My 16 Top Things to Do in Vilnius, Lithuania

If you had told me whether Vilnius was worth visiting after my first trip, I’d have said no—and I would have been deeply mistaken. Some years later, I revisited the capital of Lithuania as part of a bigger trip through the Baltics. I completely changed my opinion and now think that Vilnius is Europe’s most underrated city break.

My initial thoughts of Vilnius as being desolate and dull were entirely on me and had nothing to do with the city. The actual reality is that Vilnius is a welcoming place with a real sense of optimism, some great food, and lots of fun things to do. It’s one of the few places I could see myself living in outside of Copenhagen.

While still low-key, Vilnius has a real buzz—and more people are realizing just how cool the Lithuanian capital is. I’ve been excited to put together this guide to help you plan a memorable trip for a while now, and based on my multiple visits, here are some of my top recommendations for the best things to do in Vilnius. 

1. Visit the Hill of Three Crosses

The Three Crosses monument is one of the most recognizable landmarks in Vilnius. Perched atop a hill, you can get some great views of the city from here. It’s completely free to visit, too. 

A previous monument was built in 1916, but after the USSR seized control of Lithuania, they were torn down in 1950. Toward the end of the Soviet occupation era, the version you see today was built. 

The Hill of Three Crosses is in Kalnai Park, which is on the edges of the Old Town. The pathway here is signposted and pretty easy to follow. On your way up, you’ll pass through forested areas and have the opportunity to see other areas of historical importance. 

Reaching the Hill of Three Crosses requires a lot of uphill walking, and it feels a bit like a small hike. However, it’s not overly difficult for most people. I recommend visiting early in the morning, since this is a popular place to visit. 

Good to Know: This monument is different from the Hill of Crosses, which is actually outside Vilnius. You can take a day tour to those if you want to visit them. 

2. Aimlessly Stroll Around Vilnius’s Old Town

You will spend the bulk of your time in Vilnius’s Old Town, especially on your first visit. Unlike many European Old Towns, the one in Vilnius is still a place filled with local life. You won’t find souvenir shops on every corner, and many of the restaurants are still used by people living in Vilnius. 

This, in my opinion, is the biggest difference between Vilnius and the other Baltic capitals—and why it’s one of my favorite places to visit in Europe, in general. I still think Tallinn is worth visiting, and the same goes for Riga. But both cities’ Old Towns, while still beautiful and worth seeing, feel more catered to tourists.

Letting yourself get lost in the Old Town of Vilnius is one of the simplest joys when visiting. You’ll see countless picturesque churches, along with trendy cafés and bars. It feels relatively peaceful, too, even during the peak tourist season. 

3. Enjoy Lithuanian Jewish Food at Baleboste

Vilnius has a strong Jewish heritage that is well worth learning more about when you’re here. The city was actually known as the “Jerusalem of the North” before World War II and had one of Europe’s most vibrant Jewish communities. Roughly 100,000 Jews lived in Vilnius, which was over 40% of the city’s total population. 

Sadly, the overwhelming majority were killed during the Holocaust. Today, the Jewish population in Vilnius is around 5,000. 

The city’s Jewish heritage is, however, still visible. One example of this is the restaurant Baleboste, which serves Lithuanian Jewish cuisine. It’s my favorite restaurant in Vilnius, which is impressive in and of itself—because there are *a lot* of good places to eat here. 

We had what can only be described as a feast at Baleboste. The bagels and hummus were delicious, and I also enjoyed the shakshuka. We had some stuffed cabbage rolls, too, and I honestly would’ve been happy with having some more. 

While at Baleboste, we had a couple of the sweet treats as well. My only regret was not buying the recipe book here, which I certainly will on a future trip. We didn’t have to book a table when we visited; the restaurant is on the outskirts of the Old Town. 

4. Craft Beer at Alaus Biblioteka

Vilnius knows a thing or two about craft beer, and you will find plenty of cozy pubs and bars throughout the city. One evening, we stopped for drinks at Alaus Biblioteka. Here, we had a comprehensive menu of all kinds of beer—including the customary stout that I get at basically every craft beer brewery. 

Besides the beer being good, I also liked the design of the place. Alaus Biblioteka translates to “beer library” from Lithuanian to English, and… that’s precisely what it looks like. You’re surrounded by bookshelves, and many of the people here also brought their own books to read. 

The atmosphere was peaceful, and it was the perfect place to have some drinks before going out for dinner. Alaus Biblioteka is in a trendy part of the Old Town. 

5. Sail Above the City’s Surroundings in a Hot Air Balloon

Few activities are more quintessential than sailing over Lithuania in a hot air balloon on a warm evening. During the summer months, hot air balloons are a key characteristic of Vilnius, Kaunas, and other parts of the country. So, if you’re planning to visit Vilnius in the summer, I very strongly recommend joining a hot air balloon tour. 

When we visited in the summer of 2025, our hot air balloon flew over the town of Trakai and its famous Trakai Castle. You won’t hear any noise when in the balloon, besides the pumping of air into the balloon as you soar above Lithuania. 

Where you go will depend on the conditions. Our tour guide mentioned that he has never landed in the same location twice. The wind will take you wherever it feels like, so you may be a bit far from the castle—but the views are amazing either way, so you probably won’t care.

Important: While every effort is made to ensure your flight goes ahead, your tour might get canceled or rearranged due to the weather. You’ll be informed beforehand; note, however, that this can be at short notice. I recommend making backup plans for the evening in case the tour doesn’t go ahead.

6. Brunch at mon.

On the final morning of my second trip to Vilnius, we were both feeling quite tired from almost a month of traveling. So, we took it easy with some brunch at mon., before taking the train to Kaunas (which is where we flew home from). That was, as it goes, a good decision. 

The cakes were good, and I also had the fake shakshuka—which I enjoyed. The café is on a side street in the Old Town, and its interior is bright and airy. It’s a good place to hang out for a few hours if you want to enjoy a slower trip to Vilnius. 

You can’t reserve in advance; mon. is walk-in-only. However, we didn’t have problems getting a seat when we visited. 

Address: Šv. Mikalojaus g. 3, 01133 Vilnius

7. Explore the Lithuanian Capital’s Coffee Scene

Vilnius is a paradise for coffee lovers, and you have no shortage of options if you’re looking for caffeine. We actually made a long list of places we’d like to visit when we inevitably return to Vilnius. 

You could easily spend a day café-hopping, especially if you’re visiting during the colder months. My top suggestion is to wander around and go into any establishment that looks good to you; you’ll almost certainly have a nice cup of coffee. 

8. Get Lithuanian Food at Etno Dvaras

One big mistake I made on my first trip to Vilnius was not trying any Lithuanian food. Needless to say, I wanted to make up for that when I returned. And let’s just say… I made up for that. 

Etno Dvaras is a pretty good place to try some Lithuanian food. You’ll find a handful of restaurants in Vilnius, including in the Old Town. I particularly liked the malt drink, which tasted a bit like a sour beer (though it was non-alcoholic). 

While here, we also had the famed pink soup—arguably Lithuania’s most famous dish. I had some massive potato dumplings, too, and felt ready to confront a bear after eating all that food. 

We didn’t need to book a table in advance, and there was quite a lot of indoor and outdoor seating. The prices here were pretty affordable, too. We went to the one on Aušros Vartų g. 2.

Website: https://etnodvaras.lt/en/valgiarastis/

9. Check Out the Užupis District

Užupis is the most unique district in Vilnius and one of the most interesting neighborhoods in Northern Europe. It’s a small “republic”, as was declared by local artists in the 1990s. It’s unrecognized as an independent republic, but it’s still an interesting place to visit.

You can walk to Užupis from the Old Town; to get here, you’ll walk across a bridge. Once you’re in the neighborhood, I recommend spending a couple of hours here. You’ll find a number of interesting cafés and bars, along with street art and more. Generally, the district feels very laid-back.

Good to Know: You can visit Užupis yourself, but it’s also possible to take a guided tour of Vilnius’s Old Town and Užupis. 

10. Visit the Museum of Culture & Identity of Lithuanian Jews

The Museum of Culture & Identity of Lithuanian Jews is one of my top museum recommendations for Vilnius. It opened in 2024. After spending some time exploring Jewish history in Riga before going to Vilnius, I made this museum one of my top priorities when in the city. 

This museum extensively shows the history of Jews in Lithuania across multiple exhibitions. You’ll learn about their creative and literary history, along with some of their traditions and customs. It has lots of interactive exhibitions and a good mix of written information and videos. 

When here, you’ll see information presented in Lithuanian and English. The audio and video also have English subtitles when needed. You can buy tickets at the front desk. 

Address: Pylimo g. 4A, Vilnius, 01117 

11. Wander Around the Glass Quarter

The Glass Quarter was given its name in 2018, but its heritage goes back way further than that. Before World War II, the district was predominantly a Jewish neighborhood. Here, several crafts were practiced. 

Even today, you can still see traces of the Glass Quarter’s Jewish heritage. For example, you’ll see street signs with the Star of David. Moreover, you’ll find street art showcasing the district’s interesting history. 

Today, the Glass Quarter is a lively neighborhood with lots of cool shops and more. Even if you don’t go shopping, the district is still well worth walking around. I came here multiple times on my return to Vilnius and would’ve been happy to spend the bulk of my trip in this quarter.

12. Visit Gediminas’ Hill

Vilnius is blessed with countless viewpoints around the city, and Gediminas’ Hill is one of those. The castle atop this hill is visible from much of Vilnius, and it’s also known as Castle Hill. 

Getting to the top of Gediminas’ Hill is quite simple. You can take a funicular, and there’s a staircase leading to the top, too. It’s 48 meters high, so much smaller than the Three Crosses Hill. 

From the hilltop, you can see across Vilnius—along with getting a great view of Vilnius Cathedral. You will also see the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, which is right next to Vilnius Cathedral. The hill is perfect for seeing some of the city’s newer districts, too, along with the TV Tower in the far distance.

Walking to the hill is free. If you’d like to take the funicular, it costs €2 one-way and €3 for a return. To visit the inside of the castle, you can buy a ticket for €8. More information is available here. 

I recommend visiting Gedminas’ Hill early in the morning, if possible. You can easily do this if you stay in the Old Town; I recommend checking out my guide on where to stay in Vilnius if you haven’t yet booked your accommodation.

Address: Arsenalo g. 1, Vilnius, 01143

13. Enjoy Bagels at Beigelistai

After walking to Gediminas’ Hill, we went for a late breakfast at Beigelistai in the Old Town. Here, you’ll find some of the best bagels in Vilnius. While it’s pretty small, and the seating space is limited, the place is very cozy. Moreover, you can order your bagels to-go if no seating is available. 

While it took us a while to get our bagels, I didn’t mind, as it’s a nice café to hang out in. The coffee is also really good; they weren’t joking about calling it *expletive* strong. 

You pretty can’t go wrong with any of the bagels on the menu. I had one with hummus, which was pretty good. The food here is relatively affordable, too. 

You’ll find another Beigelistai just outside the main part of the Old Town, as well as the one I’ve mentioned here.

Address: Literatų g. 7, Vilnius, 01125

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14. Go to Vilnius Cathedral

Vilnius Cathedral is one of Lithuania’s most recognizable landmarks, and the square is worth visiting when you’re in the city. It’s one of the coolest photography spots in Vilnius, in my opinion—especially since the church tower leans slightly. It’s like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, basically, without the tourists. 

To get to the cathedral, you can easily walk there from Gediminas’ Hill or other parts of the Old Town. 

15. Take a Day Trip to Trakai Castle

Even if you don’t take a hot air balloon tour, you should still take a day trip from Vilnius to nearby Trakai. The town itself is pleasant, and the castle—along with its lake—is worth seeing year-round. 

Trakai Castle is arguably the most famous castle in Lithuania, and it looks a lot like others in the country—such as Kaunas Castle. You can take the train from Vilnius to Trakai; it takes just over 30 minutes. From the station, Trakai Castle is around 40 minutes away. 

16. Japanese Food at Sakai Ramen

I was pleasantly surprised by how much good Japanese food we had during our trip around the Baltics. Besides stumbling into a Michelin Guide-listed restaurant while visiting Riga, we also went to a nice place in Vilnius called Sakai Ramen. 

While on the pricey side for Vilnius, the food here is still pretty affordable compared to other cities in Northern Europe. You’ll find a number of ramen dishes on the menu, with a vegan option also available. You can get Japanese drinks here, too, such as Sapporo, Asahi, and Japanese cola. 

This place was quite popular when we visited, and as such, I suggest booking a table in advance. You can do so on the website. 

Address: J. Basanavičiaus g. 3, Vilnius, 01118

Website: https://www.sakairamen.lt/

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Final Thoughts

Vilnius is one of Europe’s most underrated cities; whether you want a quick weekend getaway or are traveling through a broader part of Northern Europe, I really recommend visiting. Lithuania’s capital is a welcoming place with a real sense of optimism, along with lots of great museums and galleries. 

Despite its compact size, Vilnius has lots of fun things to do—regardless of your interests. Its hotels are excellent, too, with some really good deals available throughout the year. Compared to even the other Baltic capitals, Vilnius is still very affordable, too. 

Now that you’ve read this guide, you should have a better understanding of what you can do with your time in this gem of a place.

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