Vilnius – why is it so special?
Vilnius is the capital city of Lithuania, a country located in the northern regions of Europe between Poland, the Russian Federation, Belarus and Latvia. The city has a rich history and it was not an independent city all the time. It used to belong to Poland and later to the Soviet Union. Nowadays, it is a completely independent city in an independent country that is a member of the European Union and NATO. The city has many interesting sights worth visiting and this article will point out the most important places of Vilnius.
What to visit in Vilnius?
A lot of people prefer to visit the city centre of the given city to learn more about it. However, sometimes it is worth to start from completely different point of view and see the landscape of the city. If you visit the tower of the Upper Castle you will clearly see the two faces of the city from the top of the tower. On the one hand, it is the impressive view of the Old Town where are narrow streets, churches and monasteries tower. On the other hand, there is a modern centre where you may see the glass and steel skyscrapers. If you would like to see more, it is worth climbing to the Hill of Three Crosses. In the city you will also find some tall buildings. One of them is the TV tower that is over 326 metres tall. There is placed a lift that takes tourists to a cafe where they can admire the Vilnius city centre and the surrounding area.
The landmarks of the city
The symbol of the city is the Gate of Dawn with a chapel and a painting of Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn. In the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth it was the most important Marian sanctuary together with Jasna Góra sanctuary. The celebrations dedicated to the Gate of Dawn take place on the 16th of November. It is also worth to visit the interiors of the chapel where are placed numerous ornaments and paintings. What is more, it is also worth to spend some time in the Vilnius City Centre and the Old Town. There you may find numerous cafes and restaurants where you may try the traditional Lithuanian cuisine and feel the special atmosphere of the city.
How to get to Vilnius?
If you prefer to visit Vilnius, it is worth to travel. You can make a use of Vilnius International Airport that is placed about 5.9 kilometres/3.7 miles from Vilnius City Centre. The airport is the biggest airport in the country and it serves about 4 million passengers annually. The most popular routes are flights to London and Riga.
