Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, is also the largest capital city in the Baltic States. Well known for its medieval Old Town, Vilnius is a must visit city when you are in the Baltics. This post covers how to spend one day in Vilnius. It also includes the best things to do in Vilnius during your short stay.
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Table of Contents
How to Get Around with One Day in Vilnius?
Most of Vilnius is very walkable. For the most part, I have written this itinerary in a way that is easy to walk from one place to another. There is also a good bus and trolley system. You can buy tickets for a single journey on the bus itself or download the trafi app to buy a one day pass.
Truth be told, with just one day in Vilnius and if you want to see the best of what the city has to offer, I don’t recommend waiting on public transport. Like I said most of the places I’ve listed below are very walkable but I will callout when you may need to take a taxi. Download the Bolt app which is like Uber. Rides were very reasonable.
Is One Day In Vilnius Enough Time?
Ideally, you probably need about 2 days in Vilnius to take things slow and explore without rushing. However, if one is all the time you have in Vilnius, then this post will show you how to make the most of your time here.
Things to Do with One Day in Vilnius
Halės Tungus
Start your day with some breakfast at Halės Tungus. This is one of the oldest markets in Vilnius and has produce stalls, food stalls and restaurants. Try a kibinai at the bakery. This meat or vegetable stuffed pastry is Lithuania’s version of an empanada and is very delicious! The market opens at 7 AM daily barring Monday when it is closed.
Explore Churches in Old Town
From Halės Tungus, make your way to the Old Town. Exploring the Old Town is one of the best things to do with one day in Vilnius and you will spend most of your time here. Enter through the Gate of Dawn. Vilnius used to have 10 defense gates but only the Gate of Dawn stands today. On top of the Gate of Dawn is a small chapel dedicated to Mary. The painting of Mary, covered in gold is said to have been completed in 1630. Today, this chapel is a popular pilgrimage site and draws crowds from Lithuania and Poland.
Next to the chapel is the Church of St. Theresa’s (Both the chapel and the church have the same entrance. Go right for one and left for the other). This baroque church was completed in 1650 and has an imposing facade and equally stunning interior.
Next, explore the Russian Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit. This church was so beautiful that I came twice. The inside is a beautiful shade of green and has stunning frescoes and icons. It was first built in the 16th century and then re-built in the 18th.
Once you get back to the main road and walk a bit ahead and turn back, you will get a nice shot of all 3 churches.
There are a couple of more churches along the road if you want to pop your head in!
The Town Hall and Square
From exploring the churches mentioned above, walk down the road and towards the Town Hall and Square. Take in the sights and sounds from the square. With only one day in Vilnius, you probably won’t have time to explore the Town Hall but it has various exhibitions at times.
My favorite road in Vilnius is Stiklių g road and it’s right next to the square. This road is super colorful and cute! If you are a regular reader, you know I’m a sucker for a colorful street and this road didn’t disappoint!
Pilies Street
This street is one of the oldest streets in Old Town. It is said that the name of this street is mentioned in records going back to 1530. Today, it’s one of the most popular streets and the epicenter for various cultural events and festivals.
Literatų Gatvė
Literatų gatvė or Literature street, is a small street off Pilies. This street celebrates writers who have worked and lived in Vilnius. Wandering down this short road is a very popular thing to do in Vilnius.
St. John’s Bell Tower
This bell tower, located at the Vilnius University, is one of the best things to do in Vilnius in my opinion! This 68-meter tower with a bird’s eye view of the entire city is the one thing you must do on your one day in Vilnius! When I visited the elevator was closed and I had to climb the almost 200 steep and narrow steps up! But the views were absolutely worth it!
One thing to note is that the tower is closed from the end of October to April for the winter season.
Don’t forget to also visit the church of St. John’s that’s next door! This church took nearly 40 years to build and was completed in 1426.
Presidential Palace Gardens
From the University grounds, a short walk brings you to the Presidential Palace Gardens. You can actually tour the Presidential Palace itself but with only one day in Vilnius, you will have to skip this (plus you need an advanced booking).
Vilnius Cathedral
The official name of the cathedral is actually The Cathedral Basilica of St. Stanislaus and St. Ladislaus, however, everyone knows it at the Vilnius Cathedral. The church has been built and destroyed due to various reason over the years. The original cathedral was built in the 13th century while the current one was built in the 18th. This church was used over the centuries for the inaugurations of the Grand Duke’s of Lithuania and in more recent time is used to hold mass when Lithuania’s presidents get elected.
The Cathedral Square is a very important place for Lithuania and has seen so much of its history over the years.
The tower next door is honestly not worth it. Especially if you already visited St. John’s Bell Tower. The views from this tower are nothing much so, my advice would be to save your money and your time. An interesting note about the tower is that the clock on it is the oldest clock in the city.
Vilnius Castle Complex
From the cathedral it’s a short walk to the Vilnius Castle Complex. Take the funicular or walk up to the upper complex where the Gediminas Tower is. This upper complex boasts good views of the Old Town and business districts of Vilnius. The current Tower was rebuilt in 1933 but the original fortifications were built in the 13th and 14th century along with the castle that was built in 1409. You can visit the tower if you want to which houses various exhibits from things archeologists have found from the hill and the surrounding areas.
With your right to the tower, look towards your left side. you will see the Three Crosses Monument on your left. This monument is one that you can visit if you have more than one day in Lithuania.
Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania
This is one of the best things to do in Vilnius and a must-do even if you only have one day in Vilnius. This palace was originally constructed in the 15th century for the Dukes of the Grand Dutchy of Lithuania. It was demolished in 1801 and re-built in the 2000s. Today, you can visit the museum which also happens to be the National Museum. I really enjoyed this experience and they had done a great job of showcasing Lithuanian history through the ages. You can even see excavations of the original site and so many artifacts that tell the story of Lithuanian from yesteryears. The museum has several “routes” that you can choose from. I opted to do all the routes and really thought it was a very well done museum!
See HERE for more information!
Options
From the Palace of the Grand Dukes, you can have a late lunch or keep going. It depends on how you are feeling. If you opt to have lunch, you can walk to a cool lunch spot first and backtrack. If you opt to keep going then you can cover some more places and have lunch later. It’s up to you. I’ll continue this itinerary with the first option.
Paupio Turgus
From The Palace of the Grand Dukes, walk or take a Bolt (20 minutes walk or 3 minutes taxi ride) to Paupio Turgus. This indoor food court is super cool! It has a lot of great options for food and drinks (including cocktails) and the entire place is covered in beautiful foliage. I really enjoyed my lunch here!
Republic of Užupis
The Republic of Užupis is an independant republic in Vilnius. It’s popular for artists and free thinkers and is compared to Montmatre in Paris! Užupis even has it’s own constitution which is displayed in several languages along a wall. Walk around Užupis and take the sights in! If you want dessert, check out the Birzu Duona Kepykla bakery for a delicious treat. This corner of the city is a must visit even if you only have one day in Vilnius!
Gothic Corner
One interesting observation I had about Vilnius is the number of churches in the city! The Gothic corner of Vilnius actually has 2 beautiful churches next to each other that you can visit. They are the Church of St. Anne and the church of St. Francis of Assisi. St. Anne’s is considered to be one of the best gothic masterpieces in Vilnius. It was consecrated in 1500 and legend has it that Napoleon wanted to take it back with him the palm of his hand.
Bernardine Gardens
If you are looking for a break from all the walking, check out this beautiful garden right in the heart of the city. The Vilnia river flows peacefully at the edge of the gardens, making it a nice quiet respite. When I visited in April, the garden was full of tulips and cherry blossom flowers!
Note – If you don’t want to have lunch immediately after the Palace of the Grand Dukes, visit all the places listed between Bernardine gardens and Užupis (visiting the gardens first) prior to making your way to Paupio Turgus.
More Time?
If you have more time and energy, check out the following two places that I found interesting.
1. Church of Saints Peter and Paul
A Bolt driver actually told me about this one. I managed to visit just before leaving Vilnius and I am so glad I did. Completed in 1701, this massive church is considered to be one of if not the most beautiful catholic church in Vilnius. It’s baroque and stucco work interior is absolutely breathtaking! It’s a little out of the way and you will probably need to catch a Bolt ride to visit this church.
2. Bastion of the Defense Walls
As I mentioned the city of Vilnius used to have 10 defense gates and this fortification bastion was built in the 16th century as part of the city’s defensive wall system. It suffered heavily during the war with Russia in the 17th century and was rebuilt in the 20th century. Today, the museum at the Bastion of the Vilnius Defense Wall showcases the weaponry and defense practices of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
Where to Stay in Vilnius
Old Town is a very popular place to stay in Vilnius. However, I opted to stay close to the train station at a place called Stay Vilnius Hotel. I was going to be using the train and bus for a day trip or two and also to go to Latvia and wanted to stay in a place where it was easy to walk to the station with a suitcase. However, this place was also very close to Old Town and very walkable. I always use booking.com to pick places to stay based on my very unique needs. Booking has so many filters that you can search for and book accommodation based on your needs.
Where to Eat in Vilnius
Žemaičių ąsotis
If you want to get a taste of Lithuanian cuisine, then you definitely should check out Žemaičių ąsotis. This coz restaurant is a little outside of the Old Town but is worth checking out. You can try Cepelinai, one of the most famous Lithuanian food and cold beetroot soup amongst other traditional food here. Reservations are highly recommended. They were packed even when I visited in April.
Amandus
Amandus is a short walk from Old Town and is located in the Republic of Užupis. This restaurant is on the Michelin Guide and has a set tasting menu. Every dish was perfect, even the bread and paprika butter! The owner and chef comes to each table to chat with you. If you are looking for an elevated dining experience, then Amandus is definitely a restaurant that you should check out!
Nomads Cocktail Bar
If you are looking for some good cocktails is a nice sophisticated ambience, then head over to Nomads before or after dinner. They open at 5 PM and close at 2 or 3 AM depending on the day of the week.
Guided Tours in Vilnius
Guided walking or biking tours are a great way to learn about a city. All of the suggested tours are short enough that you could easily do them even with only one day in Vilnius. Once done with the tour, you can cover any of the other places you didn’t get to visit on the tour.
Where to Next?
If you have more time in Lithuania, consider doing some day trips from Vilnius. Trakai and Kaunas are both popular and easy destinations for day trips. If you have more time, consider visiting Latvia for a couple of days.
Read about how to visit Trakai HERE
See my complete guide to Kaunas HERE
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