See the Stunning Views of Vilnius- Eliot Evans

See the Stunning Views of Vilnius- Eliot Evans

In this post, guest writer Eliot Evans talks about his adventures in Vilnius as part of his two week tour of Europe.


In early September 2018 my friend Tom and I embarked on a European adventure. A wild trip that would take us to seven different locations of varying beauty across a two-week period. An experience that has provided me with so many different memories. If I was to write them all it would end up being a mini book. Therefore, I’ll just write about the one location today, Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.

The Early Morning Journey

This was the second stop on our bonanza. Flying directly from Berlin at six in the morning on a surprisingly packed Ryanair flight. We touched down on a runway surrounded by green and were welcomed by a warm Lithuanian sun. As we trundled our way down to the ‘train station’ where we would catch our ‘train’ to the city centre, the sound of silence had us stunned. Yet this state of surprise was soon to be surpassed by a new wave of shock and bewilderment as a dual-cart tram like train sailed down the lonesome track at a tortoise like pace. I understand that Lithuania may not be the central hub of all Europe however this really doesn’t seem the right way to link the capital’s airport to the city itself.

After a short ride we exited the main train station and wandered into the picturesque city streets. Once again, the silence of it all couldn’t be ignored. It seemed far too quiet and peaceful for a city of over half a million people. However, as we meandered through the winding corridors of classic Baltic architecture, we encountered a market teeming with people and the many smells of traditional Baltic foods. We stopped off at a small restaurant to grab a pizza for energy. Then, we set off to find our Airbnb. A small flat with a balcony, funky bunk bed and Wi-Fi speeds that will blow your mind, it was the perfect temporary home. Once settled, it was time for our first adventure.

Trakai Island Castle

The most appealing feature that drew us to Vilnius (ignoring the £10 flight) was a place called Trakai Island Castle. A great 14th century stone castle that truly defines what Lithuanian architecture is all about. The castle is situated on a stunning lake on the outskirts of the city, so Tom and I needed to find a way to get there.

As 19-year olds we were unable to rent a car. It was time to figure out the Lithuanian bus routes that would get us to our location. Thankfully, just like the singular airport train, there’s not many bus routes either. So in truth, it was really easy to get there. It took around 45 minutes and left us right by the lake where the castle is situated. The structure itself was very impressive. It had a unique look and was clearly the centrepiece for Vilnius’ tourism scene as we came into contact with nationalities from across the globe.

In fact, just to prove how much of a small world we live in, on the bus ride back we overheard an older couple speaking English. We sparked up some conversation just to learn that they live only 10 miles from us back home. Altogether our first day in Vilnius was fantastic. We topped everything off with some Lithuanian cuisine (which consisted largely of meat and pastry… can’t complain) and it was time for a peaceful night’s sleep.

*BANG* *BANG* *BANG*

*BANG* *BANG* *BANG* We awoke to the sound of gunshots? No, our fears settled, it was fireworks that had disturbed our slumber. It appeared that the peacefulness of the day was pulled over the horizon by the sun as booming music began to engage in a battle of the decibels against the pyrotechnics above. We pulled ourselves outside to see the Neris river lined with stalls and stages… The masses had gathered in what seemed a spontaneous celebration of something. It looked a real party. However the 20-hour day that we had just endured pulled us back from joining in and we returned to bed.

Canoeing in Lithuania

The next day we wanted to get active, we were refreshed and raring to go for some adventure. I get straight onto TripAdvisor and see a kayaking/canoeing opportunity available. This was perfect. After locating his van through an awkward phone call of broken English instructions we were greeted by a large Lithuanian man and our fellow kayakers. He seemed taken aback and asked: “why are you here in Lithuania?’ A question that in all honesty we couldn’t answer, and our reply of “for a holiday” seemed to leave him even more confused.

Shortly after, we hopped into his van and we were driven out into the greenery of the Lithuanian countryside, our destination being a muddy bank of the Neris river a few miles from the city. Tom and I shared a canoe and we began our adventure along the river towards the city. It was an extremely enjoyable experience. Very relaxing and a fantastic way to appreciate the unknown beauty of what seems an almost untouched country.

Evening Entertainment After Dinner

In the evening we decided to do a bit more exploring in the hopes that the party of yesterday would continue on tonight. We were not disappointed. As the sun began to set, we enjoyed a lovely gourmet meal in one of Vilnius’ best rated restaurants with a colossal wedding going on just outside. This was just the start. Following our meal, we criss-crossed our way through the hundreds of people to encounter street performer after street performer. I must say there are some real breakdancing prodigies amongst the Lithuanian population. The entertainment was fantastic; however, it soon got a whole lot better.

As we reached the city centre and its marvellous cathedral, we were faced with a sea of well over a thousand people dancing and singing their hearts out. It was clear that we had timed this trip to perfection as we discovered that one of Lithuania’s biggest groups was performing live. Unfortunately, I can’t tell you what they were called as their two-word name is well over forty characters long. However they do have 70k followers on Spotify if I remember correctly and their music is fantastic.

Once again, fireworks and music filled the sound of the night as we set off to bed. Vilnius had certainly presented itself as a city that chooses to live peacefully during the day so that it can party throughout the night. I’m incredibly happy that we got to experience the latter on our final night. However our time here had drawn to a close, and it was time for Warsaw.

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