How to Spend the Perfect Day in Vilnius, Lithuania
Why should you visit Vilnius, Lithuania?
The Lithuanian capital of Vilnius is a quirky city that is often underrated. It boasts a magic tile in Cathedral Square and Užupis, a tiny Bohemian republic. In this Vilnius travel guide, we show you why Vilnius should be on your radar!
Continue reading to get all the information you need to have the perfect 24 hours in Vilnius, Lithuania.
We cover location, main sights, where to eat, cost, and other tips to have a fantastic time in Lithuania’s Capital.
In addition, we include information for visiting the other Baltic countries of Riga, Latvia, and Tallinn, Estonia.
*Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you buy something using the links, we will receive a commission. Using the link is at NO extra cost to you. We appreciate it when you buy through one of our affiliate links. It is a great way to show your support for us. It will allow us to continue to bring you valuable, free content.
Be sure to check out our full walking tour of Vilnius. We go to each of the places mentioned in this post: How to Spend the Perfect Day in Vilnius, Lithuania.
How to Spend the Perfect Day in Vilnius, Lithuania
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Where is Vilnius?
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and it is in the southeastern part of the country. The Old Town of Vilnius is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
What are the main sights to see in Vilnius?
These are the main sights in Vilnius that you can visit in 24 hours.
-Gate of Dawn (Old Town Entrance)
-Cafe Montmartre (coffee/breakfast)
-Vilnius Town Hall Square
-Pub Leičiai (Lithuanian Mead/Local beer)
-Office of the President of the Republic of Lithuania
-Cathedral Square (Bell Tower, Vilnius Cathedral, Magic Tile)
- Church of St. Anne
-Literary Street (Literatų gatvė)
-Lokys (Lithuanian cuisine)
-Republic of Užupis
Gate of Dawn
Your walking tour of Vilnius will start by visiting the Gate of Dawn. It is the entrance gate to the Old Town of Vilnius.
The Gate of Dawn is the last remaining gate from the old defense walls.
It is also a Catholic pilgrimage site, so people from all over come to worship here. There is a chapel at the Gate of Dawn that has an icon of the Virgin Mary. After passing through the Gate of Dawn, look up, and you will see the famous painting behind the window in the chapel. The icon of the Virgin Mary is said to have miraculous powers.
Where to eat breakfast in Vilnius?
Breakfast and coffee are always the best way to start the day. For breakfast, we recommend Cafe Montmartre.
Cafe Montmartre is located in the heart of the Old Town and not too far from the Gate of Dawn.
Although Vilnius has so many cute cafes, we chose Cafe Montmartre because it has good reviews; and is pet friendly.
After breakfast, you can walk to the Vilnius Town Hall Square.
Vilnius Town Hall Square
The Vilnius Town Hall is the starting point for many Vilnius walking tours.
This square hosts the main events happening in Vilnius, such as fairs, concerts, and celebrations. If you are visiting Vilnius during Christmas time, Vilnius Town Hall Square is home to one of the main Christmas trees.
When we visited, there weren’t any events taking place, but check the calendar to see what events are taking place when you are visiting.
After leaving Town Hall Square, you can make your way to Stiklių Street.
Leičiai Pub
On Stiklių Street, you will find the pub Leičiai. This pub serves traditional Lithuanian food, craft beer, and Lithuanian mead.
The inside of the pub is cozy and well decorated, and the staff is helpful and friendly.
We recommend trying one of the local beers as well as Lithuanian mead. Mead is an alcoholic drink made from grain, honey, and water, and there are several types of mead available. We tried the strawberry mead. It is served in a shot glass and meant for sipping.
After leaving pub Leičiai, the next stop is the President’s Palace. It is about a 7-minute walk away. The walk is enjoyable because you will wander down quaint streets with cute cafes. From Stiklių Street, you will take a right down Gaono Street and continue walking past the University of Vilnius. Then take a left down Simono Daukanto aikštė, and you see the President’s Palace.
Office of the President of the Republic of Lithuania
Your next stop is to visit the Presidential Palace. Free tours are available on Sundays between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm. You do have pre-register at least three days before your visit. If you are not visiting on a Sunday, it is still worth checking out the Presidential Palace from the outside.
If you visit on Sunday, there is a flag-changing ceremony at noon. You will also be able to see two guards in medieval armor.
Another 7-minute walk through Vilnius’ Old Town will lead you to the next stop of the day Cathedral Square.
Cathedral Square
Cathedral Square is the main square of Vilnius’ Old Town. It is home to the Vilnius Cathedral and its Bell Tower.
Vilnius Cathedral is the main Roman Catholic Cathedral of Lithuania.
For €5, you can visit the Bell Tower to get panoramic views of Vilnius.
When you are in Cathedral Square, find the magic tile. There’s a tile on the ground with the letters STEBUKLA, which means miracle.
It is in the area in front of the Vilnius Cathedral.
Many believe the tile grants wishes, so be sure to make a wish and spin around the tile three times.
Another unique thing about the tile is that it is also the ending spot of the Baltic Chain.
The Baltic Chain was a peaceful demonstration in 1989 where around two million people held hands from Tallinn to Vilnius. Shortly after the Baltic Chain, each Baltic state regained its independence.
Church of St. Anne
Church of St. Anne is your next stop, and it is about an 8-minute walk from Cathedral Square.
St. Anne’s is a beautiful Gothic church and one of Vilnius’ most famous attractions.
One of the legends about this church is that Napoleon liked the church so much that he wanted to take it back to Paris.
After leaving St. Anne’s Church, Literary Street is the next attraction. It is only about a 3-minute walk.
Literary Street (Literatų gatvė)
Literary Street is a narrow street in the Old Town of Vilnius.
It is a street worth checking out because the walls along Literary Street have decorative plaques.
The plaques are there to recognize Lithuanian writers, and there are around 200 plaques on display.
There are all different types of plaques, so be sure to take some time to pick out your favorite.
After wandering down Literary Street, you will have worked up a hunger. For lunch, we recommend going to Lokys Restaurant. It is about an 8-minute walk.
Lokys Restaurant
Lokys is the oldest family-run restaurant in Vilnius. It serves traditional Lithuanian cuisine.
If you are interested in trying Lithuanian cold beetroot soup, Lokys makes a delicious one.
It is called Šaltibarščiai and consists of beets, kefir, cucumbers, eggs, dill, and salt. The dish comes with a side of potatoes.
The soup is a beautiful pink color and quite refreshing.
Another dish that we recommend trying is the boiled potato zeppelins (cepelinai). These potatoes are stuffed with a game filling and drizzled with sour cream and bacon.
Both dishes were delicious!
If you still have some energy left, the last stop of this Vilnius tour is to visit the Republic of Užupis. It is about a 9-minute walk.
Republic of Užupis
The last stop is to visit the self-proclaimed Republic of Užupis. It is similar to Christiania in Copenhagen or Montmartre in Paris.
Užupis is a micronation that even has a president, flag, and constitution. Be sure to read the Užupis constitution to decide which article is your favorite.
After this one-day Vilnius itinerary, you will have visited most of Vilnius’ main attractions. You will also have tried traditional Lithuanian cuisine.
We hope that you will find the city of Vilnius just as charming as we did.
Interested in visiting the Baltics? Check out our Ultimate Guide to the Baltics!
Interested in traveling to Riga, Latvia? Check out our Riga Walking Tour.
Interested in traveling to Tallin, Estonia? Check out our Tallinn Walking Tour.
Want to know how we captured our photos and videos?
Check out our Vlogging Gear Blog or Vlog to find out what cameras and equipment we use.
*The links in this post are affiliate links. If you buy something using the links, we will receive a commission. Using the link is at NO extra cost to you. We appreciate it when you buy through one of our affiliate links. It is a great way to show your support for us. It will allow us to continue to bring you valuable, free content.
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