Why now is the time to visit Vilnius - 'the G-spot of Europe'
There’s music and raciness in the air in Lithuania’s capital city.
Why go now?
Not sure where Vilnius is? The city’s tourism officials have just launched a controversial advertising campaign promoting the city as the “G-spot of Europe” (vilnius-tourism.lt). Certainly Lithuania’s capital makes the most of its long summer evenings with music throughout the Christopher Summer Festival (until Aug 28; vilniusfestivals.lt; from €9.20/￡8.20). Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from Birmingham, Luton, Liverpool, Leeds-Bradford and Stansted; Wizz Air (wizzair.com) from Luton, Doncaster-Sheffield, and Belfast.
Vilnius - City map
Stay here
The Mabre Residence hotel (1) (mabre.lt), set in a 16th-century ecclesiastical property, has doubles for €99, with breakfast. The Shakespeare Boutique (2) (shakespeare.lt) offers rooms named after literary icons for €123, lodging only.
Walk here
Start on Katedros aikste (3) – Cathedral Square – where the 18th-century structure in question (katedra.lt) is one of Europe’s most impressive; a neoclassical marvel with a bell tower that stands aloof. Walk up Gediminas Hill behind it. The top offers the Gediminas Tower (4), a remnant of a 15th-century castle, and great views.
See this
The route uphill passes the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania (5) (valdovurumai.lt). What was once the national seat of power, built in the 15th century, is a reconstruction – finished this year (the original was demolished in 1801). It is a space for art and music – its current exhibition runs until Oct 7 (€6).
Try this
Decidedly darker in subject matter, the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights (6) (genocid.lt/muziejus/en; €4) dissects Lithuania’s time under Soviet rule (1944-1990) from within the ex-KGB building on Auku Gatve, where bullet marks still pit the walls.
Shop here
Stikliu Gatve is a little corridor of fashionable things. Vilnius visionary Julia Janus (7) (juliajanus.com) dispenses chic items at number 7. Decolte (8), at number 6, is a bright showcase for local designers, specialising in women’s clothes.
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Drink here
Dash over the river Vilnia into Uzupis – the trendy district that declared itself an independent state in 1997. Bars abound here. Spunka (9) (spunka.lt) is a hole-in-the-wall bar pouring Lithuanian beers from €3.
Eat here
Continue east on Uzupio Gatve to number 22, where Sweet Root (10) (sweetroot.lt) is a gourmet hive serving seasonal Lithuanian cuisine – via seven-course tasting menus (€65) of dishes such as quail with radish. Aula (11) (aularestoranas.lt) revels in Baltic tradition (roast deer with fried apple – €15.90) in the medieval university complex.
Off the map
Flit to Zaliasis Tiltas (Green Bridge), where you can catch a 74 bus (vilniusticket.lt; 90 cents) for the four-mile journey to Pavilniai Regional Park (pavilniai-verkiai.lt) – a forested landscape where you can stroll for unfettered miles.
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