Top Places To Photograph in Lithuania
Far off the beaten track of the busy tourist route through Europe, Lithuania offers something delightfully different for a city break. A place thats plenty of old-world charm, history and ridiculously tasty food. Lithuania despite its small size and population consists of plenty of cozy towns, cobblestone streets, beautiful churches, traditional food and drink, beaches and some natural wonders for the outdoorsy backpackers who want to explore. As Lithuanians, they love their nature and its easy to see why. Surrounded by forests and even more forests they enjoy the outdoors, regardless of the cold winters or hot summers. Vilnius, the capital is your traditional Eastern European city – nicer than Riga but perhaps looses out against the old town of Tallinn. With prices far below those you’ll find in the West, Lithuania is great for budget travellers, and its compact size allows easy exploration throughout the whole country.
So what to see in Vilnius? Even though the capital is home to only to half a million people, theres still plenty of people watching to enjoy and it never feels too touristy. The city centers around a UNESCO World Heritage Site old town, with churches in all sorts of styles, great viewpoints and a lively selection of bars, restaurants, and cafés.
You can pretty much see everything in a day Offbeat attractions include the artist neighbourhood of Užupis, a statue of Frank Zappa, old military fortifications, and streets you can’t help but wander.
Starting the day in the front of the city’s Cathedral is a great way to get your bearings and understand the dynamics of the city. From here you can climb up to the top of the Hill of Three Crosses and see the city from above. Wandering down from here you can find yourself in the interesting and quirky neighbourhood of Užupis.
After the Soviet times, Užupis was practically abandoned. The neighbourhood was full of dodgy drug dealers, run down shops and dark alleys. As prices were cheap, the artists begin to move in, creating a distinctive vibe and feel. The artists declared a micro-nation called “Republic of Užupis” which celebrates an “independence day” coinciding with the April Fools Day and has its own set of laws and national pride. Eventually this caught the attention of the wealthy people who began to occupy the streets and its now one of the most expensive places to live in the city.
Leaving here head into the old town to explore the many cafes and churches in the area, taking in the Gates of Dawn and the many parks nearby. Finishing off your journey towards the Gedimino Avenue for shopping and the likes. Don’t miss the fantastic KGB old musuem, where you can easily get lost in thought for an hour or more.
By now its probably dark, but your day has just begun. Lithuanians love a good beer. Its cheap, its tasty and its a perfect way to end your day in Vilnius.
