Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania
Vilnius
If you only see one museum in Vilnius, make it this one. On a site that has been settled since the 4th century AD stands the latest in a procession of…
Must-see attractions in Vilnius
Vilnius
Stately Vilnius Cathedral, divorced from its freestanding belfry, is a national symbol and the city's most instantly recognisable building. Known in full…
Vilnius
Founded in 1579 during the Catholic Counter Reformation, Vilnius University was run by Jesuits for two centuries. During the 19th century it became one of…
Vilnius
This former headquarters of the KGB (and before them the Gestapo, Polish occupiers and Tsarist judiciary) houses a museum dedicated to thousands of…
Vilnius
Climb the creaky stairs into the free-standing belfry of Vilnius Cathedral, once part of the city's 13th-century defences. Towering 57m high, it's one of…
Vilnius
Katedros aikštė buzzes with local life. In the 19th century markets and fairs were held here and a moat ran around what is now the square’s perimeter so…
Vilnius
One of the main branches of the Vilna Gaon Jewish State Museum, the Tolerance Centre is simultaneously a museum of Jewish history and culture, and a…
Vilnius
The full name is 'Church of St Johns, St John the Baptist and St John the Apostle and Evangelist', but 'Sts Johns' (plural) will do nicely. Founded in…
Vilnius
One of two branches of the creative powerhouse of the Užupis Republic, the Galera shows exciting temporary exhibitions by local talent and invites artists…
Vilnius
Opened in October 2018, this assemblage of contemporary Lithuanian art and photography is the country's first private museum. An orderly union of sharp…
Vilnius
This landmark statue depicts the early unifier of the Lithuanian tribes in the mid-13th century and the country's first king.
Vilnius
In this leafy suburb, little-visited by tourists, Antakalnis Cemetery is the final resting place of Lithuanian luminaries and locals lost to war…
Vilnius
With its hilltop location above the junction of the Neris and Vilnia Rivers, Gediminas Castle is the last of a series of settlements and fortified…
Vilnius
The southern border of Old Town is marked by the last standing of five 16th-century portals that were once built into the city walls. A suitably grand way…
Vilnius
This striking church is the city’s oldest baroque place of worship. St Casimir’s dome and cross-shaped ground plan defined a new style for 17th-century…
Vilnius
Flamboyant and Gothic St Anne's Church, a vision of undulating lines and red-brick arches, was built in 1500 on the site of a wooden church that burned to…
Vilnius
The 'Green House' exhibits the unvarnished truth behind the destruction of Lithuania's once-vibrant Jewish community, the Litvaks. The displays – mostly…
Vilnius
West of Jasinskio gatvė across the Neris River is this kenessa, a traditional Karaite (sect of Turkic Jews) prayer house, built in 1911. It's one of three…
Vilnius
This wide-ranging museum (inside the New Arsenal) exhibits art and artefacts from Lithuanian life from Neolithic times to the present day. Early history…
Vilnius
The Bishops of Vilnius’ Palace in the 16th century, this classical edifice now houses the president and chancellery. It gained its current Russian empire…
St Michael the Archangel Church
Vilnius
This grand early-17th-century chuch, built by the Sapiega family, now houses a wonderful museum of sacral art. The building itself, with its single Gothic…
Vilnius
Crosses were first erected in the 17th century, in memory of a group of monks martyred by pagans three centuries earlier. The current crosses replace…
Vilnius
The 'Republic' of Užupis's Constitution is engraved in English, French, Lithuanian and several other languages on plaques running along Paupio gatvė. It…
Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit
Vilnius
The peachy facade gives an understated first impression but there's an electric atmosphere inside Lithuania’s chief Russian Orthodox church. The 16th…
Vilnius
The massive buttresses and towering walls of this, one of the most impressive churches in Vilnius, are capable of providing defence as well as worship…
Vilnius
It’s hard to miss the 326m TV tower on the city’s western horizon. This tall needle symbolises Lithuania’s strength of spirit: on 13 January 1991 the…
Make Everything Great Again Mural
Vilnius
In 2016 the mural by artist Mindaugas Bonanu, depicting Trump and Putin kissing and the slogan 'Make Everything Great Again', went viral. It was a…
Vilnius
The Old Arsenal, built in the 16th century and restored in the 1980s, houses temporary exhibitions and a permanent collection showcasing 15th- to 19th…
Vilnius
Vilnius' flourishing Jewish communities and 100 synagogues gave the city the nickname 'Jerusalem of the north' until WWII. The Choral Synagogue, built in…
Vilnius
Above the Gates of Dawn you'll find this 18th-century chapel, aka the Gates of Dawn Chapel of Mary the Mother of Mercy. Inside is a venerated painting of…
Theatre, Music & Cinema Museum
Vilnius
Artefacts of Lithuanian song, stage and screen are the stars of this museum. Three centuries of notable instruments – including the pūslinė (a primitive…
Vilnius
This art gallery, a branch of the Jewish State Museum, showcases the bold, vivid, somewhat surrealist paintings of renowned artist Samuel Bak, whose works…
Vilnius
Lithuania's Declaration of Independence was signed here on 16 February 1918. Today, across 14 rooms of this 18th-century house, you'll find a reverent…
Vilnius
Dedicated to Baltic gold and the beautiful things it can be crafted into, this enthusiastic little museum occupies a 17th-century baroque house. Upstairs…
Vilnius
West of Vilniaus gatvė, rock 'n’ roll legend Frank Zappa is immortalised in a bronze bust atop a 4.2m-high stainless-steel pole. It was the world’s first…
Vilnius
Lithuania’s oldest church, this red-brick Gothic pile was built by German Christians around 1320, when the country was still pagan. From 1901 to 1939 it…
Vilnius
During his 50 years in the US, Kazys Varnelis earned fame and fortune with his optical and three-dimensional paintings. This museum shows his personal…
Vilnius
Don’t be fooled by the uninspiring exterior of this church. Its baroque interior – a riot of over 2000 stuccoes created by Italian sculptors between 1675…
Vilnius
Vilnius was founded on 48m-high Gediminas Hill, topped since the 13th century by a red-brick tower. To reach the top of the hill, clamber up the rocky…
Vilnius
With 2400 sq metres of space for photography, video, installations and other exhibits, plus a program of lectures, live music and film screenings, this is…
