Vilnius

One of the largest Baroque old towns in Eastern Europe, full of churches, with the self-declared independent artists' quarter, the Republic of Užupis, and the picturesque lake castle at nearby Trakai.

Vilnius is in southeastern Lithuania, where the Neris and Vilnia rivers meet. It has about 600,000 residents and is the capital of Lithuania. From the 14th century it was the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which at its height stretched from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea, and it later became part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. As a result, the city blends Lithuanian, Polish, Jewish, Russian and other cultures, and was once called the "Jerusalem of the North." The Old Town covers about 3.6 sq km and is one of the largest in Eastern Europe. It preserves Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassical architecture and is especially known for its dozens of Baroque churches. It was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1994. Areas to explore: at the northern end of the Old Town are Cathedral Square and Castle Hill, home to the Palace of the Grand Dukes and Gediminas Tower. From there the main axis of the Old Town runs south along Pilies Street and Didžioji Street, past Vilnius University and the Presidential Palace to the Gate of Dawn at the southern end. East of the Old Town, across the Vilnia River, is the self-declared independent artists' quarter, the Republic of Užupis, next to the Gothic Church of St. Anne. In the northeastern suburbs is the Church of Saints Peter and Paul. Trakai Island Castle, in a lake about 28 km to the west, is a must-see day trip. Climate: May–September is the best time to visit, at about 16–23°C. On summer evenings you can take a hot-air balloon flight over the Old Town (Vilnius is one of the few European capitals that allows balloons to fly over the city center). Winters are around -5°C, and the Christmas tree on Cathedral Square in December is famous. Getting there: Vilnius Airport is about 6 km from the center, about 8 minutes by train or 20 minutes by bus. Everything in the Old Town is walkable. The bus to Riga takes about 4 hours, and there are direct trains and buses to Warsaw. We suggest staying 2 days: one day for the Old Town, half a day for Užupis and the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, and half a day to a full day for Trakai. Notes: most museums are closed on Mondays. Please keep quiet and dress modestly inside churches. Try cepelinai (Zeppelin potato dumplings) and šaltibarščiai (cold beet soup).

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