Throughout the year, there are a variety of cultural, music, cinema, theatre, art, and fashion festivals taking place.

• Lietuvos Rytas Basketball Games. The city's main team is named after one of its sponsors, Lietuvos Rytas Newspaper. It uses Siemens Arena for its home games in European competition, as well as high-demand domestic games, most notably the national derby against Žalgiris of Kaunas. Other games are held at the adjacent Lietuvos Rytas Basketball Arena.  edit

• National Opera House, (Near the Green Bridge (Zaliasis tiltas)).  edit

• Oskaras Korsunovas Theatre (OKT), [14]. one of the most original modern theatres in Europe  edit

• Super Segway, (Vilniaus str. 45), ☎ +370 526 20215, [15]. Take a cheap, guided, segway tour around the main attractions of the city. Note that the price is low because of insurance related issues. 60 LTL per hour.  edit

Vilnius is one of the most visited cities in Eastern Europe. In 1994, the Old Town of Vilnius was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

• The Old Town. Includes many churches and ancient buildings erected in 13th-19th centuries. Much of the Old Town used to be Jewish ghetto. Today street names like Zydu (Jewish) and Gaono (Gaon's) reminds of this period, as Jewish community of Vilnius perished during the Holocaust.  edit

• Gediminas Castle. The red-brick tower is restored from the Higher Castle erected in the 13th–14th centuries by Dukes of Lithuania. This is the best view of Vilnius. Can't find it? Look up! You can climb up to it from the Cathedral Squareor take the funicular on the other side of the hill, facing the river.  edit

• Archcathedral Basilica. Original (wooden) cathedral built in 1251. In 1387 a Gothic style cathedral was built. Now it is a classical style cathedral build by the project of Laurynas Stuoka-Gucevicius. The most beautiful part of the Cathedral, the baroque chapel of St. Casimir, was built in 1623–1636. The crypt shows a cross section of Vilnius through the ages, well worth seeing. You can also take a tour through the catacombs under the cathedral. Outside the Cathedral, in the square, look for a particular tile on which there is written a word "Stebuklas" (means "miracle" in Lithuanian). Stand on it, make a wish and turn around three times. Your wish should come true :)  edit

• St. Ann's Church. One of the most beautiful churches in Vilnius and in Lithuania. Very small in size, but a very beautiful example of gothic architecture. There is a legend that when during his conquests Napoleon came to Vilnius and saw this church he said he would like to take it on his palm and bring to France.  edit

• Uzupis District. a bohemian area largely unrestored. An independent republic.  edit

• St. Peter's and Paul's Church. Another shockingly beautiful church. Not so special from the outside, but extremely beautiful inside, with all the interior overcrowded with baroque sculptural works.  edit

• Three Crosses Hill. memorable place because seven Franciscan monks were tortured here by the pagans  edit

• Artilery Bastion of Vilnius Defensive Wall.  edit

• Museum of Genocide Victims (Former KGB HQ), 2a Auku St., ☎ +370-5-2498155, [10]. Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 10AM-3PM. The bottom bricks of the buildings have names of those who were believed to be executed inside the building.  edit

• Lithuanian National Museum''', 1 Arsenalo St, ☎ +370-5-2629426, [11]. Biggest and oldest source of national cultural heritage in the country, which systematically collects, stores, displays, and popularises the history of the state.  edit

• Frank Zappa Statue, Kalinausko 1, [12]. The only statue in the world for honoring this great musician. Free.  edit

• European Park, Joneikiskiu k, ☎ (+370 5) 2377 077 (hq@europosparkas.lt), [13]. 10AM-sunset. The sculptures, which are the works of sculptors from more than 70 countries worldwide, are exhibited in the open area of 55 ha. Sometimes there is a very bad mosquito problem here. overpriced..  edit

• Old Arsenal Building.  edit

• Cemeteries. There is an interesting Jewish cemetery in Seskine (a little outside the centre) including the grave of some very important rabbi. By the entrance to Vingis park is a war cemetery with Russian, German, and Turkish soldiers from both wars.  edit

• Contemporary Art Center, Vokieciu str. 2. There are always many extremely interesting modern art exhibitions.

By plane

Vilnius International Airport (IATA: VNO), Rodunios kelias 10a, +370 5 273 9305, [3] is a small airport but is the largest airport in Lithuania.

The following airlines oeprate to and from Vilnius International Aiport:

Aer Lingus (Dublin, London-Gatwick), Aerosvit Airlines (Kiev-Boryspil), airBaltic (Amsterdam, Berlin-Tegel, Copenhagen, Dublin, Hamburg, London-Gatwick, Munich, Oslo-Gardermoen, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Riga, Rome-Fiumicino, Tallinn), Austrian Airlines (Vienna), Brussels Airlines (Brussels), Czech Airlines (Prague), Donbassaero (Kiev-Boryspil), Estonian Air (Amsterdam, Tallinn), Finnair (Helsinki), LOT Polish Airlines (Warsaw), Lufthansa (Frankfurt), Norwegian Air Shuttle (Oslo-Gardermoen), Scandinavian Airlines (Copenhagen), Skyways Express (Stockholm-Arlanda), Star1 Airlines (Dublin, Edinburgh, Girona, London-Stansted, Milan-Malpensa), UTair Aviation (Moscow-Vnukovo), and Yamal Airlines (Moscow-Domodedovo).

The airport (Oro Uostas in Lithuanian) is located 6km south of the city center. Bus #2 goes from the airport to the city center, continuing on to Šeškinė. Bus #1 will take you to the rail and bus stations (Stosis in Lithuanian), located next to each other [4]. The bus ride to the center takes 15 minutes and buses depart from the airport every 10-15 minutes. Tickets can be purchased from the driver for 2.50 LTL. Alternatively, you can take a train from the airport to the main train station for 2.50 LTL. The train ride takes 7 minutes, but trains depart every ~45 minutes [5]. A taxi from airport to city center costs 20-30 LTL. Calling taxi by phone will usually be cheaper than taking one off the street, but do not expect any English speaking drivers.

An alternative is to fly to airports in other nearby cities such as Kaunas (2 hours from Vilnius), Palanga (5 hours from Vilnius), or Riga (4.5 hours from Vilnius)

By train

Trains [6] from major destinations serve Vilnius Railway Station, located just south of the city center. One train per day runs to Daugavpils, Latvia. One train per day to Warsaw with a change of train in Sestokai, near the border.

By car

Motorways serve Vilnius from Kaunas and Panevezys. The modern four-lane motorways and main roads are in a very good state, however, in the winter smaller roads are not cleared. The speed-limit is 130 kph on the motorways (110 kph in winter), but 100 kph on the Vilnius-Kaunas sector, 90 kph outside towns and 50 kph in town.

By bus

The bus station is located across the street from the main train station. A schedule of all regional buses is posted near the ticket window.

You can find some schedules for regional buses here [7]

By boat

There are no boat connections to Vilnius as the city is located inland.

By bus or trolleybus

A single ticket for either bus or trolley use (same ticket works for either bus or trolley) costs 2.50 LTL if you buy it from the driver or 2.00 LTL if you buy it from a the newspaper kiosk. You may also catch a private bus, which costs 2.00 LTL and is a bit faster. There is a 50% discount for students and elderly people, both in public and private buses.

See [8] for more information and schedules.

By taxi

A van-taxi is faster than the bus and will cost 3 LTL at most. A regular cab may cost about 15-20 LTL if you need to get from periphery of the city to the center. You should always call a taxi by phone, even if you see a taxi on the street nearby. Street taxis charge as much as twice the price as taxis called by phone.

By car

Traveling by car is not advised during rush hour (about 5 PM), as there are huge traffic jams in many places, especially in the centre.

By bicycle

Bicycle lovers will be a bit disappointed, because in the centre it may be hard to find bicycle tracks to travel around the old town. In the periphery, moreover, the surface is sometimes a bit too steep to cycle. For information on renting a bicycle or trail information, visit [9].

By foot

The Old Town is not very large and can be easily walked by foot.

ATMs are very common in Vilnius.

Vilnius is famous for its amber, wool socks and hats, and flaxware

Vilnius is one of the most stylish cities of Europe. Upscale retailers include Hugo Boss, Armani, Escada, Dolce & Gabbana, John Richmond, ZARA, United Colors of Benetton, and Mango. There are also some young local designer butiques in Stikliu street. Pilles gatve is where you can find touristy souvenirs.

In addition to the restaurants listed below, almost all of the bars in Vilnius serve reasonably priced good quality food.

Budget

• Čili Kaimas, [17]. Chain of restaurants offering Lithuanian traditional food. Try the zeppelini.  edit

• Čili Kinija, [18]. The best Chinese restaurant in Vilnius. Serves Tsingtao beer.  edit

• Čili Pica, Didžioji g. 5, Gedmino 23 and 8 other locations, [19]. Chain of restaurants offering pizza, pasta, salads. Medium pizza: 10-25 LTL.  edit

• Jammi, [20]. Chain of kebab shops that offers very good value.  edit

• Maxima, [21]. The largest Lithuanian supermarket chain. Sells prepared food.  edit

Mid-range

• Amatininku uzeiga, Didzioji 19/2 (Town Hall square (Rotuses aikste)), ☎ +37052617968, [22]. until 5AM. Lithuanian and international food.  edit

• Balti Drambliai (White Elephants), Vilniaus gatve 41, [23]. Cozy, chilly non-smoking vegetarian-vegan cafe, world/reggae music, live concerts in the evenings.  edit

• Cozy, Dominikonu gatve 10, [24]. Sauve but laid-back restaurant upstairs, DJ-bar downstairs, serves hearty modern food with a few vegetarian options.  edit

• Fortas, Algirdo 17, [25]. Pub-style traditional Lithuanian food. Main ocurses: 16-30 LTL.  edit

• Mano Guru. All of the staff are former drug addicts. Fresh food. No alcohol. Food is mostly vegetarian. 40 LTL.  edit

• Piti, Islandijos g.4, ☎ 852627560. Azerbaijani food. Eg the Spicy Piti dish with beef and potatos in a clay pot. 20 LTL.  edit

Splurge

• Belmontas Outdoor Cafe, Belmonto 17, [26]. Folk-themed eateries near an old french mill and beautiful waterfall. Beautiful setting popular for weddings. A 15 minute drive from the center of Vilnius. 90 LTL.  edit

• Bistro 18, 18 Stiklių gatvė, [27]. Small restaurant and wine bar with good selection of cuisine. Main courses: 26-42 LTL.  edit

• Cagino, Basanivicius 11, [28]. Named after the famous Russian architect. Live Russian music played on a guitar. Main courses: 26-41 LTL.  edit

• Da Antonio, Vilnius gatve 23, [29]. Excellent Italian food, more upscale than Cili Pica. 80 LTL.  edit

• El Gaucho Sano, Pilles Gatve 10 (In Hotel Atrium), [30]. Argentinian-style food (lots of meat) in a a spacious restaurant. Good service. 115 LTL.  edit

• Ephesus, Traku 15, [31]. M-Sa: Until 6:00AM; Sunday: Until 1:00AM. Turkish restaurant. Generous portions at a reasonable price. Water pipe. 60 LTL.  edit

• Ibish Lounge, Austros Vartu 11 (Near the Gates of Dawn), [32]. Selection of over 100 cocktails. Try the salmon. 100 LTL.  edit

• Ida Basar, 1 Subačiaus gatvė (In the guesthouse of the same name, at the southern end of Old Town), [33]. Specializes in German food and beers. LTL 100.  edit

• La Provence, Vokiečių g. 22, ☎ 852616573 (zemaiciusmukle@takas.lt), [34]. French food. House specials include roebuck with cherry sauce. Popular among French people. Starters: 30 LTL; Main courses: 60 LTL; Extensive wine list: From 80 LTL..  edit

• Les Amis, 7 Saviciaus. Family-run French restaurant with fresh food. 100 LTL.  edit

• Lokys, Stikliu 8, [35]. Soviet-era mideval restaurant. Specializes in exotic meats. 100 LTL.  edit

• Narutis Hotel - Cellar Restaurant, 24 Pilies Street, ☎ +370 5 2122894, [36]. Eastern European food. Live violin music Th-Sa. 100 LTL.  edit

The most popular local beer is Svyturys, meaning lighthouse. Available in lots of different styles but "Ekstra" is probably the best. The other brands of beer include Kalnapilis, Tauro, and Utenos. All of them are variations on the theme of bog-standard euro-lager.

Lithuanian vodka (Lithuanian "degtine") is of excellent quality. The brand 'Lithuanian Vodka' is quite popular. The gold is the premium version. Cranberry is also nice.

Drink Carefully as most bars will politely ask you to leave if they notice that you appear drunk (staggering, yelling, grabbing strangers). Falling asleep in bars is not tolerated. If you break a glass, many places will expect to be repaid for it on the spot but its usually a very reasonable price.

Smoking is banned in all public places. However, a number of nightclubs have internal smoke rooms; the ventilation can be of variable quality. If you leave a club to smoke outside, make sure you get stamped and get eye contact from the bouncers so you won't have problems getting back in. It can be a good idea to show the bouncer your cigarette or cigarette packet, before exiting the premises.

Clubs

• BIX, Etmonų 6, [37]. Get ready to rock! Live rock/hc/metal bands on Friday nights, karaoke on Thursdays, and rock music (all the time) on the dancefloor, made in the vault. Nice food and drinks!  edit

• Brodvejus (Broadway), Vokiečių St. / Mėsinių St. 4, [38]. Until 5AM. Cozy bar/nightclub, playing mostly pop music. Popular among both tourists and locals. Courteous staff. No cover on weekdays. Beer: 5 LTL.  edit

• Gravity, 16 J.Jasinskio, [39].  edit

• Galaxy.  edit

• Havana Social Club, Šermukšnių g. 4 A, ☎ 8-526 10812 (havanasc@gmail.com), [40].  edit

• Helios Club, Didžioji str. 28, [41].  edit

• L'Amour. Lots of shiny black surfaces and quirky furnishings.  edit

• Men's Factory Gay Club, 1 Zygimantu/16 Deveenkos, [42]. Formerly a gay-oriented venue, it now attracts a predominantly heterosexual clientele. Admission: 25 LTL.  edit

• Pacha Night Club, A. Tumėno gatvė, ☎ 8~620 22044, [43].  edit

• Prospekto Pub, Gedimino pr. 2/1, [44]. Fun place with non-trendy music, good drinks and a good atmosphere. The front door staff exercise a large amount of face control and may choose to not let you in, especially if you look like a local and are a male. The club is popular with locals and expatriates/tourists. Has a cover every night..  edit

• Soho Club, Švitrigailos str 7/16, [45]. Opens at 10PM. Popular with all sections of the LGBT community. Admission: Free until 11PM, 25 LTL thereafter.  edit

• Woo, Vilniaus st. 22, ☎ (85) 212 77 40, [46]. M-W: 11:00 - 2:00, Th 11:00 - 04:00,,F 11:00 - 06:00,,Sa 21:00 - 06:00, Su Closed.  edit

Bars

• Apuokas, Subaciaus 6. Heavy metal bar (especially in the underground basement). Friendly metalheads, memorable personell, great beer and famous chenachai (Karaitian meat dish).  edit

• Busi Trecias, Totoriu 18, ☎ +37052312698, [47]. The first bar/pub, which started to brew its own beer in Vilnius. Besidel lager type beer, they brew dark black beer and also make various beer cocktails. Besides its main attraction beer, there are some good food. The food prices are rather low. Good place for communication.  edit

• Cactus, Bokšto str. 7, ☎ +370 601 12555 (info@cactusbar.lt), [48]. Su-Th 11:00AM-2:00AM, F-Sa 11:00AM-4:00AM. Vilnius's only tequila bar, tucked away in the alleys of the city. A warm, cozy atmosphere with unbelievably friendly staff, and great food. Play Tequila Checkers on their game board. Free shots of tequila at midnight. Serves exotic dishes such as crocodile, shark, and pheasant  edit

• Centro Baras, Totoriu g.5, [49]. Cosy family bar, very good cusine.  edit

• Dubliner Irish Pub, 6 Dominikonų gatvė (In the Old Town close to the University). Serves Guiness and Kilkenny beers and also has a large screen for major Rugby matches. A variety of Irish and International food is also served here. It has an almost Germanic sanitized feel about it and is less reminiscent of the quaint yet contrived clutter of other Irish pubs that you find in other European capital cities.  edit

• Prie Universiteto, Universiteto g. (right in front of Cozy). Its entrance is marked with a big UK flag. Nice decoration and also serves good italian food for a good price.  edit

• Savas Kampas, Vokiečių Str. 4, [50]. Until 4AM. Cozy, friendly and always welcome place. In the summer,there is also a terrace to enjoy warm evenings.  edit

• Soleluna, Universiteto g.. Starting point for Erasmus students parties! Small but with friendly people.  edit

Cafes

• Coffee Inn, Traku 7. 7:00AM-9:00PM. Nice and relaxing coffee shop and bakery. Nice artwork. Free wi-fi. Pets welcome. 4-7 LTL.  edit