Lithuania located in the eastern part of the Baltic coast, and borders with Latvia, Belarus, Poland and the Russian Federation. The population of this small Baltic country is 3.1 million inhabitants, of which the majority are Lithuanians (more than 80%). In addition to them, Russians, Poles, Belarusians and representatives of other nationalities live in Lithuania. The bulk of the population (about 80%) belongs to the Roman Catholic Church, also Orthodox, Lutherans, Jews, Sunni Muslims and others live in the country. The national currency of Lithuania is lit (Lt).
Lithuania - the capital and major cities
The capital of Lithuania is the ancient and beautiful Vilnius, a place of concentration of political, economic, cultural and scientific life of the country. Today, about 542.2 thousand inhabitants live there. Vilnius Old Town is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Other significant cities of Lithuania are Kaunas, Klaipeda, Siauliai, Panevezys. Of great importance for the economic and cultural life of the country are also resorts: Palanga, Neringa, Druskininkai and Birstonas.
Lithuania - holidays and tours
Tours to Lithuania are in constant demand among tourists. Beautiful nature, healing mineral springs, clean sea air on the Baltic coast and a large number of attractions provide an opportunity for healing, and for an exciting pastime. Lithuania offers tourists informative sightseeing tours, as well as beach and medical tourism. In addition, you can take a combined tour, which involves visiting the neighboring Baltic states.
For medical tourism, Lithuania has sanatoriums that are unique in that in their locations there is a natural exit to the surface of mineral waters and mud. In Lithuanian health resorts, cardiovascular, pulmonary and skin diseases, as well as diseases of the spine and thyroid gland, are effectively cured.
Fans of beach tourism and outdoor activities on the shores of the Baltic Sea are welcomed by numerous hotels, campsites, recreation centers with various types of marine entertainment. Lithuanian resorts are the best place for families with children, as the constant light cloud cover and the sea wind save vacationers from the sweltering heat.
No less popular are sightseeing tours to Lithuania. First of all, tourists seek to see Vilnius, its medieval castles, museums and architecture. However, many attractions are located in other cities of Lithuania, and, given its small territory, you can see numerous cultural values in a very short time and plunge into the atmosphere of the national color of this amazing country of amber.
Lithuania - Attractions
The main attractions of the country are concentrated in its historical cities with beautiful ancient architecture. First of all, it is Vilnius with its Old Town, where you can see the buildings erected in the 15-16 centuries. In the capital it is worth seeing the Cathedral Square with the Cathedral, the Ausros Vartai chapel with the famous icon of the Virgin Mary, Vilnius University, which is one of the oldest European higher educational institutions, the church of St. Anne, Värkiai Palace. An unforgettable experience is a visit to the symbol of Vilnius - the Gediminas tower with a viewing platform.
Kaunas is the second largest and most important Lithuanian city. Here you can see old examples of Gothic architecture, such as Kaunas Castle or the house of Pirkunas, or the Baroque style, which is represented by the Camaldolian monastery, city hall and the Jesuit church. A striking legacy of the Renaissance is the Palace of the Masalsky Princes.
In Trakai, one of the ancient Lithuanian capitals, you can visit the Trakai Castle, one of the most popular historical and architectural monuments of Lithuania. At different times it was a defensive fortress, a prison, and today it is a museum and a venue for various festivals. Also in Trakai you can stroll the Dominican monastery and get acquainted with the Karaite apartment buildings, visit the Church of the Apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Church of the Nativity of the Holy Mother of God and visit the ethnographic exhibition of Karaites.
The city of Karnavė is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here you can visit the historical and archaeological museum-reserve, and if you arrive in the city in July, you can get to the "Days of Living History" and see with your own eyes the working conditions of medieval artisans and try old Lithuanian dishes.
Lithuania is also proud of its national parks: Aukstaitiji, Dzukia, Zhamaitija, Curonian Spit and Trakai historical national park.
Lithuania - weather (climate)
The climate on the Lithuanian coast is maritime, and the rest of the country is temperate continental. In summer, the average temperature is + 20 ° C, in winter it drops to -4 ° C.
Weather in Lithuania now:
Lithuania - cuisine
The most popular product in Lithuania is potatoes. Many delicious national dishes are prepared from it, for example, jam - pancakes from boiled potatoes with meat filling, buckets - stuffed with grated potatoes and salted pork intestine, ploksteinis - potato pudding, as well as the favorite Lithuanian dish - zeppelin, national potato dumplings with a cone shape from the very various stuffing.
Of meat, pork is most often used, which is consumed fried, boiled or stewed. Smoked pork tails and ears are a very popular beer appetizer, the favorite kind of which Lithuanians have is Svyturys. Another famous Lithuanian beer snack is smoked eel. You can try it and other dishes of national Lithuanian cuisine in numerous cafes, however, in order to appreciate its true taste, it is better to choose not a large tourist restaurant for dinner, but a cozy home restaurant where you will not only be tasty and inexpensively fed, but also treated to excellent tincture of local herbs and honey.
Lithuania - interesting facts
Lithuanians are polite, calm and hospitable, many speak Russian well. However, tourists traveling around the country should remember that it is impossible to cross the boundaries of private possessions without the permission of the owner, for this the violator is threatened with various sanctions, up to and including expulsion from the country.
It is also forbidden to visit natural reserves without the permission of the management, with the exception of some established routes.
In Lithuanian institutions, it is customary to leave a tip in the amount of 10%, in a taxi - to round the amount up.
While in Lithuania, you definitely need to buy from memory amber, wood and ceramics products that this country is famous for, as well as the famous Lithuanian tinctures and balms.
Lithuania - visa application
Lithuania is a party to the Schengen agreement, therefore, a Schengen or national Lithuanian visa is required to travel there. To get it, you need to contact the Lithuanian Embassy and provide a valid passport and application form with the necessary documents, as well as pay a consular fee of 35 euros. A Lithuanian tourist visa, which is valid for 30 days from the date of issue, allows you to stay in the country up to 10-14 days with a single entry into the country. With a Schengen visa, you can enter Lithuania within six months from the date of its issuance and stay with the country for up to 3 months.
Lithuania - Embassy
The Lithuanian Embassy in Moscow is located at 10. Borisoglebsky Lane. You can call there by calling (495) 785-86-05, or consular department at (495) 785-86-25.
Map of Lithuania
