14 Days in Lithuania
Trip Overview
Two weeks, clockwise: Vilnius to Kaunas, Klaipėda, and the Curonian Spit, then back through hilltop castles and lake country. Gothic bells ring over café terraces, smoked fish drifts across wooden docks, pine breezes whip across ferry decks. The rhythm pairs city wandering with beach idleness and castle climbs. Three full days on the Curonian Spit give slack. You'll ride Soviet trains, pedal beside Nemunas wetlands, and crunch potato cakes at midnight stalls in Lithuania's capital.
Pace
Moderate
Daily Budget
$90-130 per day
Best Seasons
Mid-May to late September for warm weather and ferry schedules
Ideal For
First-time visitors, Photography fans, Nature & beach lovers, History buffs
Day-by-Day Itinerary
A complete plan for every day of your trip
1
Vilnius Old Town Immersion
Land, stretch, and plunge straight into baroque lanes and a lively food hall.
Morning
Self-guided walk from Cathedral Square to Gediminas Tower
Climb the hill's cobbled zigzags. The Neris River glints below, the funicular clanks. Inside the tower, amber-lit cases display medieval armor. The roof gives 360° bearings over the capital's red-tile sea.
Funicular runs every 15 min. Buy ticket at base kiosk
Lunch
Senoji Trobelė, Užupis
Afternoon
Bernardine Gardens river cruise & Paupys Market tasting
Step onto a quiet electric boat. Willows sweep the surface, spires shimmer in soft ripples. Dock at Paupys, a warehouse lane turned food court where cheesemongers hand out smoky curd and brewers pour dark kvass.
Boat tickets sold dockside. No advance needed off-season
Where to Stay Tonight
Senamiestis near Literatų g. (Hotel Pacai or nearby AirBnB)
Walk everywhere. Night cafés glow outside your window
See all Lithuania accommodation options →Order beer 'į stiklinę' (in a glass, not plastic) to taste the foam properly.
Day 1 Budget: $110
2
Craft Beer & Street Art in the Republic of Užupis
Declare your own independence, sip farmhouse ale, and hunt murals.
Morning
Užupis Constitution translation hunt
Spot the 41 tongue-in-cheek commandments nailed to Paupio g. walls, run your fingers over rough pine, sniff fresh varnish. Painters chat while adding new graffiti. River mist drifts up from Vilnelė.
Lunch
Šnekutis pub, Šv. Stepono g.
Afternoon
Vilnius street-art cycling loop with Beer Trail
Grab a city bike and glide beside ever-changing murals: cyberpunk saints, pixelated wolves. Pause at three nano-breweries to sip juniper-smoked porter. Hop bitterness coats your tongue.
Reserve bike through Donkey Republic app
Evening
Museum of Occupations & Freedom Fight candle tour
Reflect over dinner at Gaspar's restaurant, modern takes on cold beet soup
Where to Stay Tonight
Stay in Old Town again (Hotel Pacai)
Avoid repacking; tomorrow's train station is 10 min walk
See all Lithuania accommodation options →Ask Šnekutis for 'kepta duona su česnaku', crispy rye with garlic dip, the cheapest beer snack.
Day 2 Budget: $95
3
Castle Hopping on the Train to Kaunas
Ride Soviet carriages, hop off at Trakai, then roll on to Lithuania's second city.
Morning
Trakai Island Castle detour
Board the orange-regional train. Birch forest flickers past. Walk the wooden causeway. Red brick towers rise from Galvė Lake like a storybook raft. Inside, damp limestone and pine-resin shields scent the echoing halls.
Buy combined train & castle ticket at Vilnius station counter
Lunch
Kyšiniiniai kibinai at Karaimų 29
Afternoon
Continue to Kaunas & Žaliakalnis funicular
Catch the next train (45 min). From Kaunas station, a rattling wooden funicular climbs 140 m. Coal smoke drifts, metal cables whirr. At the top, the white bulk of Christ's Resurrection basilica looms. Climb for a sweeping view of the Nemunas loop.
Evening
Dinner at Moksha, then craft-cocktails at BARas
Both on leafy Vilniaus g.
Where to Stay Tonight
Kaunas Old Town near Town Hall (Hof Hotel or Daugirdas)
Pedestrian zone, easy for tomorrow's walking day
See all Lithuania accommodation options →If the train stalls, buy 'sparžos' (asparagus) sticks from platform babushkas.
Day 3 Budget: $100
4
Inter-War Modernism & Street Piano Hunt
Decode Lithuania's 1920s capital through sleek façades and musical sidewalks.
Morning
Devils' Museum & nearby M. K. Čiurlionis Gallery
Thousands of horned devils grin wickedly. Old papier-mâché smells faintly sweet. Then study the painter's swirling Baltic myths, cool pine-greens, thunder greys, while soft museum carpet hushes every step.
Lunch
Spurginė for hot spurga doughnuts
Afternoon
European Heritage Architecture walking loop
Stride Laisvės alėja, Europe's longest pedestrian street, past curved 1930s banks. Stamp on musical paving stones outside the Music Theatre. They chime. Sip coffee at the century-old Metropolis, velvet drapes brushing the table.
Evening
Sunset from Aleksotas viewpoint, then dine at Uoksas
Book ahead for foraged-nettle tasting menu
Where to Stay Tonight
Same as night before (Hof Hotel)
Central; tomorrow's bus leaves across the square
See all Lithuania accommodation options →Download 'FindPiano' app, locals place pianos in passages. Play one for free.
Day 4 Budget: $105
5
Into Dzūkija: Forest Honey & Kayak Silence
Dzūkija National Park
Bus south, hike pine paths, paddle Ūla River, taste bark bread.
Morning
Bus to Merkinė & Čepkeliai bog boardwalk
Kaunas-Merkinė coach (2 hrs). At Čepkeliai, wooden boards bounce underfoot; sun-warmed peat scents the air, cranes call. The strict reserve caps group size, guide mandatory. Carnivorous sundews sparkle beneath the slats.
Email park office day before; English tours 10 a.m. only
Lunch
Forest canteen in Merkinė for buckwheat pancakes & bolete sauce
Afternoon
Ūla River kayak to Marcinkonys
Launch near Merkinė bridge. The water runs amber-clear, pine reflections wrinkling. Guides point out river mussels. Chew wild mint plucked from the bank. End at a 19th-c. railway village, hammers ringing in the smithy.
Book with DzukijaInfo. Dry bags provided
Evening
Farmstead stay dinner: honey cake & sauna
Talk bees with owner, roll in dewy grass post-steam
Where to Stay Tonight
Marcinkonies village homestead (Sodyba Ūlos slėnis)
River lullages, breakfast uses own hive honey
See all Lithuania accommodation options →Pack quick-dry shoes; kayak seats are bare wooden slats, your tailbone will thank a folded towel.
Day 5 Budget: $90
6
Grūtas Park & Druskininkai Spa Soak
Soviet statues, mineral water, and a tree-top cable glide.
Morning
Grūtas Park sculpture reserve
Hop the short bus to Grūtas. Pass through a barbed-wire gate. Lenin's stone stare and workers' clenched fists line the woodland. Crows caw above looping loudspeaker slogans. Pine needles mingle with rusted bronze on the breeze.
Audio guide in English at kiosk
Lunch
Soviet-style canteen inside park for ceppelinai and compote
Afternoon
Druskininkai aqua park & pine-bough walk
Ride the local bus 20 min. Duck under the glass dome. Eucalyptus steam fills the air. Outside, walk 1 km of swamp footpath to the mineral-spring house. Sip warm sulphur water, metallic on the tongue.
Weekday afternoons quieter
Evening
Cable car over Nemunas & quiet riverside dinner
Try Eglės sanatorija restaurant for salt-steam fish
Where to Stay Tonight
Druskininkai spa zone (Medea Hotel or Europa Royale)
Walk to mineral pools next morning
See all Lithuania accommodation options →Fill bottle at 'Rasa' pump near church, free, slightly fiz mineral water.
Day 6 Budget: $115
7
Amber Road to the Coast: Klaipėda Old Town
Klaipėda
Cross the country by train, meet maritime legends and sea-gulls.
Morning
Druskininkai, Klaipėda express
Board at 07:35; the train snakes west across sandy glacial plains. Vendors push still-warm blueberry donuts. Stork nests crown telegraph poles, white wings flashing above rye fields.
Buy seat ticket day before in summer
Lunch
Stadiono kebab at Klaipėda bus station market
Afternoon
Old Town sculpture hunt & Lithuania Sea Museum ferry
Stroll Tiltų g., tickle the bronze cat's ears on the windowsill. Ferry 15 min to Kuršių Nerija. Gulls trail the wake, diesel mixes with brine. The museum's dolphinarium splashes. In the workshop, cold amber-grey amber warms under your fingers.
Ferry tickets on pier. No cars midday in July
Evening
Sunset beer at Švyturys brewery bar, then dinner at Monai
Try smoked sprat on rye
Where to Stay Tonight
Klaipėda Old Town (Navalis Hotel or Memel Hotel)
Quiet cobble lanes, 5 min to morning ferry
See all Lithuania accommodation options →Look for small amber stalls behind theatre, cheaper than Neringa shops.
Day 7 Budget: $120
8
Curonian Spit: Dunes & Dead Forest
Ferry and bus onto the spit. Climb 60 m dunes, then pedal through shifting sands.
Morning
Ferry to Smiltynė & bus to Parnidis Dune
Catch the 08:00 ferry; rope tar and engine oil scent the deck. The bus winds 50 km through a pine tunnel. Sunlight flickers. At Parnidis, climb barefoot up fine quartz. Wind lashes hair. Lagoon glints left, Baltic right, Lithuania's narrow waist.
Buy ferry+spit bus combo ticket at Klaipėda pier
Lunch
Tik Pas Joną, Preila for smoked bream eel
Afternoon
Dead Dune forest bike & Nida ethnographic cemetery
Rent a bike in Preila. Tires crunch over sand. Ride 8 km through wind-bent pines; sun-bleached snags stand like bones. In the cemetery, weather-scoured wooden headstones lean, lichen soft under fingers, resin scent baking in the sun.
Return bikes by 7 p.m. to avoid overnight fee
Where to Stay Tonight
Nida centre (Nidos Kopa guesthouse or Hotel Nerija)
Walk to beach at dawn
See all Lithuania accommodation options →Climb dune at 5 a.m. for solitude. Footprints erase overnight wind.
Day 8 Budget: $125
9
Amber Bay Kayak & Lagoon Night
Paddle calm lagoonoon, net amber, grill catch.
Morning
Guided kayak to Amber Bay
Push off from Juodkrante lagoon. The water is tea-dark, mirror-smooth. The guide lifts fossilized resin from the nets. Roll the rounded drops, inhale piney piney pines. Cormorant wings slap the surface nearby.
Book evening before at Nida Tourist Info
Lunch
Pack sandwich or try Senoji Kibininė for kibinai to go
Afternoon
Beach laze & hang-glide observation
Walk 2 km to the high dune launch. Watch multicoloured sails rise, riders sprint, feet skimming marram. Sand warms between toes. Briny breeze coats lips.
Evening
Fisherman's feast at Vetra, then night lagoon swim
Bring towel. Water calm and shallow
Where to Stay Tonight
Same Nida guesthouse (Nidos Kopa)
Two nights saves packing
See all Lithuania accommodation options →Buy 3-day spit bus pass if you'll hop villages. Cheaper than singles.
Day 9 Budget: $110
10
Back to Mainland: Palanga Pier & Amber Hunt
Cross by ferry, head north to Lithuania's busiest seaside resort.
Morning
Ferry & bus to Palanga, Botanical Park ramble
07:35 ferry; waves slap the hull. Bus to Palanga (1 hr). Enter the 19th-c. Tiškevičiai estate park. Linden perfume hangs heavy. Inside the palace, the Amber Museum shows a prehistoric spider trapped in gold. The stone feels warm, pine-bark tinted.
Lunch
Stora Antis terrace for fried cheese with cranberry
Afternoon
Bicycle to Palanga pier & dune pine coast
Rent a cruiser. Pedal 5 km along a pine-shaded lane. Pier planks thud under tires. Sea spray fizzes, gulls wheel overhead. Roll on to the Latvia border-marker stones; sun-soft tar scents the posts.
Return by 6 p.m. before kiosk closes
Evening
Sunset violins on pier, then nightlife at Žilvinas bar
Try local gin with spruce tips
Where to Stay Tonight
Palanga Basanaviičiaus g. side street (Vila Simona or AirBnB)
Quiet but 3 min to sand
See all Lithuania accommodation options →Haggle amber at Birutė market stalls. Ask for 'tikras gintaras' (real amber) and run the salt-water sink test.
Day 10 Budget: $115
11
Šiauliai Hill of Crosses & Road to Mažeikiai
Šiauliai
Northern detour through pilgrimage hill then westward.
Morning
Bus to Šiauliai & Hill of Crosses
Palanga-Šiauliai 1.5 hrs. A short taxi climbs the hill; 200,000 crosses clack in the wind, rosary scent mingling with damp earth. Lay your own small cross. Listen to the wooden percussion when the breeze hits.
Taxis wait at bus station. Agree return wait time
Lunch
Bubliai Šiauliai for potato babka
Afternoon
Bicycle to Bicycle Museum & Chaim Frenkel Villa
Pedal quiet avenues. The bronze cyclist statue greets you out front. Inside: 1890s high-wheelers, rubber and linseed oil in the air. The villa's art-nouveau parquet glows, stained-glass sunbeams shift; a clock ticks in the hush.
Evening
Late bus to Mažeikiai, check into hotel
Dinner at City Pizza for fusion cepelinai calzone
Where to Stay Tonight
Mažeikiai centre (Motelis Mūza)
Breaks long west-east ride; cheap sleep
See all Lithuania accommodation options →If windy, bring scarf, hill dust swirls.
Day 11 Budget: $95
12
Samogitian Capital: Telšiai Cheese & Lake Circuit
Telšiai
Short hop to hill-top lake town famous for seminary and cheddar.
Morning
Bus to Telšiai & Cathedral viewpoint
30 min ride. Climb 200 steps up Insula hill. Cathedral twin spires spear the sky, bells clang noon. Lake Mastis glints cobalt below. Wind carries a wet reedy scent.
Lunch
Žemaičių sūrinė workshop & tasting
Afternoon
Lake kayak & Samogitian Alka mound
Paddle across glassy Mastis. Dragonflies perch on the deck. Land near Alka. Hike 10 min to ancient altar stones. Trace lichen grooves, hear cows lowing across the water.
Rent at Telšiai water station
Evening
Sunset beer at 777 Brewpub, stay for live folk set
Order dark kvass porter
Where to Stay Tonight
Telšiai old town (Hotel Ara or Saulineta B&B)
Lake views, walk to breakfast
See all Lithuania accommodation options →Buy cheese curds vacuum-packed; airport security allows.
Day 12 Budget: $100
13
Rumšiškės Open-Air Museum & Return to Vilnius
Bus east, step into 18th-c farmsteads before final capital night.
Morning
Bus to Rumšiškės & folk village wander
One hour from Telšiai with a change at Kaunas, you'll walk into a 180-ha park where the scent of thatch hangs sweet in the air and barn swallows swoop overhead. Grab the coarse rope and twist your own length, then tear off a chunk of rye bread straight from the wood oven, the crust crackles like parchment.
Weekend craft demos start 11 a.m.
Lunch
On-site Šeimos pirkia for kastinys (sour cream butter) on hot potatoes
Afternoon
Continue to Vilnius & Gedimino market stock-up
A 45-minute bus ride drops you under a corrugated roof where oak-smoked sausage glistens beside dried apple rings. A paprika cloud drifts over pickle barrels. Bag a few edible souvenirs before you leave.
Evening
Gothic basements dinner at Burbai, then craft-beer crawl
Finish at Alaus Namai for farmhouse IPA
Where to Stay Tonight
Naujamiestis near train station (Hotel Panorama or Comfort)
Airport rail link tomorrow
See all Lithuania accommodation options →Market closes 6 p.m.; meat counters discount after 5.
Day 13 Budget: $105
14
A Final View & Departure
Sunrise hot-air balloon, last coffee, head home.
Morning
Hot-air balloon over Vilnius rooftops
The 4:30 a.m. pick-up comes early. Inflation fans roar and a column of flame whooshes heat into the envelope. Lift gently and watch dawn mists veil Lithuania's church steeples while the Neris river snakes silver below. Dog barks fade to silence. You land in a meadow for a champagne toast.
Reserve online. Weather dependent
Lunch
Croissant at Taste Map coffee, takeaway sandwich for plane
Afternoon
Airport bus or train
Catch the 2 p.m. train from the station and you'll reach the airport in 7 minutes flat. Check in while the last hint of bakery cinnamon drifts over from the platform kiosk.
Evening
Flight home
Edit photos, plan return
If balloon cancelled, swap for TV tower rotating café; still epic.
Day 14 Budget: $170 (with balloon)
Practical Information
Everything you need to know before you go
Getting Around
Lean on Lithuania's polished bus network (toks.lt, autobusubilietai.lt) for most routes. Trains link Vilnius-Kaunas-Klaipėda without fuss. The Curonian Spit ferry+bus combo ticket lets you hop off at will. City bikes in Vilnius and Kaunas run through the Donkey Republic app. Rent a car only if you're detouring into Dzūkija.
Book Ahead
Reserve the hot-air balloon, Curonian Spit mid-summer guesthouses, Dzūkija kayak guide, and any spa treatments in Druskininkai. Weekend Rumšiškės craft demos need an email confirmation.
Packing Essentials
Pack quick-dry layers for kayaking, a light rain shell, a small amber-testing salt vial, an EU plug adapter, mosquito repellent for Dzūkija wetlands, swim gear for the lagoon, and a scarf for the Hill of Crosses wind.
Total Budget
$1,450, 1,900 excluding flights
Customize Your Trip
Adapt this itinerary to your travel style
Budget Version
Skip the balloon ride, bunk in hostel dorms, fill up on canteen 'stalai' for €5, ride buses only, and cook for yourself in farm stays, total drops to ~$900.
Luxury Upgrade
Upgrade to a Hotel Pacai suite, hire a private driver for the spit, book the 5-star Egle spa suite, dine at Michelin-listed spots, and chase every dawn in a balloon, total climbs to ~$3,200.
Family-Friendly
Book apartments with kitchens, choose the easy 1-hour Dzūkija kayak, opt for a tethered hot-air balloon ride for kids, head to Palanga dog-friendly beach, and base yourself on the Minijos cruise instead of the long kayak. Budget stays mid-range.
Book Activities for Your Trip
Tours, tickets, and experiences in Lithuania
Didn't see anything interesting yet?
Browse Viator's full catalog of tours, day trips, food experiences, and private guides in Lithuania.
See All Lithuania Tours on Viator