Come and have a taste of history

1. Pilies gatve and Didzioji gatve, the two main streets that cross the heart of the Old Town are ideal for a stroll. Don't miss the Russian Orthodox church of St.Paraskevija, in front of which artists display their works of art.

2. The massive classic cathedral on Cathedral square is a masterpiece of architecture. The exhibition housed inside the vaults of the cathedral illustrates the period of its construction and is worth a visit.

3. Climb the path that leads to Gediminas Tower. From here, the view of the Old Town is wonderful. Those more adventurous should climb the Hill of the Three Crosses from where the view is even better.

4. Visit the Mater Misericordiae chapel constructed over the restored Gates of Dawn, the only remaining gates to the Old Town. This chapel is a pilgrimage site frequented by locals and Catholic Poles who flock to pay homage to the Blessed Virgin.

5. Visit the University complex and the Baroque Jesuit church of St.John. Access is only through the university courtyard.

6. Don't miss the two adjacent Gothic churches of St.Ann and St.Francis. St.Ann's is the most striking church in Lithuania though it is calling for urgent restoration.

Quick Tips:

1. Those who are looking for cheap prices should head directly for Litinterp, a bed and breakfast located along one of the most atmospheric streets in Vilnius at Bernardinu gatve 7. It is clean, friendly and unquestionably highly recommended.

2. Eurolines operate buses from Vilnius to numerous destinations in Europe from the modern bus station at Sodu 22. Also leaving from here, there are daily buses to Kaunas, Siauliai, Klaipeda, Palanga and Nida.

3. There are many good restaurants along Pilies gatve and Didzioji gatve. Da Antonio, Pilies gatve 20 serves delicious Italian dishes at cheap prices. Try Antonio's pasta e fagioli, so cheap and yet so tasty.

4. By the way, some language tips: "gatve" is "street," "aikste" is "square," "pilies" is "castle" and "didzioji" is "main."

Best Way To Get Around:

1. Buses and trolley buses both provide a good and cheap means of transport in Vilnius. However, they do not go across the streets of the Old Town which is entirely pedestrianised. Tickets can be bought from kiosks or from the driver at a higher cost.

2. Numerous private buses operate from the train station to the residential districts of Vilnius. These are useful for those who want to move out of the centre. Other buses continue towards the forested areas that surround Vilnius. If you want more information, ask for a transport brochure which is readily available from the bus station.

3. The airport is less than 10 minutes away from the city centre and a taxi costs less than 20 Litas (about US). All hotels in Vilnius provide taxi service.

There's no shortage of hotels in Vilnius, but most of these are either concentrated around the train station and the adjoining bus station or are located outside the town centre. In the Old Town, where the atmosphere is great and attractions are within walking distance, hotels tend to be pricey and often fully booked. An exception to this is Hotel Centro Kubas, a new three-star place of accommodation which stands along one of the most atmospheric streets in the capital and yet only a short distance away from Rotuses aikste, the city's most prominent square.

Stikliu where Hotel Centro Kubas is located is a 150 metres long medieval street packed with classical buildings which reflect central European architectural styles from past centuries. As a matter of fact, the building now occupied by Hotel Cento Kubas was formerly a linen factory. Although the building was extensively renovated inside and out before it was turned into a hotel, numerous tools which were used centuries ago in the production of linen are still preserved and are now exhibited in the hotel's central inner courtyard. A complete loom, weaving implements, wooden forks and spades and an impeccable carriage form part of the exposition.

The hotel's front door leads to a small reception area which adjoins a cosy lounge where visitors can sit over a drink or a cup of coffee. Tourist brochures and daily English papers are available for hotel guests. You can even sit on a bench in the hotel's sunshaded courtyard amidst lush greenery and wall-hanging creepers.

The hotel consists of 14 large rooms spread on two floors. The singles can easily be transformed into doubles while the doubles are actually family rooms more suitable to accommodate four persons than a couple. We were lucky enough to be allotted a double with a wooden balcony which overlooked the inner courtyard. The room was recently renovated with no expense spared. Gypsum plastering, cornices and decorative pelmets were installed during the renovation. Painted in two shades of pink and equipped with light-wood furniture and striped velvet curtains, it was both luxurious and comfortable. Also impressive was the spacious new bathroom boasting a state-of-the-art shower with automatic temperature control.

The excellent buffet breakfast served downstairs from 8am to 10am leaves nothing to be desired. In addition to the endless profusion of usual items, a couple of Lithuanian dishes were also on the menu. Don't miss trying Lithuania's tasty shepherd's pie and Lithuania's unusual black garlic bread. You'll never find anything of this sort elsewhere.

The hotel's location and atmosphere are unarguably the best one can savour in Vilnius. Better than these are the personal attention and consideration clients are given by the hotel staff. The friendly people at the reception desk have made our stay at Centro Kubas an experience long remembered.

The narrow streets, cobbled alleys, and walkways of the Old Town can best be discovered and explored on foot. A 1km walk starting from Ausros Vartai, the only remaining Old Town gate to the end of Pilies gatve gives you a good orientation of the numerous places of interest and architectural monuments that await you.

Ausros Vartai, formerly part of the bastions which circled the Old Town acquired its present appearance at the beginning of the 17th century. Last restored in summer 2002 and painted in shades of grey and stone, it houses a beautiful tiny chapel accessible through a side flight of steps, always busy with visitors pushing their way to get a view of the miraculous icon of 'The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy', an original icon brought here in 1363 from Crimea. (See my entry: GDANSK: A world heritage of church architecture).

Walk down among the crowds of Catholic Poles along Ausros Vartu gatve for about 50 metres until you reach the Baroque Church of St.Theresa whose wonderful 18th-century interior decorated with elaborate stucco work has remained intact. Painted in shades of pink as many churches in Vilnius are, the Russian Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit, a short distance away from St.Theresa's at Ausros Vartu 10 is reached through a beautiful arched Byzantine gate. Note the magnificent iconostatis and the preserved bodies of three martyrs lying in front of the altar. Also along Ausros Vartu gatve opposite the Russian Orthodox Church, the majestic restored gate of the Basilian Monastery leads to the monastery courtyard which is ringed with a maze of unrestored chambers among neglected garden paths. Ausros Vartu gatve ends with the Baroque Church of St.Casimir, its crown topped dome seen from everywhere in Vilnius. Its simple interior has been wonderfully restored after serving as a museum of atheism under the Soviets but much restoration work has still to be done on its outside architecture.

Further north, elegant Didzioji gatve's highlight is the Town Hall square. Newly restored, the Town Hall acquired its present classical-style structure in the early 19th century and is now used for official functions and cultural events. The elevated central part of the square is mostly occupied by a beer garden where you can relax, have a snack and enjoy the atmosphere. From here, walk further north along Didzioji gatve past numerous restaurants and shops (take note of the artistic wrought iron shop signs) until you reach the Russian Orthodox church of St.Paraskevija, in front of which local artists and craftsmen display their works. There are paintings, wooden works of art, ceramics, collectors' items and Lithuanian souvenirs for sale.

From Didzioji gatve, walk further north along Pilies gatve until you see the 68 metres high belfry of St.John's church. Entry to St.John's whose 18th-century Baroque facade and its interior works of art are outstanding is through the Skarga courtyard, one of the 12 linked courtyards inside the University Complex which occupies the whole block of buildings between Pilies gatve and Universiteto gatve. There are numerous attractions inside the complex. Discover the various architectural styles, memorial plaques, ornate niches and gateways and taste the historical atmosphere of the interior's decor, some of it dating back to the 16th century.

After visiting the University complex, continue straight ahead along pedestrianised Pilies gatve until you reach Katedros aikste, the big square on which the present massive classical Cathedral was rebuilt at the end of the 18th century. Enter the Cathedral to see among other attractions the beautiful sculptures and marble works that decorate the Chapel of St.Casimir and the silver coffin with the relics of the saint. From Cathedral's square, you can get a glimpse of Gediiminas tower constructed on a small hill behind the Cathedral and three white crosses perched on another beautiful hill further east.

Don't expect to feel Old Town charm; neither should you expect to see historical buildings and wonderful architecture. Yet walking along Gediminio prospektas gives visitors the opportunity to taste the city's administrative and commercial centre and feel the pulse of the Lithuanian people away from touristic sights and attractions.

Before starting our long walk along Gediminio prospektas, walk a couple of metres south in the direction of the University complex to reach Daukanto aikste, the beautiful square partly occupied by the Presidential palace. This building whose current external architecture dates back to 1832 served several purposes, from headquarters of the Governor General of Vilnius to temporary residence for the French general and emperor Napoleon. You can take a guided tour to visit its interior furnished with fine Lithuanian and Russian classicist furniture.

Gediminio prospektas whose name for political reasons or otherwise was changed several times through the centuries is the wide avenue connecting Cathedral square with the Zverynas district and runs in a direction east-west for about 2kms crossing the Neris river at its westernmost end. On the right side of Gediminio prospektas, the first noteworthy building is the post office. Occupying the ground floor of a large building, it is always crowded with locals and besides the usual services, it houses a small yet excellent philatelic exhibition. The building which adjoins the post office at Gediminio prospektas 9 is occupied by the offices of the Vilnius Municipality which deals mostly with everyday city matters. Continue walking west until you reach the Vilnius County Governor's Administrative building on your left at Gediminio prospektas 14, where regional government policies are coordinated and implemented. Two government ministries, the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Agriculture occupy big adjoining buildings at Gediminio prospektas 17 and 19 respectively.

Continue ahead further west past Hotel Neringa until on your right, you see a big square and park where you can relax and mix with the locals. Formerly called Lenin square but for political reasons changed to Lukiskiu aikste, it is mostly frequented by young mothers who bring their children here to play and by employees who come to relax after a day's work. The northeast side of the square along Vasario 16-Osios gatve is occupied by the Dominican Church of St.Jacob and St.Philip, a Baroque structure whose exterior architecture hasn't changed much since the 18th century. The adjoining monastery houses one of the oldest hospitals in Vilnius. The big building on Gediminio prospektas opposite Lukiskiu aikste is an unusual but interesting museum that reveals with remarkable clarity the Soviet atrocities during the period of Lithuanian resistance. Housed in a former KGB building and called 'The Museum of the Genocide Victims', it is an exhibition of prison cells and execution chambers combined with a live documentary by former political prisoners who narrate their personal experiences and sufferings under the Soviets. Entry to the museum is through Auku gatve 2A.

Continue further ahead for a further 100 metres until on your left you come across one of the best restaurants and coffee shops in town. Named 'Prie Parlamento' and located on Gediminio Prospektas 46, it is an upmarket restaurant which serves a great breakfast, vegetarian meals and delicious pastries worth trying. Not far away on the other side of the street, the elevated colonnaded building is the National Library. Next to it, a modern structure that houses the Parliament of Lithuania occupies the greater part of Independence square. Watch out for the adjacent reinforced concrete blocks which were used to construct defence barricades to stop Soviet tanks on the 13th January 1991. The names of the 14 victims who were killed during the onslaught near the television tower are written down on a memorial plaque.

Cross the bridge which marks the end of Gediminio prospektas and takes you over the heavily polluted Neris river. The striking church visible from the bridge and which you can visit is the Russian Orthodox Church of the Apparition, named after a miraculous icon from Kursk. After this long walk, relax in quiet surroundings away from attractions inside the pleasant Vingis parkas, located southwest of Parliament at Ciurlionio gatve. Vingis parkas is a big green area of paved pathways, benches and lawns where frequent concerts, theatrical performances and the annual Lithuanian Song Festival are held.

Lithuania's National Day which falls on the 6th July commemorates the coronation of Lithuania's former ruler Mindaugas. This period of history which reached its climax in 1253 is considered to be the time when the state of Lithuania was born.

In the last two decades of the 13th century when the Teutonic knights ruled vast stretches of land from Germany to Poland's eastern territory, the Lithuanians succeeded by diplomatic efforts and otherwise in stopping the advance of the knights into their country. In the first half of the 14th century, united under Grand Duke Gediminas, the people of Lithuania not only protected their land but extended Lithuania's border south and east towards modern-day Belarus. It was in 1323 under Duke Gediminas that Vilnius was established as Lithuania's royal capital when he invited foreign merchants and craftsmen to settle there and so opened the city to foreign business through eastern and western settlers.

Gediminas' son, Algirdas continued extending the border further towards today's Ukraine. To make matters better for Lithuania, Algirdas' son Jogaila married Jadwiga, the Queen of Poland and thus started a political and commercial alliance between the two countries. This Polish-Lithuanian integration which lasted for 4 centuries soon started giving good results, giving the country an opportunity to gain further territory and more stretches of land from the Baltic to the Black sea. Many buildings, churches and the former defensive walls which surrounded the Old Town of Vilnius were all built during this time of prosperity and well-being. However as time went by, the ever-increasing number of Polish gentry dominated the Lithuanians forcing them to adopt to a Polish way of life. In the mid-17th century, after Russia won back most of its lost territory and after much political maneouvring which shattered and weakened the Polish-Lithuanian alliance, Lithuania ceased to exist and vanished from the map of Europe as Russia, Austria and Prussia agreed to assign most of Lithuania to the Russian Empire during the Third Partition of Poland in 1795.

In the 19th century, the political atmosphere in Eastern Europe was quickly changing. During this agitated period of history, Lithuanian nationalists were organised to fight for independence. In a matter of 50 years, Lithuania was in a position to declare independence on the 16th February 1918, establishing Kaunas as the country's capital instead of Vilnius which was still a hotbed with much Polish influence. Lithuania's independence didn't last long because in 1940, soon after the beginning of World War II, Lithuania was for a second time annexed to the Soviet Union. During the 1941-1944 Nazi Occupation, a large number of local Lithuanians and Jews were tortured, killed and deported to concentration camps or gas chambers. After the war, when the Soviets were again at the helm after the Allied forces defeated the Nazis, more people were killed and deported. These Russian atrocities are depicted with astonishing clarity in 'The Museum of the Genocide Victims' in Vilnius.

During the 1980s, Lithuania was pushing again for independence, making the first step by allowing non-communist parties to take part in general elections. On 11th May 1990, Lithuania's new parliament declared independence which was immediately rejected by the Soviet Union. Troops and tanks were sent from Moscow towards Vilnius. Independence was suspended for 3 months and in the meantime, talks started with the Soviets but on the 13th January 1991, Soviet tanks attacked the television tower in Vilnius killing 14 people and injuring many while trying to pave the way for a dictatorial Communist Government. Condemned heavily by the west, the Soviets retreated. Lithuanian political independence was finally recognised by the Soviets on the 6th September 1991 but it was not until 31st August 1993 that real independence was established when the Russian military left Lithuania's soil for good.