Lithuania & the Baltics 7-Day — Vilnius, Trakai, Kaunas, Hill of Crosses & Riga

Activities

1. 09:30 Cathedral Square + the bell tower 1h

   Start at Cathedral Square, the heart of Vilnius — the neoclassical Cathedral (free) and its detached 57m bell tower (about €4.50 to climb for a first panorama). Stand on the 'Stebuklas' miracle tile in the square and make a wish.

   Cost: Cathedral free; bell tower ~€4.50 TIP: Go early before tour groups. The Cathedral's Chapel of St. Casimir is the highlight inside. The square is the natural starting and meeting point for the Old Town.
2. 10:45 Gediminas Tower — Old Town panorama 1h15

   Climb (or take the short funicular, about €5) to Gediminas Tower, the surviving red-brick tower of the 14th-century upper castle. The terrace gives the best central view over the Old Town's roofs and spires, with a small history museum inside.

   Cost: ~€5 funicular + tower entry TIP: The funicular saves the steep cobbled climb. Morning light is best for photos over the Old Town. Combine with the Palace of the Grand Dukes at the base if you have extra time.
3. 13:00 Lunch — cepelinai in the Old Town 1h30

   Lunch on Lithuania's signature dish — cepelinai, zeppelin-shaped potato dumplings stuffed with meat, topped with sour cream and bacon — at Etno Dvaras or Senoji Trobelė. Try šaltibarščiai (cold pink beetroot soup) too in summer.

   Cost: €10-18 per person TIP: Cepelinai are heavy — one or two is a full meal. Etno Dvaras is a reliable introduction; Senoji Trobelė is more rustic. A local beer (Švyturys or Kalnapilis) pairs well.
4. 15:00 Pilies Street + St. Anne's Church 1h30

   Wander Pilies Street, the Old Town's main artery, lined with craft stalls (amber, linen), cafés, and Baroque facades. Continue to St. Anne's Church, a Gothic red-brick gem Napoleon reportedly wished he could carry back to Paris.

   Cost: Free (St. Anne's free) TIP: Pilies Street is the best place for amber and linen souvenirs — buy from reputable shops to avoid fakes. St. Anne's and the adjacent Bernardine Church and gardens make a pretty cluster on the way toward Užupis.
5. 17:00 Gates of Dawn (Aušros Vartai) 45min

   Walk to the Gates of Dawn, the only surviving city gate (1503), home to a revered icon of the Virgin Mary in a chapel above the street that draws pilgrims year-round. A short, moving stop at the southern edge of the Old Town.

   Cost: Free TIP: The chapel is active — cover shoulders and keep quiet. The icon is viewed from a small balcony chapel reached by a stairway beside the gate. Pair with a stroll up Aušros Vartų and Didžioji streets back into the center.
6. 20:00 Dinner — Lokys or a fine-dining table 2h

   For a memorable evening, dine at Lokys, in a vaulted 15th-century cellar serving Lithuanian forest game (wild boar, venison, beaver) since 1971. Or book ahead for a modern tasting menu at Sweet Root or Nineteen18.

   Cost: €15-35 (Lokys) / €60-120 (fine dining) TIP: Reserve Lokys and especially the fine-dining rooms ahead. Lokys is the atmospheric, hearty pick; Sweet Root and Nineteen18 are the celebrated tasting menus. Both undercut Western European prices for the quality.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 10:00 Republic of Užupis — the artists' republic 2h

   Cross the Vilnia River into the Republic of Užupis, the bohemian quarter that declared its tongue-in-cheek 'independence' in 1997. Read the 41-clause Constitution on its multilingual wall (lines like 'A dog has the right to be a dog'), see the Užupis Angel statue, and browse the galleries and studios.

   Cost: Free TIP: Find your language on the Constitution wall on Paupio Street. The quarter is small and best wandered slowly — courtyards, sculptures, and cafés. April 1 is its 'Independence Day,' when souvenir border stamps appear.
2. 12:30 Lunch — Užupis café 1h30

   Lunch in Užupis at Užupio Kavinė, the landmark café-restaurant with a terrace over the Vilnia River, or another of the quarter's relaxed spots. A good place to slow down in the bohemian setting.

   Cost: €10-20 per person TIP: The riverside terrace is the draw in warm weather. Užupis is a short walk from the Old Town, so you can drift back across the bridge afterward.
3. 14:30 Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights (KGB Museum) 1h30

   Walk or ride to the former KGB headquarters and prison, now the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights. Preserved cells, interrogation rooms, and the basement execution chamber tell the story of Soviet-era repression — a sobering but essential stop.

   Cost: ~€6 TIP: Allow at least 90 minutes; the basement prison is the most affecting part. It's about a 20-minute walk or short bus ride from the Old Town on Gediminas Avenue. Heavy subject matter — pace the day accordingly.
4. 16:30 Hill of Three Crosses — panorama 1h15

   Climb to the Hill of Three Crosses in Kalnai Park for the classic elevated view back over the Old Town and Gediminas Tower — especially good in late-afternoon light. The white crosses are a Vilnius landmark and memorial.

   Cost: Free TIP: It's a short uphill walk through the park from near the Bernardine Gardens. The view pairs well with golden hour. Wear comfortable shoes for the path.
5. 19:30 Dinner + Lithuanian beer 2h

   Dinner at a traditional tavern like Bernelių Užeiga (try the mini-cepelinai sampler) or casual Šnekutis, then a Lithuanian craft-beer nightcap at the cellar bar Bambalynė.

   Cost: €12-22 per person TIP: Šnekutis is cheap and very local; Bernelių Užeiga is the folk-tavern experience. Bambalynė has a deep range of Lithuanian farmhouse and craft beers in a snug cellar.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 09:00 Vilnius → Trakai (bus or train) 1h

   Travel to Trakai, 28km west — about 30 minutes by frequent bus (around €2 each way) or 35 minutes by train. The lakeside town and its island castle make the easiest, most rewarding half-day trip from Vilnius.

   Cost: ~€4 round trip TIP: Buses leave Vilnius bus station roughly every 30-60 minutes. Check the castle's opening (often closed Mondays in low season). From the bus/train stop it's a 20-25 minute walk to the castle along the lake.
2. 10:30 Trakai Island Castle (Lake Galvė) 2h

   Tour the 14th-century red-brick Gothic castle on an island in Lake Galvė, reached by a footbridge — once a seat of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, now a history museum. The lakeside setting is the highlight.

   Cost: ~€10 entry TIP: Cross the footbridges to the island courtyard and climb the towers. In summer you can rent a paddleboat or rowboat on the lake for castle views. Allow time to walk the lakeshore.
3. 13:00 Lunch — Karaim kibinai by the lake 1h30

   Lunch on kibinai — crescent-shaped Karaim pastries filled with mutton or beef — at Senoji Kibininė, the classic spot near the castle. The Karaim community has lived in Trakai for over 600 years, and these pastries are their signature.

   Cost: €5-13 per person TIP: Kibinai are baked to order — worth the short wait. The lakeside seating is the move in good weather. Try a couple of fillings; sweet versions exist too.
4. 15:30 Return to Vilnius + MO Museum 2h

   Head back to Vilnius (30 minutes). Spend the late afternoon at the MO Museum, a sleek modern-art museum of Lithuanian work in a striking contemporary building, or simply browse the Old Town's craft shops.

   Cost: MO Museum ~€9 TIP: The MO Museum is a good rainy-day or low-energy option after the trip. Alternatively, the Halės Turgus central market is a fun, cheap graze if it's still open (closed Mondays).
5. 19:30 Farewell dinner + Old Town stroll 2h

   Round off the trip with a final Lithuanian dinner — a creative tasting menu at Džiaugsmas, or a relaxed traditional meal — followed by an evening stroll through the floodlit Old Town and Cathedral Square.

   Cost: €15-110 per person TIP: Book Džiaugsmas or any fine-dining table ahead. The Old Town is at its prettiest after dark; Cathedral Square and Pilies Street are the obvious final wander.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 08:30 Vilnius → Kaunas (bus or train) 1h30

   Travel to Kaunas, Lithuania's second city and its interwar capital (1920-1939), about 1-1.5 hours by frequent bus or train (€5-10 round trip). An easy, rewarding contrast to Vilnius.

   Cost: €5-10 round trip TIP: Buses and trains run frequently from Vilnius. Kaunas's center is walkable; the funicular up to Žaliakalnis is a charming local detail. Book nothing in advance — it's a flexible day.
2. 10:30 Kaunas Old Town + Town Hall Square 1h30

   Explore Kaunas's compact Old Town — the white Town Hall ('White Swan'), Kaunas Castle, and the confluence of the Nemunas and Neris rivers. Smaller and quieter than Vilnius's, with its own charm.

   Cost: Free (castle small fee) TIP: Town Hall Square is the heart of the Old Town. Kaunas Castle is a short walk to the river confluence. A relaxed morning before the modernist core.
3. 13:00 Lunch + Laisvės alėja (modernist Kaunas) 2h30

   Lunch on Laisvės alėja, the long pedestrian boulevard, then take in Kaunas's UNESCO-recognized interwar modernist architecture — the era when it was Lithuania's capital. The Christ's Resurrection Basilica rooftop gives a city view.

   Cost: €10-20 per person TIP: Kaunas's 1920s-30s modernist architecture earned UNESCO World Heritage status in 2023 — look for the bank buildings and the Central Post Office. Laisvės alėja is the spine of the modern city.
4. 16:00 Ninth Fort (memorial) 1h30

   Visit the Ninth Fort on the city's edge — a 19th-century fortress used as a Nazi-era execution and detention site, now a sobering memorial and museum with a striking monument. A serious but important stop.

   Cost: ~€6 TIP: It's a short taxi or bus ride from the center. Heavy subject matter, like the KGB Museum in Vilnius. Skip it if you'd rather keep the day light, and spend longer in the Old Town instead.
5. 18:30 Return to Vilnius + dinner 2h30

   Return to Vilnius (1-1.5 hours) for an evening Old Town dinner — a traditional tavern or a relaxed café meal back in the capital.

   Cost: Train/bus included + €12-22 dinner TIP: Confirm your return time; services are frequent but the last convenient ones can be busy. Back in Vilnius, the Old Town is lively for a final-stretch dinner.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 08:00 Vilnius → Hill of Crosses (guided tour or self-drive) 3h30

   Travel about 200km north toward Šiauliai (roughly 3 hours each way) to the Hill of Crosses — a low hill blanketed with 200,000+ crosses planted since the 1800s as a symbol of Lithuanian faith and identity, even through Soviet-era bulldozings. A guided day tour (about €50) is the simplest way.

   Cost: Tour ~€50 / self-drive fuel TIP: A guided tour handles the long drive and often adds a stop. Self-drivers can combine it with Kaunas. The site is free and always open; allow 1-1.5 hours there. It's a full-day commitment for a powerful, unusual place.
2. 12:00 Hill of Crosses — the pilgrimage site 1h30

   Walk among the hundreds of thousands of crosses of every size, from towering carved monuments to tiny rosaries, layered over each other on and around the hill. A site Pope John Paul II visited in 1993 — quiet, strange, and moving.

   Cost: Free TIP: Bring a cross to add if you wish (sold nearby). The atmosphere is reflective. Photos are fine, but it's an active religious site, so keep it respectful.
3. 13:30 Lunch en route + return to Vilnius 4h

   Lunch in Šiauliai or en route, then make the return drive to Vilnius (about 3 hours), arriving in the late afternoon or early evening.

   Cost: Lunch €8-15 + transport included TIP: Most guided tours include or stop for lunch. It's a long day in transit, so settle in for the drive. You'll be back in Vilnius with time for a relaxed final evening.
4. 19:30 Farewell Vilnius dinner + Old Town stroll 2h30

   Round off the trip with a final Lithuanian dinner — Lokys for game in the medieval cellar, or a modern tasting menu — and a last evening stroll through the floodlit Old Town.

   Cost: €15-120 per person TIP: Book ahead for Lokys or any fine-dining room. Cathedral Square and Pilies Street are the prettiest after dark — a gentle finish to a Lithuania loop.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 08:00 Vilnius → Riga (bus) 4h30

   Take the Lux Express or Ecolines bus to Riga (about 4 hours, €15-30 each way). Check into a hotel in or near the Old Town, dropping bags before exploring. This is an overnight, so pack light.

   Cost: €15-30 each way TIP: Book the bus ahead for the best fares and a comfortable coach (wifi, outlets). Riga is too far for a comfortable day trip — one night makes it relaxed. Leave heavier luggage at your Vilnius hotel if returning there.
2. 13:30 Lunch + Riga Old Town 2h30

   Lunch in Riga's UNESCO Old Town, then wander the House of the Blackheads, the Dome Cathedral, the Three Brothers houses, and the cobbled medieval lanes — compact and atmospheric.

   Cost: €12-22 per person TIP: The Old Town is walkable end to end. Latvian food echoes Lithuanian (grey peas, rye bread, smoked fish). Riga's Old Town feels grander and more commercial than Vilnius's quieter Baroque core.
3. 16:30 Art Nouveau district (Alberta iela) 1h30

   Walk to the Art Nouveau quarter around Alberta and Elizabetes streets — Riga has one of the world's densest concentrations of Jugendstil facades, many designed by Mikhail Eisenstein. The Art Nouveau Museum sits among them.

   Cost: Free (museum ~€9) TIP: Alberta iela is the showcase street — look up at the ornate, sculpture-laden facades. The small Art Nouveau Museum recreates a period apartment. This is Riga's signature, distinct from Vilnius's Baroque.
4. 19:00 Riga Central Market + dinner 2h

   Browse the Riga Central Market, set in vast 1920s former Zeppelin hangars, for smoked fish, cheese, and snacks, then dinner in the Old Town or the trendy Miera iela district.

   Cost: €12-25 per person TIP: The market hangars are a sight in themselves (and good for cheap eats). Miera iela is Riga's bohemian, café-and-craft-beer quarter — a Latvian cousin to Vilnius's Užupis.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 09:30 St. Peter's Church tower + a final Riga sight 2h

   Climb (by lift) St. Peter's Church tower for a panorama over Riga's Old Town and the Daugava River, then catch anything missed — the Freedom Monument, the Bastejkalns park canal, or a last Old Town wander.

   Cost: Tower ~€9 TIP: The tower lift gives the best Old Town view. The Freedom Monument is Latvia's key national symbol. Keep the morning light to leave time for the bus back.
2. 12:00 Lunch + Riga → Vilnius (bus) 5h

   Lunch in Riga, then take the afternoon bus back to Vilnius (about 4 hours), arriving in the evening for a final night in the Lithuanian capital.

   Cost: Lunch €10-18 + bus €15-30 TIP: Book the return bus ahead. Pick an early-afternoon departure to arrive in Vilnius with the evening free. Confirm the exact bus station in Riga.
3. 19:30 Farewell Vilnius dinner + Old Town stroll 2h

   A last Lithuanian dinner back in Vilnius — Lokys for game, or a relaxed traditional meal — followed by a final floodlit stroll through Cathedral Square and Pilies Street.

   Cost: €15-35 per person TIP: Reserve Lokys or any fine-dining table ahead. The Old Town after dark is the perfect send-off. Pick up last amber or linen souvenirs on Pilies Street if shops are open.

Meal Recommendations