Summers are brief but glorious in Lithuania, while winters are long and cold. Tourist season peaks between June and September, especially along the coast. A winter visit has its charms, especially if you’re headed for Vilnius, but be aware that much of the coast closes in the low-season.
Embassies And Consulates. Foreign embassies to Lithuania are in Vilnius . Lithuanian embassies and consulates abroad include: Australia, 40B Fiddens Wharf Rd., Killara, NSW 2071 (☎02 94 98 25 71); Canada, 130 Albert St., Ste. 204, Ottowa, ON K1P 5G4 (☎613-567-5458; www.lithuanianembassy.ca); Ireland, 90 Merrion Rd., Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 (☎1 668 8292); New Zealand, 17 Koraha St., Remuera, Auckland 1005 (☎9 524 9463); UK, 84 Gloucester Pl., London, W1U 6AU (☎20 74 86 64 01; www.lithuanianembassy.co.uk); US, 4590 MacArthur Blvd., NW, Ste. 200, Washington, D.C. 20007 (☎202-234-5860; www.ltembassyus.org). Check www.lithuania.embassyhomepage.com or http://lt.embassyinformation.com for more embassy info.
Visa And Entry Information. Citizens of the EU do not need visas to travel to Lithuania. Citizens of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the US do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days. Long-term visas (€60) can be purchased from the nearest embassy or consulate. Avoid crossing through Belarus to enter or exit Lithuania: not only do you need to obtain a transit visa (US$50) for Belarus in advance, but guards may also hassle you at the border.
Tourist Offices. Major cities have official tourist offices. Litinterp (Vilnius ☎5 212 38 50, Kaunas 37 22 87 18, Klaipėda 46 41 06 44; www.litinterp.lt) reserves accommodations and rents cars, usually without a surcharge. Most cities have an edition of the In Your Pocket series, available at kiosks and some hotels. Employees at tourist stations often speak English.
Money. The unit of currency is the lita (Lt), plural litai or litų. One lita is equal to 100 centų. The lita is fixed to the euro at €1 to 3.45Lt until the euro replaces the lita after 2010. The rapidly expanding economy has created inflation of about 5% in recent years. Exchange bureaus near the train station usually have worse rates than banks . Most banks cash traveler’s checks for 2-3% commission. Vilniaus Bankas accepts major credit cards and traveler’s checks for a small commission. Most places catering to locals don’t take credit cards. Some establishments that claim to take MasterCard or Visa may not actually be able to do so.
Lithuania’s medical facilities are quickly catching up to Western standards. However, while most hospitals are stocked in basic medical supplies, there is a shortage of doctors. Many doctors expect immediate payment in cash. Drink bottled mineral water, and boil tap water for 10min. before drinking. Many bathrooms are nothing but a hole in the ground; carry toilet paper. Lithuania’s crime rate is low; however, cab drivers think nothing of ripping you off, and petty crime is rampant. Nevertheless, Vilnius is one of the safer capitals in Europe.
Women traveling alone will be noticed but shouldn’t encounter too much difficulty. Skirts, blouses, and heels are far more common than jeans, shorts, tank tops, or sneakers, but showing skin is acceptable at clubs. Minorities traveling to Lithuania may encounter unwanted attention or discrimination, though most is directed toward Roma (gypsies). Lithuania has made little effort to accommodate disabled travelers. Homosexuality is legal but not always tolerated.
By Plane. AirBaltic, Delta, Finnair, LOT, Lufthansa, SAS, and other airlines fly into Vilnius International Airport ( VNO; ☎5 273 9305; www.vilnius-airport.lt). Ryanair flies into Kaunas Airport ( KUN; ☎37 399 307; www.kaunasair.lt). However, if you’re already near the Baltic, trains and buses are the best option.
By Train. Trains are more popular for international and long-distance travel. Two major lines cross Lithuania: one runs north-south from Latvia through Šiauliai and Kaunas to Poland; the other runs east-west from Belarus through Vilnius and Kaunas to Kaliningrad, branching out around Vilnius and Klaipėda. Visit www.litrail.lt for more information.
By Bus And Ferry. Domestic buses are faster, more convenient, less crowded, and only slightly more expensive than trains. Whenever possible, try to catch an express bus; they’re normally marked with an asterisk or an “E” on the timetable. They are direct, and can be up to twice as fast. Vilnius, Kaunas, and Klaipėda are easily reached by train or bus from Estonia, Latvia, Poland, and Russia. Ferries connect Klaipėda with Arhus and Aabenraa, DEN; Kiel, Zasnicas, and Mukran, GER; Baltijskas, RUS; and Ahus and Karlshamn, SWE.
By Car And By Taxi. All travelers planning to drive in Lithuania must purchase a Liability Insurance Policy at the Lithuanian border (79Lt for the 15-day min.) These policies may be purchased only with litas. There are inexpensive taxis in most cities. Agree on a price before getting in, or make sure that the meter is running. Hitchhiking is common; locals line up along major roads leaving large cities. Many drivers charge a fee comparable to local bus fares. Let’s Go does not recommend hitchhiking.
Email And Internet. Internet is widely available in Lithuania, though rarely for free. Most well-located Internet cafes charge 3-6Lt per hr.
Telephone. There are two kinds of public phones: rectangular ones take magnetic strip cards, and rounded ones take chip cards. Phone cards are sold at phone offices and kiosks. Calls to Estonia and Latvia cost 1.65Lt per min.; Europe 5.80Lt; and the US 7.32Lt. Major cell phone operators include Bite, Omnitel, and Tele2. International access codes for calling out of Lithuania include: Canada Direct (☎8 800 900 04); MCI (☎8 800 900 26); Sprint (☎8 800 958 77).
Mail. Airmail (oro pastu) letters abroad cost 1.70Lt (postcards 1.20Lt) and take about one week to reach the US. Poste Restante is available in Vilnius but hard to find elsewhere. Address the envelope as follows: first name LAST NAME, POSTE RESTANTE, post office address, Postal Code, city, LITHUANIA.
Language. Lithuanian is one of only two Baltic languages (Latvian is the other). Polish is helpful in the south and German is spoken on the coast. Russian is also prevalent. Most Lithuanians understand basic English phrases. If someone seems to sneeze at you, he might be saying ačiu (ah-choo; thank you).
Lithuania has many youth hostels, particularly in Vilnius and Klaipėda. HI membership is nominally required, but an LJNN guest card (10.50Lt at any of the hostels) will suffice. Their Hostel Guide has info on bike and car rentals and hotel reservations. Hotels across the price spectrum abound in Vilnius and most major towns. Litinterp, with offices in Vilnius, Kaunas, and Klaipėda, assists in finding homestays or apartments for rent. Camping is restricted by law to marked campgrounds; the law is well-enforced, particularly along the Curonian Spit.
Lithuanian cuisine is heavy and sometimes greasy. Keeping a vegetarian or kosher diet is difficult. Restaurants serve various types of blynai (pancakes) with mėsa (meat) or varke (cheese). Cepelinai (“zeppelins”) are potato-dough missiles of meat, cheese, and mushrooms; karbonadas is breaded pork fillet; saltibarščiai is a beet-and-cucumber soup prevalent in the east; and koldunai are meat dumplings. Lithuanian beer flows freely. Kalnapis is popular in Vilnius and most of Lithuania, Baltijos reigns supreme around Klaipėda, and the award-winning Utenos is everywhere.
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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