From Wikitravel

Lithuania [1] is a Baltic country in Central/Eastern Europe. It has a Baltic Sea coastline in the west and surrounded by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east, Poland to the southwest, and Russia (Kaliningrad) to the west.

[edit] Regions

Regional differences of Lithuanian culture reflect complicated historical development of our country. Since the 13th century five ethnographic areas, or regions, have historically formed in the current territory of Lithuania:

Aukštaitija - literally Highlands, northeastern and eastern region

Žemaitija - Samogitia, literally Lowlands, north-western region

Dzūkija or Dainava - south-eastern region

Sūduva or Suvalkija - southern and south-western region

Lithuania Minor - sea-coast region

These ethnographic regions even today differ by dialects, ways of life and behaviour styles, while until the turn of the last century there were pronounced differences in dress and homestead styles as well as village planning.

Lithuania is justly proud of its unfailing treasures of folklore: colourful clothing, meandering songs, an abundance of tales and stories, sonorous dialects and voluble language. This ethnographic heritage is nourished by ethnographic and folklore companies and barn theatres. Recent years have witnessed the revival of ethnographic crafts and culinary traditions. Folk craft fairs and live craft days are organized during many events and festivals.

[edit] Cities

• Vilnius - the capital
• Druskininkai
• Jonava
• Kaunas
• Kėdainiai
• Klaipėda
• Kretinga
• Neringa
• Palanga
• Panevėžys
• Šiauliai
• Trakai

[edit] Ports and harbors

• Būtingė
• Klaipėda
• Nida

[edit] Other destinations

• The Hill Of Crosses - site of religious significance, north of Siauliai

[edit] Understand

Lithuania is an active member of the European Union (since 2004-05-01) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (since 2004-03-29). Lithuania is the only Baltic country with nearly eight hundred years of statehood tradition, while its name was first mentioned almost one thousand years ago, in 1009. Wedged at the dividing line of Western and Eastern civilizations, Lithuania battled dramatically for its independence and survival. Once in the Middle Ages, Lithuania was the largest state in the entire Eastern Europe, where crafts and overseas trade prospered.

In 1579, Vilnius University, an important scientific and education centre of the European scale, was opened. In 16th century, Lithuania adopted its First, Second and Third Statutes. Not only the Statutes were the backbone of the legislative system of the country, they had a major impact on legislation of other European states of the time. Despite losing its independence, Lithuania managed to retain its Third Statute in effect for as many as 250 years, which was instrumental in preservation of national and civic self-awareness of the public. The Constitution of Lithuania-Poland together with the French Constitution, both adopted in 1791, were the first constitutions in Europe.

[edit] Climate

Transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate winters and summers

[edit] Terrain

Lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil. The fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are ancient glacial deposits.

Highest point 

Aukštojas Hill 293.84 m, about 30 km southeast of Vilnius lies just off the main highway to Minsk and within sight of the Belarus border.

[edit] History

Lithuania was a huge feudal country in middle ages, in 1569 entered an union with Poland to form a commonwealth. Lithuania was part of the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth until the Polish Partitions in the 18th. century when it became part of the Russian Empire.

National holiday 

Independence Day, 16 February (1918); note - 16 February 1918 is the date of independence from German, Austrian, Prussian, and Russian occupation, 11 March 1990 is the date of independence from the Soviet Union

Independent between the two World Wars, Lithuania was annexed by the USSR in 1940. On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the first of the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but this proclamation was not generally recognized until September of 1991 (following the abortive coup in Moscow).

Independence 

11 March 1990 (independence declared from Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (Soviet Union recognizes Lithuania's independence)

Constitution 

adopted 25 October 1992

The last Russian troops withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently has restructured its economy for eventual integration into Western European institutions.

[edit] Get in

Lithuania has joined the Schengen agreement, which means that you can enter on a European Union Schengen visa. There are no ID/passport controls at the internal EU borders. EU, US, and Canadian citizens do not need a visa to enter Lithuania as well as citizens of many other countries. See the full list of countries, citizens of which are exempt from visa requirements, here: [2].

[edit] By plane

Most airlines arrive at main Vilnius international airport and smaller seaside Palanga airport, while no-frills carriers (Ryanair) land in Kaunas airport.

Majority of flights are operated by http://www.flylal.lt/ and http://www.airbaltic.com/

For destinations in Northern Lithuania Riga airport is an attractive option.

[edit] By train

There are train connections to Vilnius from Warsaw, Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Minsk and Kaliningrad.

[edit] By car

Major "via Baltica" road links Kaunas to Warsaw and Riga/Tallinn. The Baltic road, which links Vlinius to Tallinn, was just reconstructed. It is a very easy and pleasant route. Overall, the major roads between the cities are of decent quality. Be extremely cautious when getting off the main roads in rural areas, as some of them may contain pot holes and general blemishes which could damage a regular car if you go too fast. While driving between cities there are usually cafes and gas stations with bathrooms and snacks.

[edit] By bus

• http://www.eurolines.lt
• http://www.ecolines.lt
• http://www.busturas.lt

[edit] By boat

There are several passenger/car ferries from Klaipeda to Sweden, Germany, Poland. See http://www.krantas.lt/

[edit] Get around

[edit] By train

Litrail [3] has services to major cities in Lithuania. Fares are low compared to Western Europe: Vilnius-Kaunas ~11 Litas, Vilnius-Klaipeda ~40 Litas, Sestokai (Lithuanian-Polish border) - Kaunas ~11 Litas.

Narrow Gauge Railway in Anyksciai offers short trips to a near-by lake. In summer it runs on regular schedule, rest of the time tours must be booked in advance.

[edit] By thumb

Hitchhiking in Lithuania is generally good. Get to the outskirts of the city, but before cars speed up to the highway speeds. The middle letter on the older licence plates (with Lithuanian flag) of the three letter code usually corresponds with the city of registration (L for Klaipeda). Newer licence plates (with EU flag) are not bound to city of registration in any way.

[edit] By Bus

Buses operate regularly between the main centres as well as the regional centres. Kautra [4] operates a number of routes out of Kaunas with the cost of ~20-30 Litas for most journeys. Other companies with intercity routes worth to mention are Toks (from Vilnius) and Busturas (from Siauliai). For students with Lithuanian student id, bus companies grant 50% discount around the year with the exception of July and August.

For buses and trolley-buses on routes within towns and cities it is usual to buy the ticket in advance from a kiosk, board the vehicle using the middle door and stamp the ticket using the punches located near the middle door. Tickets bought from the driver are more expensive and may also generate an off-handed response if the bus is late or crowded or you don't provide the exact change. Inspectors periodically check tickets and will issue a fine if you cannot produce a correctly punched ticket. The bus is exited by the middle door and it is important to head for the door before the bus has stopped - it can be impossible to leave once people have started boarding.

In addition to common buses, there are minibuses which usually operate express routes. For schedules, consult

[edit] By Taxi

Taxis are run on a meter and can be booked by the phone numbers shown on the door of the taxi,. Taxis are relatively cheap compared to western Europe. Beware however, some companies may not be as safe as others, common sense will keep you safe in this regard. "Taking the long way round" used to be common but had nearly been irradicated, western Europeans may still find themselves taking the scenic route, don't worry though, the maximum that this will add is a few litas. It is customary to give a small tip at the end of your journey.

It's usually cheaper to order a taxi by phone instead of taking one in the street, especially in bus stations or airports.

[edit] By bicycle

Lithuania is great for cycling. There are two international EuroVelo cycle routes across the country, EuroVelo No. 10 and EuroVelo No. 11.

[edit] Talk

The official language of Lithuania is Lithuanian, making up one of only two languages [along with Latvian] on the Baltic branch of the Indo-European family. Despite the kinship of Lithuanian to many other European languages, the archaic nature of its grammar makes it hard for foreigners unfamiliar with the language even to form basic sentences. Russian is spoken almost universally, whilst the younger generation is also becoming more and more proficient in English. Polish and, to a lesser extent, German are also spoken in some places for historical reasons. Samogitian (a Lithuanian dialect) is spoken by some 500 000 Samogitians (Žemaitians) in Samogitia, known as Žemaitija to those that live there, as well as other Lithuanians (Western part of Lithuania). Lithuanians are always eager for an opportunity to practice their English, but those who learn a few basic phrases of the local language are always amply awarded with good will and appreciation for their efforts.

[edit][add listing] Buy

Vilnius recently became a shopper's paradise when plenty of massive shopping centres were opened all over the city. Akropolis (a chain of shopping malls in Lithuania) is one of them and definitely worth visiting, as it houses an ice skating rink, bowling lanes and a cinema.

Shopping center Helios City in Savanoriu ave offers to have dinner, to take a cup of coffee and to go shopping under the one roof. On the first and the second floors of the Helios City restaurants, cafes, small shops, beauty salon, dry cleaning and other service companies are located. The centre of the city or the Old Town and the new leisure and service centre are separated by less than 1,5 kilometres. It is convenient to access the Helios City from any place of the city – either by public or proper transport.

Gariunai is the baltic's largest open air market, located on the western edge of Vilnius. Thousands of merchants can be found there on a good weekend, from not only Lithuania, but also from as far away as Ukraine. Clothes, shoes, and even music and software can be bought there. Counterfeit goods are ubiquitous. A low price is guaranteed, quality is not.

Klaipeda is a major shopping center for people from Latvia and Kaliningrad. The main shopping centers are: Akropolis, Arena, Studlendas and BIG. Many people coming to the city on cruise ships shop in Klaipeda, due to the good value and price combination.

Kaunas is also a city of shopping centers, and the center of the city, Laisvės avenue is a pedestrian thouroghfare. There is even that symbol of "mall culture", which is new to Lithuania, Akropolis.

[edit][add listing] Eat

Lithuanian dinners usually include meat, potato, vegetables and sometimes a curd sauce of some sort. Case in point: the cepelinai, or zeppelins, which are meat filled potato-starch based zeppelin-shaped masses traditionally slathered in a sauce of sour cream, butter, and pork cracklings. Pork is traditionally eaten, beef much less so. Needless to say, vegans will have a hard time eating out, although some large restaurant chains will have vegetarian dishes on the menu.

Some fast food in Lithuania, such as Kibinai, (from the Karaim people) small turnovers usually filled with spiced lamb, and Cheburekai (a Russian snack), large folds of dough with a scant filling of meat, cheese, or even apples, can be found around the city.

Many restaurants have menus in English (usually in the Lithuanian menu) and to a lesser extent, Russian. Though use caution as sometimes menus in other languages may have inflated prices, although this is a rarity, and won't be found in Vilnius.

[edit][add listing] Drink

Lithuania is a beer drinking country, with the most famous brands being Svyturys, Kalnapilis, Utenos and Gubernija. A visit to a kiosk will show that there may be more than 50 different brands of beer in this small country. Alcohol percentages are displayed on the label, and usually range from 4 to 9.5 percent. Compared to other European countries, beer is usually affordable, in shops approx. 0.50 to 1 € per half litre, in bars approx. 0.75 to 2 € per half litre(beer is sold by the half or full litre, a full litre being found rarely). The beer tastes excellent, putting global brands to shame and it can be said that Lithuanian lager is of at least equal quality to Czech, Slovak, German, and Polish lager. A request for a Lithuanian beer always generates goodwill, even in a Chinese or other foreign-themed restaurant.

In addition to beer, rather cheap but high quality vodka is consumed, but not to the extent usually associated with this part of the world. Also, every region has its own home-made speciality of which "Samane" is most famous/notorious and is best avoided.

Lithuanian mead, or "midus" is a beverage produced exclusively under government control. It is commonly made from all sorts of Lithuanian flora, from leaves and berries to some tree bark. Alcohol percentages range from 10% to 75% (considered medicinal).

For tourists, quality sparkling wines, such as Alita or Mindaugas, and local liqueurs are popular choices to bring back home.

In shops and cafés different tea and coffee qualities are widely available. The selection in coffee ranges from northern European brands to French ones. In coffee houses, you should expect to pay up to 1.50 € for your coffee. Some cafés offer also a variety of special coffees with more or less special prices. Many cafes (kavinės) still make "lazy" coffee, which is simply coffee grounds and boiling water, unfiltered, with grounds at the bottom of the cup, often surprising the drinker - ask before you buy! Tea is usually sold at 50% of the price of coffee.Some of the wonderful drinks such as the Marganito are great for fun filled party drinks and rated one of the top kinds of wine in the country, perfect for weddings.

Unlike restaurants, or pubs aimed at tourists, bars (Baras) may be frequented by heavy drinkers and can therefore be somewhat rowdy. Nevertheless a visit may still be very rewarding, especially if you accept an invitation to participate in karaoke.

A law banning smoking in cafés, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, discotheques and other public establishments was passed in May 2006, and came into effect on January 1 2007.

Tap water is generally not considered suitable for drinking. If possible, seek local advice, and if in doubt, drink bottled water.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

Most large cities such as Vilnius have an abundance of hotel options from 60 litas and up. When traveling to a popular vacation spot in the summer (like Palanga) make sure to book a room in advance because demand may outnumber supply. Additionally, some of the Cafes on the main highways between cities also have rooms to rent.

[edit] Learn

Lithuania has one of the best educational systems in the World. Many universities participate in student exchange programs. Most popular international college in Lithuania is Lithuanian Christian College in Klaipeda [5].

[edit] Work

There are now many work options in Lithuania. Any EU national can work and live with no limits in Lithuania. Of course residence permits must be obtained, and employers must prove that there are not competent workers in Lithuania for such employment, which can be difficult. Especially there is a huge demand for work force in Klaipeda (most in construction, wholesale and port companies). However, Lithuanian law dictates that all business be conducted in Lithuanian language.

[edit] Stay safe

In general, Lithuania is a safe country. But you should take basic safety measures:

• try to avoid showing a big sum of money. It is best not to try spending larger notes in nightclubs - several 10 and 20 litas notes are better than a large note such as a 50 litas or greater. You will draw a lot of attention to yourself if you try to use one of the larger banknotes for a small purchase such as a beer, and may also cause the proprietor difficulty in giving you change. When changing foreign currency into litas, ask for the smaller notes.

• taking care when visiting potentially dangerous neighbourhoods at night. After dark it is safer to walk along main roads, than to take a short cut through a park or apartment complex, as these areas often have very poor lighting. Take a taxi if you are nervous.

• As with eastern Europe in general, homophobic attitudes still prevail. Openly gay behaviour such as holding hands or kissing may result in a violent confrontation from an onlooker. Suspicion of homosexuality may also cause problems; two male visitors to a straight nightclub should sit a respectable distance apart, even if they are heterosexual.

[edit] Stay healthy

If you are searching for some health treatment or recreation the best resorts for that are Druskininkai and Palanga. Neringa is a great option for a nice, calm holiday for comming one with yourself.

[edit] Respect

Lithuanians are absolutely not ethnic Russians, they are Baltic. They are a distinct ethnic group and speak their own language (Lithuanian), which is one of the oldest languages in world with some resemblances to Russian and Polish. Thinking that Lithuanians are Russians is insulting to a number of Lithuanians as Lithuania was part of the Russian Empire and later a Soviet province. You should also try to remember that the Lithuanian capital is Vilnius, not Riga, which is the capital of neighbouring Latvia. However this mistake is considered to be more of an annoyance to locals as they get it very frequently. However, many don't mind if you mistakenly call them Soviet, especially those above 25.

Most Samogitians consider themselves as Lithuanians, but some of them consider their nationality as Samogitian.

[edit] Contact

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