Travel to Lithuania – Episode 734

Hear about visiting Lithuania as the Amateur Traveler talks to Jay from JayWay Travel about this beautiful country on the Baltic Sea.

Jay says, “Lithuania is one of my personal favorite countries. I actually spent a month there last summer. For being such a small country there really is a lot to see there and really a lot of different experiences you can enjoy. I think it gives people an opportunity to go somewhere a little unusual that’s not so often visited, especially by Americans, but a place that really has a solid tourist infrastructure. You can certainly get around well. They’re very welcoming to the tourist as well. Of course, it was a former USSR republic which makes it exciting. At the same time, it is still a very safe, clean, and well-developed place. You get a mix of the modern and the communist flavor and history. You can easily see how quickly the country has grown in the 30 years since the fall of communism. With that, it does bring some reasonable prices.”

Lithuania is only the size of West Virginia so Jay lays out an itinerary that crosses the country from end to end which is not difficult to do in a week. He starts us in the capital of Vilnius and then heads to the quieter former capital of Kaunas before heading to Klaip?da on the coast and to Nina on the Curonian Spit.

In Vilnius, Jay recommends a visit to the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights (also known as the KGB Museum) which is housed in the former KGB building. Here you will hear about some of the darker parts of the Soviet occupation. He recommends a view of the city from the Hill of Three Crosses or from the Vilnius Cathedral. 

Vilnius also has a castle that sits above the city as well as a quirky neighborhood of Užupis which acts like it is its own sovereign country. You should also make sure you get out to the Trakai Island Castle (pictured above) or better yet take a hot air balloon ride over the castle. Find a great restaurant or nightlife in the Glass Quarter which is the former Jewish quarter. Here you might be able to eat beaver or just try the traditional cepelinai (stuffed potato).

Kaunas also has a castle and a historic old town. You can also find the Rumšišk?s Ethnographic Museum nearby an open-air museum that interprets Lithuanian history. Take a ride on the Žaliakalnis Funicular and wander around or take a tour to see the street art in Kaunas.

Klaip?da has quite a different look as this coastal city was once part of the Hanseatic League. So its old town has buildings that might look at home in Bergen, Amsterdam, or Gdansk.  Klaip?da is the gateway to the long narrow strip of land that extends just off the Baltic Coast known as the Curonian Spit. The Curonian Spit extends towards the Russian Kaliningrad Oblast. At the end of the Lithuanian part of the spit, you will find the small town of Nina which can be a peaceful beach getaway.

Find out why Jay, who travels all over Central and Eastern Europe, has developed such a fondness for tiny Lithuania.

subscribe: rss feed | Apple podcasts

Sponsor

Sometimes you need to talk to someone. BetterHelp.com will help you connect to a professional counselor wherever you are. You may be on the road or stuck at home but if something is interfering with your happiness or preventing you from achieving your goals BetterHelp can help. Save 10% on Betterhelp by going to betterhelp.com/traveler .

right click here to download (mp3)

Show Notes

JayWay Travel
Lithuania
Vilnius
Hill of Three Crosses
Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights
Užupis
Vilnius Cathedral
Glass Quarter of Vilnius
Vilnius Castle Complex
Trakai Island Castle
Hot Air Balloon
Lithuanian Potato-Meat Dumplings (Cepelinai) Recipe
The Glass Quarter of Vilnius: A Hidden Cultu… | Go Vilnius
Šaltibarš?iai (Cold Beat Root Soup)
Dziaugsmas (restaurant)
Snekutis (restaurant)
Restaurant Lokys
Kaunas
Kaunas Castle
Town Hall, Kaunas
Street Art in Kaunas – Vibrant, Thought Provoking and Brilliant!
Avenue of Freedom (Laisv?s Al?ja)
Žaliakalnis Funicular
Klaip?da
Hanseatic League
Klaip?da Castle
Curonian Spit
Nida
Lux Express
Nida, Lithuania
Plokštin? missile base
Hill of Crosses
Rumšišk?s Ethnographic Museum

Community

on Travel to Fernando de Noronha, Brazil – Episode 733 :

Hi Chris, how are you?

Hope you are ok?

My name is Marco from Itatiba City/São Paulo Brazil.

First I would like to congratulate your Podcast, Amateur Travel , I listen all episodes and specially at this time that where are restricted on travels.

I’m Food Scientist and Engineer and my wife has travel agency, the Le Chateau Viagens, for more 20 years.

Today I heard you Podcast about Fernando De Noronha Archipelago , and congratulation, that is one of the most beautiful places that I had ever been in my life.

I have been there five time, and the first was 21 years ago, a lot o things changed there but it still beautiful and great!

Chris I have some comments and reviews about your host Nina,

1st) Fernando de Noronha is destiny for Nature Lover not only for diving…..
2nd) Fernando de Noronha is not raining tropical island, to tell you the true, is very dry most part of the year and the raining period is concentrated in May/June/July..only.
3rd) rent a beach buggy is the best way to move inside the island, but also you can rent bike and motorcycle too, and a regular simple car.
4th) I miss some very good and important historical facts as well: originally was an Portuguese cologne but was invaded and dominated by the Dutch for more 20 years.
5th) things to do : not only beach and diving, you can have guide and make a day tour inside the preserved area, with great views and desert beaches…

There other point and information that a native person and Fernando de Noronha lover, like me, could say, but next time you need to complement this destination, I will be pleasure to help you!!

Thanks again and see you next episode.

Cheers

Marco

—

I really enjoyed this episode. I’ve actually spent some time in northern Brazil in Belem and the Amazon and yet had never heard of Fernando de Noronha before. Listening to the episode certainly makes me want to visit there. This is one of the many things I love about the Amateur Traveler podcast. I learn about new places to travel.

Randy

Support Amateur Traveler on Patreon

Please take our listener survey

Amateur Traveler Trips
Amateur Traveler trip to Turkey in September 2020

Photos by Ivo Silvestro, Makalu, Wolfgang Eckert from Pixabay