Christmas in Vilnius

Vilnius Old Town in Christmas

While many people are deciding which country to visit - Spain, Portugal or sunny Malta - I decided to come back to my roots and go to the 1 top city for travelers according to Lonely Planet or recent Czech top list. All roads lead home, to Vilnius, right?

 

Vilnius - the heart of Europe

This year I started my new Chapter from the personal review and reflection on the past. 3 years ago, I remember Vilnius as a calm place, where the time goes slowly and the day feels like a 1000 years. And you have time for your goals, trips, university, and work. However, today I noticed the same trend as I saw in London 5 years ago - everyone is busy being busy. Despite the older people in the Vilnius buses, the new generation is running quickly in the Old Town or waiting impatiently in the queue for the bus ticket at Central Station. Thus, in this article, I share with you my personal "Christmas Fairy-tale in Vilnius".

 

It's -2 outside. Early morning. I don't want to wake up, but the sunlight enters my room, telling me to "adjust my circadian rhythm" and stop being lazy. I open my eyes and see a beautiful white image outside - it is snowing! Usually, weather in Lithuania is mild with cold winter, snow, rain and sometimes "ice rink" in the road. Therefore, prepare your warm clothes, winter shoes and check the weather in advance. Also, if you are not planning to go to Vilnius during Christmas 24-26th December, but after New Year - your ticket price two ways may be less than £60 (compared to £100 and more one way in Christmas!). It is easy and comfortable to travel from London, as any airport has a few direct flights during the day - 3 h and you are in Vilnius! When you land you will notice that people here so not talk much, are more reserved, but friendly and polite. They can solve any problem and will do their best. Like families - values such as love, relationships, and friendships have been priority, especially in older generations, when farther or the teacher at school was compared to God. Today if you meet Lithuanian people you will see some values are on the top of the Maslow pyramid. Especially during Christmas, it is easy to notice families and couples gathering together around the Christmas tree, in restaurants or church.

Lithuania - a multicultural country with a rich history 

Lithuanian, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian - a few of the languages you may here in Vilnius. Due to its history and the events in the past different nationalities live in Lithuania. According to statistics, there are 5.6% of Polish speaking individuals and 4.8% of Russian (in Lithuania).

For those who want to feel and live like a local, I would recommend starting a journey from the Ausros Vartai. If you are coming to Vilnius by bus - you will see a modern station with creative design, a wall with books and piano in the middle. This station is the main in Vilnius, thus you can any train or bus and travel around Lithuania. Personally, I love train trips to Trakai (a beautiful town surrounded by lakes, perfect for a summer day, swimming and visiting castle). Why? There is something unique about travelling by these red trains. It reminds me that innovations are built on the past, which will be forever in the hearts of our parents.

One of the new innovations is a bus ticket you can buy in the "kiosk" and then activate for 30 min or 1 h by touching the yellow machine on the bus. If you are planning to walk during your time in Vilnius, you may wish to buy a paper authentic ticket on the bus from the driver (1€). This will allow you to travel until the last bus stop on the same bus.

Another practical tip for a tourist or a student on Erasmus is to get lots of energy and walk around the town. Firstly, you will see more, as the Old Town is small and the streets are narrow, which makes Vilnius one of a kind. If you are lucky to live in the Old Town - my congratulations.

1. Start your trip from the Ausros Vartai and go down.

2. You will see many churches, souvenir shops, designers' boutiques and high-quality products sold in the small shops as well as handmade socks, wooden decorations or jewellery. To find more about Lithuanian traditions and Must-Try check this article.

3. During Christmas, there are usually 2 main Christmas trees. One in the Rotuses Aikste, which you will reach going straight as you follownr 1.

4. Then, if you go straight you will reach the Cathedral - main catholic church in Lithuania. Every year in this place, next to the cathedral (Cathedral Square) we gather with loved ones to enjoy Christmas Mulled Wine, Hot Chocolate or a waffle. Also, you will be amazed at the number of stalls selling crafted gifts and impressive art.

This time we didn't have traditional Lithuanian cepelinai or zemaiciu blynai,but delicious sushi at the Soya (A. Vienuolio g.4 Street).

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