A weekend in Vilnius
The old town, Užupis and contemporary art museums: from Kaunas 59 min by train, and a city ticket costs from €1.00.
Contents
Vilnius in brief
Vilnius is the largest city in Lithuania: in 2024 it had 605,270 residents (VLE, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-07). Vilnius suits a weekend without a car: the old town, the museums and the parks fit into a few zones you can cover on foot. Go Vilnius writes that parks and green spaces take up 61 % of the city’s area (Go Vilnius, checked 2026-10-06).
The best season depends on what you want. In July the average temperature is 18.5 °C, and a month brings 12 days of 25 °C or more. In January the average is −3.7 °C (Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service climate normal 1991–2020, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-06).
In the plan you will find everything in order: how to get there, where to stay, what to see and what it costs. For the whole weekend estimate, see the weekend in Vilnius guide.
How to get there
Prices were checked for specific days and change, so check your own date when you buy. FlixBus adds a €0.99 fee to a booking.
| From | How | Time and price | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kaunas | LTG Link, 6 November | express 59 min, €5.40; slower 1 h 19 min, €4.30 (2nd class, per person) | 28 October |
| Kaunas | FlixBus, 8 January 2027 | 17:10–18:45 | 6 October |
| Klaipėda | LTG Link, 6 November | 16:39–21:04 (€13.40 per person, 2nd class); 12:18–17:02 (€7.35 per person, 3rd class) | 28 October |
| Riga | FlixBus, 8 January 2027 | 14:15–18:15 | 6 October |
From Kaunas. On Friday 6 November the 59-min LTG Link express trains leave at 09:30, 14:55 and 17:25 (LTG Link search, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-28). Compare bus and train in Vilnius–Kaunas by bus or train.
From Klaipėda. On Friday 6 November direct trains take 4 h 25 min–4 h 44 min. The fastest, at 16:39, costs €13.40 per person in 2nd class. The cheapest, at 12:18 and 18:12, cost €7.35 per person in 3rd class (LTG Link search, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-28). More: Vilnius–Klaipėda by train or bus.
From Riga. Direct FlixBus services take about 4 h; departure times and stops are in Vilnius–Riga by bus (in Lithuanian) (FlixBus search, in Lithuanian).
Flying in? From the airport to the railway station the train takes 7 min and costs €0.45 (with a 50 % discount until 31 December), and bus 88 to Europos Square takes about 25 min and costs €1.25 (article, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-06).
The bus station (Sodų g. 22) and the railway station (Geležinkelio g. 16) are about 250 m apart. From them it is about 800 m on foot to the Gate of Dawn.
Some FlixBus services do not leave from the station. We explain how to spot this in the guide to the stations.
Getting around
Vilnius public transport is run by Judu. The old address vilniustransport.lt redirects to judu.lt. Official prices (Judu ticket types and prices, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-06):
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| 30 min | €1.00 |
| 60 min | €1.25 |
| Family ticket 2+3, 30 min | €2.10 |
| 1 day (24 h) | €7.50 |
| 3 days (72 h) | €13.50 |
Single and day tickets allow changes, and you do not need to activate the ticket again. You buy through the m.Ticket app, pay by contactless bank card (“Touch and go”) or top up a Judu card. A Judu customer service centre operates at the railway station (Judu for visitors, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-06).
You will not need transport in the old town: Go Vilnius says it is about ten minutes on foot from the bus station to the old town (Go Vilnius, checked 2026-10-06). Order taxis through an app, because the same website warns about inflated taxi prices (safety, checked 2026-10-06).
Where to stay
- Old Town. Closest to the stations and the main monuments. The Stikliai quarter hides courtyards that go back to the fifteenth century (Go Vilnius, checked 2026-10-06). Good for a first visit.
- Užupis. A district east of the old town, through which the Vilnia flows. The Užupis Angel, built in 2001, stands here (VLE, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-06). Good for a quieter, artistic evening.
- Naujamiestis. The left bank of the Neris, south-west of the old town; the bus and railway stations are here (VLE, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-06). Good if easy arrival matters most.
- Žvėrynas. The right bank of the Neris; a pedestrian bridge leads to Vingis Park (VLE, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-06). Good for walks in the park.
As an example, look at Hotel Žemaitės (Žemaitės g. 15): its website shows a double room with breakfast “from €55” a night (hotel page, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-08). For how to choose a place to stay, see the article (in Lithuanian).
What to see
Vilnius Archcathedral Basilica
The cathedral and bell tower on Cathedral Square are the centre of the old town; you can go inside only when no service is being held.
You will find every sight with photographs in the sections What to see and What to do. Here are the main ones, with opening hours and prices.
The Cathedral and Cathedral Square. The church is open daily 7:00–19:00, and visitors are not admitted during services (katedra.lt, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-06).
Gediminas’ Tower. Daily 10:00–20:00; an adult ticket costs €8 and a concession ticket €4 (National Museum of Lithuania, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-06).
The Palace of the Grand Dukes. From 1 September to 31 May Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 10:00–18:00. Thursday until 20:00, Sunday 10:00–16:00, closed on Monday (opening hours, in Lithuanian). A ticket for all routes costs €17 and individual routes €4–10 (prices, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-06).
Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania
The rebuilt palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania with an exhibition on several routes, good for a rainy day.
The Gate of Dawn. The chapel is open 7:00–19:00 (ausrosvartai.lt, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-06).
Gate of Dawn Chapel
The surviving old town gate with a chapel that holds a painting regarded as miraculous, one of the most important pilgrimage sites.
MO Museum
A contemporary art museum in a white angular building in Naujamiestis.
The Cathedral Bell Tower. The tower (Katedros a. 1) is open Monday–Saturday 10:00–18:00 and closed on public holidays. An adult ticket costs €6, and for schoolchildren, students and pensioners €4 (Go Vilnius, checked 2026-10-07).
The City Wall Bastion. The sixteenth-century bastion (Bokšto g. 20) became a museum in 1987. It is open Tuesday–Sunday 10:00–18:00 and closed on Monday, and a ticket costs €6, concession €3 (Go Vilnius, checked 2026-10-07). On holidays check the hours on the museum’s website.
Subačiaus Viewpoint. From the crossing of Maironio and Subačiaus streets you can see Užupis, Gediminas Hill and the Hill of Three Crosses. In the warm season an outdoor café operates here (Go Vilnius, checked 2026-10-07).
Užupis. In 1996 students of the Vilnius Academy of Arts founded an art community by the Vilnelė, and in 2002, with the Vilnius municipality, they set up the Užupis Art Incubator. Outdoor sculptures and installations change here all the time (Go Vilnius, checked 2026-10-07).
Bernardine Garden. In 2013 the park was restored to its nineteenth-century appearance: it has meadows, a rose garden, a rock garden with a pond and a lit musical fountain (Go Vilnius, checked 2026-10-07). We found no entry price there.
The Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights. Open Wednesday–Saturday 10:00–18:00 and Sunday 10:00–17:00 (genocid.lt, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-06). The MO Museum and the Contemporary Art Centre are under If it rains.
What to do by season
The season ideas come from Go Vilnius pages, checked on 6 October.
- Spring. Sakuras bloom, and after them the rhododendrons in the Vilnius University Botanical Garden at Kairėnai (spring activities).
- Summer. Kayaking, a hot-air balloon flight over the old town and water parks near the centre are on offer (summer activities).
- Autumn. The city turns yellow and russet, look for panoramas at the TV Tower, and every year “Gastro Week” takes place with special restaurant menus (autumn in Vilnius). The page has no dates.
- Winter. It is cheaper and quieter, and the museums are warm. Ski slopes operate at Liepkalnis (winter activities). The Vichy water park is open Wednesday–Sunday (vandensparkas.lt, in Lithuanian).
Vilnius TV Tower
A television tower in Karoliniškės with an observation deck from which you can see the city’s districts and surroundings.
There are 13.8 days with precipitation in October and 18.1 in January (Hydrometeorological Service, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-06). Take an umbrella.
If it rains
On a rainy day in Vilnius choose the modern art museum or the contemporary art centre. Hours and prices checked on 8 October.
- MO Museum. Daily 10:00–20:00, closed on Tuesday. A ticket is €11 (€6 with a discount); while the main exhibition is being changed, €5 and €3 (MO, in Lithuanian).
- Contemporary Art Centre. Tuesday–Sunday 11:00–19:00, closed on Monday. A ticket is €12 (€6 with a discount), and on Wednesday the discount applies to everyone (CAC, in Lithuanian).
MO is open on public holidays except 24 and 25 December and Easter Sunday.
Vichy Water Park
An indoor water park on Ozo Street in Vilnius with slides, a wave pool and saunas; the price depends on the duration and age.
What to eat
Go Vilnius presents ten Vilnius dishes. The main ones: šaltibarščiai, traditionally a summer dish; cepelinai, made in Lithuania for a little over a hundred years; Karaite kibinai; and šakotis (10 dishes, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-06).
Vilnius has 31 of the 44 Lithuanian restaurants mentioned in the Michelin guide (gastronomy, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-06). We did not check particular restaurants’ prices, so we do not give them.
Practical information
- Tourist tax. The Vilnius municipality’s system gives €2 per person per night from 1 January 2024 (news item, in Lithuanian). It is not paid by people under 18 and students with a certificate, people with 0–40 % capacity for work and those renting for 30 days or longer (FAQ, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-06). About other cities: the tourist tax.
- Emergencies. On the phone number 112 you can get help in English too. Many pharmacies are open 8:00–20:00 Monday–Saturday, and only a few round the clock (safety, checked 2026-10-06).
- Closing days. On Monday the Palace of the Grand Dukes and the Contemporary Art Centre are not open, and on Tuesday the MO. When planning, look at the day of the week.
- Safety. The risk of robbery is low, but keep your things away from pickpockets (the same Go Vilnius safety website).
Weekend plan
Friday. Arrive in the evening, leave your things in the old town and stroll on Cathedral Square.
Saturday. In the morning climb Gediminas’ Tower (from 10:00), then go to the Palace of the Grand Dukes. On Saturday Gediminas’ Tower is open until 20:00, the Palace of the Grand Dukes until 18:00 and the Gate of Dawn chapel until 19:00. In the afternoon call in at the Gate of Dawn and walk through the Stikliai quarter. End the evening in Užupis.
Sunday. Choose the MO Museum or the Contemporary Art Centre. On Sunday the Palace of the Grand Dukes is open only until 16:00. The train back to Kaunas and its times are in the nearest trip, 6–8 November (in Lithuanian). Later ones: 13–15 November (in Lithuanian), 20–22 November (in Lithuanian) and 11–13 December (in Lithuanian).
Contemporary Art Centre
A contemporary art centre with changing exhibitions and film screenings, with a steady flow of visitors in the city centre.
More ideas: 10 trips from Vilnius (in Lithuanian), Trakai, Kernavė (in Lithuanian) (from Vilnius (in Lithuanian)) and Ukmergė, all in Lithuanian.
FAQ
How much is a ticket on Vilnius public transport? A 30-minute ticket costs €1.00, a 60-minute one €1.25 and a 24-hour ticket €7.50 (Judu, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-06).
How long does the journey from Kaunas to Vilnius take? The LTG Link express takes 59 min and FlixBus from 1 h 15 min to 2 h 14 min (comparison, in Lithuanian, checked 2026-10-06).
Do I have to pay the tourist tax in Vilnius? Yes, €2 per person per night. It is paid through the place you stay; the exceptions are listed above.
Are two days enough? For the old town and two museums, yes. You will need more time for the parks and trips to Trakai.
Things to see and do in Vilnius
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By car: distance, time, fuel
By car
- From Kaunas: 100 km, 1 h 2 min one way. Fuel there and back: €25.36 per car, €12.68 each for two people.Calculation: 2 × 100 km = 200 km; 200 km ÷ 100 × 6.5 l/100 km = 13 l; 13 l × 1.951 €/l = €25.36.
- From Klaipėda: 307 km, 2 h 46 min one way. Fuel there and back: €77.87 per car, €38.94 each for two people.Calculation: 2 × 307 km = 614 km; 614 km ÷ 100 × 6.5 l/100 km = 39.91 l; 39.91 l × 1.951 €/l = €77.87.
From Šiauliai, Panevėžys is not calculated yet: we do not have map data for this route.
This is an approximate calculation, not a price. Travel time without traffic or border queues. Fuel price: Lithuanian average, Euro-super 95 with taxes, 2026-10-19, the European Commission's Weekly Oil Bulletin (CC BY 4.0); consumption 6.5 l/100 km. Routes: MOTIS, car profile, no traffic conditions, © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extracts, calculated 2026-10-29. There are no road tolls for passenger cars in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia; for Poland, see here (in Lithuanian).