The winding, labyrinthine streets of Vilnius offer visitors to the Lithuanian capital a lesson in history.

Although Vilnius tends to be overshadowed by other cities such as Paris, London, Berlin and even Paris itself, it is actually one of the largest old cities in Europe and houses some of the most important historical sites and museums in Europe. As the best preserved historical centre of the city, the old town is a delight wherever you look, even if you only spend two or three days in it. While most of the city's attractions are within easy reach for tourists, most are located outside of this historic center. This means that, despite their size and historical importance to Lithuania and the world in general, you will be largely accessible from most parts of Lithuania, except for those who only spend two or three days in Vilnius.

Although Vilnius has only 570,000 inhabitants, there is plenty of fun and interesting things to do here, and the charming old town is also one of the most popular tourist attractions in Europe. The old town is a feast for the eyes and you could easily spend a day exploring why it should be the next city on the trip. With so much to see and do and so many attractions to choose from, this is the highlight of any trip to the city.

The treasure of Vilnius Cathedral is the religious part of the art, which is on display in the exhibition Christianity and Lithuanian Art. About 100 metres north of the cathedral there is a museum that traces the history of Lithuania from prehistory to the 1940s with artifacts, paintings and photographs.

Cathedral Square (Katedros aikste) is located in the centre of Vilnius, between the medieval and 19th century parts of the city. The train station is just a short walk from the Old Town and from there you can admire the surrounding countryside, the cathedral and the Old Town.

Many people think that in Vilnius you only need one day to see the whole city, but I would recommend to spend three days to get a good feeling for the city. Lithuanian capital and making the most of it , it is my favorite city in Europe and a great addition to any trip to the Baltic States, with many interesting places and activities. While many people travel to Lithuania for one or two days, you can spend up to three days in the capital of Lithuania to get the most out of the cities. Vilnius city centre is relatively compact, with only a few main streets and a number of small streets in and around it.

If you want to stay in the Old Town itself, there are some of the best hotels in Vilnius, such as the Grand Hotel and the Royal Hotel, as well as a number of other hotels and restaurants.

If architecture is not your thing, you can also go to one of the many beer bars in the Old Town to sample some cool (and cheap) Lithuanian beers.

We have a list of the best things to do in Vilnius, Lithuania, with practical information to help you make a free - for all - trip to Lithuania. Riga, Latvia is the capital of Latvia and the second largest city in the country after Tallinn, Estonia. Lithuania offers a very different kind of travel experience from the rest of Europe. Must-Do - Do 11 things in Rigo (Latvia) and 5 reasons to love Tallininn (Estonia) if you want to escape the summer heat of central and southern Europe.

Although we do not share the proximity of the Baltic Sea coast, Vilnius is an incredible city that deserves to be explored. The Old Town, the historical centre of Vilnius, is the most beautiful and historic part of the city and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Lithuania.

In 1920 it was occupied by Poland and later incorporated into the Second Polish Republic. It became part of the Soviet Union, which recognized parts of Lithuania under the Soviet-Lithuanian Treaty of 1920. Vilnius was part of Poland from 1920 to 1939, and in 1939 it was taken by Soviet troops and returned to Lithuania. In the 1920s it became the centre of a dispute between Lithuania and the USSR over control of their territory (see the Vilnius dispute). In 1920 the city was recognized by the Soviet Union as a "part" of Lithuania, but since then it has been recaptured and Poland has been annexed again.

The territory granted to Lithuania by the Bolsheviks in 1920 continues to be claimed by Lithuania, with the city of Vilnius treated as part of the state that officially remains in Lithuania after the war.

Vilnius remained the capital of the northwestern region, which roughly comprised present-day Lithuania and Belarus. Lithuanians were forced to settle in Kaunas, a state that concentrated on its capital, and the city merged with Poland. Since the king still used his palace here, the new city of Lublin, which was founded only in 1569 as a union with Lublin, was able to defuse the importance of this city. At first there was no exact boundary, but it encompassed the Vilnius area and included this city.