On the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, the Republic of Lithuania is a brilliant alternative to crowded summer destinations such as the Mediterranean, with lovely beaches and other landscapes, great museums, culture and events, and wonderful local cuisine. The following new developments, events and sights are just some of the reasons to make this summer the one to discover the delights of the southernmost Baltic country.
The ‘As Young as Vilnius’ Music Festival, Vilnius, 25 July
This year marks the 700th anniversary of the Lithuanian capital’s first mention in letters from Gediminas, Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1315/16 to 1341, to foreign merchants and craftsmen. Gediminas founded the city of Vilnius after dreaming of an iron wolf with a howl as loud as 1000 of the creatures in unison. Vingis Park, one of the country’s biggest urban green spaces, is holding the main event of the birthday party on 27 July, with free global and local music performances in an array of genres, both classic and contemporary.
www.700vilnius.lt/en/
New Culinary Accolades
Vilnius is celebrating the news that two of its fine-dining restaurants, Džiaugsmas (pictured) and Nineteen18, have ranked among the world’s top restaurants for 2023 in the prestigious La Liste guide. They are the first in Lithuania and two of five restaurants in the Baltic countries to make the list. Both venues showcase cuisine by Lithuanian chefs focused on seasonal ingredients, traditional techniques including fermentation and pickling, and a reimagining of classic recipes for modern tastes. Info: Go Vilnius. www.dziaugsmas.com, https://nineteen18.lt/en/
The Sea Festival, Klaipėda, 21-23 July
This year sees the biggest annual event at the Lithuanian seaside joining forces with Baltic Sail to host old-time sailing vessels and other traditional ships in the harbour of Klaipėda, a port city located where the Baltic Sea meets the Danė River, with German-style, 18th-century wood-framed building and the waterside Lithuanian Sea Museum. The festival has a rich program of around 100 events, from ceremonies at sea to performances, fairs, exhibitions and other attractions. Brit star Sam Ryder will be the star of the main concert in the cruise ship terminal.
https://klaipedatravel.lt/en/
The AUDRA Contemporary City Festival, Kaunas, 29 June–2 July
European Capital of Culture in 2022, the former Lithuanian capital hosted its first contemporary city festival AUDRA last year – and it was so successful that it is repeating the experience this year with a four-day program of concerts, art installations and dancing. www.audrafestival.lt/en
The New Auto Museum, Vilnius
Opened in May 2023 on an unexpected site – a former taxi park in the suburbs – this is the biggest private museum of transport in Lithuania, with a collection of around 100 rare cars, historic bikes and carriages. It includes a car that belonged to Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas, Lithuania’s first president after it regained independence in 1990 – and the oldest surviving presidential car in Lithuania (between the world wars, presidential cars in Lithuania were nationalised, stolen or taken out of the country). www.facebook.com/automuziejus
The New Amsterdam School Museum, Kaunas
Open in January of this year, this new venue is a must for fans of interwar architecture and Kaunas’ famous Art Deco heritage, who can join one of the regular guided tours. The only building in Lithuania built in the Amsterdam School architecture style, it was a filming location for the HBO series Chernobyl.
www.
The New Attractions at Labyrinth Park, Anykščiai
The lively town of Anykščiai, known for having the tallest church in Lithuania, receives a new high-altitude summer attraction this year with the arrival of a zip-wire over the famous mazes (which include a hemp maze) at the open-air Labyrinth Park. The amusement park also adds the new Little Squirrels playground and a new mini train. www.labirintu-parkas.lt/?lang=
The New Observation Tower in the Lithuanian Capital of Culture 2023
Opening in early summer, the 12m Pagramancio tower just outside Tauragė in western Lithuania gives panoramic views of two rivers and the Pagramantis regional park. In combination with the Capital of Culture program, which includes an art installation on the theme of sustainability, it gives an added reason to discover this small city with its museums and wake park, worth a stop-off between Vilnius and Klaipėda.
