A long weekend in Vilnius

If you’re sitting there thinking, ‘I’m not sure how to pronounce Vilnius, let alone identify it on a map’, I’ve got you. Vilnius (pronounced like you read it, Vil-nee-us) is the capital city of Lithuania and it packs the same amount of romantic charm and amazing history as its popular western cousins, Prague and Budapest – but without the usual capital city crowds.   

I was in the market for an off-the-beaten-track, travel-like-a-local kind of long weekend, and decided to go for the throw-a-dart-at-the-map approach (AKA ask ChatGPT). Vilnius piqued my interest and tbh, it was one of the coolest places I’ve been in a while – I’m really glad it did.  

So, I’m putting you onto this niche gem before it gets big (because surely it will do soon!) Here’s how I spent a long weekend in Vilnius…  

Day 1 

We (my boyfriend and I) got into the city around 1pm, after an easy 90-minute-or-so flight and an even easier 20-minute Bolt from the airport to the old town. Our hotel room wasn’t going to be ready until 3pm, so we decided to pitch up at a pizza place around the corner, where my boyfriend claims he had the best 4-cheese pizza of his life – and he’s sampled quite a few…  

When we were all checked in, we decided the best way to get our bearings would be to head up to the Hill of Three Crosses. It’s one of the city’s most iconic landmarks, where three concrete crosses sit on top of a large hill that overlooks the city. According to legend, the crosses go back to the 17th century and were used to mark the spot of the beheading of seven Franciscan Friars, although no one seems to be able to verify this fact… The concrete structures were torn down by the Soviet regime, then rebuilt in the late 80s, and have become a symbol of the city’s resilience, defiance and sense of self.   

Monks and history aside, the hill also has a stunning panoramic view of the city and really isn’t too much of a slog to climb, even in the snow. There are wooden steps all the way up and plenty of stops to rest. I’d imagine in the sun it’s even more glorious, so definitely worth the trip!   

Vilnius, much like Prague, is known for its craft beer, and I’d be lying if I said we didn’t pop into a few breweries on our evening meander around the city. Each one has its own charm and an insane range of lagers and IPAs, but my favourite was the bright pink ‘Love Potion’ at an underground cellar called Craft & Draft.   

The evening concluded at a speakeasy/library called Alaus Biblioteka, just round the corner from our hotel. After walking through an inconspicuous door on a residential street and being greeted by a nice security man, you head upstairs to what feels like a wealthy family’s private library, where dimly lit green lamps and towering wooden bookcases create a cosy, romantic atmosphere. We indulged in a couple of their 200+ craft beers and a local liqueur delicacy before realising we hadn’t eaten since our pizza earlier… prompting an impromptu antipasti girl dinner feast (AKA a range of local cheeses, crackers and pickled goods).   

Day 2 

With our heads a touch sore from our eagerness to indulge in the local craft beer scene, we headed out early for a hearty breakfast en route to the day’s activities. We swung by Elska coffee, as it seemed cosy and inviting, and yet again, the food did not disappoint – x1 scrambled eggs on toast and fat oat latte later, we were revitalised for the day. It was at this point, I also realised that restaurants and bars in Vilnius have so many coat hooks available. This may sound like a detail that shouldn’t make it to the blog, but when you’re a cold girl in a city that’s -9 degrees, you are layered like a Russian doll – so, the hooks were a real win in my eyes.   

For a couple whose individual special interests are history and true crime, Vilnius had the perfect blend of historical hotspots to visit and day two was all about learning. We started off with a trip to the former KGB head office turned Museum of Occupations and Freedom Struggles, a small museum that’s packed with history on the horrors of Lithuania’s occupation, spanning right up to the 1980s. The first and second floors gave an interesting insight into the country’s history, but the basement was where things got real. There you can find the original KGB prison cells, torture chambers and execution room, which were just as fascinating as they were harrowing to walk through. The museum offers private tours, which we didn’t realise until we came across a small group with their English-speaking guide, so we decided to subtly follow them around for a while. He was great and we definitely would have opted for this if we’d thought about it.   

The history fun didn’t stop there. After an hour or two in the Museum, we headed over to Lukiškės Prison, which operated for 115 years (until as recently as 2019) under the occupation of both the Nazis and Soviets. The venue now operates as an arts and culture space, with artists and musicians renting out cells for personal galleries, raves regularly taking place in the former prison chapel and the likes of Mac Demarco, King Krule and Jungle playing gigs and festivals in the courtyard. This time we did have a guide and got to wander round, learning about prison life, local true crime myths and legends, and the truly harrowing conditions that came about during the multiple occupations. All of this was seen off with a prison mugshot to take home and another local lager in the former chapel turned bar.   

It was then time for the vibes to take a sharp U-turn as we went from harrowing history to a romantic date night. We got dressed up in our cutest fits (which immediately disappeared under football manager puffer coats) and walked a few minutes over to Justa Pasta. This place was tiny, romantic and served incredible fresh pasta and wine – what more can you want? After dinner, we jumped in a quick Bolt over to the Michelin-starred Heji for drinks. This Asian inspired restaurant and bar is an assault on the senses in the best possible way. All I’ll say, is you can eat dumplings in a gilded bird cage while a man serenades the room with a guitar. In all seriousness, this place was really cool – definitely more of a touristy, fancy spot than the authentic local bars and breweries we’d tried so far, and the prices were more in line with what you’d expect from a big UK city. But it’s still really cool to try out.   

Day 3  

The last day came around far too quickly, but we’d planned a late flight to squeeze the most out of the weekend as possible. We opted for the train back to the airport, so after checking out of the hotel we got a Bolt down to the train station to store our case. There were tonnes of lockers, and it only cost about €5 for the whole day, so felt like a no-brainer.   

We wandered back into the city on foot (honestly, you can walk Vilnius end to end with minimal qualms) and spent the morning meandering through the streets we’d not yet seen. Somehow, we ended up walking into the Independence Day celebrations, which despite speaking no Lithuanian and therefore not understanding a word of the mayor’s speech, was incredibly moving after learning about the various occupations in the last 100 years.   

Then, we crossed the river into the republic of Užupis, an arty district which is technically its own municipality, but only ended up that way as an April Fools’ joke that went too far. There are murals, statues and silly signposts everywhere, as well as a nonsensical constitution engraved into metal sheets in every language. We also wandered through some independent arty shops and picked up a few nicknacks to take home. This was without a doubt my favourite part of the city, mainly owing to the silly vibes.   

After one final brewery stop in Užupis and a plate of what was effectively garlicky cheese covered crisps (not mad about it), it was time to go. We headed back to the train station and jumped on a super speedy 15-minute train back to the airport for our flight back home.   

All in all, Vilnius was a 10/10 for a rogue city break – perfectly walkable, tonnes to see, but totally achievable in a long weekend. It’s got lots of history, incredibly lovely people and you can come away with the smugness of feeling like you’ve discovered an unknown city. Most importantly, there are tonnes of cheap pints, ofc…  

I can’t imagine this hidden gem will remain this hidden for long, so check it out ASAP and browse our best deals to book.  

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Author: Molly Cookson (she/her)
Last updated:16/05/2025