Vilnius walking tour & city guide

Cathedral Square and Gediminas Tower

Cathedral Square, with its white neoclassical cathedral and freestanding bell tower, is the city's main meeting point. Behind it, the Palace of the Grand Dukes has been rebuilt as a museum, and a funicular or footpath climbs to Gediminas Tower, the last remnant of the Upper Castle, for a view over the red roofs and spires.

The Old Town

Pilies Street and Didžioji Street run through the Old Town past Vilnius University, founded in 1579, with thirteen courtyards to explore. The flamboyant brick Gothic Church of Saint Anne is said to have so impressed Napoleon that he wanted to carry it back to Paris.

At the southern end, the Gate of Dawn, the only surviving gate of the city walls, holds a chapel with a revered icon of the Virgin Mary, visited by pilgrims from across Lithuania and Poland.

Užupis and practical tips

Across the little Vilnia river, the artists' district of Užupis declared itself an independent republic in 1997, with its own constitution displayed on mirrored plaques in many languages. Its cafés and galleries are a good place to slow down.

Vilnius is compact enough to walk. Summers are warm, and in winter the Christmas tree on Cathedral Square is one of the most celebrated in Europe.