Destination Vilnius, Lithuania

A quirky mix of ancient and modern, Vilnius is wonderfully beguiling. The almost perfect picture-postcard medieval old town, the largest in central and Eastern Europe, is the jewel in the crown. It's Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance meets contemporary high-end fashion.  

After renting the audio guide from the Vilnius Tourist Information Centre (Vilniaus Street 22 and Didžioji Street 31) I began my tour of the Lithuanian capital at the 16th-century Gates of Dawn, the only remaining gate from 10 that once studded the old city walls. It is now one of the main landmarks of Vilnius. Inside is a chapel, a sacred place for Catholics. 

From there it was on to Pilies Street, the old town's most vibrant thoroughfare where lively cafés, sophisticated boutiques, and market stalls are peppered amongst its old colourful buildings. If you feel like some retail therapy, Baltic amber is the customary souvenir.

Aerial view of Vilnius

It was almost a relief as I wandered round, to see a few imperfections: cracks in the pavements and buildings undergoing renovation. Among the graffiti, which, surprisingly, added to the ambience, were courtyards concealing the remains of ancient houses that were once home to the gentry. 

The Church of St Anne, a stunning piece of Gothic architecture is well worth a visit. Legend has it that Napoleon Bonaparte thought the church so beautiful he wanted to take it back to Paris in the palm of his hand. 

For superb views of historic buildings fusing with 21st-century skyscrapers, on the other side of the river Neris, head to the observation deck on the top of Gediminas Tower. 

It is a good job that Vilnius is a great city for walking as it is all too easy to pile on the pounds here. The Lithuanians like their potatoes. Every dish seems to be served with them. The national dish is potato pancakes. Another speciality  is cold beet soup. The black bread is addictive.

Vilnius as seen from Gediminas Tower

One of the city’s most moving museums is the Museum of Genocide Victims (open Wednesday to Saturday) in the former headquarters of the KGB. It has been kept as it was in Soviet times. So as you walk through the cells you get a real sense of the prisoners' appalling living conditions. The padded cell is enough to send shivers up your spine.

After ticking off most of the tourist hot spots, it was time to do the scenic stuff.  Užupis is Vilnius's answer to Montmartre in Paris. The area, neglected by the Soviets, has become home to artists and creatives. Užupis has its own constitution and president. There is a lovely sculpture of a mermaid that sits on the embankment of the Vilnia. It's an idyllic place to spend a Sunday morning.

No trip to Vilnius would be complete without visiting Trakai (about 17miles outside the city). Surrounded by three lakes, this pretty town is a favourite of both locals and tourists. The castle, which is on an island, is the town's main attraction. In the 1990s, it was rebuilt from the medieval ruins. The red bricks piled on top of the old stones resemble something out of Legoland. Despite that, there is something magical about the place.

Vilnius

Over the centuries the people of Lithuania have been tortured and oppressed by various regimes including the Russians, Nazis and Poles. All of which have influenced the culture. The Jews, too, have left their mark on the city. Vilnius, (or Vilna, in Yiddish) was once called the Jerusalem of Lithuania.

It was only in 1990 that the independent State of Lithuania was re-established and not until 1991 recognised by the USSR. Laura, a young Lithuanian woman told me how she would never forget  August 23 1989 and the so-called Baltic Road. In defiance of Russian rule, two million people from Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia, formed a human chain along roads between Tallin, Riga and Vilnius. "We all sang and held hands. It was a wonderful feeling of unity," she said.

In Cathedral Square, home to the monument of Gediminas, the Lithuanian Grand Duke who founded the city in the early 14th century, you may see people twirling round in a clockwise direction. This is because they have found the miracle tile and hope to be granted a wish. It’s the place, Laura told me, where the human chain ended.  

For Lithuanians, in this country where you can almost taste the optimism that fills the air, their hopes and desires came to fruition. Approximately a decade later, this former Soviet Republic became a member of Nato. Miracles do happen when you are strong and brave.

By Daralyn Danns

Getting there

Wiz (wizzair.com)

Staying: The Narutis Hotel (narutis.com) restored 16th-century Lithuanian luxury 

For further information on Lithuania visit www.lietuva.lt

First published in All About Hair (All About Hair UK), the travel and lifestyle blog with a luxury twist