Day Trip to Vilnius - Touring the Baltics Part 3/3

The final stop of my 3 countries in 3 days tour was the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius.

View from the Hill of Three Crosses (+bad hair day), Vilnius

Getting there:

Plane: As with Tallinn and Riga, Vilnius is very accessible and has an international airport, connected to both major and budget airlines.

Bus: Buses run frequently from Latvia and Poland and provide a good economical mode of transport.

I took the Lux Express bus from Riga to Vilnius, which cost €16 for a one way ticket. The journey took just over 4 hours and with the comfort on board, coupled with decent wifi, it was a breeze.

Time to visit:

I travelled at the beginning of April and the weather was relatively cool but not freezing, 10-12° C, during the day, and 6-8° C in the evening. Annoyingly, when I arrived in the evening it was raining quite heavily but that led to some good and shiny photo opportunities (evidence below).

Things to do:

I got the impression that Vilnius was a lot bigger than the other Baltic capitals and yes it does have an Old Town that it good to walk around but there is more to do outside of it. There are a few good view points (of course!), at different altitudes providing great views of the city.

Where to stay:

I would recommend staying near the Old Town at least in between the Old Town and the Neris River, as most of the things to do in the city are around there.

I stayed at the Hotel Congress just south of the river. Location wise it was decent but a 20minute walk from the Old Town. The facilities were standard but nothing exceptional.

(Disclaimer: this is not sponsored).

Vilnius in a day suggested itinerary:

(Assuming you start first thing in the morning, my day was split between the evening before and then half a day after.)

9:00am: Start at the top of city by walking to the the Hill of Three Crosses a great view of the Vilnius.

View from the Hill of Three Crosses, Vilnius

10:00am: Not had enough of the views? A 15 minute walk from the Hill of Three Crosses is the Gediminas Castle Tower. You can walk up for free or take the lift to the top for a Euro. You can buy tickets separately to visit the inside of the castle.

View from the top of the Gediminas Castle, Vilnius

11:00am: Walk toward the Old Town, but make sure to check out Gedimino prospektas (Avenue). A bustling street with lots of shops and cafes. Take a break here to grab a coffee or an early lunch. (Suggestion: If you are around in the evening, the street is closed to traffic so is a great spot to take ‘instagrammable photos’)

1:00pm: Next stop is the Vilnius Cathedral, the most iconic Cathedral of the city. If you have time, you can get a guided tour of the crypts of the Cathedral.

2:00pm: Finally, walk to the Old Town of Vilnius and get down to exploring it. The Town Hall in the middle is its most iconic structure, one to view during the night as well.

That was another quick tour for me and I was off to the airport again (Ryanair for the win!) back to London.

That’s three countries in three days done!

Tips and what you should know:

Currency: The local currency is Euro, some smaller cafes and shops were cash only so make sure you have some spare just in case.

Cost: I found it to be similar to Riga, and a decent meal would be around €6-8.
Language: Most people at restaurants and cafes speak English but it was a challenge at times when asking people for directions.
Transport: If you visit for a short period and only do the main sites, they can easily be covered on foot. There are buses but I did not use them. Taxi’s and apps like Uber and Bolt are available.

Final Verdict on Vilnius:

Vilnius certainly did have more of a big city feel to it and its one where I was left feeling there is a lot more I could have done if I had more time. Would definitely consider visiting for a full day.