Is Vilnius Worth Visiting? [2024]

Cathedral Square, Vilnius

Despite being the capital of Lithuania, the city of Vilnius is sometimes overlooked in favour of its neighbouring Baltic capitals. You might be wondering – is Vilnius worth visiting? In this short guide, we’ll help you answer that all-important question.

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Brief History on Vilnius

Vilnius is located in the Baltic country of Lithuania, just west of Minsk, Belarus. It is the second-largest city of the Baltic states. Vilnius was supposedly founded in the early 14th century, by the Grand Duke of Lithuania, Gediminas.

Vilnius Old Town

It is well-known for its large and beautiful Old Town, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. Interestingly, Vilnius was one of the largest Jewish hotspots in Europe before World War II.

Pretty streets of Vilnius Old Town

Today, Vilnius is a budding, up-and-coming European destination. Incredibly affordable, scenic and beautifully complex, Vilnius is one of Europe’s most underrated capitals.

RELATED READING: A Perfect 2-Day Vilnius Itinerary, Europe’s Most Underrated Capital

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Where to stay in Vilnius

Lithuania’s capital has a range of great hotels to choose from. We’ve handpicked the best choices for you, broken down by budget.

Budget: Old Town Trio Hostel Rooms

Located squarely within Vilnius’ Old Town, the Old Town Trio Hostel Rooms provides the perfect budget accommodation for those looking for cleanliness and comfort without the hefty price tag.

Old Town Trio Hostel Rooms

Old Town Trio Hostel Rooms

Old Town Trio Hostel Rooms

You can take a closer look at Old Town Trio Hostel Rooms by clicking here.

Mid-Range: Hotel Vilnia

This four-star hotel packs some serious style into its rooms, and yet it’s somehow still so affordable. Don’t ask why, simply take advantage when you can! Hotel Vilnia has almost-perfect ratings and location-wise, it doesn’t get much better.

Hotel Vilnia

Hotel Vilnia

Hotel Vilnia

You can take a closer look at Hotel Vilnia by clicking here.

Luxury: Hotel PACAI

Set in a Baroque palace dating back to 1677, the Hotel PACAI effortlessly combines old-world charm with modern interior design touches. This hotel is located firmly in the center of Vilnius Old Town.

Hotel PACAI

Hotel PACAI

Hotel PACAI

You can take a closer look at Hotel PACAI by clicking here.

Where We Stayed: Hilton Garden Inn Vilnius City Centre

We chose to stay at the Hilton Garden Inn Vilnius City Centre and this hotel was absolutely perfect to us. Conveniently located near restaurants, public transport and even bubble tea (our favourite), the Hilton Garden Inn hotel was stylish, immaculate and amazing in every way. Plus, the hotel had some of the friendliest staff at the hotel I’ve ever met.

Hilton Garden Inn Vilnius City Centre

Hilton Garden Inn Vilnius City Centre

Hilton Garden Inn Vilnius City Centre

Hilton Garden Inn Vilnius City Centre

You can take a closer look at the Hilton Garden Inn Vilnius City Centre by clicking here.

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Why Should I Visit Vilnius?

Although more and more tourists are coming to Vilnius, this gem is still relatively unknown. Vilnius doesn’t feature in a lot of European itineraries, but I think this is a huge missed opportunity.

Bernadine Church, Vilnius

I travelled throughout Europe across 2 months in December 2021 and January 2022, visiting countries such as Ukraine, Switzerland, Latvia, Finland, Spain, Luxembourg and more. In all these travels, Vilnius was my favourite city.

Church of Apostles St. Philip and St. Jacob, Vilnius

So why did I love Vilnius so much? Well, Vilnius is something that has to be experienced for yourself. I truly think this is a magical city. The architecture is so beautiful, the streets are well-kept, the people are friendly, and the culture is brimming.

Christmas decorations around Vilnius Old Town

On my walking tour of Vilnius, I learnt that the capital city of Lithuania has a lot of education to its history. It’s a city of scholars, university students and teachers. Lithuanians are constantly learning, and are a pretty sophisticated bunch of people.

Artworks at Vilnius University

Having said this, the area of Uzupis was a fascinating area of free expression, liberation and peace.

Uzupis, Vilnius

Other attractions such as Cathedral Square, St Anne’s Church and the Three Crosses Monument were all unforgettable as well. You can read more about my visit to these destinations in my other blog post about my time in Vilnius.

St Anne’s Church, Vilnius

If you’re a lover of architecture, arts, scenic views and great food, then Vilnius is perfect for you. If you love an incredibly affordable capital city that isn’t too crowded, and has just the right amount of activity and excitement, then I would recommend visiting Vilnius.

Artworks around Vilnius Old Town, on Literatu Street

Vilnius is also surrounded by other worthwhile destinations. Beautiful attractions in Kaunas and Trakai are just a short distance away, and can be enjoyed in a half-day trip from Vilnius. I particularly loved Trakai Castle Island – seriously so beautiful! I would also definitely recommend visiting Trakai, if you’re visiting Vilnius.

Trakai Castle – just a day trip away from Vilnius

I’ve also visited Tallinn (capital city of Estonia) and Riga (capital city of Latvia), and while I adored these cities, I think I slightly preferred Vilnius.

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Why Shouldn’t I Visit Vilnius?

I absolutely adored Vilnius, so writing anything negative about the city is a bit of a struggle for me.

Ralph hiking up to see the Three Crosses Monument

The only thing I can think of is that if you’re a person who loves bustling capital cities with epic sweeping views, crowds of people and lots of choices in regards to food, accommodation and nightlife, then perhaps Vilnius wouldn’t be your first choice. You might want to consider visiting larger and busier cities such as Budapest, Vienna or Prague.

Three Crosses Monument, Vilnius

Church of the Holy Mother of God, Vilnius

Although Vilnius encapsulates around 500,000 people, the city isn’t the liveliest at night. There is nightlife around, but the bars and nightclubs probably pale in comparison to other megacities in Europe.

Church Heritage Museum, Vilnius

If you’re a luxury traveller, you might not be in awe of Vilnius and its surrounds. While impressive, the architecture here isn’t adorned with gold decorations or anything like that – it has more of a pretty, modest appeal.

Streets of Vilnius Old Town

Finally, if you’re not already in the area, visiting Vilnius can be ‘quite out of the way’. For example, the capital city of Poland, Warsaw, is some 6.5+ hours away by car.

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Final Verdict – Is Vilnius Worth Visiting?

Yes, Vilnius is absolutely worth visiting. In my opinion, Vilnius is one of Europe’s most underrated cities, and deserves even more praise than what it’s getting now. You may not see Vilnius’ beauty upfront straight away, but its special quality seeps in subtly, moment by moment, until you find yourself wanting to come back.

View from top of Three Crosses Monument

The neighbourhood of Uzupis, in Vilnius

Unless you’re someone who only loves extremely busy cities with lots of people, restaurants and hotels, I can’t really see a reason why you wouldn’t like Vilnius.

Ralph enjoying the winter weather in Vilnius.

Made up your mind to visit Vilnius? Check out my 2-Day Itinerary of Vilnius that you can use for your visit. This also includes a day trip visit to the wonderful Trakai Island.

Asher at Trakai Island

Trakai Island in the winter

Do you think Vilnius is worth visiting? Let me know in the comments down there!

Click here and follow my travel journey through Instagram. See you soon!