones, showing the history of television manufacturing in Šiauliai.
• Lake Talša – A city lake close to the center, where a lakeside trail, beaches, and a cable water park make it the residents' first choice for summer lei…
• Kurtuvėnai Regional Park – A hilly lake park southwest of Šiauliai with manor stables, forest trails, and observation towers, suited to a half-day ride.
• Bubiai Hillfort – A towering ancient hillfort by the Venta River, linked in some accounts to the Battle of Saule, with views over the river valley and fields…
• Pakruojis Manor – One of Lithuania's largest manor complexes, with more than twenty classical buildings along a river, offering accommodation and a winter li…
• Tytuvėnai Monastery – A seventeenth-century Bernardine monastery with a Virgin Mary church and a cloister decorated with fine murals, a famous pilgrimage site in…

Where to eat

• Leja Restaurant – An elegant restaurant beside Vilniaus pedestrian street, reworking family recipes with a slow-food philosophy and known…
• Samogitian Restaurant – An affordable traditional restaurant inside Šiauliai Hotel, serving everyday Samogitian dishes such as cepelinai every…
• Trys Restaurant – A family-run refined restaurant inside Tomas Hotel, serving modern European cuisine, business lunches, tasting dinners…

Itineraries

• Lithuania Grand Self-Drive Loop – A complete self-drive loop covering the capital, Kaunas, the Hill of Crosses, a Cold War missile base, the seaside, and…
• Baltic Capitals Route: Vilnius to Tallinn – Travel north from Vilnius to Riga and Tallinn, passing the Hill of Crosses, Rundāle Palace, and Pärnu