Travel for Food Hub The Food Blog for Travel Lovers
Last Updated on February 7, 2023
About 400 miles south of Sweden lies the little country of Lithuania, which has a population of about 3 million. This is a European country with rolling hills, amazing lakes, and beautiful cobblestone old towns, not to mention an intriguing, long history. It is also an exceptionally unique Eastern European destination that recently escaped the oppression of the Soviet Union. However, Lithuania is a country that’s impatient to catch up to the Western European countries. For that and many other reasons, it’s a fascinating place with friendly people and a downright unique, almost ancient language.
In fact, there’s a lot to fall in love with about Lithuania. At the moment, it also happens to be a very cheap place to visit, with a wide variety of wonderful things to do and see. Besides that, you’ll find a lot of excellent places to eat with a wide selection for any tastes. Basically, you could end up spending weeks and months there, and it still wouldn’t be enough to understand the full scope and marvel of the country.
In this article, we’ll look at the 4 most beautiful places in Lithuania to visit and eat amazing local food. Just be careful: after you read this post, you will develop an obsessive urge to abandon everything and jet away to this mesmerizing country.
Vilnius Old Town
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Your journey to Lithuania will most probably start in Vilnius, the capital city, which is neither a big nor a small city, holding roughly 500,000 people. Luckily for you, this is also the top, must-see destination of the country.
Vilnius is a memorable city, but the most impressive part of it is the Old World-style Old Town. You will fall in love with its charming alleyways, cobblestone streets, and captivating buildings that reflect architecture based on the Renaissance, Gothic, and Neoclassical styles. It’s little wonder that it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Nonetheless, if you aren’t too excited by the architecture, you can instead experience the vibrant nightlife. Fortunately, the best area for this is right at the center of the Old Town. Vilnius is also fast becoming a dining destination, and you should try out the many fine-dining locations around the Old Town.
Užupis
After Vilnius, you can quickly enjoy more of Lithuania’s fantastic locations. One of these memorable places is Užupis, an independent state you can find right at the edge of the Vilnius Old Town.
TAKEAWAY: Užupis is a particularly artsy, bohemian state that has its own Constitution. We won’t ruin it for you by listing what’s on the Constitution – since half the fun is finding out for yourself (on the walls of Paupio street) – but let’s just say this: it was written by eccentrics after the Soviet Union, and the independent state doesn’t take itself very seriously.
The city is often compared to Paris’ Montmartre or Freetown Christiana in Copenhagen. And much like those vicinities, it’s one of the best starting points if you’re looking for amazing lunch places in and around Vilnius.
Trakai
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The Trakai Island Castle is a red, majestic fortress that stands out over the horizon. It’s a breathtaking, fairy-tale like building that is a must-stop destination in both winter and summer. In fact, it is one of the most beautiful places in Lithuania. The fort also happens to sit on a beautiful lake, meaning you can easily spend half the day there touring the castle museum or just strolling around Trakai.
When you’re in Trakai, make it a point to enjoy the local kibinai, a scrumptious little pastry usually filled with meat. And if you visit in winter, make sure you also try some hot eastern european foods to keep you warm.
The Curonian Spit
For this destination, it’s always best to see it in the warmer months: the memorable Curonian Spit that lies up the coast. The Spit is a long peninsula that features some impressive nature and high golden dunes. It is a place that’s perfect for leisurely activities like relaxing bike rides or lazy walks through the ancient woods, famous dunes, and scenic beach towns.
There’s also some tasty smoked fish that they’re particularly proud of that you can find on nearly every small and big street in the area. And, because the fish can last quite a long time (for fish), you can go ahead and stock up on those delicacies.
Traveling through Lithuania
Now let’s imagine that you have just a few days to experience Lithuania, and you want to know what is the absolute best part to visit. Well, we have some good news for you: this is such a small country that you can visit at least three of these sites within only two days.
You see, it’s just a 3-hour ride from the capital Vilnius, in the south, to the coast up north, and most of these beautiful places in Lithuania are between those areas. No matter what location you end up traveling to, we’re pretty sure that you’re going to enjoy it and want to come back again, and again, and again.
