Lithuania is the southernmost of the three Baltic States – and the largest and most populous of them. Lithuania was the first occupied Soviet republic to break free from the Soviet Union and restore its sovereignty via the declaration of independence on 11 March 1990. Lithuania’s landscape is flat, except for low hills in the western uplands and eastern highlands. The highest point is Aukštasis at 294 metres. Lithuania has 722 rivers, more than 2 800 lakes and 99 km of the Baltic Sea coastline, which are mostly devoted to recreation and nature preservation. Forests cover 28% of the country. 84% of the population is ethnic Lithuanians. The two largest minorities are Poles with some 7% and Russians with about 6%. The Lithuanian language belongs to the family of Indo-European languages.

The Lithuanian capital Vilnius is a picturesque city on the banks of the rivers Neris and Vilnia, and it has one of the most impressive and biggest old towns in Eastern Europe. Vilnius University, founded in 1579, is a Renaissance-style complex with countless inner courtyards, forming a city within a city. The Lithuanian President is elected directly for a five-year term and has the greatest powers in the field of foreign and security policies. The unicameral Lithuanian Parliament, the Seimas, has 141 members.

Lithuanian cuisine is famous for cold beet soup, Lithuanian sausage and potato meals, the most popular of which are potato pancakes and Cepelinai – potato dumplings stuffed with meat, curd cheese or mushrooms.

Geography

Lithuania is situated on the eastern Baltic coast and borders Latvia in the north, the Kaliningrad region of the Russian Federation and Poland in the southwest, and Belarus in the southwest and east. The geometrical center of Europe lies in eastern Lithuania near the village of Bernotai, 25km (16 miles) north of Vilnius. The landscape alternates between lowland plains and hilly uplands and has a dense, intricate network of rivers, including the Nemunas and the Neris. 1.5 per cent of the country’s territory is made up of lakes, of which there are over 2800. The majority of these lies in the east of the country and includes Lake Druksiai and Lake Tauragnas.

Official Language: Lithuanian

Demonym: Lithuanian

Currency: Euro (EUR)

Time Zone: EET (UTC+2)

Summer (DST): EEST (UTC+3)

Internet TLD: .lt1

Calling Code: +370

Visa formalities for Lithuania:

Passports
Passport valid for at least three months beyond length of stay required by all nationals of countries referred to in the chart above except:

(a) EU nationals holding a valid national ID card.
Note: EU nationals are only required to produce evidence of their EU nationality and identity in order to be admitted to any EU Member State. This evidence can take the form of a valid national passport or national identity card. Either is acceptable. Possession of a return ticket, any length of validity on their document, sufficient funds for the length of their proposed visit should not be imposed.

Visas

Not required by all nationals referred to U.K, Australian, Canadian, USA and Other EU for tourist stays of up to 90 days.

Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see General Info).

Warning
Most visits to Lithuania are trouble-free but you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate international terrorist attacks, which could be against civilian targets, including places frequented by foreigners.

Road traffic accidents are common. Extra care must be taken at all times when driving, particularly when driving at night.

Travelers to forested areas should seek medical advice about inoculations against rabies and tick-borne encephalitis.

This advice is based on information provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK. It is correct at time of publishing. As the situation can change rapidly, visitors are advised to contact the following organizations for the latest travel advice:

Attractions in Lithuania:

Curonian Spit

The typical Baltic coastal scent of mingled ozone and pine is at its headiest on the northern Lithuanian half of the Curonian Spit which dominates Lithuania's Baltic coast. This area is made up of four settlements - Juodkrante, Pervalka, Preila and Nida - none of which are more than a couple of kilometers from the coast. There's a magical air to this isolated 98km (60mi) thread of sand, which is composed of dunes and lush pine forests inhabited by elk, deer and wild boar. Savoring fish freshly smoked to an old Curonian recipe is a highlight of a visit here. In summer you can hire jet skis or paddle boats in Nida; ice fishing and drinking vodka are the principal winter pursuits.

Hill of Crosses

This two-humped hillock is covered in a forest of thousands upon thousands of crosses - large and tiny, expensive and cheap, wooden and metal. Some are devotional, to accompany prayers, others are memorial. It's thought that the tradition of planting crosses here may have begun in the 14th century. In the Soviet era the crosses were bulldozed at least three times, only to spring up again. It's an eerie place, especially when the wind blows and the silence is broken by the rattling of crosses and rosaries. The Hill of Crosses is 10km (6mi) north of Siauliai, 2km (1mi) east off the road to Riga, the Latvian capital. Siauliai is 140km (87mi) north of Kaunas and has good rail and bus connections with both Kaunas and Vilnius.

Druskininkai

This resort's status stems from its mineral springs, which have been in demand for their curative powers since the 19th century. Druskininkai is also well known as the birthplace of modern Jewish sculptor Jacques Lipchitz and the home town of outstanding romantic painter and composer Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis, who is the subject of a large stylized statue and a memorial museum. In recent times, a new 'attraction' has hit the outskirts of town.

Stalin World (officially the Soviet Sculpture Garden at Grutas Park) is described by the canned mushroom mogul behind its constructions as combining ‘the charms of a Disneyland with the worst of the Soviet gulag prison camp'. Druskininkai is in southern Lithuania, on the Nemunas river, not far from the border with Belarus. The resort has direct bus and train connections with Vilnius.

Palanga Lithuania

This small city is quiet in winter, but in summer it's transformed into Lithuania's premier seaside resort, and accommodation is at a premium. It features a long, sandy beach backed by pine-covered dunes; a large botanical park with a rose garden; a hill thought to have been the site of a pagan shrine; and an excellent Amber Museum. Palanga hosts a grand opening of the summer season on the first Saturday in June; the closing of the season, on the last Saturday in August, is marked by a massive street carnival, market, song festival and pop concert. Palanga is 30km (18mi) north of Klaipeda and 18km (11mi) south of the Latvian border. Kretinga, the nearest train station, is served by daily trains from Klaipeda and Vilnius. Bus services abound. Motorists have to pay a small entrance fee to drive into Palanga.

Vilnius Lithuania

Vilnius was one of the biggest cities in Eastern Europe; it played a part in Poland's 17th-century 'golden age' and became an important Jewish city in the 19th century. Germany, Poland and Russia have all played pass-the-parcel with Vilnius this century. Post-WWII, with the Poles and the Jews mostly gone, Vilnius developed into the chief focus of Lithuania's push for independence. Particularly dramatic and tragic events took place here in January 1991, when Soviet troops trying to destabilize the situation stormed the city's TV installations, killing 13 people and injuring many others. Vilnius lies 250km (155mi) inland from the Baltic Sea on the banks of the Neris River. It's in the southeast of Lithuania, just a stone's throw from the Belarus border. The centre of the city is on the southern side of the river, and its heart is Cathedral Square, an open square with the cathedral on its northern side and Gediminas Hill rising behind it. The Old Town, the largest in Eastern Europe, stretches south from Cathedral Square. A church spire can be seen from every one of its winding streets, which, coupled with its countless hidden courtyards, make it intriguing to explore. Other landmarks include Vilnius University, the President's palace, an observatory and the old Jewish quarter and ghetto. Restaurants, pubs, nightclubs and cafés abound. Three Crosses Hill overlooks the Old Town and is a long-standing landmark. Crosses are said to have stood here since the 17th century in memory of three monks who were martyred by crucifixion on this spot.

The New Town lies 2km (1mi) west of the Old Town and was mostly built in the 19th century. City hall is situated here, as is the Museum of the Genocide of the Lithuanian People, housed in the former Gestapo and KGB building. The guides here are all former inmates and will show you round the cells where they were tormented. South of the river there's a bronze bust memorial to American rock legend Frank Zappa. Vilnius' Soviet-era suburbs are north of the river. There are plenty of accommodation options in and around the Old Town; this is also the best place to nose out a good restaurant.

Climate of Lithuania:

Lithuania has a climate mid-way between maritime and continental. The weather is changeable, with mild, wet summers and cold winters. Winter temperatures are usually below freezing. Rainfall is spread throughout the year, but more rain tends to fall on the coast. Summer is the wettest season and cloudy skies are common. With a continental/maritime climate, Vilnius has vast discrepancies between its summer and winter temperatures. In summer the mercury can reach as high as 86°F (30°C), bringing holidaymakers and locals alike into the outdoor bars and cafes to enjoy the long, light evenings. Usually though temperatures are more moderate. Winter, by contrast, is bitterly cold with temperatures dropping below 32°F (0°C) and the rivers often freezing over, making ice-fishing a popular pastime. Rainy days are possible all year round, but most rain falls during mid-summer.