Destination: Lithuania
WHY VISIT LITHUANIA
The capital, Vilnius, displays a particular atmosphere, marked by the influences it has undergone. You will visit its old town, extensive, instead of the cathedral, the Gediminas Hill, the university, the old Jewish ghetto, the observatory, the presidential palace. In the new city, located further west, you can not remain insensitive to the Museum of the Genocide of the Lithuanian people. About thirty kilometers west of Vilnius lies Trakai, the ancient capital, surrounded by islands and lakes, with its charming little wooden houses and a chapel and a small museum.
On the Baltic coast, the Curonian Spit delights you with its four cities bathed by the scent of pine trees nearby: Juodkrante, Pervalka, Preila, and Nida totaled close to beaches and dunes, and in the surrounding woods there find elk, wild boar, and deer. Only drawback: the water is not always suitable for swimming, so check-in before risking it in different places.
In the south, the town of Druskininkai is famous for its mineral springs already known in the 19th century but also cause they was born sculptor Jacques Lipchitz on. In addition, one finds there today Lenin Land amusement park, whose official name is "Grutas Park of the Soviet sculptures".
Lastly, resorts lovers are sure the city of Palanga, with its beach and pine trees, botanical gardens including the rose garden alone is worth a visit, and its beautiful museum of Amber. The end of the season is celebrated in the last days of August with lavish festivities, market, carnival, concert, and songs.
WHAT TO SEE IN LITHUANIA
Top destinations in Lithuania are:
Klaipéda
Aukštaitija National Park
Trakai Historical National Park
Curonian Spit National Park
WHEN TO GO TO LITHUANIA
Weather in Lithuania
The best period to visit Lithuania is from June to September.
The best time to visit Lithuania in late spring or summer when there's usually enough fine weather to allow you to stroll around the cities and make significant forays into the great outdoors. On the whole, though, the only thing that's predictable about the Baltic climate is the deep, dark winters – in all other seasons, the weather can be changeable in the extreme.
Summers are relatively short (roughly mid-June to late August), and although you may well experience a string of hot, dry days during this period, showers and chilly nights are equally likely. Remember to pack a waterproof jacket and warm sweater alongside your T-shirts.
Temperatures cool down rapidly from mid-September onwards, although autumn can be an extraordinarily beautiful season in which to visit, with the golden brown leaves of deciduous trees contrasting with the dark-green pines.
The first snowfalls can come as early as mid-November and by early to mid-December winter sets in with a vengeance. Average daytime temperatures can remain below zero right through until March, plummeting to minus 15–20°C in, particularly cold spells. Winter can of course be a magical time, with lakes, rivers and large expanses of the Baltic Sea freezing over, and crunchy snow cover adding an air of enchantment to medieval city centers. However, rural areas can be difficult to get to without a four-wheel-drive vehicle (only the main highways are snowplowed), and you'll have to be well togged up in order to endure anything but the shortest of walks. Wherever you are in winter, some form of hat or head covering is absolutely essential.
Even when the spring thaw sets in, the countryside can remain grey and barren until well into April (or even May in northern Estonia), when a sudden explosion of color transforms the landscape. The countryside takes on a green lushness, drawing cattle and horses out from their winter barns, while city-dwellers indulge in a frenzied stampede for the pavement cafés.
Following a list of typical festival and celebrations of Lithuania
Republic Winter Festival: held each January in the village of Ignalina, this popular event features dancing, feasting, music, street processions, and the wearing of masks by those who participate. The masks, which are an integral part of the festival, are made by hand, and many are quite intricate in design.
Mardi Gras: marking the end of the winter season, this is one of the liveliest festivals seen in Vilnius. Marking the end of winter and the beginning of spring, the celebrations include street parties that last well into the night.
Kaziukas Fair: the fair is held in communities around the country in early March, on the day honoring St Kazimieras, the patron saint of Lithuania. Some of the finest traditional arts and crafts from around the country are featured.
International Jazz Festival: jazz lovers from all corners of Europe come to Kaunas in April for this series of concerts that feature international names in jazz. In addition to the concerts, there are workshops and lessons on offer. www.vilniusjazz.lt
Folklore Festival: parties, handicraft fairs, and traditional foods are the mainstays of this festival. Concerts, discos, parades, and street dancing provide plenty to do in the evenings during this celebration.
International Children's and Youth Theatre Festival: children from Lithuania, Russia and the Nordic region come together in Vilnius in a celebration of music, dance, and theatre. They perform for an international crowd, celebrating children and youth around the world.
Folk Music Festival: held in Zarasai, this popular folk festival is a one-of-a-kind event for Lithuania. One of the main goals of the event is the preservation of Lithuanian folk music traditions. Local musicians join together in performances at venues across the town.
Vilnius Festival: this festival of classical music has been held annually for more than a decade and features a number of the top performers in the world. Lithuanian national institutions also take part, including the National Opera and Ballet Theatre Company and the National Philharmonic. The concert series continues through the month of June at various venues in the capital. www.vilniusfestivals.lt/EN
Let there be night: starting from the belief that "darkness allows to immerse yourself into the culture, let the imagination run free and enjoy the processes around you", 200 performances in just one night, from dusk to dawn. A free event held in 2007 for the first time, Culture Night is a great chance to discover a different side of Vilnius.
Art Vilnius: conceived as an international contemporary art fair, this event is a great opportunity to see exhibitions from galleries across all over Europe – from Georgia, Romania, and Ukraine to France, Russia, the Netherlands, and Sweden. www.artvilnius.com
The Feast of Saint John (Summer Festival): is a summer solstice celebration that sees wreaths floating down the Neris River and colorful decorations in Serikiskiu and Verkiai Parks. Also known as Jonines or Rasos, the ritual dates back to the pagan times when Midsummer Days were defining moments of the year. This is a perfect way to observe a blend of contemporary and ancient cultures.
Anyksciai Town Birthday and St Ann's Feast: the birthday of this small, traditional town is celebrated with a fair and exhibitions, fire and water shows, dancing, feasting, and concerts.
Cucumber Festival: a unique festival in Lithuania, and possibly one of the few of its kind anywhere, this celebration of cucumbers is held annually in Kedainiai. The town is known as 'Cucumber Town' and during the festivities, you can sample all sorts of dishes made from cucumbers and taste the town's interesting cucumber liqueur.
Christopher summer festival: is a two-month music festival, the largest of this kind in Vilnius and one of the most impressive in the Baltic States. www.kristupofestivaliai.lt/en
World Lithuanian song festival: song festivals are a national tradition in Lithuania, and this event goes back to 1924, continuing in different forms even between the wars and during the Soviet occupation. The World Lithuanian Song Festival is held every four years and is divided into a day of dance, an afternoon of ethnographic and folk music groups, and a day of song, with participants from Lithuania and all over the world and thousands of spectators.
Trakai Fanfare week: The perfect music event for brass bands fans, the Fanfare week takes place in the small and scenic town of Trakai, not far from Vilnius. www.fanfareweek.lt
Ice Cream Festival: not only is Kedainiai known for its cucumbers, but it holds a popular ice cream festival every August. Ice cream makers throughout the town offer samples and discounted sales of their top flavors. Concerts are staged around the town and street entertainers add to the cheery atmosphere.
Bartholomeu Fair: this arts and crafts fair celebrates Saint Bartholomeu Day, a tradition stretching back to 1495 that honors the first guild of Vilnius, the goldsmiths. Nowadays, the fair offers demonstrations from craftsmen including weavers, cobblers, stained-glass makers, soap makers, and blacksmiths.
Dzukija Crafts Festival: the art of making traditional handcrafts is featured during this local festival, with the goal of preserving and reviving authentic Dzukija craft traditions. The craft trade was a mainstay of the local economy in the early 20th century.
Sirenos Theatre Festival: held in Vilnius this festival is noted as featuring some of the best performances in Lithuanian theatre. Held in Alytus, visitors from around Europe come to see the productions and to meet the actors, directors, and playwrights. www.sirenos.lt/en
HOW TO REACH AND TRAVEL THROUGH LITHUANIA
by plane, the main airports are:
GENERAL INFORMATION ON LITHUANIA
health tips & vaccination: it is advisable to prefer bottled water to the tap. Universal vaccinations are recommended, as well as against tick-borne encephalitis if you are doing forest excursions.
local currency: European euro
local time zone: GMT+2 (+3)
electricity: type C and type F (230 V – 50 Hz)
mobile phone operators:
Omnitel
WHAT TO DO IN LITHUANIA
typical food in Lithuania
Skilandis: smoked, seasoned pork meat salami.
Balandėliai: cabbage leaves stuffed with minced meat, rice, and onion filling.
Didžkukuliai or cepelinai: large, oval-shaped dumplings made from grated potatoes stuffed with meat, usually served with sour cream, spirgai (cracklings), or mushrooms.
Šaltibarščiai: cold soup made from hard-boiled eggs, cooked and shredded beets, fresh cucumbers, dill and green onions.
Juka: blood soup from the southern region of Lithuania.
Vedarai: baked sausages made from pig intestines stuffed with either potato (bulviniai vėdarai) or a filling made of pork blood, barley, and other ingredients (kraujiniai vėdarai).
Lašiniai: smoked slabs of pork underskin fat with skin, eaten as an appetizer with bread and/or onions.
Juoda Duona: dark rye bread.
Žemaičių blynai: pancakes filled with minced meat.
Bulviniai blynai: potato pancakes made of shredded potatoes mixed with eggs, flour, seasonings, and onion, served with sour cream.
Silkė: salted herring commonly served with potatoes, vegetables, and bread.
Smoked eel is a famous Baltic delicacy.
Bulvių plokštainis: grated potato pie mixed with eggs, milk, onions, and seasonings.
Gira: a fermented drink made from black rye bread.
souvenirs from Lithuania
Amber items
Linen clothes and household items
Weaved and knitted items
Ironware
Wood artworks
SIMPLE DICTIONARY
Hello: Sveiki
Goodbye: Sudie
How are you?: Kaip laikaisi?
Thank you: Ačiū
What is your name?: Koks tavo vardas?
How much is it?: Kiek tai kainuoja?
Sorry: Atsiprašau
Source: http://www.thebesttimetovisit.com/
Source: http://www.roughguides.com/
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Juri - 29 July 2016 0