The old town sits in the middle of Vilnius and is also known as Senamiestis. This large old town features Cathedral Square with the river Neris flowing nearby. Vilnius Cathedral, the opera house and the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania can be found in the north part of the old town. Exploring the historic alleys of the old town and shopping down Gedimino Street with lunch at a traditional restaurant is a lovely way to spend a day. Look out for St Anne’s Church, Sts. Peter and Paul’s Church and the House of Signatories which all have glorious architecture. 

The 16th-century Gate of Dawn, containing a shrine with a sacred Virgin Mary icon, once guarded an entrance to the original city. See it in the daytime and return one evening to dine at one of the many restaurants and w ander around the Halle Market. Around here you can find many great bargains and souvenirs for friends and family back home. 

Gediminas Tower is the remaining part of the Upper Castle and you can walk or catch a lift to the old site. There you can see a museum exhibiting archaeological discoveries from the local area. Gediminas Tower is a significant state and historical symbol of Vilnius and Lithuania and has featured on currency, poetry and music. 

The Three Crosses Monument is another stunning historic site on top of a hill with great city views, including Cathedral Square. It was originally known as the Bleak Hill and legend says seven Franciscan friars were beheaded on the hill. Seven more were crucified and thrown into the Neris River for preaching the gospel and going against Pagan beliefs. 

There are many interesting neighborhoods in Vilnius. Uzupis is one of them because it has declared itself as a republic with its own president, currency, flag and army of a dozen soldiers. Is it serious? Even the locals are not sure and it’s not recognized by other governments, so we will let you decide. You can see street art and bohemian-style bars and pubs in this arty area. Look out for the bronze angel and riverbank mermaid sculpture in Uzupis, which translates to beyond the river.

Vilnius is a great place to buy amber. Locals will tell you amber originates from the tears of the sea goddess Jūratė and the stones from her castle. Her angry lover Perkūnas, the pagan god of thunder, destroyed the castle after discovering she was in love with the mortal fisherman Kastytis. It’s a legend that you will remember every time you wear your amber souvenir from Vilnius. 

You can make several excellent day trips from Vilnius, so factor a few extra days into your travel itinerary to explore the greater area of Vilnius. Historic Trakai is only 28 km away and Europos Parkas, the open-air museum with more than100 works by internationally famed artists, is even closer.