What to see, where to stay and the best time to visit Vilnius, Lithuania.
Photo: Diliff / Wikimedia Commons
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, home to about 581,475 people. It's a compact, walkable city with a baroque Old Town, cobbled streets, church spires and a self-declared artists' republic in Užupis. Expect a mix of sightseeing, good food and an easy pace rather than big crowds. The best months to visit are May, June, August and September, when weather is mild and the Old Town is comfortable for walking.
Plan on 2–3 days. That's enough time to cover the Old Town sights, Gediminas' Tower, Vilnius University, Užupis and a museum like the MO Museum or Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights, without rushing.
Old Town
One of the largest surviving medieval old towns in Northern Europe, with baroque churches, quiet courtyards and winding cobbled streets. It is the best place to start, and most other sights on this list are inside it or a short walk away.
Old Town
The city's main Catholic church has a white neoclassical front and a separate bell tower on the open square. Inside, the baroque Chapel of St Casimir is the highlight.
Old Town
The brick tower on Castle Hill is what remains of the Upper Castle and is a national symbol. Walk up for the best view over the Old Town's red roofs and church towers.
Old Town
The only surviving gate of the old city walls holds a chapel with a famous icon of the Virgin Mary. It is an active pilgrimage site, so you will often see people praying in the street below.
Old Town
A small Gothic church with a detailed red-brick front, often called the finest Gothic building in Lithuania. The larger Bernardine Church stands right behind it.
Old Town
One of the oldest universities in Central and Eastern Europe, built around a series of linked courtyards. Visitors come for the arcaded yards, St Johns' Church and the painted halls.
Užupis
An arty district across the small Vilnia river that declared itself a 'republic' as a joke and posts its humorous constitution on a wall in many languages. It has studios, cafés and a relaxed, slightly scruffy feel.
Lukiškės
Housed in the former KGB headquarters, it covers Soviet and Nazi occupation and the Lithuanian resistance. The basement prison cells are the most powerful part of the visit.
Antakalnis
From outside it looks plain, but the interior is covered in thousands of white stucco figures, among the richest baroque decoration in the region. It is a pleasant walk or short bus ride east of the Old Town.
Old Town
A modern building designed by Daniel Libeskind that shows Lithuanian art from the second half of the 20th century to today. A good contrast to the city's churches, with changing exhibitions.
Average weather and our month score, from 10 years of climate data.
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunshine | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -1°C / -5°C | 14 days (60 mm) | 2.1 h/day | 0.8/10 |
| February | 1°C / -4°C | 12 days (45 mm) | 3.9 h/day | 1.6/10 |
| March | 6°C / -2°C | 10 days (39 mm) | 6.7 h/day | 2.6/10 |
| April | 12°C / 2°C | 11 days (55 mm) | 8.9 h/day | 4.6/10 |
| Best month: May | 18°C / 7°C | 12 days (67 mm) | 11.7 h/day | 7.5/10 |
| Best month: June | 23°C / 13°C | 11 days (68 mm) | 13.1 h/day | 7.9/10 |
| July | 23°C / 14°C | 14 days (110 mm) | 11.9 h/day | 7.2/10 |
| Best month: August | 23°C / 14°C | 12 days (89 mm) | 11.3 h/day | 7.7/10 |
| Best month: September | 18°C / 10°C | 10 days (56 mm) | 8.4 h/day | 8.0/10 |
| October | 11°C / 5°C | 13 days (64 mm) | 5.1 h/day | 3.2/10 |
| November | 5°C / 1°C | 13 days (56 mm) | 2.1 h/day | 0.9/10 |
| December | 1°C / -2°C | 15 days (58 mm) | 1.4 h/day | 0.4/10 |
Highs of -1°C, lows of -5.3°C and 13.8 wet days. Freezing and grey with very little sun, so it scores just 0.8, one of the weakest months.
Highs of 1.4°C, lows of -3.8°C and 11.8 wet days. Nights stay below freezing; it scores 1.6, still among the lowest of the year.
Highs reach 6°C but nights fall to -1.7°C, with 10.2 wet days. Winter fades slowly, and the score of 2.6 stays low.
Highs of 11.7°C and 11.2 wet days. Mild days, cool nights near 2.4°C and a fair score of 4.6.
Highs of 17.6°C and 11.5 wet days, with much more sun. One of the best months, scoring 7.5.
Highs of 22.5°C and 10.7 wet days. Warm, with the most sun of the year; a top month at 7.9.
Highs of 22.7°C, but 13.9 wet days and 110 mm of rain make it the wettest month. Still good, scoring 7.2.
The warmest month, with highs of 23.1°C and 11.7 wet days. One of the best months, scoring 7.7.
Highs of 18°C and 9.9 wet days, the fewest of the year. It has the highest score, 8, making it the strongest month.
Highs drop to 11°C, with 12.9 wet days and less sun. Cooler and greyer, so the score falls to 3.2.
Highs of 4.9°C, 12.9 wet days and little sun. Damp, chilly and dull, so it scores just 0.9.
Highs of 1.3°C, lows of -2.3°C and 14.9 wet days, the most of the year. The least sunny month, with the lowest score, 0.4.
Climate averages 2015–2024 · Best time to visit Lithuania →
The best areas to base yourself and who each one suits.
Good for first-timers, sightseeing, nightlife
The UNESCO-listed Old Town packs baroque churches, cobbled lanes, courtyards, cafés and bars into a compact, walkable area. You can reach most major sights on foot, and Vilnius Cathedral, Gediminas Tower and the Gates of Dawn are all close by. Cobblestones are tough on suitcases, and streets such as Vokiečių and Pilies can be loud late on weekend nights.
Good for food lovers, longer stays, train arrivals
The 'New Town' west of the Old Town mixes 19th-century buildings with converted factories that now hold restaurants, coffee roasters and creative spaces. It is handy for the train and bus stations and feels more local than the centre. Some stretches are plain and run along busy roads, so it pays to pick your street carefully.
Good for families, quiet, runners
A leafy residential district on a bend of the Neris river, known for its old wooden houses and an Orthodox church by the water. Vingis Park is next door for walks and runs, and you can walk across the river into the centre. Evenings are very quiet, with only a handful of restaurants and bars nearby.
Good for nature lovers, repeat visitors
A green district east of the centre, home to the ornate Church of St Peter and St Paul and close to the forested Pavilniai hills and Antakalnis Cemetery. It suits travellers who want parks and peace over nightlife. Most of it is too far to walk to the Old Town comfortably, so you will rely on buses and trolleybuses.
Large potato dumplings, usually filled with minced meat or curd cheese and topped with sour cream and fried bacon bits. It is a heavy, filling dish that locals often eat at lunch, especially in colder weather.
A cold, bright pink soup made with beetroot, kefir, cucumber, dill and boiled egg, served with hot boiled potatoes on the side. It is a summer favourite in Vilnius cafés and homes.
Strips of dark rye bread, fried and rubbed with garlic, often served with a cheese dip. It is the classic snack to share with beer in Vilnius bars and pubs.
Half-moon pastries filled with meat, vegetables or cheese, from the Karaim community of nearby Trakai. You can find them in Vilnius bakeries and cafés as a warm snack.
A tall, spiky cake baked layer by layer on a turning spit over an open flame. Lithuanians serve it at weddings, birthdays and other celebrations, and bakeries sell it in many sizes.
Yes, August is one of the best months to visit Vilnius, with a score of 7.7 out of 10. Daytime highs average 23.1°C and lows 13.9°C, so it's warm but not extreme. There are 11.7 rain days and 89 mm of rain, plus 11.3 hours of sunshine a day, so pack a light rain jacket just in case.
Half a day covers Vilnius Old Town itself, but plan for 2 to 3 full days to see it properly. Add 1 to 2 hours each for Gediminas' Tower, Vilnius University and Užupis, plus an hour for the Cathedral and another for the Gates of Dawn. Museum lovers should add time for the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights and MO Museum, each needing 1 to 2 hours.
September, June, August and May score highest, all rated "best" with scores between 7.5 and 8 out of 10. September averages a high of 18°C with only 9.9 rain days, the driest stretch of the warmer months. June and August bring warmer highs of 22.5°C and 23.1°C with more sunshine hours, around 13.1 and 11.3 respectively.
Yes, winter in Vilnius is cold and dark. January averages a high of just -1°C and a low of -5.3°C, with only 2.1 hours of sunshine a day. December is similar, with a high of 1.3°C and just 1.4 hours of sun, so days feel short and the air stays damp with 14.9 rain days that month.
Enter to search · Esc to close