Vilnius holds one of Europe's largest baroque old towns, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The historic core unfolds between the cathedral, café-lined Pilies Street and the university, one of the continent's oldest. Across the Vilnia river, the bohemian Užupis district lines up galleries, artists' studios and waterside terraces. To feel the contrast, head up Gediminas Tower at sunset, then drop back into the craft-beer bars of the centre. The more modern Naujamiestis area hosts the creative scene and good restaurants. Vilnius is easy to explore on foot: everything essential sits within a twenty-minute walk, among church spires, hidden courtyards and quiet little squares.
🎬For the miniseries « Chernobyl » (HBO, 2019), it was Vilnius's Soviet-era district of Fabijoniškės that stood in for the ghost town of Pripyat. The show also filmed at the former Lukiškės Prison, later used as a set for « Stranger Things » (season 4, 2022).
✨The Užupis district declared itself an independent republic on 1 April 1997, originally as a joke between friends. Its constitution, drafted over one beer-fuelled night, grants poetic rights such as « everyone has the right to be happy » and « the right to be unhappy ».
🧭Climb the hill to the Subačius bastion (Barbakanas) for an open view over the old town, away from the crowds at Gediminas Tower. An active data eSIM lets you follow the maze of cobbled lanes without getting lost in the baroque tangle.
ℹ️The best time to visit Vilnius runs from May to September, when terraces come alive and the days are long; winter is harsh but magical under snow. The city is mostly walkable, backed by an efficient, cheap bus and trolleybus network. Tip: buy a transport ticket through the local app rather than on board. As for connectivity, Lithuania offers some of Europe's fastest 4G/5G coverage, and free wifi is widespread in cafés, the airport and the central public spaces.
