Is Vilnius worth visiting? Read about fun things to do in Vilnius Lithuania including what to see, eat, and do on a weekend visit.
Is Vilnius worth visiting? We aimed to find out thanks to an amazing deal on flights from Dublin thanks to Ryanair (99 EUR return for two people!).
We had previously visited Tallinn Estonia and Riga Latvia and had a great time so we were absolutely delighted to visit Lithuania for a long weekend city break in September.
Read on for 19 fun things to do in Vilnius that we discovered. Hopefully this will provide you with some travel inspiration to hop on a plane and visit Lithuania's charming capital city.
🔎 Riga in Latvia is another great city break destination in the Baltics with a reputation for fantastic Art Nouveau architecture. Check out this post for recommendations on how to spend 3 days in Riga.
There are still remnants of communist-era architecture in Vilnius which stands in stark contrast to the fabulously ornate structures of the medieval Old Town.
Notable stalls included a vendor selling at least ten kinds of bacon and someone selling colorful wool socks. I picked up a pair of Lithuanian socks to keep my feet warm during the upcoming winter season in Dublin.
Unfortunately, I didn't have any room in my backpack for Lithuanian bacon although I'll admit it was tempting.
The Fair of Nations in Vilnius even featured an alpaca petting zoo. That's something you don't see every day...

Inside, there was a photo exhibit chronicling the fall of communism in the Baltic States. We saw some impressive pictures of the Baltic Chain, a demonstration back in 1989 where approximately 2 million people joined hands in a continuous link between Tallinn, Estonia and Vilnius.
It was a peaceful political demonstration credited with paving the way for the fall of communism in the Baltic region.
I loved this quirky side to Lithuania's Capital City. If you can knit, why not join in?
This ode to Lithuanian literature features hundreds of unique pieces of art embedded into the walls along a narrow street for 2-3 blocks. Definitely check it out if you find yourself visiting Vilnius!
We descended from the bustling streets of Vilnius into a cool cellar lined with refrigerators. The cases were loaded with Lithuanian craft brews.
We had a heck of a time deciding but ultimately made our selection, paid for our craft beer, were handed the corresponding mugs, and sat in the atmospheric cave sipping Vilnius' finest.
You'll find delicious potato pancakes, golden pastry filled with meat and cheese (kibinai), and the yes-it's-as-big-as-it-sounds zeppelin, a starchy potato based dumpling.
Of course, Lithuanian food all washes down really well with a local craft beer.
We were walking down Gediminas Avenue before dinner when we suddenly heard a blast of loud headbanging music followed by classic violin. As we got closer, we discovered that Jelonek, a musician based in Poland, was putting on the show of his life on the streets of Vilnius.
The band played classical music melodies with a heavy metal twist. We were mesmerized and stood watching for almost an hour.
I even decided to bang my head a bit although I nearly fell over in the bushes when I made my attempt. Don't try this at home, folks!
Jelonek was totally over the top awesome. The show even featured some crazy pyrotechnics. I've included a few clips below so you can see the spectacle we discovered in Vilnius for yourself.
We explored the castle grounds, walked along the lake, and dined al fresco on fine Lithuanian cuisine at Kiubete before making our way back to Vilnius. Trakai Island Castle was a lovely and tranquil respite from Lithuania's capital.
The Gates of Dawn also features relics from the Virgin Mary which are believed to have special powers. We didn't have time to go up and see for ourselves but we were able to catch a glimpse of the Virgin Mary from outside while standing on the streets of Vilnius below.
We had previously visited Tallinn Estonia and Riga Latvia and had a great time so we were absolutely delighted to visit Lithuania for a long weekend city break in September.
Read on for 19 fun things to do in Vilnius that we discovered. Hopefully this will provide you with some travel inspiration to hop on a plane and visit Lithuania's charming capital city.
1. Soak Up the UNESCO Heritage Spotlight in Vilnius
The historic Old Town in Vilnius is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it's easy to see why. Stately public buildings and ornate churches dot the streets of Lithuania's capital city.
We arrived in Vilnius in the evening and got a chance to marvel at the architecture under a brilliant spotlight. Vilnius Old Town is definitely one of the premier points of interest.
We arrived in Vilnius in the evening and got a chance to marvel at the architecture under a brilliant spotlight. Vilnius Old Town is definitely one of the premier points of interest.
2. Drink Cool, Cheap Lithuanian Beer in Vilnius
If architecture's not your thing, pop into one of the local pubs in Old Town Vilnius to sample cool, cheap, Lithuanian beer.
We found a number of local offerings on tap at a bargain price of less than 2 EUR a pint in many cases. What an ideal way to quench our thirst on our weekend city break in Vilnius!
We found a number of local offerings on tap at a bargain price of less than 2 EUR a pint in many cases. What an ideal way to quench our thirst on our weekend city break in Vilnius!

3. Admire Vilnius' Street Art
Vilnius also features a wide range of striking street art. Keep your eyes peeled as you walk around the Old Town for some stunning creations.4. See Sculpture in context in Vilnius
Continuing with an art theme, sculpture abounds in Vilnius. From quaint wooden carvings, to stately historical figures, to throwbacks to the communist era and more; an architecture walk is a fun thing to do in Vilnius.5. Somebody's Watching Me in Vilnius!
I couldn't help but feel like somebody was watching me in Vilnius. Every time I looked up, I spotted faces on the facades of the ornate buildings staring back at me.6. Marvel at Vilnius' Church Spires
Vilnius is a city of churches. On a sunny day, I could have spent hours looking up at the spires watching little wisps of clouds roll past.7. Explore Vilnius' Communist Era Contrasts
Vilnius is also a city of contrasts. Lithuania was part of the USSR from the World War II era until the Iron Curtain fell in 1990.8. Stroll Through Vilnius' Fair of Nations
Our trip to Vilnius was serendipitously well-timed. A huge Fair of Nations was on along Gediminas Avenue in the heart of Vilnius. We strolled along the busy thoroughfare sampling local and international treats and admiring the local Lithuanian crafts on offer.
🔎 SIDEWALK SAFARI SPOTLIGHT
Did you know that European Capitals of Culture have been designated since 1985 and that Vilnius was a European Capital of Culture in 2009? We've had the opportunity to visit a number of cities that at once held this designation.
Here are some ideas for the cities that we visited with the year the place was capital of culture listed in parentheses:
- Visit the Christmas markets in Berlin, Germany (1988)
- Spend 2 days in Glasgow Scotland (1990)
- Explore 25 ways to do a day in Dublin Ireland (1991)
- Spend a weekend exploring Luxembourg with a Luxembourg Card and don't forget to do some day trips from Luxembourg City (1995, 2007)
- Spend a day in Stockholm Sweden (1998)
- See Rotterdam in winter (2001)
- Drink port as old as you are with 3 days in Porto Portugal (2001)
- Learn about awesome things to do in Cork City Ireland (2005)
- Get off the beaten track with a day in Mons Belgium (2015)
- Explore Bulgaria’s Roman past with a bus ride from Sofia to Plovdiv for a weekend (2019)