Travel to Lithuania — everything you need to know
When to go to Lithuania?
- May – September — Golden summer and autumn : Pleasant temperatures (17–22°C), long days, festivals (Vilnius City Days, Jazz Festival). September is stunning with the forest colours.
- December – January — Baroque Christmas : Christmas markets on Vilnius Cathedral Square, lights on the baroque spires, magical atmosphere. Cold (-5°C).
Weather in Lithuania
Check the weather city by city, starting with Vilnius.
- Vilnius: daytime highs from 1 to 24 °C depending on the season, 57 mm of rain per month on average.
- [object Object]: daytime highs from 3 to 21 °C depending on the season, 64 mm of rain per month on average.
What to do in Lithuania?
Lithuania is the largest and least known of the Baltic states: Vilnius with its extraordinary baroque old town (UNESCO, the largest baroque old town in Northern Europe), the sandy Curonian Spit (UNESCO, Europe's largest migrating dune), Kaunas with its unique interwar Art Deco, and Trakai with its red castle on a lake island.
Vilnius — Baroque of the North (UNESCO)
Vilnius Old Town is the largest baroque old town in Northern Europe (UNESCO-listed): 1,500 buildings from the 16th–18th centuries, 65 churches, the neoclassical cathedral on its main square, and the bohemian district of Užupis (which declared itself an artistic 'Republic' in 1997). The panorama from Gediminas Hill is unforgettable.
Highlights : Baroque Old Town of Vilnius (UNESCO) — 65 churches, Gediminas Tower — panorama over the city and its spires, Republic of Užupis — artists' district with its own constitution, Gate of Dawn — miraculous Madonna venerated since 1671.
Curonian Spit — UNESCO dunes
The Curonian Spit (UNESCO) is a 98km sand strip separating the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea — Europe's largest migrating dune (60m high). Colourful fishing villages, pine forests and white sand beaches are accessible from Klaipėda. The Lithuanian side is part of Neringa National Park.
Highlights : Dead Dunes of Parnidis — panorama from 52m, Nida — fishing village with colourful wooden houses, Juodkrantė beach — cormorant and heron watching.
Trakai — Red castle on the water
Trakai Island Castle (14th c.) is Lithuania's most photographed castle: red brick reflected in Lake Galvė, reached by a wooden bridge. The town is also home to the Karaites — a Turkic community of 300 people settled here for 600 years, who keep alive the traditional kibinas (Karaite pastry) cuisine.
Highlights : Trakai Island Castle — red brick on Lake Galvė, Kayaking or paddleboarding on the lake around the castle, Trakai Peninsula — view over 30 lakes from the hill.
Kaunas — Interwar Art Deco
Kaunas was Lithuania's provisional capital between the two world wars (1920–1939) and holds the finest collection of interwar Art Deco architecture in Northern Europe. Laisvės Alėja (Liberty Avenue, a 1.7km pedestrian boulevard) is lined with exceptional interwar buildings. The Čiurlionis Museum showcases Lithuania's most important symbolist painter.
Highlights : Laisvės Alėja — 1.7km Art Deco boulevard (pedestrian), Čiurlionis Museum — Lithuanian symbolist painter and composer, Kaunas Castle (14th c.) at the confluence of the Neris and Nemunas rivers.
Travel budget for Lithuania
Vilnius is the cheapest of the three Baltic capitals. It is particularly affordable for an EU capital. Dining standards have improved significantly in recent years.
- Backpacker : 45–75 €/j — Hostel + cepelinai + public transport
- Comfort : 85–150 €/j — 3★ hotel + restaurants + excursions
Practical tips for travelling to Lithuania
- Flight from Paris : ~3h (Ryanair direct from Beauvais/CDG–Vilnius, Wizz Air). Regular flights.
- Visa : No visa required — Schengen area. French national ID card is sufficient.
- Currency : Euro (€). Cards very widely accepted. Cash useful on the Curonian Spit.
- Language : Lithuanian (a very ancient Indo-European language). English well spoken by young people. Russian understood by older generations.
- Electricity : Type C/F (European) — 230V. No adapter needed.
- Health : No special precautions. EHIC valid. Ticks in the forest (Curonian Spit) — repellent recommended in summer.
- Baltic beaches : The Baltic Sea is cold in Lithuania (19°C max in July) but the sandy beaches are vast and uncrowded outside the Curonian Spit.
- Beer : Lithuania has a strong craft brewing tradition — the farmhouse ales of the Biržai region are unique in Europe and unavailable elsewhere.
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