Excursions
About 25km (18 miles) from Vilnius lies Trakai, an ancient capital of Lithuania. Situated on the shore of the picturesque Lake Galve, on which boat rides are available, the city has a castle dating from the 14th century. Further to the west is the spa of Birstonas, renowned for its mineral waters and tranquility.
To the west of Vilnius lies the industrial and cultural centre of Kaunas, Lithuania’s second city. Also known as the ‘city of museums’, it boasts, amongst others, the Museum of Devil’s Sculptures and a memorial to those who suffered during the Nazi occupation. The most famous museum is dedicated to the works of the Lithuanian painter Ciurlionis. Kaunas also numbers three theatres, some 11th-century castle ruins and the old City Hall among its attractions.
Other places of interest in Lithuania include the small riverside spa resort of Druskininkai, situated 135km (84 miles) from Vilnius, and the small town of Rumsiskes, 80km (50 miles) from Vilnius and 20km (12.5 miles) from Kaunas, with its open-air museum of wooden architecture exhibiting farmhouses from all the various regions of the country. Popular seaside resorts include Palanga and Kursiu Nerija (with the settlements of Nida and Juodkrante), which are famous for their clean white sand beaches, natural sand dunes and pine forests. Palanga also boasts the Amber Museum and an interesting botanical park. Nida is the last village on the Lithuanian half of the spit surrounded by endless stretches of clean white sand. A lighthouse from 1874 can be visited here, as can the Thomas Mann Museum, situated in the house where the German writer spent his holidays between 1930 and 1932. To the south lies the city of Klaipeda, an important seaport as well as the main centre for ferry connections from Lithuania. The two main towns in the north of the country are Siauliai, an important industrial centre with the famous Hill of Crosses about 10km (6 miles) from the city, and Panevezys with its famous Drama Theatre.
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