Jump to: By Evan Rail Photographs by Andrej Vasilenko A longtime resident of Prague, Evan Rail is a regular contributor to the Travel section. June 25, 2026Compared with other Central and Eastern European cities, Vilnius took time to find its audience. But that added time has allowed the Lithuanian capital, at the confluence of the Neris and Vilnia Rivers, to come into its own. Today, a burgeoning dining scene marries modern techniques from Scandinavia with local culinary traditions, while a booming tech sector reinvigorates one of the largest surviving Old Towns in Northern Europe. Recently introduced services include electric ferries as well as the first of two new airport terminals. The city also increasingly features in movies and on television shows — most recently in “How to Divorce During the War,” for which the director Andrius Blazevicius won an award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival — putting more eyes on Vilnius than ever before. RecommendationsGawk at thrones, crowns, armor and more at the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania.Gates of Dawn is a stately Baroque chapel and ancient city gate that guards one of the southern entrances to the Old Town.Gediminas’s Tower, built in the early 14th century by the then-Grand Duke of Lithuania, is a popular spot for sunset photographs. See what life was like for the inmates of Lukiskes Prison, a penitentiary until 2019, and now a popular filming location and artistic hub.Once declared an independent republic by its own denizens, Uzupis is a colorful neighborhood worth exploring.The Vilnius Gaon Museum of Jewish History in the Old Town has a landmark exhibit featuring artifacts from the city’s former Great Synagogue, running through January.The Jonas Mekas Visual Arts Center, named for the Lithuanian-born artist and filmmaker, highlights Fluxus, the avant-garde collective founded in the 1960s, as well as other experimental art movements.Take a sightseeing cruise along the Neris River aboard one of the city’s new electric ferries, introduced last summer.The Contemporary Arts Center offers expansive exhibitions of figurative art in an airy, light-filled space.Designed by the celebrated architect Daniel Libeskind, the MO Museum showcases contemporary art in a landmark building outside the Old Town.Just west of the Old Town, quiet Vingriu Square offers shady spaces to relax beside flowing water from natural springs. At the pub Alaus Namai, taste Lithuania’s rustic farmhouse ales, which are sourced from breweries that are often located on working farms.Dig into cepelinai, or potato dumplings, and more homestyle fare at the folksy restaurant Etno Dvaras.Sample Lithuanian baked goods like currant-stuffed skareles su serbentais, a kind of crispy turnover, at the bakery-cafe Kmynine.Locals recommend the food stand Spoon Out in Hales Turgus for its take on Saltibarsciai, or “pink soup,” a chilled beetroot dish that is among Lithuania’s most recognizable culinary specialties.The Michelin-starred Dziaugsmas offers creative contemporary European cuisine in a romantic, moody atmosphere.Among international beer nerds, Snekutis in the Old Town might be the most famous tavern in Vilnius.Hit the pub Spunka, on Saviciaus Street, for traditional beers from small local producers like Dundulis.The bar Alchemikas mixes up both classic and innovative cocktails in a dark and intimate space.Stop for a martini (or half of one) at the cocktail lounge Nomads.The speakeasy-style Nick & Nora makes its Vilnius Spritz cocktail with krupnikas, a local liqueur made with honey.Not far from the MO Museum, the innovative restaurant Demoloftas offers both casual lunches and highbrow dinners. If he’s not working in his studio, you might find the painter Audrius Grazys behind the desk at his gallery in the eccentric Uzupis neighborhood.The contemporary art gallery AP Galerija presents works by more than 100 living Lithuanian artists.In Uzupis, the shop Uzantis stocks prints by local artists, as well as bric-a-brac and antiques.Buy provisions for a picnic lunch at one of the city’s many green spaces, or dine in at the Hales Turgus food market, built in the early 20th century.Founded in 1913, the chocolatier Ruta sells souvenir bars in the shape of Lithuania’s geographical outline, plus delicious pralines in beautiful packaging. The historic Grand Hotel Vilnius, which in 2024 reopened under the Hilton flag, has 93 rooms and suites and is about a three-minute walk from the Presidential Palace. Rooms start at around 180 euros, or about $209.The ultra-modern, 271-room AC Hotel Vilnius opened last fall, within walking distance of the Old Town. Rooms start at around €95.Not far from the Gates of Dawn and the south side of the Old Town, Panorama Hotel has 252 rooms and suites, with doubles starting at around €70.Many short-term apartment rentals can be found in the Old Town, as well as in the popular Uzupis and Paupys neighborhoods. Despite a few good hills, Vilnius is easiest to explore on foot, especially in the mostly flat, pedestrian-friendly Old Town. Google Maps works well with the city’s public transportation system, which includes new electric ferries on the Neris River. City buses, by far the easiest way to reach the city center from Vilnius International Airport, accept tap-and-go payments (€1.25 per ride). Among ride-sharing services, both Uber and Bolt are available, while the local Trafi app can be helpful for accessing bus and ferry schedules and tickets. ItineraryFriday The Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania 2 p.m. Visit a ducal palace Get a feel for regional history at the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, a 15th-century complex that was rebuilt in many stages before reopening as a museum in 2018. Inside, you’ll see pottery, clothing, armor and other aspects of life from centuries past. The current show, featuring a trio of 17th-century heraldic tapestries that have never been displayed publicly, runs through July 12. Don’t miss the route through the reconstructed historic interiors, which includes dozens of ornately detailed bedrooms, grand halls and other storied spaces, as well as displays of crowns, chalices and other royal items (€15). The Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania 4 p.m. Sip unusual pints In recent years, outsiders have started to learn about Lithuania’s remarkable farmhouse brewing tradition, which features old-school methods and rustic beer styles. At Alaus Namai, which feels like an old country pub transported to a city apartment block, the draft list offers more than a dozen of these rare brews, which are sourced from small producers. Try the keptinis (€5.50), a complex and funky ale made by baking the grain, rather than boiling it, from the fourth-generation farmhouse brewer Ramunas Cizas, along with a hearty snack like potato pancakes with cream cheese (€7.50), and ask the friendly staff or one of your fellow drinkers what to try next. Lukiskes Prison 5 p.m. See inside the big house It’s hard to tell which group of visitors is larger at Lukiskes Prison: those who are curious about the history of the notorious penitentiary, used by the Nazis and the Soviets; or those who want to see the real-life setting of the Russian prison from the Netflix show “Stranger Things.” Whichever side you fall on, reserve a spot on the English-language guided tour and you’ll get both stories, from its founding in 1904 to its current role as a filming location and a home for the musicians and artists who rent studio spaces inside (two-hour tour, €22). Note that the walk through the graffiti-coated cells and narrow passageways can be rather harrowing, and photography is mostly prohibited. Lukiskes Prison 7:30 p.m. Take a bite of history Lithuania’s modern culinary revolution is built on a foundation of tradition still relatively unknown on the international stage. Learn some of the backstory at Etno Dvaras, a folksy restaurant where homestyle dishes include cepelinai, addictive but filling potato dumplings stuffed with pork or cheese curds (€9.55). Nod your head to the Lithuanian folk and pop tunes, admire the decorative trinkets and select a main course like fried zander (pike-perch) fillet (€17.95) or baked pork hock (€20.95), both of which pair nicely with a big glass of the house-made gira, a sour-sweet and nearly alcohol-free beverage made from fermented dark rye bread (€3.35). Gediminas’s Tower 9 p.m. Grab sunset snapshots Crowning the hilltop where the city was first established, Gediminas’s Tower remains a cherished landmark, appearing everywhere from the national currency to important paintings by regional artists. After a somewhat strenuous 15-minute hike to the top (sturdy footwear recommended), you’ll find viewing platforms that offer exceptional panoramas over the ochre roofs and church spires of the Old Town, as well as the Neris River and modern skyscrapers in the Snipiskes neighborhood to the north. The squat brick structure, built in the 15th century to replace the earlier wooden fortification, has a museum that closes at 8 p.m. daily, though visitors can enjoy the views and take snapshots on the grounds, which are free to enter, until 11 p.m. (€8). Gediminas’s Tower Saltibarsciai, or “pink soup,” a chilled beetroot dish that is among Lithuania’s most iconic culinary specialties, is celebrated annually at the Vilnius Pink Soup Fest. Ahead of this year’s festivities, a skatepark bowl was painted to mimic the dish, using a design by the artist Agne Stasinskaite.Saturday Try skareles su serbentais, a traditional sweet pastry, at the bakery-cafe Kmynine in Uzupis. 10 a.m. Explore an artsy enclave Declared an independent republic by its inhabitants, the colorful Uzupis neighborhood, east of the Old Town, teems with progressive galleries, studios, cafes and shops. Grab a flat white (€3.30) and a handful of crunchy, currant-stuffed skareles su serbentais (sold by weight; €17.90 per kilogram, or a little over 2.2 pounds), an addictively tangy and sweet turnover, at the popular bakery Kmynine en route to the gallery of the abstract painter Audrius Grazys. Add a stop at AP Galerija, home to works by more than 100 living Lithuanian artists and photographers, or skip to the Jonas Mekas Visual Arts Center (free entry), named for the Lithuanian-born avant-garde filmmaker. Take inspiration home with you courtesy of the boutique Uzantis (prints, around €15), which stocks print reproductions of works by Stasys Krasauskas, Albina Makunaite and other lesser-known artists of the 20th century. Try skareles su serbentais, a traditional sweet pastry, at the bakery-cafe Kmynine in Uzupis. 11 a.m. Witness the city’s Jewish past Vilnius, at one time known as the Jerusalem of the North, played a major role in Jewish culture until the Holocaust. Atop a tree-covered hill about a 10-minute walk east of the district’s main cafes, you’ll find the memorial to the former Jewish cemetery of Uzupis, destroyed by the Soviets in the mid-1960s, as well as a few remaining tombstones. For more on the city’s Jewish past, set out for the Vilnius Gaon Museum of Jewish History in the Old Town, where a major new exhibit, running through January, highlights over 5,000 artifacts from the city’s long-since-destroyed Great Synagogue (€10). Gates of Dawn 1:30 p.m. Cross the city gates Pass through the Gates of Dawn, both a beautiful Baroque chapel and an original city gate from the days when Vilnius was encircled by defensive walls. Meander along cobblestone lanes of the surrounding neighborhood at the southern edge of the Old Town, then explore your lunch options at Hales Turgus, a sprawling food market from 1906, where you’ll find stalls selling picnic-ready cured meats, pastries, fresh vegetables and bottled drinks, as well as restaurants like the stellar Spoon Out. You can, of course, sample more cepelinai (€8), but the big draw here is the refreshing Saltibarsciai, or “pink soup,” an aromatic bowl of beets, kefir and dill, served chilled, with a side of potatoes (€4). Gates of Dawn At the chocolatier Ruta, some sweets come in boxes decorated with images from the Symbolist-style paintings of the artist, writer and composer Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis. 4:30 p.m. Indulge your sweet tooth If the artist, writer and composer Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis, for whom the Vilnius airport is named, is Lithuania’s most famous export, then Ruta chocolates, founded in 1913, might come in a close second. At the chocolatier’s cozy shop in the Old Town, you can combine the two: chocolate-topped caramel cookies (€10.90) and freeze-dried strawberries coated in white chocolate and sprinkled with matcha (€7.20), for example, come in boxes decorated with images from the polymath’s Symbolist-style paintings. At the chocolatier Ruta, some sweets come in boxes decorated with images from the Symbolist-style paintings of the artist, writer and composer Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis. 6:30 p.m. Sample the new cuisine Inspired in part by modern Scandinavian cooking, as well as its own culinary history, the culinary scene in Vilnius is in bloom. Taste some of what’s been turning heads at the restaurant Dziaugsmas, whose name translates to “joy.” Despite the dark, moody interiors, it’s a fitting nod to the playful dishes created by the chef Martynas Praskevicius. Appetizers include spring rolls stuffed with dry-aged trout, shiso leaves and apple jelly served with smoked oyster mayo (€16), and herring-topped cheese crisps with creamy cod-roe dip (€16). Mains like pork schnitzel (€29) and beef tenderloin (€48) sound straightforward but are re-conceptualized with unexpected platings and ingredients. Spunka 9 p.m. Enjoy liquid culture Lithuania is a beer country — and the capital is home to a number of charismatic beer halls and taverns, including the long-running restaurant Snekutis and the rough-hewn pub Spunka, which has three outposts around the city. You’ll find mixed drinks around the corner at the cocktail bar Alchemikas, where classic recipes compete with house specialties like the White Lightning, made with Samane, a clear, grain-based spirit (from €12). Continue your nightcap tour over at Nomads, about a 10-minute walk southwest, where you can sample one of five martini varieties in either a tiny (€6) or standard (€12) portion. At the nearby haunt Nick & Nora, sip a Vilnius Spritz, made with honey-flavored krupnikas liqueur (€13) as your conversation runs late into the night. Spunka East of the Old Town, the leafy Uzupis district has historically offered refuge for the city’s creative class.Sunday In 2025, Vilnius launched its first-ever electric ferries on the Neris River. 9 a.m. Go by the water After a cardamom-scented bandele pastry (€1.65) and a latte (€3.60) at Crustum bakery in the Old Town, you have two options for seeing the city’s bridges up close. Feeling sporty? Make like a local and jog along the embankment of the slow-moving Neris River. Or, if you’ve logged enough steps, climb aboard one of the city’s electric riverboats and enjoy the same skyline views from a seated position. Launched in 2025, the ferries run roughly every 30 minutes, with stops about every half-mile (two hours, round-trip; €5). In 2025, Vilnius launched its first-ever electric ferries on the Neris River. Contemporary Art Center 11 a.m. Seek recent inspiration The light-filled Contemporary Art Center reopened in 2024, following a major renovation. The excellent show “Superglue, or Inventing the Friend,” on through September 6, surveys mostly figurative works from some 50 contemporary artists, primarily from Central and Eastern Europe (tickets, €8). Ten minutes west, the MO Museum, in a landmark building by the Polish-American architect Daniel Libeskind, offers another contemporary vantage point, with works by Lithuanian and other regional artists (€11). Follow the large-scale sculptures surrounding the building toward Vingriu Square, modernized in 2022. From a shaded bench, you can admire works of art like the large sculpture “Vingriai Eels” by Mykolas Sauka; or cool off beside a coiled rivulet. Contemporary Art Center Demoloftas 1 p.m. Get a casual lunch A highbrow restaurant by night, Demoloftas is a surprisingly breezy daytime option. Order the intensely flavored beef tartare with coffee emulsion (€18), followed by the baked trout fillet with fragrant sage butter (€13.50), which can be accompanied by five side dishes of the kitchen’s choosing (€12), like roast fennel with pesto, radish salad, and grilled carrots with blue cheese. As at many places in laid-back Vilnius, service is hardly rushed, allowing you to linger over the last sips of your nutty hojicha latte (€4.50). Demoloftas