Lithuania
Visa: Schengen Area Free Visa Check
Language: Lithuanian (one of the oldest surviving Indo-European languages). English is spoken by younger people in cities. Russian is understood by older generations.
Currency: EUR, credit cards accepted in most places.
Transportation:
Bus: Lux Express runs comfortable intercity buses within Lithuania and to neighboring Baltic capitals.
Train: LTG Link operates domestic routes. The Vilnius–Kaunas connection is the most useful for travelers. Trains are reliable but infrequent on some rural routes.
City transport: Vilnius has a bus and trolleybus network. Buy tickets via the Trafi app. The Old Town is compact enough to cover on foot.
What To Expect
Lithuania is the largest of the Baltic states and, in many ways, the most surprising. Vilnius has a baroque Old Town that rivals Prague in scope but operates at a fraction of the price. The city invented the concept of an independent republic within its own borders: the bohemian Užupis district, which has its own constitution, its own flag, and its own army of exactly 11 people.
Beyond the capital, the Curonian Spit is a UNESCO-listed sliver of sand dunes and pine forests shared with Russia's Kaliningrad enclave. The Hill of Crosses near Šiauliai is exactly what it sounds like: a hill covered with hundreds of thousands of crosses, a quiet monument to centuries of defiance. Trakai Island Castle, sitting on a lake surrounded by forest, looks like a watercolor painting come to life.
Lithuania's recent history as part of the Soviet Union adds another layer. The KGB Museum in Vilnius occupies the former occupation headquarters and is deeply sobering. You leave with a profound respect for how far this country has come since 1991.