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Vilnius

Baroque Old Town lanes, Uzupis art & honest cheap eats

Browse Vilnius

Vilnius rewards travellers who wander: one of Europe’s largest baroque Old Towns, the self-declared artists’ republic of Uzupis, and some of the cheapest honest food on the continent. Our local picks so far include the Vilnius Pub Crawl for a night out with locals and the legendary bus station canteen (Autobusu stoties valgykla) for a true Lithuanian lunch at Soviet-era prices. More hand-picked recommendations are on the way – filter by category and budget below.

Vilnius at a glance

  • Ideal stay: 2 to 3 days
  • Best time to visit: May to September
  • Highlights: the baroque Old Town and Uzupis
  • Where to stay: Old Town and Uzupis
  • Local picks: a growing set of hand-chosen tips
  • Getting around: very walkable centre

Where to stay in Vilnius

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Old Town

Aukso Avis

A beloved Old Town shop stocked entirely by Lithuanian craftspeople – felted hats and bags, ceramics, screen-printed shirts, jewellery and wearable weavings, with a gallery of Baltic fibre art downstairs. They even run felting workshops, so you can make your own souvenir instead of buying one.
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Autobusų stoties valgykla/kavinė

So you’re the last one out the club? Well, 6AM means you’re coming here or the Micky D’s right across the street. The latter don’t have the home style meals, though. Are…
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Old Town

Beigelių Krautuvėlė (Bagel Shop)

Why it matters: run by the Lithuanian Jewish Community on the first floor of its Pylimo street headquarters, this little bakery-cafe brought the bagel back to the city where Litvak bagel culture was born, and doubles as a community and cultural center where tours of Jewish Vilnius often start or finish. Everything is baked on site to traditional recipes – bagels with lox, bialys, challah on Fridays, and old Litvak sweets like teiglach and imberlach you will not find elsewhere. Come hungry and curious; it is closed Saturdays for Shabbat.
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Old Town

Mano Guru

Why it matters: running since 2004 as one of Lithuania’s first social businesses, this cheerful salad bar trains and employs people rebuilding their lives after prison or addiction, with cooks, waiters and bartenders learning the trade alongside psychologists and social workers. The food holds its own – build-your-own salads, hot daily specials and fresh juices at some of the friendliest prices on Vilniaus street. Grab a weekday lunch when the specials rotate and the local office crowd pours in. Every bill directly funds the reintegration program.
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Old Town

Pirmas Blynas

Why it matters: at this social-enterprise pancake restaurant most of the team – seven of eleven staff – are people with intellectual disabilities, working the floor and the kitchen and training around fifteen interns a year for the wider job market. It now lives inside the deconsecrated Ramintoja church on Savičiaus street, which makes eating a stack of pancakes feel oddly grand. Go for the savory pancakes with a house-roasted coffee or their own kombucha, and leave room for a chocolate truffle. Note it is closed on Tuesdays.
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Vilnius Pub Crawl

A guided pub crawl through Vilnius Old Town bars and student haunts, the easy way to see the city after dark.
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Vilnius travel FAQ

How many days do you need in Vilnius?

Two to three days covers the Old Town, Uzupis and a relaxed food crawl, with time left for a day trip to Trakai Castle.

Where is the best area to stay in Vilnius?

The Old Town keeps everything walkable; Uzupis is the arty, bohemian alternative right next door.

What are the best things to do in Vilnius?

Browse the local picks above, from a locals-led pub crawl to the city's legendary cheap-eats canteen.

What is the best time to visit Vilnius?

Late spring to early autumn brings long days and terrace weather; December has a famously cosy Christmas market.

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