Lithuania has always been an offbeat place. Once the last pagan holdout in Christian Europe, the tiny country continues to forge an eccentric path, from the breakaway artists’ republic and Frank Zappa statue in its capital, to drifting sand dunes, quirky folk art, and even a decaying Soviet missile base in the countryside. More conventional treats include the wild beauty of the coast and the Baroque architecture of Vilnius. Lithuania became the first Baltic nation to declare independence from the Soviet Union in 1990. Lithuania gained EU membership in 2004, and the country continues to push ahead with optimism.
Facts And Figures Official Name: Republic of Lithuania. Capital: Vilnius. Major Cities: Kaunas, Klaipėda. Population: 3,565,000. Time Zone: GMT +2. ...more
For more info on opportunities across Europe, see Beyond Tourism, . Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, Gedimino pr. 42, LT-01110 Vilnius, Lithuania (☎ www.lmta.lt). Classes in music, art, ...more
}5 Vilnius In 1323, an iron wolf on the top of Gediminas’s Hill is said to have appeared to the Grand Duke in a dream and inspired him to found the city. The hill remains a good vantage point to ...more
☎ 37 Kaunas Kaunas (pop. 381,300) marked the Russian border in the late 17th century and served as the capital of Lithuania between WWI and WWII. Today, it is the nation’s second-largest city. ...more
☎ 46 Klaipėda Strategically located on the tip of the Neringa peninsula, Klaipėda (pop. 192,500) was briefly the capital of Prussia in the 19th century. As the northernmost Baltic harbor that doesn’t ...more
☎ 469 Nida Windswept sand dunes and quiet hiking trails have long drawn vacationers to the former fishing village of Nida (pop. 1500). One of four municipalities that make up the town of Neringa, ...more
☎ 460 Palanga With the country’s largest botanical park, over 20km of shoreline, and exuberant nightlife, Palanga (pop. 20,000) is the hottest summer spot in Lithuania. The beach and the pier are ...more
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