Entering a large European city with your own car usually isn’t quite fun. Especially if you don’t have the GPS device (or if it lets you down). Lithuanian capital was no exception, so I was relieved once I arrived safe to the doors of one of the youth hostels. Even with the help of kind locals, who tried in Russian and English to point me to the city centre.
I was welcomed by Paulius Brazlauskis, the manager of the
Fortuna HI Hostel. The house that doesn’t stand out in any way is the newest youth hostel in the city. The rooms are neat and on two floors, with lots of air and bright, and there are two common rooms for socializing, a kitchen and a large covered terrace.
A real surprise is in the cellar, where the old brick arch rooms are kept. Now that’s a restaurant that will open before the end of the year and will liven up the goings on in the hostel. One of the major advantages of this hostel is its location, for it’s just a few minutes away from the bus terminal, main railroad station and downtown centre. Apart from this the fenced in yard has enough room for a few cars, which is a real luxury in the center of the city. Paulius says there’s much to do in the hostel, but I saw it already fulfils all the expectations of a comfortable and budget friendly accommodation. In summer months and at weekends I’d suggest you to book ahead. If all the rooms are full, they’ll point you to the nearby –
Old town hostel, also managed by Paulius. Hostel is placed in an old building and looks more like a smaller Fortuna. Despite the lack of space it offers everything the large ones offer: perfectly clean rooms and sanitation, an operating reception, a huge common roon with a kitchen in the cellar. And not even worth to mention, since it’s everywhere today – a free internet access.
Despite its size Vilnius is a pleasant city. The old centre is naturally the most attractive part, with its imposing churches and palaces, not to mention the narrow streets with many cafes and shops. Streets widen into squares, with tables inviting you to sit down for a cup of hot java and one of them has a huge television, which allows you to follow the many events taking place. It will be very lively there at the end of the summer, when there’s the European Basketball championship tournament in Lithuania.
Getting acquainted with the restaurants of Vilnius is not any cheaper than in any West-European city. The offer is also comparable, which is usually the case for shops as well. I suggest you go to a city part called Užupios that used to be a brothel, but is the centre of alternative arts today. In 1997 they proclaimed an independent republic on the left bank of Vilna, with their own constitution and a president. In Užupios there are, at least on weekends, regular cultural events, but they are worth a visit on any day. Already the nice shops, galleries and maybe the bridge, on which lovers stick their notes, make it worth a visit.
The old city centre is easy enough to discover on foot. To visit some other attractions, especially some museums, the botanic garden and the television outlook tower, you still need to use the public transport. It’s very well organized so using busses and trams is simple and quite cheap, but I’d still suggest to buy a daily pass. If you plan to visit several museums I’d also suggest the Vilnius city card. It offers free entrance to most museums, free city public transport and discounts with many tourist offers in several hotels, restaurants and shops. And if you fill out a short survey about the city pass, you even get a small present.
