country
LithuaniaLietuva
First trip: 3 nights in Vilnius with a Trakai day trip, 1 in Kaunas, and 2 on the Curonian Spit in summer; trains and buses link the three.
Lithuania runs on a Vilnius–Kaunas–Klaipėda axis, and trips that stay on it are easy. The Curonian Spit is a summer destination with limited access and car entry controls; winters are dark and cold. Book the coast early for July and August.
All regions, cities and parks in Lithuania (Atlas) →
Regions
Old Town, Užupis; Trakai castle
2–4 nights
Interwar modernist architecture; Hill of Crosses to the north
1–2 nights
Nida dunes, Palanga beach (summer)
2–3 nights
Arrive
VNO
Vilnius Airport
Close to the centre; train and bus
KUN
Kaunas Airport
Low-cost flights
PLQ
Palanga Airport
Closest to the coast
Time math
- 3 days
- Vilnius 3 (Trakai day trip)
- 5 days
- Vilnius 3 + Kaunas 2
- 8 days
- Vilnius 3 + Kaunas 1 + Nida 3 + Klaipėda 1
Country rules
- Lithuania is in the EU and the Schengen area; the EU Entry/Exit System applies to non-EU visitors. Check the official EU and Lithuanian sources for your passport.
- Borders with Belarus and the Russian Kaliningrad region are not routes for casual travel; check your government's advice first.
- The Curonian Spit is a protected national park: cars pay an entry fee, and the Russian half of the spit is a separate border.
Etiquette
- Greet with a handshake; small talk is limited at first.
- Flowers in odd numbers; even numbers are for funerals.
- Take shoes off in homes.
- June 24 (Joninės, Midsummer)
- National holiday; many people leave cities for the countryside.
- February 16 and March 11
- Statehood and independence restoration days; closures and events.
- July–August
- Coast at peak demand; book Nida and Palanga early.
Money & passes
Cash necessity: 1/5
- Currency is the euro (EUR). Cards and contactless work almost everywhere.
- Carry a little cash for markets and small seaside kiosks.
Before you fly: eSIM before you fly · Visas and entry
Safety
- Winter ice and short days; wear grippy shoes.
- Baltic Sea currents can be strong; swim at lifeguarded beaches.
- Ticks in forests and dunes; check after walks.
- Emergency: 112.
Lithuania is the southern end of the Baltic line; Riga and Tallinn lie north, Poland to the south-west.
Sources
- UK FCDO travel advice — Lithuania (official)
- EU Entry/Exit System and ETIAS (official)
- Wikivoyage — Lithuania (secondary)