The heart of Europe
The country, which can truly boast the name 'the heart of Europe' is only a short drive away from Warsaw, a fact that many tourists still seem oblivious to.
Although intrinsically linked to Poland by centuries long history, Lithuania is still too often overlooked as a holiday destination by tourists from our country. A shame, since its capital, Vilnius, is a perfect, dreamy getaway and its lakes and rapids provide a myriad of attractions and activities for the entire family. And, in the end, people who erect a memorial statue to honor the singer Frank Zappa must be a fascinating and friendly lot to visit!
According to Olga Ożarenkova, the director of the Lithuanian Tourist Information Centre in Poland, the numbers of foreign visitors to Lithuania have been increasing steadily, just as has the length of their stay in the country.
"The most popular destination that comes to mind is, of course, Vilnius," says Ożarenkova, "but Trakai, the Curonian Spit and Druskininkai are also extremely popular among foreign tourists."
Vilnius is famous for its many architectural wonders and its Baroque Old Town, dating back to 1323, is the largest in the region and is a UNESCO World Heritage location. One of the symbols of Vilnius is the Gediminas Castle Tower, dedicated to the founder of the city Grand Duke Gediminas. Another landmark location is the Cathedral, which is the main house of worship for Lithuanian Catholics. Churches are the pride of Vilnius, once numbering as many as 200, today there are about 40 left.
The medieval capital of Lithuania, Trakai, is situated only 30 km from Vilnius and is connected to the capital by both train and bus. It is surrounded by a chain of lakes and its most significant monument is an ancient island castle, the former residence of the Lithuanian ruling nobility. This old Lithuanian capital is now a small, quiet town in an attractive country area of lakes and islands. Most of the town stands on a peninsula dotted with old wooden cottages, many of them built by the Karaites -a Judaist sect originating in Baghdad that adheres to the Law of Moses. The Karaites were brought to Trakai by Vytautas the Great around 1400 to serve as bodyguards, and about 150 of them still live here.
For sports enthusiasts there is plenty to do in Lithuania. Cross-country skiing, ice-skating and tobogganing are all popular winter sports, while the Aukstaitija National Park, in eastern Lithuania, has the best cross-country skiing trails. The national park is also a good canoeing area. The west coast of the country attracts large numbers of bird-watchers, especially to the town of Vente, on the eastern side of the Curonian Lagoon, which is home to an ornithological preserve. The Curonian Spit is a narrow strip of land separating the Baltic Sea from the Curonian Lagoon and is perhaps the most stunning natural spot in the entire Baltic region. It is a remarkable natural treasure with wild, shifting dunes and old fisherman's villages.
But one of Lithuania's best-kept secrets are its beauty and health spas. One of them, located in the town of Druskininkai, was named in 2003 as the best spa resort for bath therapy in Europe by Newsweek magazine. It is a year-round spa resort of bath, mud and climate therapy, several mineral water springs and a number of wellness centers. Another such spa town can be found in Birstonas, near Kaunas, which is currently experiencing a boom of renovated, well-equipped wellness centers.
And good rest and rejuvenation are something that a visitor to Lithuania will certainly need, especially if their holidays of choice are of the active variety. There is horseback riding in the Kurtuvenai regional park for families and tourist groups alike. And if in need of some romantic transportation- why not try ballooning over the picturesque Lithuanian rivers. Fans of bigger speeds can try flying in a jet fighter with loop the loop, barrel rolls and dives at 700 km per hour and 7G force, while those interested in more terrestrial entertainment can try go-carting on a professional race track and paintballing in an old taxi park. When that is all finished, the last thing you'll need to do is reach for some delicious cepelinai and a cold, award-winning beer. Enjoy!
- Maria Laitalainen
HOW TO GET THERE
Going to Lithuania by car is probably the best choice as it will allow you to move around the country freely. There are two border crossings into Lithuania, one in Ogrodniki, the other in Budzisko. There is no highway toll and the quality of the roads can be amazing comparing to our Polish standards.
By airplane: LAL Lithuanian Airlines offer a daily service and two flights from Warsaw to Vilnius on Sundays. LOT Polish Airlines also offer a daily service to Lithuania's capital.
For more information visit www.litwatravel.com or their office in Al. Ujazdowskie 51.
Although intrinsically linked to Poland by centuries long history, Lithuania is still too often overlooked as a holiday destination by tourists from our country. A shame, since its capital, Vilnius, is a perfect, dreamy getaway and its lakes and rapids provide a myriad of attractions and activities for the entire family. And, in the end, people who erect a memorial statue to honor the singer Frank Zappa must be a fascinating and friendly lot to visit!
According to Olga Ożarenkova, the director of the Lithuanian Tourist Information Centre in Poland, the numbers of foreign visitors to Lithuania have been increasing steadily, just as has the length of their stay in the country.
"The most popular destination that comes to mind is, of course, Vilnius," says Ożarenkova, "but Trakai, the Curonian Spit and Druskininkai are also extremely popular among foreign tourists."
Vilnius is famous for its many architectural wonders and its Baroque Old Town, dating back to 1323, is the largest in the region and is a UNESCO World Heritage location. One of the symbols of Vilnius is the Gediminas Castle Tower, dedicated to the founder of the city Grand Duke Gediminas. Another landmark location is the Cathedral, which is the main house of worship for Lithuanian Catholics. Churches are the pride of Vilnius, once numbering as many as 200, today there are about 40 left.
The medieval capital of Lithuania, Trakai, is situated only 30 km from Vilnius and is connected to the capital by both train and bus. It is surrounded by a chain of lakes and its most significant monument is an ancient island castle, the former residence of the Lithuanian ruling nobility. This old Lithuanian capital is now a small, quiet town in an attractive country area of lakes and islands. Most of the town stands on a peninsula dotted with old wooden cottages, many of them built by the Karaites -a Judaist sect originating in Baghdad that adheres to the Law of Moses. The Karaites were brought to Trakai by Vytautas the Great around 1400 to serve as bodyguards, and about 150 of them still live here.
For sports enthusiasts there is plenty to do in Lithuania. Cross-country skiing, ice-skating and tobogganing are all popular winter sports, while the Aukstaitija National Park, in eastern Lithuania, has the best cross-country skiing trails. The national park is also a good canoeing area. The west coast of the country attracts large numbers of bird-watchers, especially to the town of Vente, on the eastern side of the Curonian Lagoon, which is home to an ornithological preserve. The Curonian Spit is a narrow strip of land separating the Baltic Sea from the Curonian Lagoon and is perhaps the most stunning natural spot in the entire Baltic region. It is a remarkable natural treasure with wild, shifting dunes and old fisherman's villages.
But one of Lithuania's best-kept secrets are its beauty and health spas. One of them, located in the town of Druskininkai, was named in 2003 as the best spa resort for bath therapy in Europe by Newsweek magazine. It is a year-round spa resort of bath, mud and climate therapy, several mineral water springs and a number of wellness centers. Another such spa town can be found in Birstonas, near Kaunas, which is currently experiencing a boom of renovated, well-equipped wellness centers.
And good rest and rejuvenation are something that a visitor to Lithuania will certainly need, especially if their holidays of choice are of the active variety. There is horseback riding in the Kurtuvenai regional park for families and tourist groups alike. And if in need of some romantic transportation- why not try ballooning over the picturesque Lithuanian rivers. Fans of bigger speeds can try flying in a jet fighter with loop the loop, barrel rolls and dives at 700 km per hour and 7G force, while those interested in more terrestrial entertainment can try go-carting on a professional race track and paintballing in an old taxi park. When that is all finished, the last thing you'll need to do is reach for some delicious cepelinai and a cold, award-winning beer. Enjoy!
- Maria Laitalainen
HOW TO GET THERE
Going to Lithuania by car is probably the best choice as it will allow you to move around the country freely. There are two border crossings into Lithuania, one in Ogrodniki, the other in Budzisko. There is no highway toll and the quality of the roads can be amazing comparing to our Polish standards.
By airplane: LAL Lithuanian Airlines offer a daily service and two flights from Warsaw to Vilnius on Sundays. LOT Polish Airlines also offer a daily service to Lithuania's capital.
For more information visit www.litwatravel.com or their office in Al. Ujazdowskie 51.
