Lithuania Travel Guide

Full Name

Republic of Lithuania

Former Name

Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic

Capital City

Vilnius

Government Type

parliamentary democracy

Area Size

65,200 sq km

Time Zone

UTC/GMT +2 hours

Climate

Oceanic/continental. Average temperature in July is +17°C, in January -4.9°C. However, temperatures can soar up to +30°C in summer, and drop down to -32°C in winter. Summers here are pleasantly mild, whereas not every winter offers abundance of snow.

Geography

Lithuania is situated in northern Europe. It has around 99 kilometres of sandy coastline, of which only about 38 kilometres face the open Baltic Sea and which is the shortest among the Baltic Sea countries; the rest of the coast is sheltered by the Curonian sand peninsula. Lithuania's major warm-water port, Klaipėda, lies at the narrow mouth of the Curonian Lagoon (Lithuanian: Kuršių marios), a shallow lagoon extending south to Kaliningrad. The main river, the Neman River, and some of its tributaries carry international shipping vessels.

Languages

Lithuanian (official) 82%, Russian 8%, Polish 5.6%, other and unspecified 4.4% (2001 census)

Culture

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 , Žemaitija, Dzūkija or Dainava, Sūduva or Suvalkija and Lithuania Minor. 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.

History

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 Moscow did not recognize this proclamation until September of 1991 (following the abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently restructured its economy for integration into Western European institutions; it joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Travel Information

The national airline is FlyLAL(TE). Vilnius Airport (VNO) is situated approximately 6km southeast of the city centre. There are taxi and bus services to the city. Minibuses also run. Facilities: Duty-free shop, banks/bureaux de change, refreshments, tourist information, travel agencies, hotel, VIP lounge and car hire. There are also international airports in Kaunas (KUN) and Palanga (PLQ); the latter serves the whole of the Baltic coast. Departure Tax LTL60. Main ports: Klaipeda is connected by trade routes with foreign ports. There are ferry services to Denmark, Kaliningrad (Russian Federation), Germany, Poland and Sweden. There is also a cruise ship terminal. For information on ferry services from Klaipeda. There are services to Karlshamm in Sweden; Aarhus and Aabenraa in Denmark; and to Kiel and Sassnitz in Germany. Lithuania has a well-developed rail network and Vilnius is the focal point for rail connections in the region. Major routes go to Kaliningrad, Lviv (Ukraine), Minsk, Moscow, Riga, St Petersburg and Warsaw. Lithuania has a good network of roads connecting the country with all neighbouring states. The international road Via Baltica goes from Tallinn to Warsaw through Latvia and Lithuania, thus connecting Scandinavia with Western Europe.There are passenger coaches from Vilnius to cities including Berlin, Gdansk, Kaliningrad, Minsk, Moscow, Prague, Riga, Tallinn, Vienna and Warsaw. Charter buses go to all Western European countries. Eurolines serves destinations in Lithuania.

Accommodation

Since independence, Western-style hotels and motels have been built in Lithuania in cooperation with foreign firms. Modernisation and renovation programmes are generally concentrated in Vilnius. All major hotels in Kaunas are concentrated in the centre of the town. Meanwhile, Vilnius and the other major centres in the country enjoy an adequate range of good accommodation including large hotels and smaller pensions.

Visa Requirements

Visas are not required by all nationals of the EU, Australia, Canada and USA for tourist stays of up to 90 days. Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements. Passport valid for at least three months beyond length of stay required by all nationals of countries referred to above except: EU nationals holding a valid national ID card. EU nationals are only required to produce evidence of their EU nationality and identity in order to be admitted to any EU Member State. This evidence can take the form of a valid national passport or national identity card. Either is acceptable. Possession of a return ticket, any length of validity on their document, sufficient funds for the length of their proposed visit should not be imposed.

Getting Around

There are domestic airports at Kaunas, Palanga and Siauliai. Local ferries connect Klaipeda and the Curonian Spit. Klaipeda is home to two yacht clubs. There are good connections from Vilnius to Kaunas, Klaipeda and Siauliai. Twice-daily passenger trains connect Vilnius with the Baltic coast. Suburban trains going to Ignalina connect Vilnius with the popular lake district of the National Park. Traffic drives on the right. There is a good network of roads within the country. Modern four-lane motorways connect Vilnius with Klaipeda, Kaunas and Panevezys. Generally, buses are more frequent and quicker than domestic trains and serve almost every town and village. Kautra has services from Kaunas to almost all the major cities in Lithuania. Tickets are sold to as many passengers as wish to travel and more buses are assigned as necessary. Car rental is available from local and international firms. Public transport in urban districts includes buses and trolleybuses, which usually run from 0500-2300, but times do vary between routes. Minibuses are less crowded but more expensive. Taxis display illuminated Taksi signs and can be hailed in the street, found at taxi ranks or ordered by phone.

Health & Safety

The only health risks associated with visiting Lithuania are for those intending to visit forested areas, who are advised to have inoculations against rabies and tick-borne encephalitis. Travellers are advised to obtain a Hepatitus A vaccine. EU citizens are entitled to emergency medical treatment if they have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from their country of origin. Medical facilities are fair and there are plenty of doctors, but equipment and resources are lacking. There are a few private clinics of high standard. Doctors and hospitals usually expect immediate cash payment for services. Travel medical insurance is highly recommended. Lithuania is devoid of civil unrest and the terrorism threat is low. Car theft is rife, and there is a risk of mugging, pick-pocketing and bag snatching especially on public transport. Visitors should exercise due care and avoid carrying valuables. It is advisable to carry a copy of your passport for identification purposes. Traffic accidents are common, so extra vigilance is required for driving, especially at night.

National Holidays

1 Jan - New Year’s Day. 16 Feb - Restoration of the State Day (1918). 11 Mar - Restoration of Independence Day (1990). 6-9 Apr - Easter. 1 May - International Labour Day. 6 May - Mothers' Day. 24 Jun - Jonines (St John's Day/Midsummer's Day). 6 Jul - Anniversary of the Coronation of King Mindaugas. 15 Aug - Assumption Day. 1 Nov - All Saints' Day. 25 Dec - Christmas Day. 26 Dec - Boxing Day.

Currency

Lithuanian Lita (LTL)

Electricity

220v AC, 50Hz

Working Hours

Office hours: Mon-Fri 9.00am - 1.00pm and 2.00pm - 6.00pm.

Emergency Numbers

112