Hotels & Accommodation in Vilnius

Vilnius Hotels

When Vilnius replaced its statue of Lenin with one of avant-garde musician, Frank Zappa, it signalled the start of a new era of bohemian expressionism for the city, as it rediscovered its voice following the collapse of the Soviet Union. The city has grown in confidence over the years since it achieved independence, and with a skyline of decadent medieval masterpieces, narrow cobbled streets, and a portfolio of beautiful Baroque, Gothic and Renaissance buildings, Lithuania’s capital city's colourful character can barely be contained. Vilnius's historically strategic location sees it straddling east and west, which helped its Old Town blossom into one of Europe’s biggest, and would eventually earn it recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Things to see

The Old Town’s mesmerising labyrinth of streets is best accessed through the ‘Gates of Dawn,’ where heavy incense hangs in the air, and candles flicker. Vilnius Cathedral is just one of countless ambitious religious buildings in the district, but it's certainly one of the most spectacular. Touch the cold granite and shimmering marble of its pillars, before admiring the stucco artwork, and painstakingly accurate detailing on the sculpted shrouds worn by its religious statues. The Old Town is packed with around 1,500 historically significant buildings, and you’ll stumble across church spires, houses hidden behind walls of tangled flowers, and cafes where live music spills out onto the streets wherever you walk. There is a darker side to the city’s history, however, and the horrific stories of the Jewish Ghettos should never be forgotten. Visit the Genocide, Jewish and Holocaust museums to learn the full scale of the atrocities committed here, which saw an estimated 95% of the city’s Jewish population murdered.

Hotels in Vilnius

Whether you’re here on business, or to absorb the history, Vilnius lets you choose between towering high-rise hotels, or quaint boutique options - where you’ll leave feeling like you’ve known the owners for years. The city’s rooms offer quick WiFi, and effective heating that will help you to feel at home wherever you stay. Prepare for bed by swimming lengths of warm indoor pools, or by heading to the bar to sample the staple local drink, trejos devynerios. See whether you can guess all 27 of the herby flavours it’s said to contain, before hitting the hay, and letting your soft bed carry you off in seconds.

Where to stay

The most scenic hotels in Vilnius are gathered around the Old Town, with the steady flow of the Neris River close by. Head out at night to find secluded restaurants, where you can take a lucky dip with your food choice, or ask for a delicious traditional option - like huge cepelinai dumplings, filled with carefully seasoned mince meat. The slightly surreal atmosphere in this arty city intensifies to the east of the Old Town, where a handful of citizens have declared an independent state. You too will get the bohemian bug, as you wander past buildings strewn with the republic’s flag - which literally changes with the season - and colourful graffiti that celebrates the constitutional assertion that ‘Man has the right to individuality’. Whether the Uzupis Republic is genuine, satire, or a work of art in itself, is for you to decide.

How to get to Vilnius

Vilnius is extremely well connected, and plenty of low-cost European airlines soar in to its international airport. You can be in the beating heart of Vilnius just 15-minutes after setting off from the terminal in your hire car – or you can take a quick transfer by bus, train or taxi. Trains and buses also link Vilnius with the region's other major cities, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Minsk, Tallinn and Warsaw.