 | ||
| Kaunas | ||
| Country | Lithuania | |
|---|---|---|
| Search for a province ends with the state | ||
| Residents | 288.466 (2018) | |
| height | 48 m | |
| Tourist info web | kaunastic.lt | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
| ||
Kaunas is a city in Lithuania and was the capital of the country during the independence of Lithuania from 1919 to 1940. For the year 2022, Kaunas became the title European Capital of Culture awarded.
background
Some interesting architectural evidence has been preserved from the time when the German knights were the last to Christianize the country in Europe. In the center, a 2.5 kilometer long pedestrian zone connects the medieval old town with the new town of the 19th century.
- 1 Tourist office, Laisvės al. 36. Tel.: 370 37 323 436, Email: [email protected]. Branch offices e.g. on the main square of the old town and in the bus station.Open: Mon.-Fri. 9.00 a.m. - 6.00 p.m., summer also Sat.
getting there
By plane
The 1 Kaunas International Airport
(IATA: KUN) is only used by Ryanair served from various airports in the British Isles and Scandinavia. The Hungarian low-cost line has been flying since autumn 2016 Wizzair of Eindhoven. Because it was a good 100 kilometers away Vilnius airport(IATA: VNO) which offers better connections, it is worth considering using this airport to reach the city. In terms of price, flights from Central Europe are hardly attractive.
From the airport, which is 13 km outside, you can take bus lines 29 (via main train station and bus station, the last bus always waits for late machines) or 120 (old town) at the regular price (€ 0.70 in 2016). Taxis into the city cost € 12-15.
By train
- 2 Central Station, M.K. Čiurlionio g. 16.
24-hour luggage storage in the underpass.
Rail travel in Lithuania is an exciting story. Since the rail network is good but not well developed, not many destinations can be reached by train. The route Vilnius - Kaunas is interesting. Both the express train (travel time 1.5 hours) and the old railway (very interesting! Travel time around 2.5 hours) run here. Especially in winter time, taking the train is a great way to get to know Lithuania's landscapes.
After completion, Kaunas will be installed on the new line of the Rail Baltica Corridor lie. While the Lithuanian part of the expansion was completed on schedule for 2016, there are delays on the Polish side, which mean that a full opening cannot be expected until 2020. There is a railway connection to the south Marijampolė During the construction period, at a slow pace, only twice a day.
By bus
Eurolines offers regular connections from various German cities to Kaunas and back. Start and stop is the central bus station
- 3 Kauno autobusų stotis. The bus station, Vytauto prospektas 24, will be open until 2017[outdated] newly built. There is an auxiliary bus station in front of the Akropolis shopping center (official address: Karaliaus Mindaugo pr. 49).Open: Info: 7 am-8pm.
- Inner-Lithuanian buses run at around 20 stops, with the timetable posted in the Grinuvaldo ul. from. The international buses stop about 200 m away (from the information kiosk on the right) at the Kryžiaus Church in front of a small bus shelter. Ticket sales take place on the ground floor of the shopping center. Inner-Lithuanian Mon-Sat 6.30-21.00, intl. only 9.00-17.00. (As of June 2016) From there there are several daily connections to the most important cities in Lithuania, such as Vilnius and Klaipeda but also after Estonia (Tallin twice a day early in the morning) and Latvia.
- 4 Ecolines, Vytauto prospektas 27. Tel.: 370 37 202022. Booking office.Open: Mon.-Fri. 9 am-6pm, Sat until 3pm.
- 5 UAB Kautra, A. Juozapavičiaus pr. 84. Tel.: 370 37 342440. Booking office behind the train station.Open: Mon.-Fri. 7.30 a.m .-- 4.30 p.m.
In the street
A locational advantage of Kaunas is its location as the central (road) traffic junction of the country. Running from south to north, the E 67 ("Via Baltica") crosses from Warsaw Riga and Tallinn (Reval) after Helsinki leads, on the west-east main route, the stretch of highway from Klaipėda to Vilnius, which in the continuation over Minsk continue after Moscow goes.
mobility
Radio taxis inter alia: ☎ 370 366 666; 234,444; 370 37 331 533.
Hailing taxis is uncommon. Prices are higher at night.
Bike paths there is something new in Lithuania (Cycle path map). In 2016, a stretch from Kaunas to was opened alongside the country road Kačerginė.
The city's sights can be easily reached on foot. But there are also buses and trolleybuses available. Tickets for Buses and trolleybuses (Online timetable) you have to buy it from the driver when you get on board (2016: € 0.70; no change!) or purchase a chip card that is valid for 3, 7, 30 or 92 days. The last buses run around 10.30 p.m. On Marshrutkas as a tourist you will rarely have to rely on it.
Tourist Attractions
_sculpture_in_Kaunas.jpg/220px-The_Man_(Žmogus)_sculpture_in_Kaunas.jpg)
- 1 town hall.The building, known as the “white swan”, is the scene of many weddings, especially on weekends. Then a large number of long limousines are parked in front of the town hall.
- 2 Castle ("Kauno pilis"), Pilies g. 17th.Castle remains that can be seen in good weather. A large park has been created near the castle, which is ideal for strolling. The two large rivers that have made Kaunas a Hanseatic city and that cool off in summer also meet here. It is one of the five locations of the City Museum, which are usually Tues.-Sat. Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Churches
- 4 Archangel Michael Church. Orthodox.
Less than 100 meters towards the river is the brick building of the Church of the Assumption (Aleksoto g. 3), a little further then the Protestant church (Muitinės g. 8) and across the street a Methodist church (J. Naugardo g. 8). The Catholic cathedral is located a little to the northeast (see picture).
Museums
As is customary across Europe, the museums are closed on Mondays, while the opening times are sometimes shorter on weekends.
- 6 Kauno T. Ivanausko zoologijos muziejus, Laisvės al. 106. Tel.: 370 37 200292. Natural History Museum.Open: Tue-Sun: 11 a.m.-7 p.m.Price: € 2.32.
- 7 Stumbras, K. Būgos g. 7, Kaunas 44328. Tel.: 370 686 94388. Company museum of a schnapps distillery, only groups of 5 people or more. by appointment.
- In the area around the town hall (see above), next to the castle, there is also the literature museum (Maironio lietuvių literatūros muziejus, Rotuses sq. 13; on the park side next to the archbishop's palace, Rotušės a. 14), a ceramics museum, a museum of postal and transport history.
activities
Several music festivals, especially from the classical area and jazz, take place over the summer. Details at the tourist office. Both "Hanseatic Days" For the city's birthday at the end of May, you can also watch people dressed as knights as they hit each other.
Visitors who like to fish for relaxation can do so in the reservoir Rumšiškės to do (Info on fishing licenses, etc. engl. 2015).
- 8 Lokes peda (just under 35 km outside, accessible via the A6 trunk road, direction Jonava). Tel.: 370 699 21144. Adventure park: climbing garden, off-road quad biking, etc.Open: 10.00-22.00.Price: adults € 15 (birthday children -50%).
shop
There are many shopping opportunities. In addition to the old town there is the Laisvės Alėja, a long pedestrian zone with all kinds of shops.
- 1 acropolis, araliaus Mindaugo pr. 49. This can be easily reached on foot and by bus from the city center. It offers around 120 shops, restaurants, bowling, a cinema and an ice rink.
kitchen
Tips are uncommon.
nightlife
- 1 Musical theater, Laisvės al. 91. Tel.: 370 37 200933. Open: Ticket sales (Tuesday-Sunday): 11.00 a.m.-2.00 p.m., 3.00 p.m.-6.00 p.m.
- Next door, house number 87, is the puppet theater.
accommodation
Kaunas is adequately supplied with hotels of every category, that gives an overview Hotel booking portal of the Tourist Office. City tax of € 0.50 is not always included in the price.
The hotels are located in the immediate vicinity of the bus station ibis,Magnus and the guest house
- 1 Pirklio Svečių Namai, Vytauto pr. 22nd. Tel.: 370 698 18161. Open: Reception 8 am-10pm.Price: from € 39.
camping
- 2 City Camping, Jonavos g. 51A (Off the Vilnius-Klaipėda highway, next to the petrol station. You can get to the old town by bus 20.). 25 caravan spaces, several huts for 2-5 people (€ 18.83 p.p.), sauna (group booking € 30-35 per hour). Apparently redesigned in 2019. Very open and located directly on a large street. Far to the city center.Open: guarded 24 hours.
- 3 Camp Inn, Raudondvario pl. 161A. Tel.: 37060233444. With access to a swimming lake. Loungers, bike and canoe rental. Sauna. Not very quietly. From here, the city can be easily reached by bike. Numerous shops nearby.
Hostels
- 4 Monk's Bunk, Laisvės al. 48-2. Tel.: 37062953870. 18 beds in 3 dormitories. Minimum age 18.Price: dormitory € 10.50–12.50; Key deposit.
- 5 R hostel, Vytauto pr. 83. Tel.: 37069045329. Bicycle rental, washing machine, cooking facilities.Price: 12-person dormitory € 10.
Learn
Kaunas is one of the four university cities in Lithuania.
security
General emergency call: ☎ 112
health
- 2 Kauno klinikinė ligoninė, Laisvės al. 17th. Tel.: (037) 306 000 (Mediation), Email: [email protected].
Practical advice
Smoking is prohibited in cafes, restaurants and hotels. The sale of alcohol is not permitted between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m., and its consumption in public spaces is (theoretically) prohibited.
Area code: ☎ 37 ...
A post office is right next to the Natural History Museum.
WIRELESS INTERNET ACCESS - As usual in the Baltic countries, WiFi is available in many hotels and restaurants in the city, usually free of charge. On the Laisves Aleja and in the Akropolis shopping center, Wi-Fi is also available free of charge.
trips
- Kaišiadorys (Approx. 11 km from Kaunas towards Vilnius, accessible by local train and numerous bus routes.). The baroque monastery and the botanical-zoological park on the outskirts are worth seeing.
- 9 Rumšiškės (25 km, accessible on the A1; Pravieniškių train station, 2 km; on summer weekends also by excursion boat from Kaunas (pier by the old church).). The 195-hectare open-air museum is particularly worth seeing Lietuvos Liaudies Buities Muziejus with old houses and homesteads gathered from all over the country.
- Hiking and / or canoeing in the Polish nature parks just across the border around Suwałki.
literature
See the Travel guide to Lithuania.
Web links
- http://en.kaunas.lt/city (en) - Kaunas official website
- Tourism website of the city administration (engl.) with nationwide Hotel booking portal
- Kaunas as European Capital of Culture 2022
- Cultural center programs (lit. engl.)
- Kaunas on lithauen.info
