Things to See and Do in Vilnius, Lithuania

Vilnius, Lithuania

Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania as well as its largest city, with a population of 555,000 as of 2008. Vilnius has the honor of being the European Capital of Culture for 2009 along with Linz, Austria.

Since the 16th century, Vilnius has been occupied by Russia, France, Poland, and Germany. It has only seen independence since 1990 as a result of the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Vilnius has worked hard to create its own ultra-modern identity. This hard work has paid off with the above-mentioned awarding of the European Capital of Culture. However, despite all of the ravages attendant to the many conquerings of the city, Vilnius has retained a historic center with a diverse array of architectural styles, although the overall flavor is Baroque. The town center is Cathedral Square; and a short stroll from there will reveal the old city and its many historical buildings, no less than 1500 in total, not to mention some of the diverse styles of the 40 churches of Vilnius.

Trek up to the hilltop Gedimas Tower, a remnant of the once imposing 14th-century Upper Castle, and you'll get a great view of old town.

The new ultramodern city center with its sharp contemporary buildings is a stunning contrast to the old town, and you will see that Vilnius is becoming a modern, buzzing Capital City. Restaurants, shops and museums are quickly popping up throughout Vilnius, and there is an energy to the city that will endear you to this modernizing Capital.

Winter is bitter cold in Vilnius, with the lakes and rivers freezing up so solid that ice fishing is a popular pastime, so unless you like drilling holes in the ice to catch fish, make Vilnius a summer destination.