The old town here is one of the largest surviving in this part of Europe, a UNESCO site thick with baroque churches, university courtyards and passages that open into further passages. Then a small bridge over the Vilnelė takes you into Užupis, an artists' quarter that declared itself an independent republic on the first of April, with a flag, an anthem, a part-time army and a constitution bolted to a wall in mirrored plaques in dozens of languages. It guarantees the right to be happy, the right to be unhappy, and a dog's right to be a dog. The joke has held for decades, which is the interesting part.
Getting in is almost absurdly easy. The airport sits a few kilometres south of the centre and a train covers the gap to the main station in about seven minutes, among the quickest arrivals anywhere in Europe. Lithuania is inside the Schengen area and uses the euro, and borders now record fingerprints and a facial image rather than stamping passports, with an online authorisation for visa-exempt visitors being introduced, so check what applies to your passport. Prices are low by western standards, and the city fills through the short warm summer. It pays to compare flights and hotels for Vilnius and to remember the old town is small enough that almost any central address works.
Between the two halves there is plenty to look at. Cathedral Square opens beneath Gediminas Hill with its brick tower on top, reached on foot in about ten minutes or by a short funicular that has closed for works at times. The Gates of Dawn still draw pilgrims to the icon in their chapel above the street, and the brick Gothic of St Anne's is fine enough that Napoleon is supposed to have wanted to carry it home to Paris, a story worth enjoying rather than believing. The baroque interiors are the real surprise, above all the Church of St Peter and St Paul, crowded with thousands of white stucco figures. This was also one of the great centres of Jewish learning in Europe, and the memorial sites, including the forest at Paneriai outside the city, deserve a slow hour and a clear head.
Where you stay is mostly a matter of quiet. In the old town, boutique and historic hotels sit among the churches and the bars off Pilies gatvė, as central as it gets and lively at night. Over the bridge in Užupis, guesthouses and apartment rentals stand along the river among the studios and galleries. Near the main station, mid-range hotels come cheaper and stay walkable. Across the Neris in Žvėrynas, apartment rentals and small hotels hide among wooden villas, quiet and a short walk from Gedimino prospektas.
As a city break what repays booking is transfers, a guided walk and a day trip rather than a hire car, which is no use here, because the centre walks easily and the buses are cheap. The guided walk earns its place twice over, once for the baroque and once for the Jewish history, which is not self-explanatory on the ground. The obvious day out is Trakai Castle, the red-brick fortress on its island in the lakes, half an hour or so west by train or bus, with the archaeological mounds at Kernavė as the quieter alternative. Balloons do fly over this city, one of the few European capitals that allows it, though air traffic often pushes them out over the lakes instead and weather cancels flights at short notice. It costs nothing to check guided tour and balloon flight prices, and treat the flight as a bonus rather than a plan.
Season changes the place more than its size suggests. Summer is short, warm and busy, and it is when the terraces open and the balloons actually fly. Spring and early autumn are quieter and still comfortable. Winter is properly cold and dark by mid-afternoon, and correspondingly inexpensive. Green is the constant: close to half the city area is forest and the tree cover runs to something nearer two thirds, which is how Vilnius came to be named a European Green Capital, and it shows the moment you climb Gediminas Hill. In summer, order šaltibarščiai, the cold soup that arrives an improbable bright pink, made with beetroot and buttermilk and served chilled with a hot potato on the side, and the most Lithuanian thing on any menu. Personally, I would keep the morning for the churches, the afternoon for Užupis and the evening for a park, and skip the museums altogether if the weather holds.
Q: What is Užupis in Vilnius?
A: A small artists' quarter across the Vilnelė that declared itself an independent republic, with a flag, an anthem and a wall-mounted constitution written in a playful spirit. It is a district of the city, not a real state.
Q: Is Vilnius cheap to visit?
A: Yes by western European standards, for food, drink, transport and hotels, though old town prices climb through the short summer season.
Q: Do you need a car in Vilnius?
A: No. A train links the airport to the centre in minutes, the old town is compact and walkable, and buses or organised tours cover everything else.
Q: What is the best day trip from Vilnius?
A: Trakai Castle on its island in the lakes, easily reached by train or bus, with the archaeological site at Kernavė and the memorial forest at Paneriai as quieter options.
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