Things to Do in Lithuania in May
May weather, activities, events & insider tips
Shoulder Season · Good Value
May Weather in Lithuania
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
65°F (18°C)
High Temp
45°F (7°C)
Low Temp
2.2 inches (56 mm)
Rainfall
70%
Humidity
Is May Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
Advantages
- + May is Lithuania's quiet window, spring's mud has dried. Yet the summer buses haven't rolled in. In Vilnius, the baroque Old Town feels half-empty, on weekday mornings when the cobblestones still carry the scent of overnight rain and the only soundtrack is the slow toll of 17th-century church bells.
- + The countryside detonates into colour. Lilac bushes flank every farmhouse drive from Kaunas to Klaipėda, and the apple orchards around Anykščiai look as if someone upended a bucket of pink paint across the hills. Families still pull over to pick wild garlic along the roadsides, something you will not witness in July.
- + Restaurant terraces swing open for the season minus the August crush. In Vilnius' Užupis quarter, you can claim a riverside table at Šnekutis, pouring beer since 1999, without a queue, while charcoal-grilled pork neck drifts across the courtyard on the evening air.
- + Hotels keep shoulder-season prices. The Artagonist in Vilnius' Old Town, that Gothic house where every room displays contemporary art, cuts its rates right after Easter and holds them flat until June. Same breakfast buffet, half the June tab.
Considerations
- − May can turn on a dime. One Tuesday you are spooning up cepelinai in a sun-splashed courtyard at 21°C (70°F), and by Thursday you are tugging on a sweater as the mercury slides to 9°C (48°F) and sideways rain soaks you in minutes.
- − A few sights are still rubbing sleep from their eyes. The Hill of Crosses near Šiauliai, that strange field of 100,000 crosses, still hides patches of mud that will swallow your shoes, and the ferry to Nida on the Curonian Spit keeps reduced timetables until June proper.
- − Mosquitoes. They have not reached the biblical plague of midsummer. Yet after 5pm beside any lake, and Lithuania counts 3,000 of them, you will be glad you packed repellent. Locals swear by 'Off!' brand, but anything with DEET works.
Best Activities in May
Top things to do during your visit
Vilnius Old Town walking tours
Vilnius' May mornings are made for wandering Europe's largest baroque Old Town without dodging tour packs. Amber light strikes the spires of St. Anne's Church around 8am, and your footsteps echo off 400-year-old walls. The city's free walking tours, yes, free, leave from Town Hall square and snake through courtyards you would never stumble into alone.
Booking Tip: Reserve 2-3 days ahead through licensed operators. Morning tours at 10am catch the best light and dodge the afternoon shower pattern that May loves.
Curonian Spit National Park cycling routes
May turns the 98 km (61 mile) Curonian Spit into cycling great destination. Pine forests smell like Christmas after spring rain, and the bike paths from Nida to Juodkranté firm up enough for road bikes. You glide past 60m (197 ft) sand dunes that mimic mini-Saharas, and fishermen hawk smoked eel from roadside stands that reek of campfire and sea salt.
Booking Tip: Hire bikes in Nida town centre, the ferry from Klaipéda takes 90 minutes and departs hourly. Reserve your bike 1-2 days ahead because May weekends see local families strip the rental racks bare.
Trakai Island Castle kayaking tours
Lake Galvė's May water climbs to 14°C (57°F), cold yet doable for the 30-minute paddle from shore to Trakai's red-brick island castle. At dawn the lake mirrors the sky like glass, and you share the surface with only a handful of locals casting for pike. The castle opens at 10am, gifting you an hour of photos before the buses roll in.
Booking Tip: Morning tours at 9am promise the calmest water. Most operators supply dry bags and basic instruction, book 24-48 hours ahead since weather cancellations are routine.
Kaunas food market tours
Kaunas' Hale Market (running since 1909) shifts into full spring gear in May. The scent of fresh dill and sour cream slaps you at the gate, and babushkas sell wild mushrooms that taste of forest floor. May brings the first new potatoes, tiny, buttery nuggets locals buy by the kilo and eat boiled with dill and butter.
Booking Tip: Market tours run 10am-1pm when produce is freshest. Book through local guides who can translate the Lithuanian-only signs and explain how šaltibarščiai differs from cepelinai.
Aukštaitija National Park forest hiking
May wakes the pine forests of Aukštaitija. The ground is carpeted with wild blueberries, you will smell them before you see them, and the wooden boardwalks around Lake Plateliai are finally dry enough for proper boots. The 12 km (7.5 mile) trail from Plateliai to Šarnelė skirts 19th-century wooden chapels that reek of pine resin and old candle wax.
Booking Tip: Paths are well-marked but pack a GPS, cell service is patchy. Most hikers go solo. Yet guided nature walks can be arranged through park visitor centres. Book same-day if the forecast looks kind.
Where to Stay in Lithuania in May
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for May travellers.
★★★★★
Luxury
Radisson Collection Astorija Hotel, Vilnius
From $168 / night
Check Prices on Trip.com →
May Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
Early May
Vilnius Street Music Day
The first Saturday in May (usually around May 6th) when every courtyard and alley in the Old Town turns into a stage. You will catch everything from traditional kanklės (zither) music to punk rock bouncing off 17th-century walls. The event is free and spontaneous, just follow the violins or drums.
Mid May
Kaunas Hanseatic Days
Mid-May weekend honouring Kaunas' medieval trading past. The main square fills with costumed merchants flogging amber jewellery and smoked meats, and the smell of grilled sausages drifts down Laisvės Alėja. Local breweries pitch tents pouring unfiltered beer that tastes like liquid bread.
Packing Checklist
Bookmark this page — your progress is saved between visits
Need the full list with shopping links?
Climate-specific gear, brand recommendations, and what to leave at home.
View Lithuania Packing List →Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Insider Knowledge
Lithuanians still dress for the calendar, not the thermometer. You will spot locals in light jackets even at 20°C (68°F), copy them if you want to avoid the tourist glow
Give the pricey Old Town restaurants in Vilnius a miss. Walk 10 minutes to Užupis and eat at Etno Dvaras where the cepelinai arrive topped with cracklings and sour cream that locals eat
May 1st is a national holiday, everything shuts down. Book restaurants and tours for May 2nd instead, when the city properly wakes up.
The train from Vilnius to Kaunas takes exactly 1 hour and costs the same as a coffee. It's faster than driving and you get to see the countryside.
Avoid These Mistakes
Assuming English works everywhere, learn 'labas' (hello) and 'ačiū' (thank you). The older generation speaks Russian, not English.
Booking lake resorts for swimming, May water is 14°C (57°F) maximum. Locals swim, tourists don't.
Trying to see everything in 3 days, Lithuania looks small on the map but Vilnius to Klaipėda is 300 km (186 miles) of single-lane roads.
Ignoring the early closing times, most museums and castles shut at 6pm sharp, even in tourist season.
Book Experiences in Lithuania
Top-rated things to do in Lithuania this May
Explore More Activities 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