Practical advice for a smooth and rewarding trip
🔥 Book Tours 🏠 Compare HotelsLithuania uses the Euro — the same currency as most of Western Europe. Cards are accepted almost everywhere in Vilnius and major towns. In rural areas and markets, carry some cash.
Vilnius Airport (VNO) has direct connections from London (Ryanair, Wizz Air, LOT), Dublin (Ryanair), Amsterdam (KLM), Frankfurt (Lufthansa) and Warsaw (LOT). From London: 2.5-3 hours. Airport bus 88 to city centre: 1 EUR. Bolt rideshare: 8-12 EUR.
Vilnius is very walkable — all Old Town sights within a 20-minute walk. City buses from 1 EUR/journey. Bolt is excellent for longer trips. For the Hill of Crosses, Curonian Spit and lake districts, rent a car. Trakai is accessible by train (2 EUR return, 30 minutes).
Lithuanian is the official language — one of the oldest Indo-European languages still spoken. English is widely spoken in Vilnius, especially by anyone under 40 and in the tourism sector. Do not worry about not knowing Lithuanian.
Lithuania is one of the safest countries in Eastern Europe. Vilnius consistently ranks among the safest EU capital cities. Violent crime affecting tourists is extremely rare. Standard precautions apply. Emergency services: dial 112.
EU citizens can use the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). All other visitors should arrange comprehensive travel insurance covering medical expenses.
Get Travel InsuranceSummers (June-August): warm at 20-26°C — light clothing plus a layer for evenings. Winters: cold, January-February regularly below -5°C — pack a proper winter coat and warm layers. Spring and autumn: mild but variable, pack layers.
Lithuanians tend to be reserved with strangers but warm once a conversation gets going — don't mistake initial quietness for unfriendliness. Removing shoes when entering someone's home is standard practice and expected even of guests. If invited to a Lithuanian home for a meal, bringing a small gift (flowers in odd numbers, never even — even numbers are reserved for funerals) is a well-regarded custom.
Basketball is treated as something close to a national religion here — Lithuania has one of the strongest basketball cultures per capita in the world, and striking up a conversation about the national team is an easy, genuine way to connect with locals.
As an EU member, Lithuania is covered by EU roaming rules for European SIM cards, so visitors from elsewhere in the EU typically pay no extra roaming charges. Visitors from outside the EU can buy a prepaid SIM from Telia, Bite or Tele2 at the airport or any city kiosk for around €10-15, covering several GB of data — more than enough for a typical trip. Free WiFi is widely available in cafés, hotels and on most intercity buses.
February 16 (Independence Restoration Day) and March 11 (Independence Day) are both significant national holidays with public events in Vilnius, particularly around Cathedral Square. Many shops and some restaurants close on these dates, so plan around them if your trip overlaps. Christmas markets run through most of December in the Old Town and are a genuinely lovely time to visit despite the cold.