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Lithuania Information

Overview

EU membership has catapulted Lithuania onto the global stage, with more and more people becoming aware of the country’s rich panoply of castles, lakes and forests, and more people flocking to see Vilnius, one of Europe’s most enchanting cities.

Lithuanian independence came swiftly after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. By 1995, the transition to a full market economy had been more or less completed. The long-running border dispute with Poland was settled with the signing of a friendship and cooperation treaty in January 1992, and negotiations with Russia led to the withdrawal of the remaining Russian troops in Lithuania in August 1993. Such events led up to the country joining the EU in May 2004.

Top Things To See & Do

Enjoy the Mardi Gras festivities held in various Lithuanian cities and small towns. The procession in Vilnius Old Town at the beginning of February remains the most renowned.

Explore the historic city of Vilnius (founded in 1323), the capital of Lithuania. Vilnius’Old Town is the biggest in Europe and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The heart of the capital is the beautiful and spacious Gediminas Square, the main feature of which is the Cathedral built in the classical style. Other interesting churches are the gothic St Ann’s Church and St Peter and St Paul’s Church, which houses the body of St Casimieras, one of the most revered of Lithuania’s dukes. Any itinerary of the city should include the historic University of Vilnius, which was granted its charter in 1579. To enjoy a view of the whole city, visitors should climb the Gediminas Tower, high on a hill in the centre of the city. Go during the Days of the Capital festival in September, and you will also be spoilt with carnivals, fairs, concerts and fireworks, taking place in all streets and squares of the capital (website: www.vilniusfestivals.lt).

Visit Trakai, an ancient capital of Lithuania. Situated on the shore of the picturesque Lake Galve, on which boat rides are available, the city has a castle dating from the 14th century.

Be cultural, and amble around Kaunas, Lithuania’s ’city of museums’, which boasts, amongst others, the Devil Museum and a memorial to those who suffered during the Nazi occupation. The most famous museum is dedicated to the works of the Lithuanian painter Ciurlionis. Kaunas also numbers three theatres, some 11th-century castle ruins and the old City Hall among its attractions.

Five strange grassy mounds mark Lithuania’s ancient capital at Kernave, one of Lithuania’s UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Have some old-fashioned fun in popular seaside resorts that include Palanga and Kursiu Nerija (with the settlements of Nida and Juodkrante), famous for their clean white-sand beaches, natural sand dunes and pine forests. Palanga also boasts the Amber Museum-Gallery (website: www.ambergallery.lt) and an interesting botanical park. To the south lies the city of Klaipeda, an important seaport as well as the main centre for ferry connections from Lithuania.

Lithuania is a predominantly flat country, a quarter of which is covered by forests. There are five national parks and numerous other conservation areas. Hiking trails can be found all over the country. One of the highlights is the Curonian Spit National Park (another UNESCO World Heritage Site), on the peninsula separating the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea, where visitors can explore a range of large sand dunes and several pine forests. Rare flora and fauna are to be found here. Trakai National Park contains many lakes while Aukstaitija and Zemaitija National Parks feature hills, lakes and uplands. Cycling is also popular.

Nida makes a true paradise for sailing, windsurfing and also paragliding and kiting. Nida is the last village on the Lithuanian half of the spit surrounded by endless stretches of clean white sand. A lighthouse from 1874 can be visited here, as can the Thomas Mann Cultural Centre, situated in the house where the German writer spent his holidays between 1930 and 1932. There is the award-winning Park of Soviet Sculptures at Gruto Parkas, which reminds visitors of some of Lithuania’s grim past.

There are opportunities for more extreme sports in Lithuania, such as hot-air ballooning, gliding, or, for the ultimate experience, the chance to leap off Vilnius’ TV Tower, the tallest bungee jump of its kind in Europe!

 During the International Folklore Festival (Skamba Skamba Kankliai) you can visit craft fairs, taste traditional dishes, join song and glee parties, enjoy the concerts given by guests, listen to psalms, and have fun at the night of dances and various exhibitions. The festival is held in Vilnius Old Town in May.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.

Going Out

Food and Drink

Waiter service is the norm in restaurants and cafes, but self-service restaurants, bistros and snack bars are numerous.

National specialities:
• Skilandis (smoked meat).
• Salti barsciai (cold soup).
• Vedarai (potato sausage) and bulviniai blynai (potato pancakes).
• Smoked eel is a famous Baltic delicacy.
• It is highly recommended to try the mild white curd cheese, best served with honey.

National drinks:
• Local brands of beer and imported drinks are popular.
• A famous Lithuanian spirit is midus, a mild alcoholic beverage made from honey.

Tipping: Restaurant bills include a tip. Otherwise, tips are discretionary.

Nightlife

Cinemas can be found in all towns. Lithuanian theatres, most of which are concentrated in the capital, are also renowned. The Jaunimo teatras (website: www.jaunimoteatras.lt) in Vilnius are famous throughout the country. Opera and ballet are staged in the city at the Vilnius Opera Theatre and Kaunas has a Musical Theatre. Puppet shows are staged for children in Vilnius and Kaunas. There are restaurants with live music as well as numerous discos and nightclubs with variety shows in the larger towns.

Shopping

Amber, linen goods and local crafts are good buys. National artists sell their works in specialised art galleries in major towns.

Shopping hours: Grocery shops open Mon-Fri 0800-2000.

Climate

Temperate climate, but with considerable temperature variations. Summer is warm with relatively mild weather in spring and autumn. Winter, which lasts from November to mid-March, can be very cold. Rainfall is distributed throughout the year with the heaviest rainfall in August. Heavy snowfalls are common in the winter months.

Public Holidays

Below are listed Public holidays for the January 2008-December 2009 period.

2008
1 Jan New Year’s Day.
16 Feb Restoration of the State Day (1918).
11 Mar Restoration of Independence Day (1990). 
21-24 Mar Easter.
1 May International Labour Day. 
4 May Mothers’ Day.
24 Jun Jonines (St John’s Day/Midsummer’s Day).
6 Jul Anniversary of the Coronation of King Mindaugas.
15 Aug Assumption Day.
1 Nov All Saints’ Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.

2009
1 Jan New Year’s Day.
16 Feb Restoration of the State Day (1918).
11 Mar Restoration of Independence Day (1990). 
10-13 Apr Easter.
1 May International Labour Day. 
3 May Mothers’ Day.
24 Jun Jonines (St John’s Day/Midsummer’s Day).
6 Jul Anniversary of the Coronation of King Mindaugas.
15 Aug Assumption Day.
1 Nov All Saints’ Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.

Note

According to Lithuanian Law, all holidays falling on a Saturday or Sunday, including those that are always celebrated on a Sunday, are moved to the following Monday.

Health

Diphtheria

Special Precaution: Yes

Hepatitis A

Special Precaution: Yes

Malaria

Special Precaution: No

Rabies

Special Precaution: Sometimes

Tetanus

Special Precaution: Yes

Typhoid

Special Precaution: Sometimes

Yellow Fever

Special Precaution: No

Health Care

If suddenly taken ill or involved in an accident during a visit to Lithuania, free or reduced-cost necessary treatment is available for European travellers - in most cases on production of a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Comprehensive insurance is advised for all other nationals.

Note

Further Health Information

We advise you to check health requirements for the country you are traveling to with your GP, practice nurse or travel health clinic as health requirements and vaccinations can change at short notice.

Money

Currency

Lithuanian Litas (LTL) = 100 centas. Notes are in denominations of LTL500, 200, 100, 50, 20 and 10. Coins are in denominations of LTL5, 2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 centas. The Litas is pegged to the Euro.

Currency Exchange

Currency can be exchanged at banks and bureaux de change. There are 24-hour exchange bureaux at Gelezinkelio 6, near the main railway station and at Lietuvos Taupomasis Bankas, Savanoriu 15A in Vilnius.

Credit/Debit Cards and ATMs

Major credit cards are accepted in the main hotels, restaurants, shops and in some petrol stations. ATMs are available in most cities.

Traveller's Cheques

These are not accepted by retailers and can only be exchanged at a few outlets. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take traveller’s cheques in US Dollars.

Banking Hours

Mon-Fri 0900-1700. Some banks also open Sat 0900-1300.

Passport/Visa

British

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: No

Australian

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: No

Canadian

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: No

USA

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: No

Other EU

Passport Required: 1
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: No

Passport Note

Lithuania joined the Schengen Agreement on 21 December 2007 for overland entry points and seaports, and will join on 29 March 2008 for airports.

Passports

Passport valid for at least three months beyond length of stay required by all nationals referred to in the chart above except:
(a) 1. EU nationals holding a valid national ID card.

Visas

Not required by all nationals listed in the chart above for tourist stays of up to 90 days.

Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).

Contact Addresses

Lithuanian State Department of Tourism

A Juozapavicius Street 13, 09311 Vilnius, Lithuania
Tel: (5) 210 8796.
Website: www.tourism.lt

Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in the UK

84 Gloucester Place, London W1U 6AU, UK
Tel: (020) 7486 6401 or 6404 (visa section).
Website: http://uk.mfa.lt
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1300 (consular section); Mon, Wed and Fri 1500-1600 (visa section; appointments not necessary).

Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in the USA

2300 Clarendon Boulevard, Suite 302, Arlington, VA 22201, USA
Tel: (202) 234 5860 (ext 127 for visa section).
Website: www.ltembassyus.org

Travel Advice

Warning

Most visits to Lithuania are trouble-free but you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate international terrorist attacks, which could be against civilian targets, including places frequented by foreigners.

Road traffic accidents are common. Extra care must be taken at all times when driving, particularly when driving at night.

Travellers to forested areas should seek medical advice about inoculations against rabies and tick-borne encephalitis.

This advice is based on information provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK. It is correct at time of publishing. As the situation can change rapidly, visitors are advised to contact the following organisations for the latest travel advice:

British Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Tel: 0845 850 2829.
Website: www.fco.gov.uk

US Department of State
Website: http://travel.state.gov/travel

• Lithuania Overview
• Lithuania Things to See & Do
• Lithuania Events
• Lithuania Climate
• Lithuania Public Holidays
• Lithuania Health
• Lithuania Currency
• Lithuania Passport & Visas
• Lithuania Contact Addresses
• Lithuania Travel Advice