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| Vilnius | ||
| Country | Lithuania | |
|---|---|---|
| The search for a province ends with the state | ||
| Residents | 574.147 (2018) | |
| height | 112 m | |
| Tourist info | 370 5 262 9660 www.vilnius-tourism.lt | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
| ||
Vilnius (German also: Vilna) is the capital of Lithuania. It is on the culture route of the Via Jagiellonica.
Districts
Vilnius has 21 districts.
- Verkiai
- Antacalnis
- Pašilaičiai
- Fabijoniškės
- Pilaitė
- Justiniškės
- Viršuliškės
- Šeškinė
- Šnipiškės
- Žirmūnai
- Karoliniškės
- Žvėrynas
- Grigiškės
- Lazdynai
- Vilkpėdė
- Naujamiestis
- Senamiestis (Old town)
- Naujoji Vilnia
- Paneriai
- Naujininkai
- Rasos
background
Vilnius is the historical capital of Lithuania. In the course of the division of Poland-Lithuania in the 18th century by Prussia, Austria-Hungary and Russia, the city was annexed by Russia in 1795. When the independence of Poland and Lithuania was regained as a result of the First World War, the area around Vilnius including the city fell to Poland. After the annexation of Eastern Poland and the Baltic States by the Soviet Union at the beginning of the Second World War, this area came to Lithuania and Vilnius became the capital of the newly founded Lithuanian Soviet Republic. With state sovereignty in 1990, Vilnius is now the capital of the Republic of Lithuania.
getting there
By plane
Various airlines fly to and from Vilnius. There are direct flights from almost every country in Europe.
Vilnius Airport is located in the south of the city, just 6 km from the old town.The following options are available to get to the old town / city center:
- Bus, runs about every 10 minutes, duration: 15-30 minutes, costs: € 1 (from the driver)
- Bus lines 1 and 2 go to the old town via the train station
- The 3G line goes to the business district
- Line 88 goes straight to the old town without stopping
- Train, runs once an hour, duration: 10 minutes, costs: € 0.70
- Microbus, Costs: 2, - €
- Taxi, duration: 15 minutes, costs: € 5-30
By train
Since long-distance traffic from Berlin to St. Petersburg via Warsaw and Vilnius was discontinued in 2004 due to the interruption of the Belarusian section of the route, a train journey from western Europe to Vilnius has been quite cumbersome, as the construction in Wismar decided by several EU countries in 2001 A route Rail Baltica (Paris-Berlin) -Warsaw-Kaunas-Riga-Tallinn-Helsinki will probably take some time until the mid-twenties. Until then, the following (suboptimal) alternatives are available:
- 1. Take the train to the east and get off in one of the cities along the route, e.g. Berlin, Warsaw, Białystok or Suwałki in the bus to Vilnius. Currently (July 2016) there is also a passenger train running from Bialystok via Suwałki on weekends when construction work is idle Kaunas. Departure: from Bialystok Fri 3:19 p.m., Sat and Sun 7:43 a.m. and 3:19 p.m. from Suwałki Fri 5:40 p.m., Sat and Sun 9:40 a.m. and 5:40 p.m. Return from Kaunas Sat and Sun 09:00 and 16:55, Mon 09:00. Duration approx. 3 or 5 hours. Trains between Kaunas and Vilnius run approximately every hour.
- 2. You drive to Kiel, take the ferry to Klaipeda and from there take the train to Vilnius.
- 3. You drive to Minsk and there take the train to Vilnius. Because of the visa requirement and the additional border controls, only travelers who want to travel to Belarus should take this route.
- 4. Train freaks with a tight budget and a lot of time, who accept frequent changes and are not afraid to wait 24 hours for the next train when they miss a connecting train, and who above all are always up to date with the latest timetables also get to Vilnius with regional trains and branch lines. (see link)
Trains run from Vilnius Central Station in the following directions: Šiauliai-Klaipeda, Varena-Marcinkonys, Ignalina-Turmantas, Minsk-Moscow, Daugavpils-Riga / St. Petersburg, Kaunas, Naujoji Vilnia (Neuvilnius) -Kena, Stasylos. The railway corridor from Russia to its exclave Kaliningrad also runs via Vilnius, which is served by the "Bernstein" express train Moscow-Vilnius-Kaunas-Kaliningrad. Furthermore, various suburban trains run here, e.g. to the airport and to Trakai.
The 2 railway station is located on a hill south of the old town.
By bus
From a large number of European cities there are bus connections to Vilnius e.g. from Eurolines, Ecolines or Lux Express offered. The 3 Bus station is not far from the train station.
In the street
One drives over with the car Warsaw, there on the DK8, via Białystok to the Polish-Lithuanian border crossing Kalvarija (near Suwałki), in Lithuania on the A5 to Marijampolė and there on the A16 towards Vilnius. The route over would be shorter Grodno/Belarus, but you have to apply for an expensive transit visa and be prepared for waiting times at the border clearance.
By boat
There is no direct ship connection between Germany and Vilnius, but if you not only want to explore the city, but also want to make the trip an experience, you should choose a combined arrival or departure. The ferry between Kiel and Klaipeda transports people with and without vehicles, and you can enjoy the convenience of a sea voyage for 21 hours. Since a passage with port lay times takes a little over 24 hours, the ferry runs six times a week with different departure times every day. Anyone traveling with a vehicle can follow Klaipeda immediately on the most important motorway-like highway A1 for Lithuania, which connects the three major cities of Klaipeda (only seaport), Kaunas (former and secret Lithuanian capital) and Vilnius (multicultural metropolis) Continue to Vilnius. The regular buses and the slightly faster minibuses also take this route. By train you can take a more northerly route via Kretinga, Šiauliai and Jonava. In the summer months there is also a flight connection between the airport in Palanga near Klaipedas and Vilnius. Before Lithuania joined the EU, you could also travel by hydrofoil from Klaipeda to Kaunas and then on to Vilnius by express train. Unfortunately, this has been discontinued, partly for economic reasons, partly because the Memel is also the external border of the EU and the Schengen area on one section. At present, with the growing number of tourists, the resumption of this connection is being considered.
mobility
Local public transport
The local public transport network is operated by buses, express buses and trolleybuses. A single ticket for a bus or trolleybus costs € 1. For schoolchildren, students and pensioners up to the age of 80 the ticket costs € 0.50 (over 80 years: € 0.20). Single tickets can be bought in cash from the bus driver. The tickets must be validated at the start of the journey. For this purpose, card punches or validators are installed in the vehicles. A new ticket must be purchased after every change. Alternatively, there is the "Vilniečio kortelė", an electronic ticket. The card itself is sold for € 1 at kiosks and can be topped up there with any amount. When boarding, the card must be held in front of the validator and the period of validity (30 or 60 minutes) selected. With the confirmation, the fare (€ 0.64 or € 0.93) is deducted from the card balance and the ticket is valid for the selected time. With the Vilniečio kortelė you can change trains as often as you like within the maximum journey time. Day tickets cost € 5, three-day tickets € 8 and ten-day tickets € 15. By the way, checks are frequent, especially at the beginning of the month. The buses are stopped at bus stops by uniformed inspectors and all occupants are checked. The bus can only continue to operate after this procedure.
There are also private buses that cost a little more and are faster. Attention: these are easy to confuse with the city buses! Students and seniors pay half the fare on both private and city buses with the Vilnius City Card [1] unlimited public transport can be used.
More information and timetables are on the Vilnius Transport Authority website to find. There is an unofficial map of the trolleybus routes [2]. A very suitable app for smartphones and tablets to find your way around public transport in Vilnius (timetables, navigation, live tracking of buses, search for stops, ...) is Trafi (not available in German, but also in English).
Attention: buses, express buses and trolleybuses have separate number systems, with the same number different routes are used, so you should pay close attention to whether you mean bus no.1 or trolleybus no.1, for example. Express bus routes are marked with an additional "G". (See also the link on public transportation.)
Tourist Attractions
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The old town of Vilnius is one of the largest in Europe. The main attractions include:
- 1 St. Stanislaus Cathedral.
The cathedral was completed in 1801 in the classical style. The cathedral's 57 m high separate bell tower stands separately and can be visited.Open: 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. - 2 Vilnius Cathedral Square.The Gediminas Monument stands in the square.
- 3 Gediminas Tower.The tower can be reached either on foot via Cathedral Square or by funicular from the courtyard of the National Museum. You have a good view of the old town.Open: Currently (summer 2018) not accessible due to repairs.
- 4 St. Anna.(also Heilige-Annen-Kirche) - Erected around 1500 in the brick Gothic style. According to an unproven tradition, Napoleon said, looking at this little church: "Oh, if I could, I would carry this gem on my hands to Paris."
- 5 Presidential palace
- Seimas.The Parliament of Lithuania.
- 1 Vilnius University.The university has 13 courtyards, three of which are not accessible. The inner courtyards 1 to 4 and the bookshop in inner courtyard 1, which is decorated with ceiling paintings, are particularly worth seeing. If the weather is clear, we recommend climbing the tower of St. John's Church on the university grounds. Despite the presence of an elevator, narrow stairs must be negotiated in the lower and upper areas.Open: 09: 00-15: 00.Price: adults € 5, students € 1.20.
- 6 Music and Theater Academy of Lithuania.State Conservatory until 1992. Workplace of Prof. Landsbergis - activist of the independence movement and 1st President in post-Soviet Lithuania.
- 7 Vilnius City Hall.The building on the huge town hall square is only used for representative purposes, the administration is located near the European Center.
- 8 Vilnius TV tower.Erected between 1974 and 1980 in the Karoliniškės district. Height 326 m with an accessible viewing platform at 165 m. At the foot of the tower there is a memorial for the victims of the Vilnius Blood Sunday in 1991.
- 9 Gate of the Dawn
- 10 St. Michael and Constantine
- 11 St. Francis and St. Bernard
- 12 St. John
- 13 Holy Spirit Orthodox Church
- 14 Frank Zappa memorial. The world's first memorial to the American musician.
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Museums
- 15 Railway Museum of Lithuania (Geležinkelių muziejus), Geležinkelio g. 16, LT-01047 Vilnius. Tel.: 370 (0)5 269 37 41, Email: [email protected].
The museum consists of three rooms (permanent exhibition, room for temporary exhibitions, room for models) and an outdoor area with some vehicles.
activities
- Watch basketball (Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius), either in the 1 Lietuvos ryto arena
- or in 2 SEB Arena.Basketball is the most popular sport in Lithuania.
- 3 Great Segway, Vilniaus str. 45. Tel.: 370 526 20215. A Segway tour through the old town.Price: € 20 per hour.
- Balloon ride. Ballooning is one of the most popular tourist activities in Vilnius.
- Ice skating on the ice rink "Akropolis ledas" im 4 "Acropolis" shopping center
- In the warm season you can swim just outside of Vilnius 5 Green lake
- Swimming is also possible in the Trakaier lake area (see Trakai).
shop
The euro has been the official currency in Lithuania since January 1, 2015. There are many ATMs in the city and payment by debit or credit card is usually possible even in smaller shops.
- Local products are amber, wool and flax. These goods can be found in market stalls in the 1 Pilies Street.can be found (as well as other souvenirs).
Larger shopping centers can be found outside the old town:
- 2 acropolis
- 3 Centro Pasažas
- 4 Shopping Center "Europe"
There are numerous supermarkets in the city area (including Maxima, Rimi, Barbora, Iki).
kitchen
There are plenty of places to stop off in the center of Vilnius. From student cellars to cafes and drinking rooms to gourmet restaurants, you are sure to find the place to suit your taste. The concentration is particularly high in the streets of the old town such as Burgstrasse, Große Strasse and Deutsche Strasse (Pielies g., Didžioji g., Vokiečių g.), But also on Gediminasprospect. Even in the large housing estates that were built during the Soviet era, you will find refreshment stops within walking distance. There are also numerous opportunities to come for a meal in the new shopping centers. You will find comprehensive information under the web links, and detailed information is also given in the English Wikivoyage.
Although today it is sometimes considered chic among the Vilniusers to go out to eat Western or Southern European (especially Italian), Asian or other exotic foods and the Lithuanian cuisine is sometimes dismissed as rural-rural, tourists can do exactly this in one of the many establishments with Lithuanian cuisine can only recommend. Whether Didžkukuliai (big dumplings), also called cepelinai (zeppelins) since the first appearance of airships over the Lithuanian sky, in summer Šaltibarščiai (cold borstsch), Mišrainė (a kind of potato salad with lots of peas) or Ausytės (little ears = dumplings with mushroom filling), You will certainly not regret tasting it. Solid white cheese (Varškės sūris), also known as cheese curd in some areas of Germany, is often found on cold platters or as a bite to eat with drinks. It comes in different forms, relatively soft to hard, thin or thick, with or without caraway seeds. Herring also plays a not insignificant role in Lithuanian cuisine, e.g. as the "herring in fur" that is widespread in Eastern Europe. The very dark Lithuanian bread, with or without caraway seeds, should be mentioned. It has a long shelf life and is tasty, but unfortunately it is usually sold pre-cut in supermarkets today. At the markets and on overland trips you can sometimes still buy the classic Lithuanian bread, which is baked on calamus straw and which thus gets a special touch. It was customary to break or tear the bread, which can still be seen today.
If you want to judge Lithuanian beer brewing skills, you should go to the 1 Alynas pub walk. Up to 20 beers from the various Lithuanian breweries are tapped here.
nightlife
theatre
- 6 Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theater, A. Vienuolio g. 1. Tel.: 370 52620727, Email: [email protected].
accommodation
In the years after its independence, a number of cute little hotels and hostels have sprung up in the old town of Vilnius, for which old, historic buildings were used. Large new buildings by international hotel chains can be found on the right side of the Neris. If you come to Vilnius and just want to get to know the city, you should stay in the old town, as most of the sights are easily accessible on foot from here. If you come to Vilnius by car and want to explore the country from here, you should rather stay on the other side of the Neris to avoid the narrow streets of the old town and the annoying search for a parking space there. It is also easy to get to the major arterial roads to the north and west from here. For those who want to explore the country by public transport, an area in the old town is recommended, as the train station and bus station are nearby. For a comprehensive list of accommodation options, please refer to the web link or the English Wikivoyage.
Old town
- 1 Europa Royale Hotel
- 2 Centro Cubas Hotel
- 3 Narutis Hotel
- 4 Best Eastern Mabre Residence Hotel
- 5 Domus Maria Hotel
- 6 Stikliai Hotel
- 7 Hostel Gate
- 8 Artis Hotel
- 9 Kempinski Hotel
Gediminas prospect and surroundings
- 10 Ambassador Hotel
- 11 Neringa Hotel
- 12 Ratonda Centrum Hotel
- 13 Novotel Hotel
- 14 Senatoriai Hotel
- 15 Hotel Dvaro
- 16 Hotel Tilto
Right of the Neris
- 17 Holiday Inn
- 18 Best Western
- 19 Ecotel Vilnius
Learn
At Vilnius universities and colleges there is both the possibility of a full course as well as a visiting course.
For some years now, the full course has been based on the three-tier EU system Bachelor / Master / Doctor. Those who want to tackle this should inform themselves beforehand about the recognition of their certificates for admission to the university and the later recognition of the qualifications achieved in Lithuania in their respective home countries. There is no central placement office, you apply directly to the respective institution or take the help of various organizations in your home country. The tuition fees are between € 2,000 and € 7,000 per year, in medicine it may even be a little higher. You must clarify in your home country whether Bafög or similar is granted; In Lithuania itself there is a state fund for the promotion of educational exchanges, some of which also provide scholarships. The official language is Lithuanian. Some subject areas also teach in English, although there are two options: 1. entire course in English; 2. Start studying in English with Lithuanian language lessons and gradually reducing English and increasing the Lithuanian proportion of lectures. For example, since 2012 there has been the option of a complete medical degree in English.
The guest study is intended for students at a university in their home country and lasts 1-2 semesters.
Some institutions offer summer courses in Lithuanian language and culture for both beginners and advanced learners.
Work
Lithuania grants free movement of workers for the EU, but a residence permit is required for a longer stay. The situation on the labor market is very tense, as many workers who went to Great Britain, Ireland or Spain during the boom are now coming back. Swiss, Austrians and Germans are found almost exclusively as specialists and executives in branches of companies from their respective home countries.
If someone offers you a job to supplement your holiday budget, which consists of transferring a vehicle to Lithuania because they do not have time, you definitely decline it with thanks.
Artists who have the feeling that they have to be kissed by their muse again should stay for several months in the artists' quarter Užupis (behind the river) and enjoy the atmosphere and the exchange of ideas with colleagues.
security
Many Vilnius residents are depressed that Lithuania is no longer perceived in German-speaking countries primarily as the small country that wrested its independence from the Russian bear, but as the country of car thieves and fences. Knowing the situation, they recommend their guests to equip the vehicles with an additional, non-standard security device in addition to the standard anti-theft device, regardless of whether it is mechanical or electrical. Incidentally, that can't do any harm in Germany either.
health
- 2 Centro poliklinika, Pylimo gatve 3. Tel.: 370 52514016, 370 52514058 (Info). Central Polyclinic, registration possible by phone and via the Internet.
- 3 Žalgirio Klinika, Žalgirio gatve 117. Tel.: 370 52727500. University clinic, with dental department, registration possible by telephone and via the Internet.
Practical advice
understanding
Vilnius more than lives up to its reputation as a multicultural metropolis. There are schools with the languages of instruction in Lithuanian, Polish, Russian and Belarusian. In the tourist-oriented shops and eateries in the center, you will usually get along well with one of these languages or English. German is not widely used. In neighborhood restaurants outside the center it can happen that one or the other of the languages mentioned is dominant. Regardless of which language you choose, avoid using the designation Wilna, Wilno or similar for the city as far as possible; Lithuanians with a slightly national attitude sometimes interpret this as a hidden claim to claims by former occupying or occupying powers. In the meantime, the name Vilnius has also established itself in Russian. Conversely, geographical terms and names, including those from German, are changed according to Lithuanian rules and are sometimes difficult to understand when listening or reading. But if you know where to go [3]Karaliaučius is located and who [4] Gerdas Miuleris is, you have already understood the principle. This is important if you need any documents or documents, e.g. for the insurance company after a traffic accident. There is a kind of language police in Lithuania that requires authorities to use the Lithuanian spelling. Insist that at least the original spelling of your name appears in brackets. Otherwise, in German offices it is sometimes assumed that you were traveling under an alias.
Tourist Information
- 5 Tourist Information, Vilniaus g. 22nd. Tel.: 370 5 262 9660, Email: [email protected]. Central office.
- Tourist Information, Šventaragio g. 2. Cathedral Square.
important facilities
miscellaneous
There are several public toilets in the city, e.g. in the Bernardinergarten 16 or in the park behind the cathedral 17 . The fees are manageable. In some places there are inconspicuous unisex automatic toilets, e.g. near the Annenkirche. Outwardly looking like and no bigger than an advertising pillar, it can easily be overlooked. Do not try to start a flush after use if you do not understand the instructions. The system is flushed and cleaned automatically after the door is closed from the outside. The public toilets in the "Centro Pasažas" shopping center are very clean, conveniently located and free of charge.
Central post office
- Vilniaus centrinis paštas, Gediminas prospectus 7. Tel.: 370 8 700 55 400. Lithuanian and English, with a map of other post offices and mailboxes.Open: Mon - Fri 8:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m., Sat 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Postcodes
- from 01001 to 14191
Phone code
- (370) 5 from abroad
- (8) 5 or (0) 5 from within Germany
wireless Internet access
- There are several hotspots in the city center. At the entrance, cafes and other dining establishments often draw attention to the fact that free WiFi is available. A password is then usually required from the waiter or bartender.
trips
Trakai
If you are traveling to Vilnius for several days for the first time, the Trakai, approx. 25 km away, is an absolute must. Trakai played an important role in the Middle Ages and was the capital of the Grand Duchy for seven years under Grand Duke Gediminas at the beginning of the 14th century, later it was often used as a temporary residence by the Grand Dukes. They are worth seeing 18 Inselburg and the impressive lake landscape. Karaites are also at home in Trakai, whose ancestors were once brought from the Crimea by Grand Duke Vytautas as bodyguards. Although only a few hundred people, they have preserved their Karaim language and traditions to this day. You can drive to Trakai via the A16. There are regular buses from the bus station, and trains to Trakai every 1-2 hours from the station. The journey time is just under half an hour.
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Center of Europe
According to calculations by the French geographical institute, the geographical 9 Center of Europe about 25 km north of Vilnius near the village of Purnuškės. You can reach this place by vehicle via the A14 in the direction of Moletai-Utena. From the bus station, take a bus in the direction of Purnuškės-Moletai-Utena and ask the driver to stop at the Europazentrum stop.
Europapark (Europos Parkas)
The one founded by a Lithuanian sculptor 19 Europe Park extends over several hectares and exhibits sculptures from all over the world in the great outdoors. You can reach the park by taking the road to Skirkiškes past the green lakes. You can take the bus from the bus stop on the corner of Kalvarių and Žalgirio streets.
Kaunas
Kaunas As the second largest city in Lithuania, it is easy to explore day trips from Vilnius. Both trains and buses run almost every hour from the train or bus station to the city, 100 km away. The journey time varies between a little over an hour and just under two hours, so that you can comfortably drive there in the morning and come back on time in the evening. Some buses also run directly from the airport to Kaunas. With your own vehicle you drive on the A1.
20 Kernavė was the first (known) capital of the Grand Duchy in pagan times. The castle mounds still bear witness to the five former fortified castles. According to tradition, the legendary Mindaugas ruled the country from the largest hill, while the Lithuanians paid homage to their gods on the sacrificial mountain. Kernavė is a World Heritage Site. By car it is approx. 35 km via secondary roads; There are six buses a day from the bus station to Kernavė.
literature
Web links
- https://www.vilnius.lt/ (lt) - Vilnius Official Website
- Tips on shopping on the Vilnius Tourist Information Center website
- Tips on stopping off on the Vilnius Tourist Information Center website
- Tips on staying overnight on the Vilnius Tourist Information Center website
- Public transportation on the Vilnius Tourist Information Center website
- Report of a train journey from Berlin to Vilnius on www.ice-treff.de
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